If you want pretty nails without the polish, here's how to do a natural no polish manicure at home in just 5 little steps. Less is more with this simple nail maintenance plan, and it keeps your natural nails happy.
While I love having bright polish on my toes, I can't remember the last time I painted my fingernails. It was probably back in my daughter's budding nail technician days when she slathered 8 different colors all over my hands. Yeah, that was fun.
After reading that Sarah Jessica Parker gets her nails buffed instead of polished, I started asking for that on the rare occasion that I get a manicure. It was perfect—my nails stayed shiny way longer than I expected, and I wasn't picking at the polish in two days or dealing with yellow nails. I quickly realized I could save time and money with an easy no-polish manicure at home.
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5 Steps To a No-Polish Manicure:
Things like nail polish, acetone polish remover, and exposure to too much hot, soapy water can wreak havoc on your nails. And once problems crop up, things like peeling and tearing are hard to tame without a lot of TLC.
This natural manicure is easy to do while catching up on your favorite shows (I just discovered Mad Men on demand, hurrah!).
Supplies
Grab your manicure supplies, because knowing how to do a home manicure without polish goes a long way toward keeping nails happy and hangnails tamed.
- Hand lotion (coconut oil is awesome!)
- Cuticle stick or a metal one wrapped in cotton
- Nail file
- Clippers
- Buffing block
- Cuticle oil
1. Soften with Lotion
Slather on a healthy amount of hand lotion. More is better. Let it sit for a few minutes to soften everything. And if you don't have coconut oil, you can add a bit of olive oil to your regular lotion.
To me, this is way easier and more effective than soaking my hands in warm water or milk. Believe it or not, moisturizing the nails and surrounding skin frequently can help strengthen the nails.
Soaking hands can get a little messy, too—I love giving my hands a super thorough, relaxing massage while watching a movie! This is something you can do every couple of nights as well, to stop hands from getting too dry and the cuticles from getting too raggedy.
2. Push Back Cuticles
Use a Q-tip or cuticle stick to gently push back your cuticles. Go easy here—no need to get aggressive as this may cause damage to the nail plate!
And I don't attempt to cut my own cuticles. After my last manicure, I realized that a week after having my cuticles trimmed, my nails were a total wreck. The cuticles were a jagged mess as they grew back.
I find that they stay in better shape and don't grow as fast if I leave them alone. Pushing them in also leaves your cuticles’ natural shape intact and looking tidy for longer.
3. Shape Nails
Snip any hangnails, and shape the nails with a nail file. A rounded shape looks good on short nails; plus, it means you don't have any hard corners that are more likely to chip.
If you don't have one already, a crystal nail file is amazing for filing nails down neatly and not leaving any rough edges.
Also, always remember to file in one direction instead of sawing back and forth—this helps to stop nails from breaking as quickly!
4. Buff Nails
My buffing block is my new favorite thing. Your smooth and shiny nails will last for days. I love that they stay super shiny while looking tidier than just plain natural nails!
Using a buffing block (not a nail file), gently buff the tops of your nails with a back-and-forth motion. This helps remove ridges and gives nails a nice polish-free shine. If you have thin nails, go easy on the buffing block or you run the risk of weakening them even further.
And if you’re just buffing, there's no need to worry about any chips—even a clear top coat will chip, leaving nails looking a little weird and uneven after a while.
5. Brush on Cuticle Oil
If your hands are dry and cracked like mine are most of the time, this is a great opportunity to gently scrub away dry skin cells with a hand scrub.
End by dabbing on cuticle oil and massaging it in. If your cuticles peel and crack easily, give them extra attention by applying vitamin E oil or nurturing cuticle oil to the nails and cuticles once per day. This prevents nail breakage, strengthens the nail plate, and prevents ridges and grooves from forming in the nails.
I like to pop a bit of oil, like olive or sweet almond, into a cuticle oil pen to keep with me—it's really handy to stash a few at my desk, on my bedside, and in my bag, so my cuticles (and nails) stay hydrated and strong. No peely cuticles here!
How do you take care of your nails? Are you a nail polish or a natural girl?
FAQ
To get long, healthy natural nails, it's best to nourish nails from the inside out. Biotin, healthy fats, and calcium all encourage nail growth and may help keep nails from splitting as they grow.
Hangnails are usually a sign of dry skin. To keep them at bay, apply a nourishing hand cream twice a day and use gloves whenever you do the dishes.
Because it's highly acidic, vinegar may help whiten nails over time, particularly if the discoloration is due to a bacterial or fungal infection. Combine 1 cup water and 4–5 tablespoons of apple cider or white vinegar in a small bowl. Soak your fingernails for 10 minutes, and then pat your hands dry. Repeat daily for best results.
We've got a whole post about nail problems, what they mean, and how to fix them.
This post was medically reviewed by Dr. Rina Mary Allawh, M.D., a dermatologist who practices adult and pediatric medical dermatology, skin cancer treatment, and cosmetic dermatology. Learn more about Hello Glow's medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice, and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
Photos by Ana Stanciu
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