How the Heck to Get Yellow Stains Off Your Nails - and Why It Can Be Dangerous

The next time you go free, consider giving your nails a polish time-out as well. Your obsession with getting gel nail-art looks at the salon or rocking a vampy lacquer look is great for the 'gram, but it also may be compromising the health of your nails. For the most part, wearing nail polish is safe — especially if you pick a nontoxic, five-free formula. But if you notice your tips looking yellow, you need a break.

Jin Soon Choi — a nail pro, a salon owner, and the creator of one of our favorite polish brands — says not to initially panic. "Using nail polish with dark color pigments for an extended time can stain nails yellow," she said.

Choi also explained why the yellowing happens: "When you have nail polish on for too long, it deprives your nails of oxygen, which exacerbates the yellowing, so make sure to avoid overusing polish and moisturize your nails even while wearing polish." Your skin gets to take a makeup break while you sleep, but if you always have polish on, your tips don't get that same benefit. Choi also noted smoking as a cause of yellowing nails.

"To remedy this, simply forgo polish for a while until the nail color returns to normal, or apply a whitening product like baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, or lemon," she said. "From my experience, it's best and easiest to use toothpaste that contains a whitening agent."

To DIY Choi's lemon hack, soak your fingertips in lemon juice for the citric acid. Then scrub them with a nail brush or an old toothbrush. Other options: saturate cotton balls in lemon juice and place them on your nails, or massage your nails with a lemon slice.

If you haven't been wearing dark colors or nail polish in general, then your yellow nails could also be a sign of something else. "Yellow nails are the result of a variety of conditions, from topical to internal," Choi explained. "If the yellowing is a result of overuse of dark nail polish, there is no need to worry. Nails can also turn yellow from fungal infections, or worse, from diabetes, in which case you should seek a doctor's advice."

You can blame unsanitary salons for these infections. Choi notes to be sure your technician uses only sterilized tools in a gentle manner. Some salons use sterilizing machines, while others open up a brand-new pack of nail tools for each guest. The safest bet is always to bring your own tools, and then clean them at home.

Blame also falls on your shoulders if you're a nail picker (you know who you are!). "Do not pull out your hangnails, which can cause infections," Choi advised.

To fix these very yellow nails, Choi has some easy remedies. "Try to nip it in the bud by applying tea tree oil. Or buff you nails very gently and either soak them in a liquid whitening (bleach) agent like hydrogen peroxide or denture tablets for about three to five minutes and repeat as needed."

At the end, your nails are telling you something — they need a polish vacation! "The first line of defense is to go polish-free until your nails return to normal color, but this can take a frustratingly long time," Choi said. "If these natural solutions aren't effective, it's best to see a dermatologist."

Fire and Ice Is the New Nail Trend You Need to Try ASAP

There is never a time we're not in awe of the new nail trends that emerge, whether it's because they move, or just because they are so damn pretty. Our latest obsession, and trust me when I say it will be your new obsession too, is fire and ice nails.

The trend was first created by The Nail Boss, a well-known nail artist on Instagram, who frequently produces the most precise sets of nails you've ever seen, as well as fun texture concepts. His latest creation, fire and ice nails, draws inspiration from the shattered glass effect we all love and pairs this with a lifelike flame effect. To achieve this effect he uses a thin film similar to those used for iridescent and shattered glass nails. This is layered with different colored nail polish and gems to create this masterpiece.

Best of all, you can try these nails out at home and share them on Instagram, using these iridescent nail sheets.

Lime Crime's New Nails Made Me a Press-On Manicure Convert

As a kid, my mom would take me to get manis and pedis at the local nail salon, and I always wondered why people wasted money on a manicure when the pedicure was worth every cent. They're long-lasting — some say they could outlast the apocalypse — and hello, foot rubs!

As a true Texas woman, I was also raised to believe that it was a cardinal sin if your nails weren't "done," which started my obsession with gel manicures. And then, after moving to Los Angeles, I became enamored with nail art of all kinds: drawings, sequins, 3D art. In 2014, hard gel and acrylics (sometimes at the same time) were able to help me achieve the long, claw-like nails of my Instagram dreams. This obsession wreaked havoc on my natural nails, which were once strong and grew long without the help of a plastic attachment.

Sick of having to go to the nail salon to get my works of art removed, or worse, repaired, I decided to quit acrylics and gels cold-turkey. I loved that I could properly type on any and all keyboards, but I missed how dainty lengthy nails made my fingers look.

