Best Non Toxic Nail Salon in Houston

Because the world seems to be revolving around babies, babies, babies — selfies that are — we’ve all taken some really awful photos of our nails. With all those nails to tend to, it can seem like you have more pressure than ever to deliver perfection. The idea is to visit the salon weekly for the full DIY treatment, so what better time than now to talk about your DIY nail-care routine?

Whether you regularly visit a salon or not, you can still make it easy on yourself and create a great manicure right in your home or apartment. And just like your nails, there’s a list of essentials you’ll need to assemble in order to create and maintain your new look.

1. Oils. Nails are a tough beast. They need oils to keep them healthy, resilient and strong. The right oils will keep your nails soft, cosmetically attractive and moisturized. If you use only nail oil, know that it contains a very high percentage of lanolin, which is so irritating to the nail that it can lead to mild to severe discomfort on the other end.

Without lanolin, nails can become dry and brittle. But synthetic lanolin, made from sheep, is much more gentle on your nails. (Find out more about topical dry eye and the ingredient listed on the bottle.)

2. Lubricating products. No DIY manicure is complete without some pampering. Fortunately there are plenty of lubricating products out there. These products help nourish dry nails and moisturize your skin and hair. Sunscreen is a must-have for protecting your skin from the sun. Oil-based lotions and creams (used at night) are also great for moisturizing the nail bed and preventing discoloration.

3. Puffing up the skin. Oil paints create a protective layer between your nail and your skin to keep it healthy and soft. Although this is good for other parts of your body, nails tend to get more exposed in the summer when nail polish wears down more quickly.

4. Moisturizing. A good starting place to start is the drugstore’s best-selling moisturizing lotion: nail oil. They all tend to have high concentration of lanolin. Having healthy, strong nails will allow your nail polish to stay on longer without a nail-clipping brush — the most damaging part of a manicure.

Create your DIY nails like your favorite celebs and treat yourself to a manicure with these four tips:

Sophia Springsteen for HuffPost

Nail art for baby nails

Although there is still no nail art template as simple as a cuticle iron to create a perfectly smooth baby nail, the Internet is a great source of tutorials and tips to get you started.

Because hairlessness is more normal in today’s culture, many people use salt water, which is a slightly less salty option than distilled water. A pump iron allows you to make your nails look even finer. It also means that you can polish your nails to rock-star looks without the worry of cracking your feet. There are a variety of salt water color choices. You can try red, baby pink or clear.

Tell us how you frost your nails — literally!

Whether you are trying to look like Kim Kardashian’s one of a kind frosted nails or a far more natural look, there are online tutorials and tricks to get you started. The one note of caution is not to remove your nail polish too quickly or too long to avoid cracking your nails.