If you paint your nails often, you know that one of the big draw backs is the slight discoloring it gives to your natural nail.  Not to worry, there’s a cure for that.  You probably have some left over Ginger Ale from your holiday parties.  Put it to good use by creating a nail soak.  Ginger Ale contains soluble salts that act as preservatives or emulsifiers.  These naturally bleach your nails.  Simply pour some Ginger Ale in a small bowl, and submerge your nails for 10 minutes twice a week.  Watch your nails naturally bleach right before your eyes.

Try this trick the next time you give yourself a French manicure.  To get the curved white tip, simply wrap a rubberband around your finger, which pulls the skin taut, and allows for the perfect curve to paint your white strip.  Simple, easy, pretty.

Perfect your mani/pedi at home with this simple trick.  Avoid shaking the bottle as it causes air bubbles, thus a messy coat of polish.

The fix:  Instead, roll the bottle in between your palms several times to mix the polish, thereby creating a  perfect coat of polish on the nails.

The winter months can be brutal on the appearance of your hands.  Not only are your nails more frail, but your skin becomes dry and scaly.  You can keep your hands pretty with regular exfoliation.  When your hands need some 911 help, follow these instructions:  At least twice a day, wash your hands with a vegetable-based all-natural sugar scrub.  A vegetable-based sugar scrub does not leave your hands feeling like an oil slick…veggie-based formulas have a perfect consistency of super soft sugar.  The soft sugar will gently exfoliate the top layer of dry skin on the hands, and leaves a protective soft coating on your hands.  Follow with lotion and your hands will look great in a matter of days. 

To prevent nail polish from bubbling, apply Witch Hazel with a cotton ball to the nails before applying polish.  Allow polish to dry in between coats, and give nails a little extra time to dry before the clear coat of polish at the end. 

The fall and winter months can be torture on your skin and nails.  You can reduce the amount of torture they endure, however, by proper care.  One way to protect fingernails and keep them looking healthy is to apply a clear coat of polish to them.  Even if you aren’t a fan of painted nails, applying a clear coat is more so for protection than beauty (although it can be pretty, too.)  A clear coat of polish will lock in the natural moisture and protect the nails to make them stronger.   It also gives you a more polished (pardon the pun) overall appearance.  Be sure to moisturize hands often, making sure to rub lotion into your cuticles to keep them soft and moisturized.  It’s as easy as that to have pretty fingernails. 

For brighter, whiter nails, soak fingertips in a mixture of gentle soapy water and lemon juice for 15 minutes each hand.  This is not recommended if you have very sensitive skin…lemon juice can be acidic, but is a perfect nail brightener for normal skin.  Gently scrub with a nail brush after soak, and rinse with warm water for a just from the spa look.