Top 10 Tips for Beautiful Nails

(1) Acetone is you Friend.

I know, I know, acetone is bad for your skin. I will admit, using pure acetone can be really bad for your hands in general. However, using a nail polish remover that does not include acetone can be a bit of a nightmare. I use the generic brand nail polish remover with acetone that can be found at your local drugstore. You can do a lot with good oils, creams and hand lotions to fix dryness. Trust me. It can't be good for your nails if you're rubbing the heck out of them trying to get off OPI and Katy Perry's Teenage Dream nail polish! (That stuff is ridiculous to get off, btw!) Just suck it up and go the acetone route, you'll save time and some of your sanity!

(2) Nail File Abundance is a Good Thing

I am really bad at remembering where my nail file is. I have to usually search for it a bit before actually sitting down to give myself a manicure. However, I have found investing in several nail files that reside in key spots helps me stay organized. I have a four-sided nail file for my purse, another one for my back pack, a six-sided nail file for my night stand and a glass nail file for my desk. (I usually paint my nails at my desk because there is more light and it's easier to keep my hands steady!) I know it may sound a little ridiculous to keep so many nail files, but in reality, it's sort of like quarters - you never have them when you need them! So why not just buy a few and save yourself the search!

(3) Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's nails, get some OPI Original Nail Envy now!

Ok, OPI isn't sponsoring this post and I am not an affiliate of OPI's Nail Envy, but I must admit OPI's Original Nail Envy did wonders for my nails. I have taken a break from using OPI's Original Nail Envy as a base coat for my polishes, however my nails have remained strong and long! Now, I know this product doesn't work for everyone, but it really has worked great for me. If you are struggling with dry, peeling or sad nails, try it! I can't guarantee it will work, but it was way worth the $16 investment for me! :)

(4) Lemons to Lemonade has nothing on Lush's Lemony Flutter Cuticle Cream!

I have had quite a few questions about my hands and how I keep them from drying out when applying and removing nail polish day after day. The trick is actually a cuticle butter I discovered called Lemony Flutter from Lush. Lush is an all-natural and vegan cosmetics brand that makes all sorts of yummy and delicious bath and beauty products. I fell in love with their cuticle butter when I applied it ONE night and woke up the next morning with soft hands and cuticles! This stuff is really amazing! I recommend it to anyone with dry skin patches or rough skin...or DRY CUTICLES! A little goes a long way, so don't let the $14.95 price tag scare you.

(5) A Fast Drying Top Coat will save you time and money!

I've always heard how Seche Vite is the best top coat there is. I believe the claims. Not only does Seche Vite dry ridiculously quickly, it's a super thick top coat with ultra high shine. If you suffer from dull nail polish after a few days, slap this stuff on your fingers! It's amazing! It even helps with nail unevenness! It's my holy grail top coat! 

(6) File Nails in a Downward Motion

Since I can remember I have always filed my nails across and upward. It never occurred to me that my filing motion could be the cause of my splitting nails until I started to think about it! Of course filing in an upward motion would cause the layers of my nails to split because the upward motion of the nail file was pulling at the layers of my nails and pushing them up away from my nail bed! Not good! 

(7) Picking is for Noses, Not Fingers or Cuticles!
I was an avid nail biter for much of my life. After breaking that nasty habit I began picking at my cuticles and nails! BAD HABIT #2. I have since broken both habits but not without a lot of discipline! Cuticles exist for a reason - to protect the nail from infection, injury, bacteria, etc. If you pick at the cuticle with your nails, teeth, other objects, you are potentially allowing anything that may be on your fingers, teeth, or other objects under the cuticles and into the the most vulnerable part of your nail. Thus, the more you pick, the more likely you will develop a nail infection or have other issues with brittle, sad nails! To keep your nails strong, don't cut your cuticles or pick at them, just dissolve them with Instant Cuticle Remover, like Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover. Your nails will thank you for it!

(8) Remove Mistakes with Paint Brush

This is actually one of my favorite tips and I discovered it while reading Lacquerized. I now use a paint brush dipped in my acetone based nail polish remover to clean up any mistakes I may make! I used a Princeton Art & Brush Co. 6300B brush that I purchased at my local art store for $4. This brush has changed my life! I can now make all sorts of mistakes and easily clean them up with a steady hand, a cheap, stiff art brush and some nail polish remover! Amazing!

(9) The longer the strokes, the better the application.

 This tip is actually one I learned from watching countless YouTube videos on how to apply nail polish like a pro. I have found that the easiest way for me to apply nail polish is to apply a generous amount on the middle of my nail, push the polish up toward the cuticle, and then bring the excess polish away from the cuticle towards the tip of the nail. This method has saved me a ton of clean up time and has resulted in a much cleaner and smoother application for me overall. The less strokes the better, in my mind. 

(10) Keep Polish On When Shaping and Filing Nails
I also learned while doing my nails that the white section of overgrowth on my nails is not even. Every time I would file my nails I would attempt to get the white section of overgrowth even, but then I would realize that my nails would be crookedly shaped. So my solution? File my nails with the polish on! Then the white section of nail overgrowth doesn't mess with my desire for a perfectly even nail and my nails (which are almost always painted) always look even and straight!