What is a nail buff and how to use it. What are nail buffs and how to use them Manicure buff

To make the perfect manicure, you must have all the necessary tools and materials to perform it. In addition to the usual classic nail files, the girl should have a buff, the main work of which will be pumped into polishing the surface of the nail. The buff is a kind of bar for nails. It can be used for both natural nails and artificial nails.

What is a nail buff

Many girls do not even know what a nail buff is. It is a universal tool for manicure, the main task of which is to. It finds its application both when performing a manicure in the salon, and when processing plates at home. Nail salons often use disposable buffs. But at the moment there are special sterilizers that allow you to disinfect nail files from different materials, so disposable tools of this type are losing their popularity.

Grinding, for which you need a nail buff in manicure, is performed as a necessary measure to rid the plate of bumps and flaws. Lacquers, gel polishes and varnishes only adhere to the plate if it is perfectly even. The principle of operation of this tool is similar to a conventional nail file, their difference lies in the degree of graininess, in a buff it is finer.

The buff is a voluminous four-sided bar. Sometimes on its sides there are numbers that have a certain meaning:

  1. This face is used to give the plate the desired shape.
  2. The second side delicately removes all roughness from the plate.
  3. This edge is needed for grinding, eliminating flaws of small sizes.
  4. The fourth side polishes the surface to a shine.

If a manicure is done at home, then the buff is an indispensable multifunctional thing that can handle several tasks at the same time.

Buff classification

There are several classifications of buffs. They are differentiated by the basis: it is made of wood, plastic, silk or other fabric. The material determines how much the nail buff costs. Inexpensive models can be purchased for 50 rubles, silk-coated nail files are sold for about 150 rubles. The second typology is based on the quality of the working surface. It can be made of silicone, suede and other materials.

The choice of which buff to polish nails before gel polish, varnish and gel depends on its abrasiveness. Based on this, there is the following classification:

  1. 60 to 80 grit. This buff is more rigid than others, so it is suitable for pedicure or processing of artificial plates.
  2. In the range from 100 to 150 grit. This type of nail file will also be used for polishing toenails and processing plates extended with gel or acrylic.
  3. If the abrasiveness of the nail file is from 150 to 240 grit, then it is used for filing the tips of natural nails or polishing the surface of artificial ones.
  4. Over 300 grit. Such granularity is the smallest, which determines the softness of the buff. It can be used to polish the surface of the plates on the hands before applying gel polish.

How to make a choice?

The photo shows several types of buffs, it is quite difficult for a beginner in manicure to choose between them. You need to start from the purpose of the purchase. If the girl's nails are thin and weak, then you need to choose a tool with the greatest abrasiveness.

The choice regarding the material of the file should be given to natural suede, the buff from it gently and carefully polishes the plate. However, if a master in a nail salon processes nails with such a suede file, then this should alert the client, since it is problematic to disinfect such files.

For processing natural nails at home, a suede buff with abrasiveness from 300 to 1000 grit is suitable.

Basic Terms of Use

The purpose of the tool explains the features of how to use the nail buff. They need to work according to the following rules:

  1. Apply the side of this nail file to the plate with a wide edge, trying to process a large area at a time.
  2. There should not be many fast movements.
  3. The direction of movement should be one-sided: from the base to the tip.
  4. It should be used no more than once every 7-10 days, as constant polishing with a buff can noticeably thin the plate and make it brittle.
  5. As a prevention of lamination, you can use this polishing tool as a material for applying essential oil. It is enough to drop a small drop of tea tree oil on the plate and distribute it with a buff over the surface, thereby sealing the nail.


These rules allow you to understand how to properly buff a nail. Following them will help maintain a manicure in perfect condition so that the nails remain healthy and well-groomed.

What can replace the buff?

If there was no polishing tool at hand, and the manicure urgently needs updating, the question arises of how to replace the nail buff. If there was no buff at home, then another one with an abrasiveness of more than 300 grit is suitable for polishing the surface of the nail. However, the result of the manicure will be different, since such nail files have a different purpose. You can polish the plate with any rough material if the nail file was not at hand, and an unevenness formed on the surface of the plate that interferes with the performance of the usual actions.

Concluding, it must be said that the buff is an indispensable thing for high-quality manicure at home. When choosing a nail file, you should be careful, because by giving preference to inexpensive models, saving money, you can ruin your nails for a long time.

Well-groomed, neat nails are the pride of any girl. In order to have beautiful nails, it is not at all necessary to resort to extensions or decorate them with elaborate decor. Healthy strong nails can simply be filed, manicured and treated with a tool such as a buff for polishing nails. Today, the answer to the question of what are nail buffs is known not only to professional nail design masters. Every girl who pays enough attention to caring for her nails is aware of what kind of tool this is, since it is used both in the work of a salon master and at home.

