Taking care of your nails goes beyond trimming and filing; it involves nurturing your entire hand. By using proper tools and gentle techniques, you can achieve professional-quality results at home. Experts suggest these tips for nails that appear well-groomed and healthy, whether or not you choose to apply polish.
Prepare a fresh foundation by gently removing any existing polish. Avoid using acetone, as it can dry out your nails. For dark colors that may stain your skin, New York-based nail artist Megumi Yamamoto suggests applying cuticle oil to the skin surrounding your nails beforehand.
Afterward, cleanse your hands using soap and water or a hand sanitizer. Yamamoto prefers Sea Breeze for cleansing, noting that "it's not overly drying and has a very fresh scent." Despite the common practice of soaking fingers in water at many salons, Yamamoto and Goldstein recommend skipping this step. They suggest this because soaking can increase drying time and cause streaks in the polish.
Afterward, carefully push back your cuticles. This helps make your bare nails appear longer and smoother. Goldstein advises, "If you apply polish directly to your cuticles, it will likely cause a bumpy finish and peel off sooner."
Yamamoto starts by gently treating the cuticles with a small amount of sea breeze. Another option is to apply Blue Cross's Cuticle Remover to the nail bases and allow them to rest for a minute.
Next, she takes an orange stick, which has a small cotton ball attached to the top, and uses it to push the cuticle back. If you used a remover, wipe off any remaining residue.
Use a cuticle clipper to remove any hangnails, but leave the cutting of actual cuticles—an optional and occasional step—to professionals.