May
2013
In This
Issue:

Our
Methods

Fun
Acrylics!

Vinylux!!
Hello there everyone! Welcome to the breezy, beachy edition of the Island Girl Newsletter! This is the time of
year where the weather warms up juuust enough to
start taking those gorgeous walks on the beach; and last
month we welcomed the whales in Langley, so keep an
eye out for this seasons aquatic visitors! This month
we’re here to talk a bit more about the how’s and why’s
behind what we do around here. So let’s get started!
Let’s Talk Technique!
We absolutely love our jobs, and we love to talk about what we do and why! We
often get questions about the products we’ve chosen, the tools that we use, and
the techniques that we’ve learned. And we say bring it on! We love to educate our
clients about the industry that we are so passionate about; so please, don’t hesitate to ask us questions! We are happy to share our knowledge! One of the most
common topics of discussion is the question of why we won’t cut toenails too
short. Now, in order to understand our reasoning behind this, let’s have a little
lesson in nail anatomy! Take a look at the
diagram here. Over on the right side of the
toe, you’ll see the hyponychium. Also
known as the “quick” this is the thick
band of skin that seals the nail on to the
toe, and acts as a goalie to keep out harmful dirt, bacteria, and fungal spores. The
problem is that it doesn't always stay as
low down as we would like it to! Since the
hyponychium is tightly attached to the nail,
sometimes it will migrate out a bit as the
nail grows, making it impossible to cut the nail as short as the client requests
without risking causing damage to that ever important band of skin and opening
the nail up for infection. As we can get a much better view of where the hyponychium is lying, we can determine exactly how short to safely cut the nail. So next
time you ask us to cut your toenails shorter and we refuse, just know that we really do have a method to our madness, and are only keeping your health and safety in mind! Now, all the way over on the opposite side of the nail, you’ll see the
eponychium. This is the hyponychium’s counterpart, and has a very similar and
equally important job. Also known as the cuticle, the eponychium is the thick
band of skin that seals the nail to the toe as it’s growing out from the matrix, the
place where nail cells are formed. As the nail grows out and detaches itself from
Coming Soon….
PAGE 2
VINYLUX
the eponychium, it takes with it a tacky, sticky layer of dead skin cells. It’s
this layer of cells that we are actually pushing back and cutting when we
work on your cuticles, not the eponychium. If we were to cut your eponychium
(which is live, healthy skin) it could cause pain to the client, and open up the
nail matrix to harmful dirt and bacteria. Once that matrix is compromised,
the damage could be irreversible. So, here at IGN, we have very strict rules
when it comes to cutting cuticles and short toenails! And now that you know
the reasoning behind it, we hope that you understand our theory and know
that we only say “no” because we care about your health and safety!
Cool Colored Acrylics!
Lately, Lisa has been having a blast playing with colored acrylic to make
uniquely individual tips, and awesome effects! Here is some of her work!
The newest
innovation in
polish from
industry giant
CND!
Curious??
Well keep an eye on our
Facebook page for details
about the latest product to
hit the nail scene!
Alrighty, that wraps up this month here at Island Girl
Nails! We hope you all are enjoying this gorgeous Spring
weather we’ve been having! Keep in mind that as the
weather gets warmer, our schedules get fuller. So if your
lifestyle allows, it’s always a good idea to book several appointments in advance at a time! This way you guarantee
that you’re on our books and we can accommodate you!
Thanks for checking in, and we’ll see you in June!