Nail buff - all about the choice and application

A straightforward but crucial item for your nail care regimen is a nail buffer. A nail buffer can be very helpful whether you’re getting ready to paint your nails or just want them to have a natural shine. It can be challenging to choose the best material for you, though, because there are so many different kinds available.

We’ll cover all you need to know about nail buffers in this article. We’ll go over the various kinds, the materials they’re composed of, and the significance of the abrasiveness levels. We’ll also provide you with advice on how to select the ideal nail buffer for your requirements and how to use one correctly.

Knowing how to use a nail buffer will make it easy for you to get smooth, healthy-looking nails, regardless of your experience level with nail care.

Types	Nail buffers come in different shapes like blocks, strips, and pads, each designed for specific tasks like shaping or polishing.
Materials	Most nail buffers are made from foam, but some are covered with cloth or sandpaper-like materials for different finishes.
Abrasiveness	The grit level varies from coarse to fine; lower grits remove ridges, while higher grits polish the nails.
How to Use	Start with the coarse side to smooth ridges, then use finer grits to polish and shine the nails.
How to Choose	Pick a buffer based on your needs; a multi-grit buffer is versatile for most home manicures.

Contents

Application
Types
Abrasiveness
What materials are used
What to replace
Rules of use
Processing and disinfection
How to choose
Review of quality brands
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Application

A unique saw with multiple abrasive surfaces shaped like a large rectangular bar is called a "buff," or "polish" in English.

This tool’s primary uses are to polish and grind natural and extended nail plates, eliminating any irregularities or minor flaws. A smooth, polished nail surface facilitates better material placement during the pigmentation or extension process and enhances the adhesion between the natural and artificial plates. Moreover, a buff can smooth out rough skin from cuticles, hangnails, nail ridges, and seal plate separations. Both in salons and at home, a buff is used for this crucial step in the manicure process.

A buff is a useful tool that can be carried in a purse to ensure that it is always available and ready to solve numerous problems. To make it clear what can be done with each of the tool’s four working surfaces, it is customary to number them. Such a universal buff can replace multiple files at home:

the first edge creates the shape of the nail, removes length;
the second edge removes irregularities, roughness, can remove hangnails;
the third edge polishes, removes minor defects, flaws;
the fourth – polishes the nail to a shiny state.

Types

Buffers are a further two categories of special files, each the size of a bar and ranging from 6 to 10 centimeters:

Grinder has an elongated shape with a wide working surface. It is often used in salons, the abrasiveness of the sides is suitable for natural and extended nails;
Polisher has a similar shape, but the working surface is smooth to the touch. It is also convenient to seal delaminations with it.

Abrasiveness

The buff’s abrasiveness dictates the sides’ hardness and reveals the kinds of nails it works best on as well as its purposes. Based on the abrasiveness index, the following categories are available:

60-80 grit – suitable for pedicure and working with artificial nails;
100-150 grit – for polishing nails during a pedicure, for correcting the surface of the artificial plate before applying gel polish;
150-240 grit – to give the desired length, shape to natural nails, for grinding extended nails;
300 grit and more – used for delicate polishing of natural nails to a natural shine.

What materials are used

The material used to make the tool’s sides varies, in addition to the buff’s working surface’s abrasiveness. Buffs fall into one of the following categories based on this:

Polyethylene foam or plastic – the most affordable, durable, and therefore the most popular. Can be sterilized;
Silicone – durable, inexpensive, can be cleaned and sterilized;
Suede – average quality, more expensive than plastic and silicone, cannot be sterilized;
Fabric – are of high quality, suitable for working with natural nails, flexible, elastic, cannot be disinfected. Silk coating is considered the most expensive.

The buffers’ bases are composed of a variety of materials as well. These can be made of plastic, wood, or fabrics. Buffers are similar in shape. These are essentially rectangular bars with two or four surfaces for work. There are occasionally buffs in the shape of tiny square bars or boomerangs.

What to replace

Since buffers are soft and do not apply excessive pressure to the nail, it is not advised to replace them. These are the instruments that yield the best and safest results. However, if polishing the nail’s surface is absolutely necessary and you don’t have a buff on hand, you can use a piece of sturdy, coarse cloth. Another option is to use a cardboard file that is disposable and has at least 300 grit of abrasiveness.

