Why
should I take the time to have my nails professionally manicured?
A
Beautiful,
well-groomed nail is
an important part of your overall look. Attractive nails and
hands enhance your appearance, whether you spend your days
in a kitchen or in a boardroom. A basic manicure takes between
30-45 minutes. Artificial nail services, such as tips, acrylics
and gels, average about an hour. The cost is quite reasonable,
and the results are well worth it.
How
to Care for
Your Hands and Nails with OPI Products
DAILY USE:
Swiss Blue" Antibacterial Liquid Hand Soap: Thoroughly washes away germs and bacteria.
The gentle, non-drying formula is excellent for repeated use.
Swiss Guard' Antiseptic Handwash Gel: Kills bacteria and germs on contact.
Great for travel, diaper or gym bag Can be used anytime, anywhere without rinsing.
Avoplex' Moisture Replenishing Lotion: An excellent moisturizer for your entire body!
Soothes and conditions skin and won't cause lifting of artificial nails.
Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Replenishing Oil: Gently massage into cuticles and dry, rough areas twice a day to replenish essential moisture and lipids
FOR EMERGENCY NAIL REPAIRS:
N.A.S. 99* Nail Antiseptic Spray:
Gives nails a clean start and prevents bacteria and fungus growth.
OPI Nail Adhesive:
Repairs nail breaks and cracks fast!
(Be sure to see your nail professional for a proper repair).
OPI Emery Square:
This double-sided square is perfect for smoothing edges and rough spots while being gentle on cuticles.
OPI and Nicole Nail Lacquer All the award-winning fashion shades you need for beautiful nails! Keep on hand for touch-ups.
WEEKLY USE:
Avoplex Exfoliating Cuticle Treatment:
Smoothes and soothes! Massage into cuticles twice weekly to slough away excess, dry cuticles.
OPI Reusable Cuticle Stick:
Use the soft rubber tip to gently push back cuticles.
POLISH CHANGE:
1. OPI Regular or Non-Acetone Polish Remover and OPI Nail Wipes: Removes nail lacquer quickly without leaving behind lint.
2. Chip Skip: Apply one coat to natural nails, or to regrowth area only of artificial nails, before applying base coat.
Base Coat: On natural nails, apply one coat of OPI Natural Nail Base Coat or Start-to-Finish Base Coat.
Top Coat & Nail Strengthener or chosen Nail Envy' formula.
For artificial nails, apply one coat of OPI Acrylic Nail Base Coat.
3. OPI and Nicole Nail Lacquer.
These high-glosses, chip-resistant formulas come in a multitude of award-winning fashion
shades to suit every mood! Apply two coats over chosen base coat or treatment.
4. RapiDry Top Coat and RapiDry Spray or Drip Dry: Use this quick-drying team to protect your manicure and get you
out the door fast!
5. OPI Reusable Cuticle Stick: Dip the flat edge into OPI Polish Remover and wipe away any remaining lacquer on skin.
6. Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Replenishing Oil: Apply one drop to each cuticle.
How
long will a basic manicure or pedicure last?
A
basic manicure or pedicure will last one to two weeks, depending
on your lifestyle and the type of service you've had.
If, for
example, you work in the garden without gloves, your manicure
probably won't last long. Artificial nail services, such as acrylics,
tips, wraps and gels maintain their fresh appearance much longer.
Maintaining
your nails between salon visits with OPI products will give your
nails a just-manicured look.
What
are the main advantages of artificial nail applications?
For
people who have a tendency to bite or pick at their nails,
there is a 90 percent success rate of stopping with artificial
nail applications. There are two reasons for this.
-
First,
people are less likely to ruin something they've spent time
and money on.
-
Secondly, nail biters are generally inspired
by having beautiful hands for the first time in their lives.
Ask your professional nail technician about OPI’s Competition Formula 3000™ Advanced
Acrylic System. It can give you the long, healthy-looking nails
you’ve always wanted!
Does OPI manufacture products containing DBP or toluene?
Beginning in Spring 2006, OPI eliminated DBP (dibutyl phthalate) from all Nail Lacquers, Nail Treatments, and Nail Hardeners it manufactures. Beginning in January 2007, OPI eliminated toluene from all Nail Lacquers it manufactures. Toluene-free formulas have been approved for all of our Nail Treatment and Nail Hardener products; some of these formulas are already being manufactured, and the others will be on the market in the next few months.
