Sometimes Nails DO Need A Break….

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been going really bright with my nails. I wanted a little oomph to my manicure and I thought some out-there colors and eye-catching hues would not just look good on my hands but also boost my mood during the “blah” weather trend we are having. It was a nice change to see my nails all decked out in flamboyant shades such as “Red Red” by Wet n Wild, “Go With The Flow-er” by OPI, and “Bling-tastic” Gem Crush Nail Color by Sally Hansen. Although the color makes my hands look fantastic, the minute I’d get a chip, the niceness all goes away. And once the chipping starts, it’s all over. There’s no saving it.

Because I have had bright, dark colors on for awhile, I noticed when I took my polish off today that my nails were looking a little dry and stained. Yucky. They needed a little love and attention. And rest. So I grabbed myself a natural-colored polish but not before I got my nails in good shape by giving them a quick, mini-mani:

1. Remove all polish with a non-acetone nail polish remover. (TRICK!: Use lotion-infused tissues to help keep your hands and nail from getting extra dry!)
2. Rub a good oil into your hands playing special attention to your cuticles, ridges and sides of your nails. Sweet almond oil works the best, but if you don’t have that, coconut oil, grapeseed oil or even olive oil will work just as good.
3. Take a Chorlox Bleach Stick and with the brush end, give your nails a quick going over, avoiding the skin as much as possible. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
4. With a nail brush (or an old toothbrush), brush off all the bleach using a few drops of your favorite fragranced soap or bath gel. Scrub lightly, underneath the nails as well. Rinse.
5. Add a nice rich hand cream to keep them soft and silky. (My favorite? Tree Hut Shea Body Butter! Rich, moisturizing and smells good!)
6. Give your hands about 30 minutes to absorb the moisturizer, then wipe each nail off with a paper towel, so any remaining oils won’t interfere with the nail polish. Then give them a couple of coats of your favorite light, neutral polish to keep them strong, protected and looking classic-ly neat!

So what are my go-to favorite neutral shades?

Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Color in “Brilliant Blush”

MODE Nail Enamel in “Shade #118” (Sheer Mother of Pearl Pink) – I got this at my local grocery store on clearance for 75 cents!!

Revlon Nail Enamel in “Pure Pearl”

Plain nails don’t have to look boring. In fact they can look simply classy! Not only does it give you a simple, elegant look but it also gives your nails a rest from heavy dyes that can stain and dry out your nails. Not to mention, it won’t look like a puzzle missing a piece when the shade starts to chip. It will keep your nails on the down-low when only you know they aren’t completely up to par!

Okay, Fashionistas…. share on! What is YOUR favorite nail polish shade right now??

Tags: manicure, MODE, nail polish remover, nails, OPI, pedicure, polish, Revlon, Sally Hansen, Wet n Wild