A nail buff is a rather massive volumetric nail file, which has the shape of a parallelepiped. The difference between this tool and a conventional nail file is that it has less abrasiveness, that is, it is characterized by a softer effect and is used exclusively for grinding the surface of the nail and giving it the necessary smoothness. The smoother and smoother the surface of the nails, the more ideal the coating will lie on them, and the longer it will be worn. Another difference between a buff and a regular nail file is that this tool can and should be looked after. It is desirable to treat it with special disinfectants that remove microbes that accumulate on the working surface of the tool. Some types of buffs can be washed. Careability is one of the criteria that should guide the choice of this tool along with its abrasiveness, as well as the material from which it is made.

The main characteristic that determines the properties of a nail buff is the degree of its abrasiveness, according to which this tool is selected for work.

  • Sixty to eighty grit. A nail buffer with such abrasiveness is intended for artificial nails and pedicure.
  • One hundred to one hundred and fifty grits. Buffs for nails of this abrasiveness are used to correct the shape of the nail and treat its surface. They polish nails and process artificial nail plates.
  • One hundred and fifty to two hundred and forty grit. Such a buff for nails is used for processing natural nails and working with an artificial nail plate.
  • From three hundred grits and more. This nail polisher adds shine to natural nails. She treats the nail before coating with gel polish or regular manicure varnishes.

buff sides

The manicure buff has the shape of a parallelepiped, which means that each side of this figure is a work surface that has a specific purpose.

  • The first side of the professional buff is used as a regular nail file, that is, it serves to correct the length and shape of the nail.
  • The second side of the nail buff removes irregularities from the nail plate.
  • The third side of the tool is nail polishing, which removes the slightest defects in the nail plate.
  • The fourth side allows you to use a professional buff to polish the nail plate to give it shine.

How to use a nail buff correctly?

By and large, the buff polisher is used in nail care just like a regular nail file. Nevertheless, there are several nuances in the work of this tool that must be taken into account in order not to damage the nails.

  1. You need to work with a buff only on the widest side, while simultaneously capturing the maximum surface of the nail.
  2. It is necessary to try to make a minimum of movements with this tool.
  3. You need to work with a buff for manicure, making movements directed in one direction.
  4. Daily use of this grinder is not recommended. Frequent use of the tool will cause the nails to become too thin and weak. The recommended frequency of using the tool is once every seven to ten days.
  5. When caring for nails with a buff, it is advisable to use essential oils to strengthen and moisturize them.

By purchasing a manicure buff, you will receive an indispensable assistant in the care of your nails, which can accompany you everywhere, being in a cosmetic bag or purse.

Bafik is a special nail file that is used for polishing nails. It looks like a small volumetric rectangle. The buff is suitable for both natural and artificial nails.

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“Don’t cut your toenails, they promised ice!” (Author unknown)

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Types of buffs

The very first buffs were made of suede. Now completely made of this material are not found, in our time it is a wooden block, covered with suede on one side. Since they are inconvenient to disinfect, from this they quickly lose their attractive appearance and deteriorate, it is used only at home. They are ideal for rubbing essential and vegetable oils into the nail. To do this, you just need to put a couple of drops on the buff. This procedure can be done once or twice a week.

Fabric buffs are more flexible and soft, while polyethylene foam buffs are extremely wear-resistant and durable. Fabric buffs are the most expensive. They are well suited for polishing natural nails.

How to use the buffer correctly?

The buff is used to remove irregularities from the nail and prepare it for applying modeling gel or regular varnish. After all, good polishing is the key to a high-quality and beautiful manicure.

All buffs are divided among themselves by abrasiveness, that is, by the number of "pores" on its surface. To work with a natural nail, it is better to choose with a large number of grits (pores). If thin nails and they just need to be shined, then choose at least 500. If you decide to do a pedicure, then it is better to take with abrasiveness of 60-80 grit. They are quite rough share of it. It can also be used on artificial nails.

Good buffs are also suitable for "sealing" nails. If they are constantly exfoliating, then you can drop a little essential oil on them and rub with the softest side. This procedure should be done every week.

It is necessary to apply the buff to the nail with the largest side so that it captures the largest possible area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe nail. In order not to damage the nail plate, it is unnecessary for them to work too hard, a few movements are enough.

Try not to change the direction of the cut. Movement should be from side to side.

And finally...

Do not use a nail buff more than once a week, otherwise the nail may become excessively depleted. In the future, there is a possibility of injury. You should also not use it on thin, wavy or damaged nails.

