Nail varnish thinner

Paste pollsh (buffing cream)
This is a mildly abrasive cream or powder which is us-ed in conjunction with a buffer to impart a shine to the surface of the .nail. Tm oxide or pumice powder are the usual abrasive constituents of the aeam.. Paste polish does not conta in any nu tritive ·elements. The fri ction that occurs durin,g the bttffirg p:rocess draws the blood to the capillaries of the nail bed: this increase in the blood supply mar have a slight stimulating ·effect on the health and gr-owth of the nail. If coloured nail varnish is not required, or if it i a male n1ankure, then the buffing procedure would be done Last. {Often speciallruffing files, instead of paste polish and chamois leather buffers, are used to raise a h igh gloss shine.) If buffing is bceing carried out to remedy ridges, poor irculation, fragile nails and the like, it can be incorporated earlier in the manicure.

Nail varnish thinner
This is used to thin the nall varn ish if it has thickened due ,to the evaporatjon of its olvent. Some t tpe of nail varnish need to be thinned. up to 20 minutes before use, to allow the pigm.ent:s and other ii constituents to become ~ually distributed and blended throughout  the varnish again. Nail varnish rmurvr!"r must never be used as a 1 thi.tmer because it contains oils and w.ater and will prevent the nail 6varnlsh from drying properly. Only a pure sot vent with no addwves such. as amy acetate or ethyl aetate, i suitable for thinning. Usually H manufacturers produce thinners to match their own na.il varnishes: because these use the same btend of solvents, they do not i.nhibit the setting of the van1ishes.

Nail bleaches
These are used to remove stains from the surface of the nait from undenu!ath the free edge of the nail, and frotn the skin surrounding the nail. Nail bleaches usuaHy contain diluted hydrogen peroxide, or orga.nk acids such as lemon juice or citric acid, as their bleachin.g agents. Glyef?rine, a humectant, is often incorporated to coun teract the dry ing effect of the bleach. DistiUed rater or roseater is the usual dilut.ant, and tl1.e bleach. can be left ln a liquid .form or mixed with other ingredients to form a cream.

Nail buffers

Nail buffers
NaiJ buffers fall in.to two distinct categories. The old type of buffer
was designed to be used, with paste polish, to impart a natural shine·
to the nail surface as well as stimulate the blood drcula.tlon t;o t:he mall
bed and matrix. !his type (Figure 6J.3) should have a removable
frame to allow for the replacement and cleaning of the chamois
leather or muslin cover. (his difficult to sterilise the chamois lea:th·e:r
covers effectively, hence the use of ctisposabl.e muslin.) The newer
l'yp@ a,r'@ synthetic~ disposable bu.ffers, designed solely t.o impart a
shine to the nail plate or false nail surface. The most usual design of
this type· of· buffer is the three~ or fourwsided buffer. Her~, three or
four grades of synthetic emery, from fine to ,extra fme, are used to
cover and sandwich a thin sponge or plywood supporting pad. The
coarsest emery should only be used. at the first buffing. to buff away
ridges or imperfections in. the nail pla·te. Over~use of this quafityfbf
e:mery v.riU thin and weaken the mill plate. This coarse em~).s
foUowed by the finer emeries in sequence, to impart a high g~s
shine which will last for weeks. On subsequent buffings, only ~
finest emeries should be used. ~
These buffers are in turn being superseded by synthetic buffing
fabrics of differing grades. These fabrics are inserted into holders of
various d~sig:ns, and prove sensitive and accurate in. use.
Spatulas
If pwnp dis_pen.sers ar-e not used for dispensing cream..'l and the like,
tl1en spatulas are needed to rentove creams from. their jars to avoid
contamination of the product. Spatulas should either be disposable or
be made of mate:rials which can easily he disinfected.
Toe separators
These are specially designed sponge pads which .fit under and in
between the toes to prevent them from touching and smudging wet
naif varnish when it has just been applied (Figure 6.14). Toe separators
should be washed i.n hot (60 <>C) soapy water after every use.

Potassiun hydroxide (KOH)

Petroleum jelly
A mixtur@ of semi-soHd hydrocarbons, petroleum jeUy is a colourless
to }'eJJow~white, jelly-like semi-solid, obtained from the fractianal
distillation of petxoleum, the process whereby the vadous substances
that together ,C'tlnstitute petroleum are separated from each other .
Petroleum jelly is obtained earlier in the process than mineral oil. The
more refined1 white varieties are used in cosmetics as a lubricant and
as .a healing base in cold creams, lip salves and sticks, hand jelties,
creams and cuticle Cl"eams.
Potassiu1·n hydroxide (K OH)
An alkali, used. in a weak form (2-5 pe:r cent) to manufact.ure cuticle
ren1ovet . It is also often used as the alkaH fur soap making. It can be
used as an emulsifying agent in vanis hing creams.
Preseroa tives
These are essential to prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi in
cosmetic preparatjons. A common one for amateur use is Nipagin M
(methyt~p-hydroxybenzoate) : a microspatula m~asure added to any of
the hom~ r~dpes given in the next chapter wouJd extend their shclf
life by a few weeks.
Rose-water
A distillation of ros€ petals and alcohoL n is slightly perfumed, dear
and colourless. Its mUd tonk a-ction makes it suita.ble for all skin types
and it is the main ing;r,edient of skin-softening crean" astringents,
lotions and mafl'\1' other cosmetics . •
Spennace.ti substitute
This is used in creams to improve gloss; it is also a stabiliser for
oil-in-water emulsions. Jt is a wax and is a synthetic subs titute for real
spermaceti, which used to b@ obttLin~d from the sperm whale.

TERMS USED

Allergy
An abnormal sensitivity (hypersensitivity) to a Substance or food
which wouJd not provoke a .reaction in, or prow! completely harml-ess
to, most people. (See the section on skin disorders, page 306.)
The substance causing the a:Uergic reaction is known as an allergen
or sensitiser. Th.e most common sen..sitisers in the cosmetic industry
are perfumes and colourants, although the widening range of chemjw
cal compounds used in making various products can cause skin
irritations ·which affect only certain individuals. Even hypoalle:rgenic
(supposedly non-allergy causing) products will cause a reaction in some people.

The European Community (EC) is consulntly reviewing the ingredients
used bv the cosmetic, medical and food trades in order to.
eliminate potential sensiti ers and ham1ful ingredients. Proven harmful
ingredients a.re then banned from use throughout the EC. One
example of this was the ban placed on certain nail varnish colowllnts
proved to be potent sensitisers. Manufacturers we.re forced to find
alternatives and for quite a while popular colours were changing
subtly with every b~tch of product made! Because of this care being
taken, our cosmetics are becomillg safer .and less aUergenic as time
goes on.

Detergent
A substance which is ab1e to mix fith both oil and and ovater. Because
of this ability, some detetgents can act as emulsifiers or emulsifying
agents. For example, in their usual states, oU and water will not ll1ix
but will fotm two separate layers in a contain.er, one floating above
the other. By bridg1ng the oil and water states, the detergent breaks
the oil into tiny droplets. These become suspended evenly in the
water, fonnittg an emulsion. Because they emulsify thoily films
which trap dirt in the fibres of a fabric1 allo"ring the dirt to become
wet and float away, detetgents are used as deaning agents.

Emollient
An emtllient is a substance: which softens living tissue. Examples are
spermaceti substitute, beeswax, ptittoleum jelly, lan.olin, minetal oil,