I've been sent many, many press-on nails, but like most people my age, I scoffed initially. Press-on nails? These were popular in my days of Caboodles and too much hair gel. Then I was sent Lime Crime's Pop On Nails and decided to give them a go. It wasn't a hard sell, either: they come in gorgeous chrome shades like Black Magic (a black and red oil-slick finish), Oyster (opal), Baby Baby (champagne), Storm (gray), Camel (tan/beige), and Lizard (green). These nails perfectly fit my own, meaning I didn't need to sand them down to make them look natural. I did some light filing to create a pointed tip, but the entire process — from adhesion to filing — takes about five minutes max.

Most press-on nails come with glue stickers that can be a bit of a pain to work with. These include a nail glue, but it's not as aggressive as most nail adhesives. If a nail comes off, it's not destroyed by the glue, thank God. And really, it's a rarity that a nail comes off — these babies have lasted me well over two weeks. I like to reapply them every 10-14 days, though, as my nails grow out and as the finish of the nails starts to dull.

I could probably stop wearing them and start getting my natural nails done up again, but given that I only have to pay for the most basic of manicures now, I think I'll save my money and keep sporting these beauties. People ask me all the time where I get my nails done, and I have to say seeing the confusion and then complete shock on their face when I say "They're press-ons!" hasn't gotten old just yet.

Would you know what a dark line on your nail means?

Most of us would probably just assume it's bruising under the nail, or a weird sign of a deficiency in calcium.

But in fact, a dark line on your nail can be an indicator of something more serious – and it's a sign most of us would ignore or miss.

Nail artist Lisa Harrison Williams wants to raise awareness of how a dark line on your nail can be a sign of skin cancer, so that no one else delays diagnosis or treatment because of a lack of information.

Lisa had a walk-in nail client, who came in with a dark vertical stripe down her nail.

She asked for a colour that would be dark enough to cover the stripe, noting that previous salons had told her the mark was down to a blood blister or a lack of calcium.

'This is melanoma,' writes Lisa. 'I did not want to frighten her but I told her she needed to see her doctor immediately!'

Lisa advised her client to head to the doctor, where she says she was diagnosed with an aggressive melanoma that had already spread to her lymph nodes.

'Please pay attention to abnormalities in your nail beds,' Lisa urges. 'Odd changes in your nails can very likely be nothing to worry about.

'But sometimes it is an indication of a very serious disease.

'And please keep an eye on the nail beds -toes and fingers – of your elderly loved ones and your loved ones that aren't physically able to notice changes in the nail beds! Early diagnosis can make all the difference in the world!!!'

Lisa isn't exaggerating. While a change in the nail is very often just physical damage, such as bruising, in some cases it can be a sign of skin cancer.

Fiona Osgun, Cancer Research UK's senior health information officer told metro.co.uk: 'Melanoma skin cancer can cause different symptoms, including discolouration under a nail.

'By getting to know what's normal for you – including any lumps, marks or niggles – you're more likely to notice anything out of the ordinary.

'If you do notice any changes anywhere on your skin, whether it's a new mole or mark or something else that's changed, get it checked by your doctor.

'Most melanoma skin cancers develop on the chest, back or legs, occasionally they can appear as discolouration under nails or on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet.

'It probably won't be skin cancer, but if it is, getting treatment started before it has time to spread can make a big difference.'

In short: Don't descend into panic if you notice a dark mark on your finger or toenail. It's likely nothing, but it's definitely worth going to your GP to get it checked out – if only for your own peace of mind.

How to get your nails up to scratch for spring

Winter is the season of chapped lips, parched skin and dry hair, and understandably our nails often come off worst of all.

With spring on the way, it's the perfect time to show them some love and get them up to scratch for a fresh new season.

A BIG DRINK OF MOISTURE

Get your hands on some intensely nourishing hand cream and give them a good slather, massaging over your nails and into your cuticles. Repeat as necessary.

I love the rich simplicity of Avène Cold Cream hand cream, $25 and L'Occitane's Shea Melting Honey Hand Whipped Cream, $18, feels and smells delicious.

CUTEN UP YOUR CUTICLES

Peeling, ragged cuticles look less than lovely and can also be painful. As they work to protect and shield nails as they grow and block them from bacteria, our cuticles play an important part in having healthy nails.

