My Nail Care Routine

Hello everyone!

I've been asked a couple times on Instagram about my nail care routine. I figured I would write a step by step process on what I do to keep my nails looking healthy. Like always I will provide direct links to everything that I have purchased online.

Disclaimer: This is what works best for me. What works best for me may not work best for you.

Step One: 

I begin by removing my nail polish with Beauty Secrets Nourishing Acetone (pink bottle). I purchase this bottle from Sally's Beauty Supply store for about $2-3 dollars. This has been probably the only acetone that does not dry out my nails! It also smells delicious.

Step Two:

After I remove my nail polish I begin to shape my nails with any Nail File. My all time favorite nail files are purchased though Ulta and they come in a pack of 3! I normally wait until they go out of season and they discount them for less than a dollar. I think any nail file will work. I just prefer these because they feel soft to me. 

Step Three:

Once I'm done filing away I buff out my nails in order to get rid of all the ridges. I purchased a nail polish that left my nails horribly stained! The nail polish is now discontinued so no need to mention it. A long time ago I purchased a kit from a kiosk at the mall called OnsenSecret. The kit comes with an amazing Cuticle Conditioner and a nail buff that I love! I purchased my kit for 20 dollars. The kit online is much more expensive, if you see them at your mall make sure to try it out! I really like this kit. 

 This is what my nails look like once I'm done with them. As you can see, my hands are very dry. 

Step Four:

Time for a mani bath! I purchased these mani bombs from Forever Polished. Basically what they do is hydrate your fingers (yay!)

I follow these instructions: (taken from their website) 

To use: You'll need a medium size bowl or a foot soaker. Warm water filled to the amount you would like. If the water is to cold some butter may not melt. Drop 1 Mani Bomb in and watch it fizz. You can place hands in while it is fizzing or wait. The oils and salts will release and butter will melt. (Some have Jojoba Beads, they will float in the water and are used for a rub to exfoliate. Just rub hands or feet & cuticles together in the water.) Let  soak for 10-15 mins.  Pat hands dry when done. Avoid washing for 30 mins for best results. I recommend only using about once a week. Over soaking can damage nails.  This is now a great time to push back your cuticles and to rub some butter or oil on them! 

Here is the one I used for this mani: Black Raspberry Vanilla. Yummy!

Step Five:

Once I'm done with allllll of those other steps, I apply some cuticle conditioner. This comes with the kit i have mentioned before. 

You don't have to purchase this I just really like it and it wasn't very expensive when I bought mine. 

Ok, so I apply the cuticle conditioner all over my cuticles and the sides of my nails. By now my cuticles should be ready to be pushed and cleaned.

Step Six:

These are the two items I used to push my cuticles and clean out all that nasty gunk out of my nails. The Cuticle Conditioner works to take out off that extra nastiness I may have missed when taking off my nail polish. 

I used the Revlon Expert Nail Groomer (left) to help clean out the nasty gunk out of my nails.

I use the Hangnails Remover (Right) to take off any excess cuticle I may have or any hangnails. I normally get one or two hangnails because my fingers and hands tend to get extremely dry. 

Step Seven:

(Congrats if you've made it this far) These next two products are "this OR that" products. You don't need both but sometimes I prefer one over the other simply because they are two different textures and sometimes my cuticles aren't too dry. 

This cuticle oil has worked wonders on my nails. Cuticle oils have been very popular lately and practically every indie shop sells them. Stardust Polish Cuticle Oil has saved my finger tips and cuticles so many times.

I leave this on for about 10 minutes while I massage my cuticles. Once i'm done I wash my hands and put some hand lotion. 

OR!

I apply Lush Cuticle Butter on my cuticles and I massage my cuticles. I also wait about 10 minutes then lather it all over my hands then wash my hands once i'm done. This one is a bit more expensive but it has lasted me almost a whole year! 

This is what my nails look like after being washed. 

For this picture I hadn't applied my base coat yet but my favorite so far has been 

Cirque Colors HoldFast

So that's it! That's my nail care routine. Hope it was helpful. I like to google and watch youtube videos about nail care routine so somethings I have learned through other people and some I have tried on my own. 

Until next time,

Karen (Minipolishh)