Rules of use

When using a buffer, you must follow a few easy guidelines to prevent harming the artificial plate’s surface or the natural nail’s structure and to achieve a high-quality manicure:

Correctly choose the working side of the buff, with the desired abrasiveness.
You need to apply the tool to the nail plate with the wide side so that the surface of the buff covers as much of the nail surface as possible.
Long movements of the buff on the nail surface should be directed in one direction, for example, from right to left or from the cuticle area to the free edge. Chaotic movements are not desirable, and there should not be many of them.
It is recommended to use a buffer no more than once a week, so as not to thin the natural plate.
Once or twice a month, it is necessary to rub nourishing oil into the nail with a buff. This is done to strengthen and seal.
Periodically, it is necessary to process the tool.

Both regular and gel nail polish are applied after the nail has been polished. As a result, it is wise to think about investing in a premium instrument that won’t damage the nails or sabotage the manicure.

The video demonstrates how to properly grind and polish using a buffer.

Processing and disinfection

Buffers require periodic processing just like any other manicure tool that comes into contact with skin during hand and nail processing. It’s already clear that not all buffs are amenable to sterilization and disinfection. As a result, it is preferable to use suede and fabric tools only and personally at home.

Processes involving plastic and silicone tools are simple. UV sterilizers and lamps are used for this purpose in salons. It is sufficient to wash the buffs in a soap solution at home. Any disinfectant solution can be used to rinse fabric buffers that let water through, but doing so will probably make the tool less functional. Fabric buffs are typically changed after a set amount of time.

How to choose

You should consider the following when selecting a high-quality nail polishing and grinding tool:

The material from which the buff is made. It is best to choose a wear-resistant material that is easy to process;
Abrasiveness. If you are going to treat only natural nails, then there is no need to buy a tool with an abrasiveness of less than 150 grit. And vice versa, if you work with extended nails, then a buff with a hardness of more than 300 grit will simply lie idle;
Color. Of course, the shade of the tool does not affect the functionality and result of the work, but it lifts the mood during nail processing. Manufacturers of nail industry equipment offer a wide range of color solutions;
Manufacturer"s brand. It is best to choose tools from reliable manufacturers of high-quality products.

Using a video to guide you in selecting polishing tools

Review of quality brands

Let’s take a look at a few well-known, reputable brands that stand out for their high caliber and usability.

Titania 1205B – a universal file for natural and artificial nails has three sides with different abrasiveness and for different tasks – length correction and roughening, removing grooves on the nail plate or polishing;

Planet Nails – a four-sided buff with varying degrees of abrasiveness will help for polishing, adjusting and leveling the surface of the nail. The polishing side helps to give nails shine, and to enhance the lamination effect it can be used with oil;

Zinger. The BA-10 buff, like the previous one, has 4 working sides – from 180 to 3000 grit. Long-lasting model – does not crumble or crumble for a long time;

OPI Shiner – a double-sided polisher that gives nails a healthy shine in a short period of time without any oils;

CND Koala: a natural nail polishing and grinding tool with 240 and 1000 grit abrasiveness;

Creative Block – a buffer for natural, extended nails;

IBD Diamond – for grinding gel and acrylic nails;

Premier – a buff with three different abrasive sides for grinding and polishing natural nails.

You now understand the different kinds of buffs and how to select them. What buff brand do you use, too? We’ll be watching the comments section for your response.

A nail buffer is a straightforward but crucial tool for nail care; it shapes, shines, and smoothes your nails to give them a polished, healthy appearance even without polish. Depending on your nail needs, you can choose from a variety of types and materials that offer varying degrees of abrasiveness. You can achieve salon-quality results at home without causing damage to your nails by using a buffer correctly.

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A smooth and glossy nail surface can only be achieved with the use of nail buffers. Using the correct buffer can make all the difference, whether you’re getting ready to polish your nails or just want a natural shine.

Selecting the ideal buffer for your requirements will be made easier if you are aware of the various kinds, compositions, and abrasiveness levels. There is a buffer for every job, ranging from mild sponges for a smooth finish to more abrasive choices for ridge smoothing.

When used properly, a buffer can prolong the life of your manicure and maintain the best possible appearance for your nails. Always remember to buff gently and don’t overdo it, as this can weaken your nails.

Take into account both the type of nails you have and the desired outcome when selecting a nail buffer. Choosing the best option from the many available will make it easy for you to maintain beautiful, healthy nails.