Does OPI Nail Lacquer contain formaldehyde as an ingredient?
No.
Will
my natural nails continue
to grow under the acrylics?
Yes.
If your nail technician uses good products, such as the OPI acrylic
system, and applies and maintains them correctly.
Artificial
nails can actually improve the health of your natural nails by
protecting them from biting, picking, excess moisture and other
elements that can weaken or damage them.
How
are artificial nail
applications maintained?
Every
two weeks your nail technician will fill in the area near
the cuticle between where the natural nail has grown and where
the artificial nail or tip is attached.
This "fill" includes
re-sanitizing and re-applying the acrylic where it has grown
out.
What
are gel nails?
How do they differ
from acrylics?
Gels
and acrylics are similar in that they both can be used to extend
the length of the nails and make them stronger.
One advantage
of gel services is that they are odorless Like acrylic, gels
can be applied over the natural nail or over artificial nail
tips.
What
is a “Pink and White” nail service?
“Pink
and White” refers to the use of two colors of acrylic applied
to the nails to produce a more permanent, natural-looking “French” manicure
look.
OPI calls this the dual-tone nail.
The tips of the nails
are sculpted using white acrylic.
The base of the nail is then
overlayed with warm or cool pink, depending on your skin tone.
OPI’s Competition Formula 3000™ is the only acrylic
product that allows your nail technician to customize the
shades of pink and white used for the most natural looking
dual-tone nails.
How
long do artificial nail
applications usually last?
Artificial
nail applications should be maintained every two weeks.
It is
important to have regular fills because if the acrylic lifts
away from the natural nail, moisture and bacteria can accumulate
between them.
A professional nail technician can spot problem
areas better than someone with an untrained eye.
How long will it take for my nails to return to normal after removing my acrylics?
If
your natural nails were filed properly in the beginning,
and if you've been maintaining your artificial nails with regular
visits to the salon, your nails will be in good condition
after the acrylic nail is removed.
Be sure to use OPI's Nail
Envy™ Natural
Nail Hardener to strengthen your natural nails, condition your
cuticles with Avoplex® Nail and Cuticle Replenishing
Oil and have regular manicures to maintain healthy nail growth.
Why do nails split or become yellow ?
Nails can split or yellow for a number of reasons.
Excessive exposure to the elements or chemicals, poor diet, nail biting and other habits can be the cause.
To strengthen nails, use OPI’s Nail Envy™ Natural Nail Hardener.
Does OPI test its products on animals?
No. OPI products are not tested on animals.
What
are the rules regarding:
sanitation & disinfection
of the instruments used for
salon nail care services?
While each state's board of barbering
and cosmetology have different regulations pertaining
to salon sanitation procedures, it just makes good
sense for a salon to do the most, not the least,
when it comes to preventing the spread of contagious
diseases.
At OPI, we believe that technicians should
thoroughly disinfect all implements and surfaces
prior to each client's appointment.
Technicians should
also practice a thorough hand sanitation regimen
to prevent the spread of germs and fungus.
OPI’s
Swiss Clean Professional Salon Sanitation and Disinfection
System is designed to fight germs at two important
levels in the salon: effective sanitation of the
skin and nails, and hard surface and implement disinfection.
Any salon that doesn't follow conscientious sanitation
practices is probably not a good choice for a nail
service.
Why
is this necessary? What are we being protected from?
Common
viruses -- such as those that cause colds and flu --
are easily spread from hand to hand. Your nail technician
is in direct contact with your hands for long periods
of time, which makes both of you vulnerable to viruses
and other contagious diseases.
The OPI hand sanitation
system includes Swiss Blue Antibacterial Liquid Hand
Soap, Swiss Guard Antiseptic Handwash Gel, a waterless
hand sanitizer that kills bacteria and germs on contact,
and N.A.S. 99 Nail Antiseptic Solution.
A nail technician
should never begin a service without using these types
of products!
How
can I do touch-ups and repairs on my nails at home?
OPI has a Hand and Nail Maintenance
Kit which can be purchased at your salon.
It is specifically
designed to supply the most essential nail care products for
use between professional manicures.
It contains all the products
you need to properly care for both natural and artificial nails
in an attractive carry-all bag.
