How To: Simple, Clean Summer Manicure

--By Kim Moshtaghi

Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover
$5.49 (was $6.19-- save 11%!)
Available at: amazon.com

Seriously, I can’t stand seeing any more girls with chipped black nail polish. Of course, there are the girls that pull the punkish black nail polish look off well, but regardless their nails need to be maintained. It’s painful to see girls walking around with dark nail polish and more than five chipped nails.

If you’re going to wear dark, don’t be lazy about the upkeep and know that it looks hideous when you’re walking around with that trashy look. For those who are lazy about keeping up with manicures, just use lighter pinkish or beige polish colors to minimize the upkeep. At least when the lighter polishes start chipping they don’t look as obvious and painfully bad.

Believe it or not, at home manicures can be a lot better looking, when you take care of your cuticles. By take care, I mean appropriate care. Not using a cuticle clipper and going to town on your cuticles, having 15 little blood spots-- not cute. Using cuticle lotion or gel is a great way to automatically get rid of excess cuticle, and then if there is a hang nail you can cut it with a clipper. Otherwise, pushing the cuticle back in an upward motion once the cuticle removing gel has set for about 30 seconds is the way to go.

Essie cabi-o-lait Nail Polish
$8.00
Available at: essieshop.com

Sally Hansen Maximum Strength Instant Cuticle Remover only takes 15-30 seconds to do its magic, melting away and breaking down excess cuticle. As I mentioned, all you do is place a small amount of it on the cuticle. While it is doing its thing, take out a wooden Cuticle Stick to push up and maneuver in circular motions to help get rid of more stubborn cuticles. Use a cotton ball to wipe the wooden cuticle stick before you move on the next nail. Something that will make your cuticles cooperate easier is to soak your hands for 5 minutes in warm, soapy water before you use the cuticle gel. Your nails and cuticles will be softer and the excess cuticles will break away quicker.

For simple, clean nails after you’ve prepared the cuticles there is a perfect polish that will complete the sophisticated maintained manicure look. Essie makes a nice soft pinkish nail color called, “cabio-o-lait.” I love this color and it lasts a long time. This translucent pink polish is very glossy and will definitely make your nails look like you got an expensive well-done polish job, especially over nails that have been soaked and transformed from unnecessary excess cuticles to clean pushed back cuticles.
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Kim Moshtaghi is a contributing writer for Adventures in the Stiletto Jungle. Born in Germany, Kim is currently based in sunny Del Mar, California, where she also serves as Stiletto Jungle's Director of Sales and Promotions. Kim has a communications degree, a third degree black belt, and a totally covetable Gucci handbag collection.