By Gianna Mueller

Dear Readers,

Lately I have been really into hand and nail care and nail art. I have decided to share with you some ways to do your own perfect manicure and ways to grow long, strong beautiful nails! I am going to start by sharing ways to grow your nails long and strong!
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Here is a list of what you will need:

  • Hand and cuticle lotion
  • Cuticle crème or oil
  • Cuticle stick
  • Strengthening base coat
  • Nail buffer
  • Nail file or scissors
  • Pumice scrub or stone
  • Nail polish remover
  • Cotton swabs and cotton balls
  • Favorite nail polish color
  • Top coat

I recommend some of my favorite products below!

The way to beautiful strong, long nails is to start off with healthy cuticles. Start you manicure with a hand and cuticle lotion. My favorite is Sally Hansen Ultimate Shield Hand Crème. You can buy this at any local drug store. Then I massage cuticle crème or oil into my cuticles and gently push them back with a cuticle stick. I use Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Crème.

Always remember to only push back your cuticles and never cut them. Cuticles are there to protect your nail bed by keeping germs and bacteria from entering. You need your cuticles!

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Next, take a strengthening base coat. I use Zoya Anchor Basecoat. What I love about Zoya products is that they are not toxic. They do not have chemicals that are dangerous to our health! (Learn more about the worst chemicals in nail products and where they are banned!)

Apply the base coat to nails and around the nail edges. This helps strengthen your natural nail and protect them from peeling, chipping, and breaking. This all helps you grow long, strong beautiful nails!

More tips:

  • Never pick at cuticles.
  • Try to avoid biting nails.
  • Massage cuticle crème into cuticles and use hand lotion daily to maintain soft, moisturized hands and cuticles.

Ten Steps to a Great Salon-Quality Mani at Home!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Start by cutting or filing your nails to the desired shape and length.

Step 2: Use a nail buffer to buff and shine. This also makes your nails strong!

Step 3: Use a nail scrubber with a dab of pumice scrub. Pumice scrub is a soap-like material that has large, round pumice beads in it that help moisturize skin and remove dead skin cells. Pumice is light, porous volcanic rock! I use Dr. Scholl’s For Her Pumice Foot Scrub. (This is available at Walmart, Walgreens or Target.) Scrub on, under, and around your nails. Then use another dab of scrub and scrub your hands.

Step 4: Dry hands and immediately moisturize nails using your favorite hand lotion. For something new, try the Three Butter Lotion Bar from the Chagrin Valley Soap and Salve Company.

Step 5: Take a cotton ball with a bit of nail polish remover and wipe excess lotion off your nails.

Step 6: Use a strengthening base coat to strengthen and protect your natural nail. Let completely dry before moving to the next step.

Step 7: Pick your favorite nail polish color. Check out the nontoxic nail polishes at Walgreens, such as Piggy Paint! Apply one coat and let completely dry.

Step 8: Apply a second coat.

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To get the color opaque, if necessary, add a third coat. And let dry.

Step 9: Clean up around the edges using a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover.

Step 10: Add a fast-drying top coat to protect your nail polish and add a beautiful shine! Try Zoya Armor Top Coat.

And you’re done! It’s that easy! Anyone can accomplish a salon-quality manicure at home. Enjoy!!

Thanks for reading! Let me know about your results!

XOXO

Gianna

P.S. Tell me what your favorite nontoxic products are!

About Gianna

Gianna Mueller is a life-long student of style, fashion and the arts who now studies at Pratt.