Give them the respect they deserve with regular doses (right before bed is a good time) of a cuticle oil such as OPI's Avoplex Cuticle Oil To Go, $20, which is formulated with a thick gel consistency for easy, non-drip usage and contains vitamin E, avocado, sunflower, sesame and kukui nut oils.

SHORTEN AND SWEETEN

Especially in winter when your nails' defences are already down, long lengths are pretty much doomed to break, flake or tear, so keep them trimmed to no higher than your fingertips and tidy up the shape with a glass or acrylic nail file like Manicare's Crystal nail file, $25.

TREAT YO' NAILS

Keep your newly loved-up nails in tip-top condition with a good nail serum.

Fast-drying and water-based, Revitanail Keratin Strengthening serum, $25, promises to strengthen, protect and hydrate nails by penetrating and repairing the nail plate and can be used as a base coat under nail polish.

A COLOUR CHANGE IS AS GOOD AS A HOLIDAY

Well, nearly. What to choose as the finishing touches on all your good work? Vogue makes a good case for soft khakis for spring, metallics will add a little dazzle - this season it's all about platinum and creamy golds - or try being anything but shy with your hue with a vivid watermelon or tropical orange.

Or if you prefer to err on the understated side try a ladylike neutral such as lilac, peach, caramel or nude with a pearlescent formula rather than matte.

One final tip - before you paint, make sure your nails are totally clean and free of all the aforementioned goodies, as excess oils will interrupt your polish bond.

Dip Powder Nails

I'VE GOT ISSUES…NAIL ISSUES. I've always had tiny fingernails. It's a cursed gene I inherited from my father that makes getting a manicure a slightly embarrassing experience. "You bite?" the nail ladies always say. No, I do not bite. But I do have a pretty bad habit of picking at them.

I've tried everything to break the habit, and the only thing that works is shelling out for pretty—and more importantly, iron-clad—polish that I can't bear to ruin. I've gone from getting a manicure once a week to transitioning to gel polish. Then I heard about dip powder manicures, which are said to last longer than a gel manicure while also being healthier for your nails. After trying it out, I just might be hooked on this trendy technique.

I made an appointment to try it out at First Boutique Nails in Memorial. I picked out a color (navy) from the ring of pretend nails (again, just like I would with gel). My manicurist used a Signature Nail Systems (SNS) nail dipping kit, which claims to supply vitamins A, E, D3, B5 and calcium to your nails. After applying a standard liquid base coat and a coat of gel base, she dipped my nails one by one into a little container of powder three times. The dipping part was pretty fun, but it didn't dawn on me until afterwards that everyone sticking their nails into the same powder could be unsanitary.

The powder was all over the skin around and below my nails, and I was afraid it would stain my skin. But luckily the powder comes off with a few quick dusts of a brush and some special remover. The bigger drawback was that the sample color doesn't give a great indication of what the polish actually looks like on. I thought I was getting a deep navy blue, but it came out slightly lighter and more violet than I intended.

The manicure also takes a little longer than standard or even gel manis—about 40 minutes in total—but another pro for me is that unlike gel manicures, dip nails don't require a UV light to set, and it only takes about two minutes for them to dry.

Five days in, my nails are still pristine and they really do feel stronger—and they should, since the powder layers are much thicker than gel or polish. It's virtually indestructible, which makes sense when you consider that the powders are a form of acrylic. This means there's no chance I'll be able to pick the polish off, a challenge I've managed to overcome even with gel. Like other long-lasting mani options, removal basically requires another trip to the salon.

All in all, I'd say the dip powder process was a success. The polish feels thicker than gel, but still super lightweight. I'm definitely going back to double dip.

How I Stopped My Nails From Splitting & Breaking All The Time

I recently took a look at my fragile nails and decided that they deserved as much attention as I give my hair. After six weeks of weekly treatments and some minor changes in my nail routine, I'm happy to say that, finally, my nails are experiencing the same level of happiness thanks to these seven things I did to make my nails stronger, less prone to breakage, and ridge-free.

I had given up on my nail beds and everything that came with them decades ago. It seemed my nails were destined for a life of pesky horizontal ridges that kept my nails permanently dipped in polish to protect the eyes of anyone staring directly into the horror. There are plenty of causes for nail-breakage: hormones, poor nail routines, missing nutrients in your diet, and stress can all lead to a case of the splits. Being a vegetarian, it didn't surprise me that anemia could lead to weak nails as well because when I first stopped eating meat it affected me mentally and physically. My nails took an unhealthy plunge over 20 years ago and never fully recovered despite my otherwise clean bill of health. My nail beds have the familiar light pink color of healthy blood flow, so it was clear this wasn't an underlying health issue: this was about straight-up poor nail maintenance. Well, shame on me...

