Best Non Toxic Nail Salon in Houston

Our editor created six tips for healthy manicures after hearing so many negative things about the ‘it’ nails trend. She’s proof that more than just nails, you can have a gorgeous manicure by removing one common pitfall for your nails . . .

Image Source: Ashley Clements

Each week, FitSugar’s beauty editor, Ashley Clements, speaks to an expert to make sure our readers are covered!

“I’m so sick of hearing about how bad french manicures are or that it’s all they do,” said Ashley Clements, personal trainer, former model, and blogger at Works of Beauty. “My esthetician mother—the woman who taught me everything I know about beauty—has taught me to embrace the natural beauty of my nails.”

Studies show that the shapes and textures of your nails may reflect more than just beauty. According to Harley Pasternak, a worldwide celebrity trainer, and founder of the Keto Power Bar, “Nails not only reflect our emotions but our character, as well, and can be a really great indicator of how we handle stress. Going through a breakup or divorce can lead to thick, hairless nails. Or maybe you go through a breakup where you find yourself madly in love with your ex, but after it’s over, your manicure is dull and covered in stickers. The result of giving in to those qualities is lack of happiness, which is a really bad outcome for someone.”

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Better news, you can have beautiful nails even if you don’t have gorgeous fingertips or even perfect fingernails! Below, Ashley’s six simple tips for healthy nails.

1. Keep them off the work tools: Keeping your nails off your work tools will help remove toxins. “Nails on the work surface definitely contains a ton of toxins that can leach out,” Harley Pasternak explained. “I recommend a product that we call Weleda Natural Skin Corrector, which is great to keep in your purse and mix in any time you have nail trauma.” It will clean your hands and help the oils on your hands glide to your nails, which will help remove some of the toxins as well.

2. Use a purpose-built nail polish remover: No one wants the greasy feeling they get after a manicure. “The right remover can remove residue from the polish so you don’t have to apply so much nail serum after your treatment,” said Harley Pasternak. “I use Precise Beauty, but if you like more polish, fun colors, or anti-aging styles that are too thin for you to use liquid nail polish remover alone, you can actually layer on top of it with a gel nail polish remover, such as Fix-It by Gettigel. The result is thinner polishes that help you remove each color more easily.”

3. Pick the right polish color: “Some polishes can do a better job of removing toxins than others,” Harley said. “I love ClearTopics, which I found on a CVS gift card and have since used every day!”

4. Use a vitamin B8 vitamin-rich beauty buff to buff out dirt and grease: According to Doctor of Nails, Vicki Wolfson, your nails can become incredibly rough and frayed over time. A dermatologist said she recommends rough skin softening between the layers of your nail. An exfoliant can be used to help clean your skin and break down those hard nails for you.

5. Use a hydrocolloid: According to Vicki Wolfson, one of the most effective ways to hydrate and strengthen your nails is by using a hydrocolloid. It’s an effective moisturizer, and it also plumps up your nails! We found these to be the most effective picks from Beauty Magazine.

6. Use a nail polish remover with a peel-off ingredient: When you clean your nails, you’re removing the top coat. “It’s common to find an aerosol nail polish remover that doesn’t have a lot of components and so it can cause clumps and discoloration,” Ashley told us. “Over time, you could actually turn your polish off so you don’t have nail streaking on your nails. Once you use a cleaner and then come back two weeks later and put on the polish again, the polish will soften and make it way easier to remove. A good DIY choice is Falsies Caramels. They have a peel-off ingredient. It tastes like candy and you feel like you’re getting the real deal.”