Article editor: Svetlana Prikhodko

Most girls who care about their appearance know how important well-groomed hands are. After all, a carelessly done manicure can pretty much spoil the overall impression of a carefully thought-out image. Using it, you can quickly and effortlessly achieve smoothness and shine of the nail plate.

What are buffs?

The principle of operation of this tool is practically no different from a conventional file. The only important difference is the finer grain. Nondescript at first glance, the bar perfectly copes with its functions and can easily replace some professional procedures. A tool ideal for natural care and very convenient for home use. To date, several varieties of buffs are produced. Usually they are made on a fabric, plastic and wooden basis. The work surface itself is made of suede, silicone and other materials.

How to choose a nail polishing tool?

In modern stores a wide range is presented. To choose a high-quality nail buff, you need to decide for what purpose it is purchased. You should not save on the purchase of this tool, the more expensive it is, the longer it will last. A cheap product will be erased after two or three procedures.

When choosing a buff for polishing nails, you should pay special attention to the shape of the product. To date, two types of instruments are considered the most common. The first is made in the form of a tetrahedral bar, and the second, more practical option, looks like a thick nail file with only two working surfaces. Such a product is much more convenient to use and easily copes not only with polishing, but also with grinding the nail plate. As a rule, manufacturers producing square bars mark each side. This is necessary in order to make it easier to figure out for what purposes this or that face is used. The first side is used as a regular nail file: to give the desired shape. With the help of the second face, all irregularities are carefully removed from the surface of the nail plate, the third is needed to eliminate the smallest defects, and the fourth is for the final polishing.

Tool abrasiveness

A buff nail file is equally good for processing natural and natural nails. The only difference between them is the graininess and abrasiveness of the tool. For processing natural nails that do not have serious defects, a grinder with a standard grit (220-280 grit) is suitable. Such a block is delicate enough not to scratch the nail plate. Owners of acrylic manicure are recommended to use a grinding tool, the grain size of which does not exceed 240 grit.

Before you start polishing your nails, you need to familiarize yourself with a few simple rules. The procedure is not recommended to be carried out more than once a month. Otherwise, it may result in delamination and brittle nails. For a successful procedure, you must learn how to properly hold the nail buff. In order for the tool to have the same effect on the entire surface of the plate, it must be taken from both sides. To maintain the maximum effect of polishing, a small amount of nourishing cream is first rubbed into the nail.

Instrument disinfection

Some girls are worried that in the salon, which uses a common nail buff, you can pick up some kind of infection. To dispel your doubts before starting the procedure, it is advisable to ask if the instruments are disinfected there. Usually, after each client, buffs are soaked for 20 minutes in a special solution that can neutralize all microbes. Most expensive salons have more modern sterilizers made in the form of germicidal ultraviolet lamps.

If the master's answer did not dispel your fears, then you can bring your own tool. Some specialists keep their clients' buffs in special paper bags, which eliminates the need to constantly carry them with you. Do not forget that over time, dirt and pathogenic microbes begin to accumulate on the instrument. Therefore, the nail buff needs regular care. However, some tools are able to absorb moisture, so they cannot be treated with special disinfectants. For example, fabric varieties that have a fairly short service life, upon contact with water, begin to instantly deform and delaminate. Therefore, most experts recommend giving preference to buffs that do not require special care. Alternatively, you can purchase a more durable plastic counterpart, which is better disinfected.

One of those tools that allow you to achieve the perfect appearance of nails is a buff - a special kind of file that has a number of noteworthy features. Due to the many types of this device, it can be used in a variety of situations, often requiring extreme accuracy from the performer. It is not difficult to achieve an optimal result with the help of a buff: it is enough to make the right choice of this tool and follow the basic recommendations for its use.

What it is?

The first feature that makes it possible to distinguish a buff from a regular saw is its shape. Most often, it looks like an elongated bar (parallelepiped), which has a large area of ​​​​working surfaces. The materials from which such devices are made also deserve attention: due to their properties, they gently affect the nail plates, and therefore are successfully used to solve the most delicate tasks.

The validity of this thesis is confirmed by the name of the described instrument, which comes from the English verb "buff" - "to polish".

In addition to giving the nails a spectacular shine, the device in question can be used to form outlines and high-quality grinding of the processed plates. The latter procedure is especially important: it provides for the elimination of a wide variety of surface defects, and therefore ensures high-quality adhesion and long-term wearing of decorative coatings. It is worth mentioning the versatility of buffs, which allows them to be used not only in specialized salons, but also at home.

As for the working resource of the described tools, it is in a fairly wide range. Depending on the specifics of the situation and personal preferences, the performer can use both single and reusable buffs.

The use of the latter in salons became possible thanks to sterilizers - devices that provide complete disinfection of the instruments used.

