Carolyn Sears

Carolyn answers your nail care problems

It is more than 25 years since Carolyn Sears opened the first nail salon in London - it was in the basement of a designer boutique in London’s fashionable Sloane Street. Carolyn’s background in fashion and show business had involved her in a lot of travelling and during her regular visits to the USA she had watched the emergence of the nail industry there. She was convinced that it would not be long before British women would be looking for professional nail care and nail extensions - particularly women whose hands are on show.

She was to be proved right! She found a company called Supernail of Los Angeles, became their exclusive distributor in the UK and opened her first salon in 1979.

Nail Eat

Q: My nails split, break, bend, are soft - actually they are a mess. I have been free of acrylic nails for eight months but there is no improvement at all. Please can you advise me as to what I can do.

A: Sorry to hear about your poor nails, they need help! I would like you to start with Nail Food. This is Nail eat and Nail drink. As they are soft and bend you should start with Nail eat, this will harden your nails. Put on every day for a week and every other day the following week. Continue with Nail Eat until they hardened. If they become dry with the hardener change to Nail Drink for a while. If you wear polish use as a base coat and a top coat, it will go through polish and still condition your nail underneath. Always use a soft polish remover like our Remover+ so it does not dry out your nails. When you feel that your nails are back to normal (and they will be!!!) You can then use Natural Nail Growth Stimulator as a base coat to keep your nails in a good condition.

Q: Hi. Do you have the Ultra Glitter collection Winter 09? I live in Sweden. Is it possible to ship to Sweden?

Nail Eat

A: We will have the ultra glitter collection in two weeks’ time if you wish to order. There are 3 colours at £9.25 each. The shipping to Sweden is £24.00. Hope this is of some help.

Q: Hi Carolyn. I have worn gel nails for about 15 years without a break. I have developed an allergy and two of my nails have become separated from the nail bed. I have had the gel removed but my nails are very bendy and weak and break really easily. What do you recommend?

A: Please read the note I have written above, and for you start using Nail Eat only and Nail Drink if they get dry. Leave the two nails that have separated from the nail bed until they start to adhere to the nail bed again and when they start to grow up attached, check if they are weak or dry and use accordingly. Keep in touch if you have problems.

Q: Hi. I have dry flaky nails which are very hard but keep peeling. What should I use as I’m fed up not being able to wear nail varnish.

A: Very easy, just use Zoom NAIL DRINK that will hydrate your nails. Use it as a base coat and if you use polish use it as a top coat as well. To start with your nails may still flake just keep putting on as a base coat, will take time for the nails to stop flaking. Week one, put on every other day and then take it off with a soft remover (remover+). From then on twice a week. Do tell us when you see a difference in your nails.

Q: I have just managed to get my nails in beautiful condition but I am allergic to most nail varnishes. I have been using OPI formaldehyde free to protect them but now they are longer I don't feel this offers enough protection. I have tried different nail strengtheners/protectors but these bring me out in a rash within a day of applying. I will be trying out the Zoya polishes but can you recommend a safe treatment for my nails that will help keep them in good condition and also strengthen them?

A: For nail strengtheners to work they always need a little formaldehyde in them. In our Nail Food the Nail Eat to harden nails has 0.025 of formaldehyde in it; very little. The Nail Drink that hydrates the nails when they get brittle has no formaldehyde. One client we had put on nail drink first and then nail eat on top and it worked for her. Nail Food can be used as a base and top coat.

Regarding nail polishes, ours are the safest on the market as they are FREE of formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate, Camphor and Vegan Friendy, AND they last on natural nails up to seven/ten days with a base and top coat on, all are free of the above.

Hope this is of some help. Carolyn.