Whether you are showing off a new ring or shaking hands with an acquaintance, well-groomed nails help improve the look of hands and make a better first impression. If nails have tiny white spots, called leukonychia, there really isn’t much you can do to get rid of them. These spots are usually caused by some trauma to the nail or nail bed. The best course of action is to let these grow out on their own and cover them with polish until they do. Even a fleshy pink color like those used in French manicures will reduce the appearance of the spots.

If your nails seem to be brittle and split often, try taking a daily biotin supplement. This will increase your vitamin B intake which will also improve the health of your hair…a bonus! Using a strengthener can also get the job done. A great and inexpensive product is Sally Hansen’s VitaSurge Strength Gel. Applying this product daily will add the extra vitamins to your nails that they are missing. Keeping hands and cuticles hydrated will also make nails smoother and less brittle. Be sure to moisturize every time you wash your hands and rub a little extra into the cuticles while you’re at it.

Nails that look yellow are usually stained due to lifestyle choices. If you smoke or wear dark polishes most of the times, your nails will look more yellowed. A short soak in some warm water and dish soap can brighten up the nails for a while, but using a more neutral polish and avoiding things that yellow the nails will keep the whiter and brighter longer. Going “au natural” for a couple days and allowing the nails to air after a good buffing will also improve their natural color.

Love the look of designer nails but can’t afford the trips to the salon?  Not to worry, creating that artistic nail look can be done at home for a fraction of the cost.  Starting with nails that are clean, well-shaped and in good condition will make the look even better.

Trim nails so that they are all similar in length and shape.  Add a drop of cuticle oil to each nail and massage in before pushing cuticles back and trimming.  Every great artist starts with a smooth canvas.  Achieve the perfect nail canvas by applying two base coats.  Not only will this improve the final look, it will also help to strengthen the nails.

Allow both base coats to dry completely before creating the work of art.

Before starting this project, make sure to have all materials ready and an idea or technique in mind.  Materials don’t have to be expensive tools of the trade.  Everyday items like toothpicks and hair pins can be used to create polka-dots, swirls, letters and more.  Craft brushes also come in very handy for creating unique looks.  Spend some time in the nail care aisle to find polish pens and stencils to help create a fun look.  Be sure to have a pure acetone polish remover and cotton swabs on hand for eliminating any errors.

Once the materials are ready, start with simple designs, glitter, stickers or jewels.  More advanced techniques include blending colors and intricate designs with multiple colors.  Once you have created the desired look, apply a top coat.  To help maintain and protect your art, apply another top coat and a drop of cuticle oil every two to three days.  Whatever the look, be creative and have fun in the process!

I don’t know about you, but bubbles and bumps in my fingernail polish really bothers me! It happens so easily, too! It seems like all it takes is applying one coat of polish, and bam! Already messed up, before I even lift the brush. That is, that happened until I learned the right way to paint my nails.

Before you even open up that bottle of nail polish, there are a few things you’ll need to do. How long have you had it? If it’s been a year or two, you should head to the store to pick up a new bottle, because that can really mess up your paint job. Now set your fresh new color aside for a minute and head to the bathroom.

Each time you paint your fingernails, you should first make sure your nails are clean and smooth. Wash them gently with soap and water, and then file down the rough edges. Now it’s time to paint! Remember to shake your bottle a bit before beginning, and always make sure there isn’t any dry bits and pieces around the top that will get into your pain job via the brush.

In one or two soft, gentle strokes, fill each nail up lightly with color. Don’t put too much, no mater how tempting it is! You’ll go over it once or twice more, so you don’t have to worry about not having enough color. Let them dry completely now. I know, it’s tough! Watching a movie definitely passes the time though. When they are completely dry, you can shake your bottle up again and do another layer. Repeat as necessary.

Ta-da! Your nails should be perfectly smooth and beautiful. The hard part now though, is making sure you don’t chip them. Try adding a clear top coat to reduce the chipping! It really works!

Do you wear polish on your fingernails and toenails all the time? When you are changing your polish, have you ever noticed that your nails are turning yellow? Or that they may even be getting brittle and cracked? Even if you are careful and wear a clear base coat to protect your nails, they still may be becoming discolored and suffering the effects of constant polish.

Every once in a while, it’s a good idea to just let your nails go bare. No polish at all. Let them breathe. Remove all the polish. File them and buff them, and apply some lotion. Rub it into the nails and cuticles to soften them. Then go a week or two with no polish at all. Wear sandals and open toed shoes as often as you can, or just go barefoot around the house or at the pool.

Let those nails breathe some fresh air and catch their breath!

Even if you don’t regularly wear nail polish you can keep your hands and nails looking beautiful.

When you shower you should push back your cuticles while they are soft. Keep them healthy looking and clean for starters.

Don’t bite your nails! Keep your nails clean and file down rough edges. Keep a nail file hand so that you are not tempted to pick at them when you get chip or a crack. Absolutely do not pick at your cuticles – use a nail trimmer! Picking at your cuticles will cause them to tear and can lead to infection and swelling on your cuticles.

It’s best to try to keep your nails all similar in length, rather than having some of them longer than others. Sometimes a coat of clear polish will make them shiny and doesn’t need nearly the same upkeep that painting your nails with colored polish requires.

My boyfriend showed up at my house on the morning of my birthday and told me to get my shoes because he was taking me out for a birthday pedicure! I loved it! What a great gift and a special treat, especially because I do not regularly get a professional pedicure. If your guy is looking for gift ideas for your birthday – this is a great idea! And just as interesting was that the technician happened to be a man too.

What made it even more special was that he decided to get a pedicure right along side me. And believe me, his feet were in serious need of some TLC. He is a runner, so his feet regularly take a pounding and rarely leave his athletic shoes. It takes a special guy to put himself through a “beauty treatment”, but more and more men are doing this all the time. I loved that his nails look clean and healthier and the rough spots on his feet are now softer.

It makes for playing “footsie” with him even sweeter.

There is nothing more indulging than a professional manicure or pedicure! Not everyone can afford this kind of luxury, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve one! A French manicure is such a lovely treat on your toes. It makes your nails look super-healthy because the tips are white and the nailbeds are pink.

You can do this at home if you practice enough, although some agility and flexibility is necessary since you need to be able to reach your own toes! You need two bottles of polish – white and a peach or pink tone. You’ll also need a small paint brush and some nail polish remover.

Start by cleaning off all old polish. Next use the white and carefully paint at least two layers on the tips of your nails. Don’t worry about being extremely neat at this point. You will then clean up the line with your paint brush dipped in some nail polish remover. Don’t expect it to just all clean up at once, you may have to brush over it several times.

Finally, apply the pink/flesh tone color. You can paint it right over the white, OR you can paint it on sideways (it won’t show the lines when it dries). Then polish off the whole thing with a clear coat over all of it to make it last. With enough practice, you will be able to do a nice French Pedicure at home

My daughter actually did a science project on this topic last year. She painted her nails with two coats of polish and then added a clear coat to the top. Each day we took pictures and recorded the number of chips in her polish. She did it again without the clear coat. Then she repeated the whole process for a total of three times.

The results were very conclusive — the manicure with the clear coat lasted almost twice as long as the one without. It also looked shinier and better overall for a longer time period.

So, the results are in — Take the extra few minutes to put on the top coat of nail polish!