My nails were dehydrated and I was the only one to blame, but I didn't need to look beyond my splitting, dry nail beds to figure that out. The good news is I didn't have to go too far outside my regular nail care routine to finally have smooth nail beds. Here are seven ways I mended my broken nail beds — who knows, they might come in handy for you too.

1. Shortened The Lifespan Of My Nail Polish

In a measly attempt to justify my own laziness, I convinced myself that I found chipped polish very attractive. Not only was that false (though, it has its time and place IMO), but it was also getting in the way of strong nail beds. Nails can become dry under long stretches of polish which weakens the nail and can lead to breakage. As dermatologist Dr. Debra Jaliman told Glamour.com, the longer you leave on your polish the more likely to experience discoloration. Judging from my newfound nail health, this seems true: Keeping my nails in old polish was certainly not improving their health.

2. Going Without Polish

Speaking of getting some breathing room from your polish, giving my nails a break from nail polish was one of the hardest yet most beneficial things I did for my beds. I knew removing old polish and immediately applying new polish kept my nails dry, uneven, and chipped, but I couldn't help painting over my nails as fast as I possibly could. Just like the hair on our heads, nails are made of keratin and they are technically dead, but, also just like the hair on our heads, they're still prone to dryness. One nail guru, Kim D’Amato, told StyleCaster that wearing nail polish every day can weaken the nails. While nails don't require oxygen to "breathe," I certainly noticed that leaving my nails naked in between color changes paid off.

3. Keeping My Nails Hydrated

One thing I never even thought about in the past was moisturizing my nails. Odd, when you consider how obsessed I am with keeping my hair and my skin quenched at all times. No matter how enriched my base coat claimed to be, nothing compared to applying a deeply, penetrating oil to prevent my nails from becoming dry and brittle. As CND’s ­resident chemist, Dr. Dave Valia, explained to NAILS magazine, oils rich in vitamin E can benefit your cuticles and prevent hangnails. I applied avocado oil, which contains vitamin E, to my nails a few times each week, whether my nails were polished or bare. I found keeping up with moisturizing my nails when painted actually decreased the appearance of dryness.

4. Making A Nail & Cuticle Oil

I had made my own blend of nail-strengthening oil to help me along my journey and it quickly became a staple in my nail routine. I used my blend weekly and eventually moved on to using Aura Cacia's blend of essential oils to nurture my beds. I noticed improvement in the circulation of my nail beds immediately and slowly began to see my nails evening out on their own. I use essential oils in addition to fatty oils because they penetrate the nails, skin, and hair more quickly for a variety of reasons, including the viscosity of the oil. I now use my nail care blend weekly when I took off my nail polish for breathing.

5. Treating All My Nails From Cuticle To Tip

My main concern was alleviating the recurring ridges and chips along the tip of my nails, but I knew I had to treat my cuticles with a lot more respect to end the cycle of weak nails for good. Cuticles play an important role by protecting your nail from bacteria. I kept my cuticles moisturized with my nails and more importantly, I stopped pushing my cuticles back with sharp metal objects.

6. Wearing Gloves Indoors & Outdoors

My hands will become dry upon contact with cold temperatures, but I hadn't considered the impact of the cold could be felt on my nail beds too. I started keeping my fingernails protected outside and wearing gloves indoors when I'm washing dishes. Even gentle, non-toxic dish soap makes my hands dry so I know my nails are feeling the effects as well. According to sources at Livestrong, too much moisture from repeatedly wetting your hands can weaken the nails and cause peeling, something I've vowed to put behind me.

7. Keeping Myself Hydrated

Even though most of my newfound nail health can be attributed to my nail routine, I had to admit that I started keeping track of my water intake once I found dehydration can lead to weaker nails. According to sources at Huffington Post, drinking plenty of water can keep your nails and cuticles hydrated from within.

My nails started to show improvement after a few weeks of these minor changes in my nail routine, but after six weeks my nails started glowing again so there was no way I was going back to the weak nails of my past. Since I work with my hands often, this nail care routine went from experiment to way of life.