Nail Tips!

Healthy nails:

• Drink lots of water!
• Take your vitamins. Specifically: Vitamin A, C, B12, Calcium, Folic Acid, Protein, and zinc.
• Maintain a healthy diet.
• A hand massage will boost circulation which will help your nails grow!

Prevent breaking:

• Increase your calcium intake.
• Don't use your nails as tools. (Scratching, digging, picking, etc..)
• Products that contain alcohol can make them prone to breaking so use them sparingly.
• Wear rubber gloves when doing chores that involve harsh chemicals.
• Clean, trim, and file them regularly.
• Long nails carry bacteria and germs! (By long I mean an inch+)

Painting:

• Always remove all old nail polish before applying your new one. Even if you don't have any on there the nail polish remover will remove grease and oil which will help your polish stay on longer.
• Apply a clear base coat. Just like priming your face you need to prime your nails. A base coat will protect and strengthen your nails.
• Best way to paint is with 3 stripes. Start with the middle then one on each side. 
• Make sure each layer is completely dry before starting the next one. You will usually need 2-3 coats.
• It's better to apply more thin coats rather than one thick one.
• Finish with a clear topcoat to add shine. This will also help make your mani last longer!
• Reapply your clear top coat every 3-5 days. 
• In a hurry? Apply a drop of vegetable oil or vegetable oil spray to your nails. It will dry them super quickly.

Storing:

• Storing your polish in the fridge will help it maintain a smooth consistency.
• To prevent your cap from sticking rub a little Vaseline on it. 

My favorites:

• OPI [$9.50 @ Sephora]
• Zoya [$7 @ Zoya.com]
• China Glaze [$5.40 @ Chinaglazediva.com]
• Sephora [$9 @ Sephora] 
• Revlon's Top Speed [$5 @ Drugstores]
• Sally Hansen [$4-$6 @ Drugstores]