Kinds

To date, manufacturers offer nail buffs with two, three or four working surfaces. The latter option is considered the most versatile, as it allows you to solve the widest range of tasks.

Often, these tools have numbered edges, so that a suitable work surface is selected with the least amount of time:

  • the first, designed to give the nails the desired shape;
  • the second, through which the irregularities of the processed plates are eliminated;
  • the third, providing high-quality grinding;
  • the fourth, with which the nails are polished to a shine.

Using such a buff, you can not only achieve the desired result, but also significantly save.

Material

Another criterion on the basis of which different types of buffs are distinguished is the composition of the working surface. It may involve the use of many materials, the most popular of which are the following.

  • Polyethylene foam. The most popular option, equally successfully used by both specialists in salons and non-professionals at home. First of all, this is due to the resistance to wear and the democratic cost of tools made from this material. Another obvious advantage of polyethylene foam buffs is the ease of maintenance and the possibility of regular disinfection, which does not damage the instrument.

  • Suede leather. A distinctive feature of such devices is the presence of a handle that provides maximum ease of use. As described above, suede buffs are used in salons and at home, and their main drawback is the complexity of disinfection, which involves the use of a special closet.

  • Textile. The use of this material makes the tools light and flexible, which naturally affects the convenience of their operation. Such devices are very delicate, and therefore experts recommend using them for polishing thin natural nails. There are two disadvantages of tissue devices - the impossibility of full disinfection in the absence of special equipment and a relatively high price.

Practice shows that the last type of buffs allows you to polish your nails at maximum speed. In addition, the use of fabric tools is justified in situations where it is necessary to achieve the ideal quality of the surface to be treated.

Grain

The surface features of the instruments under consideration, which determine the specifics of their application, deserve special attention. To classify buffs according to this principle, the concept of granularity is used - the number of abrasive particles (grits) located per unit area.

  • 60–80. Such devices are classified as coarse-grained. They are used when performing a pedicure or for the initial treatment of artificial nails on the hands. The main qualities of such instruments are rigidity and rudeness.
  • 100–150. This buff granularity value allows it to be used for the correction of extended nails. By means of such devices, you can get rid of the vast majority of irregularities. In addition, with their help, the nail plates on the legs are polished, achieving excellent results.

  • 150–240. A buff having such a grain size is needed for delicate processing of artificial nails or careful filing of natural plates.
  • 300–500. Tools with the specified abrasiveness value are used to give a spectacular shine to natural nails that have normal thickness and strength.

If the polished plates are too thin, brittle and prone to delamination, the performer should use a buff with a grit of 500 grit. The use of such a tool makes the appearance of nails flawless and negates the likelihood of mechanical damage.

How to choose?

In order for a polishing bar for nails to fully meet the expectations of its owner, the latter should take into account the specifics of the tasks for which the product is purchased. When choosing the right tool, it is advisable to follow a few recommendations.

  • The thinner the thickness of the nail plate, the greater should be the numerical value indicated on the packaging of the purchased product.
  • In order to save as much money as possible, it is reasonable to buy buffs with a maximum operational resource.
  • If the budget allows, it is worth getting several devices made of different materials and having different degrees of abrasiveness.

Following this advice, you can solve a variety of tasks using the tools most suitable for them.

And also you should not buy too cheap buffs - products of dubious origin, the quality of which leaves much to be desired. Experience shows that such devices become unusable very quickly, not justifying the money spent on them.

How to use?

There are several basic rules following which allows you to buff your nails with the achievement of an optimal result:

  • the working surface of the tool should process the largest possible area of ​​​​the nail plate;
  • when performing processing, it is desirable to reduce the number of unnecessary movements to a minimum (in order to avoid delamination of the nail);
  • during the polishing of the plate, the initially chosen direction should not be changed;
  • carrying out procedures using a buff should not be frequent (to avoid thinning of nails, this tool can be used once every 7–10 days or less often).

Before starting the treatment of the nail plates, it is advisable to lubricate them with a small amount of nourishing cream. This step is extremely simple and at the same time important, since its implementation allows you to achieve the best visual result.

In addition, after polishing, nails should be treated with products that help strengthen them and prevent delamination.

Experts do not advise neglecting "sealing" - a simple procedure that involves applying beeswax or a few drops of any essential oil to the ends of the nail plates.

How to sterilize?

One of the most important conditions that owners of nail buffs need to consider is the disinfection of the equipment used. This is especially true for craftsmen who work in the salon and prefer reusable tools to disposable ones. To avoid the spread of pathogenic microflora, buffs should be treated after each client, leaving them for 15–20 minutes in a disinfectant solution.