Nail buffing is the act of “polishing” the nail using buffers of successively finer grit in order to make it look more consistent and shiny.
Things to remember while buffing
- The Emery board nail file should not be used to buff the surface of the nails. They are meant only to shape them from the side.
- The medium grit can be used to erase ridges and surface irregularities. This can be done before applying nail polish or as a first step before finer buffing.
- The fine-grained buff is used to smooth the nail to a matte surface.
- The finest, finishing grit gives the nails a glossy shine.
Buff your nails to perfection
Traditionally, a buffing cream and chamois skin has been used. Modern instruments are much more efficient. Some buffers are similar in appearance to a large plastic eraser with different sides for different coarseness. As buffing is gentle surface abrasion, it should not be performed too strongly or too often as this may result in thinning of the nail.
Warnings
- Don’t work too hard with the rougher grit; it is simply to smooth out major lines on the nail.
- Buffing the nail once in a while is fine as regular buffing can dry out the upper layers of the nail causing breakage and splitting.
- It can also thin the nail making it weaker and minimizing growth.
