Best Non Toxic Nail Salon in Houston

Slip into that emery board and check out our picks for the best nail kits on the market right now.

Credit: Colourbox

Anticipating healthy looking and strong nails can sometimes be as easy as trying out a new nail polish. But having strong, healthy nails takes some effort. It’s not that we’re too busy to get manicures or that the tips of our nails are too small to brush our toes. All of our tips are simply healthy and, perhaps, too swollen. Sure, experts say that this is normal, but we all still want smooth and healthy nails. Here’s a list of some of the simplest ways to keep yours looking healthy.

1. Get some exercise

Walking and being active for 20-30 minutes at least a couple times a week can help, as well as eating right for your weight. Hiking is great when you’re tired or you just need something new to do. Simply push the limits of your comfort zone. Simply playing a game of racquetball can have the same effect as a full on workout, especially if you’re a fan of a high-impact sport.

2. Get a pedicure

Give yourself regular pedicures and you’re bound to have strong nails. It helps to keep them from breaking off from pressure and your diet will be healthier and more nourishing.

3. Apply a clear top coat

Instead of using a product that enhances shine, it’s easier and more effective to just use a clear top coat to polish your nails. They absorb oil more easily and the light polish helps keep your nail polish in tact. The colorful nail polish polishes just try to cover up a water stain.

Credit: MINT + COLORBOX

4. Avoid French manicures

During the Winter months, they can fall from your fingers. Whether you have a hard time balancing and stretching or you find them too slippery to use a manicure tool, they can fall from your finger easily. If you’re cool to the French manicure, try some toe nail polish to create a contrast.

5. Do a quick polish check at the salon

The way you’re feeling at the time will dictate if you should pop your nail polish in the salon. If you’re feeling great, do a quick polish check. If your nails are a little swollen, be patient. Usually these are signs that there was something wrong during the shop. Many times, it’ll work out in your favor. And, if you have a nail that’s been cracked, you’ll want to wait for the polish to be off before you head back in the salon. The downside of going to the salon too soon? Getting a magnifying glass and a magnifying brush, which I’m certainly not a big fan of.

6. Moisturize

If you have a dry, fried nail bed, your nails could be at risk for further damage. Moisturizing the nail bed can help, but a great way to prevent dry nails from forming is to use plenty of nail polish remover. Exfoliate the nails after they’ve been moisturized and then again two weeks later to keep your nails from getting dull and damaged.

7. Lose the nail polish remover

Failed nail jobs happen to the best of us, especially during the Winter. An at-home polish remover often just eliminates the shine of the nail, not the nail’s beautiful color. Why not keep the remover in the same place that your nail product is. Using this trick can enhance the nail color and prevent them from shifting if they wear out.

8. Get them out of your hair

Nothing’s more irritating than having to apply nail polish at the salon to a sticky, hard nail that looks like it came out of your hair. If it happens to you often, just throw the nail out. Nail polish remover is great for drying a freshly manicured nail, but don’t leave it on for more than a few minutes and wash off all your fingers and toes soon after.

9. Fill in the gaps

If your nails aren’t perfectly straight like you want them to be, simply remove small gaps with a few coats of nail polish. This will prevent your nails from rubbing against other nails, which can cause damage and increase the chance of a crack.

10. Keep an eye on them

Nail polish remover shouldn’t be done directly on the tips of your fingers. That is where your nails rub against something. The swipe method is best for fingernails.

More on nail care

10 tips for a perfect polish job

Nail art a no-no for kids

Do I have to get a pedicure to get a great manicure?