Have you ever seen one of those buffing block thingies at the drug store and wondered what they do? Have you ever wanted to get beautiful, shiny glossy nails, without polish? Two questions, one answer. The four way buffer block.
The four way buffer block is an excellent tool to add to your DIY nail arsenal. It will smooth out your nails, make them look healthy, and get them so shiny you can skip the gloss. Thankfully, the buffer block is numbered, so you know to start at ‘side one’ and move through to ‘side four’. Foolproof.
Side One – File
This is the side you use to shape your nails. Always work in short, sharp strokes, and only file in one direction. According to our resident expert Gerry Holford, if you’re not careful when you’re filing, you can very quickly take off too much and change the shape of your nail, so file and check. File and check. File and check.
Side Two – Buff
Us this side to smooth out your nail and buff away any ridges or dips. Don’t just go back and forth like you’re sawing a piece of wood, use an X shape, going diagonally in one way and then the other. The most common cause of ridges in your nails is ageing (booo!) but they can also be a sign of poor nutrition, trauma, or diabetes. If your ridges come on quickly, get worse, or just don’t look right, skip the buffing and get to a dermatologist.
Side Three – Polish
This is like the buffing step, but taking it up a notch. It gets out those little imperfections that buffing might have missed, and really smoothes your nails out. The finer the grit, the glossier the finish is going to be!
Step Four – Shine
It’s amazing how much shine you can get from step four. Seriously, you’ll be amazed. Buff in small circular or back and forth motions, and don’t press too hard.
Handy hint – If your nails are all shiny from step four, your polish might not adhere as well.
Make sure you wipe your nails with nail polish remover first to get ride of any residue from the buffing, and dehydrate the nail before your base coat. You’ll notice that with a perfectly smooth canvas under your nail polish, your lacquer will look better. Truly.
SHOP THE STORY
SEPHORA COLLECTION 4-STEP NAIL BUFFER
– $5
