May 23, 2014

Healthy Nail Maintenance

I was compensated by a brand or company but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sally Hansen Nail Tools

I should practice what a I preach in this post and that would be maintaining healthy nails! I’m such a biter! It’s a nasty habit of mine. I also happen to be one for picking at hang nails which gives my nails an unkempt, jagged appearance. Not good! A set of good manicure tools is so essential for folks like me. If you maintain healthy nails you’ll find you’ll pick and bite a lot less!

Here are’s some tips and tricks to keeping your nails looking beautiful and healthy.

First off, for the love of your nails grab a good clipper! I actually started carrying around a nail clipper in my purse. It’s a great tool to keep handy so you can snip off a hang nail in a flash and not be tempted to pick at it until you bleed. Sally Hansen’s Clean Cutt Nail Clipper is small enough to fit comfortably in my makeup bag, and still tackles but bit both big and small jobs. So you can nip that hang nail right off or clip down nails evenly, quickly and easily thanks to the wider nail that keeps jagged edges at bay!

I do think that cuticles are also as tempting as hang nails to pick at so keep them pushed back to avoid temptation and also to give your nail a longer look; Plus you’ll have more space for your favorite polish to adhere to! Sally Hansen’s Push-n-Trim acts as a perfect tool for cuticle grooming by pushing cuticles back gently while allowing the v-shaped blade to trim the skin you’ve pushed back. Remember to soak your nails prior to removing cuticles to avoid tears and possible pain. I typically soak my nails in warm water, pat dry, and apply argan oil on each cuticle which makes removal easier.

Now that your cuticles are shaped up and you’ve clipped away hang nails and excess skin, you can use a nail buffer and shaper to smoother and shape nails. Sally Hansen’s No More Ridges Buffer actually has four textured sides with step by step instructions on each side for smoothing, buffing, and shaping nails. For folks like me, this is a manicure god sent. Each side features a rough or smoother surface to shape your nails, smooth them, buff, and at the last stage the softer side buffs nails to a shiny finish!

And hey, after all that hard work, don’t forget to grab your favorite polish and paint those newly maintained nails! I’m loving on Sally Hansen Completely Salon Manicure Polish in Mermaid’s Tale at the moment! This is a gorgeous multi-color polish is packed with blue and green glitter!

Sally Hansen Completely Salon Manicure Polish

How do you maintain your nails?

What tips and tricks do you use to avoid biting and picking at hang nails?

Do share!

I was compensated by a brand or company but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • thebeautybadger

    Eek I totally should take better care of my nails! I tend to use a cuticle remover gel about once a month.. and that’s all I ever do! Definitely need to get a better nail care routine going but I just paint them so often and the maintenance is much less fun.

    • Isabella Muse

      I am a biter and a picker and just horrible about keeping my nails looking good. it’s terrible! I swear I pick until I bled. I’ve made myself a promise I would take better care of my nails! But don’t worry you aren’t alone chica!

  • Cj

    That’s the cutest nail clipper ever lol I get my nails done once a month and in between I file, buff, and remove cuticles 🙂

    • Isabella Muse

      I started packing it in my makeup bag. some reader told me to buy a baby clipper and haul it around with me so I can snip hangnails quickly and be less tempted to pick at them! best advice I ever got! I’m terrible with any of that! made a resolution to do so more often!

  • Dee

    I’ve never been a biter but I am a picker. I found some great cuticle tools that have helped them look so much better. Orly Cutique, which you brush on, and Orly Pusher and Remover. I use these once a week and no longer have anything to pick.

    • Isabella Muse

      I try to push pack cuticles as often as possible but I tend to leave them along and they just grow like weeds, therefore I’m back to picking! Seriously committed myself to keeping my nails in better shape lately as it’s a nasty habit to bite/pick them the way I do!

  • Guindyloo

    I’m a picker but only a nail biter if my nails aren’t polished – so I keep them done at all times! Most polishes last 5-7 days for me so I do a remove and repaint every weekend. It definitely keeps me from traumatizing my nails and with an ever growing nail polish collection, I HAVE to keep my nails polished at all times to justify to myself buying more. :p

  • Molly

    Oh, I too am a nail destroyer. The only thing that I’ve found that works for me is regular, professional manicures. I know I could save a ton doing them myself, but then I don’t appreciate the results as much and they end up raggedy and bloody and embarassing. I actually just moved and have to find a new salon, which is hard! Any tips for that process? I don’t know anyone here yet.

    • Isabella Muse

      Oh gosh I wish I knew Molly there must be reviews out there on local salons!? and great tip! I’m always less likely to bite when I get my nails done professionally 🙂

  • Melissa

    i’m not sure if it will help cause it probably depends on the way your cuticles grow and how overgrown they are, but I tend to lightly push back the cuticles just with my nails at the end of a shower and that seems to keep them at bay
    Clipping the hang nails when they appear is a great idea, i’ve been doing it for a while and no more infections or bleeding! ^-^

    • Isabella Muse

      melissa that’s actually a really awesome tip never thought to do it in the shower! Less painful too as my hands are fully wet! 😀

  • Gail o.

    Love, love, love when you give us your DIY beauty tips (like the washcloth exfoliator–that one is a gem!) I keep a tin of Burt’s Bees Lemon Cuticle Cream in my purse, work, car, etc. It smells so yummy you are tempted to put it on as much as possible. An especially good habit to do while you are on the phone.

    • Isabella Muse

      aw thanks gail! I use Burts Bees Lemon Cuticle Cream too! best stuff EVER!

  • Eriu

    Muse, when you bite your nails, and especially your cubicles, enzymes in your saliva cause the cuticle to over grow, which leads to your problem of them growing like weeds. Once my husband stopped chewing on his, they stop over growing and when I push them back, they stay. For some regular manicures are the cure to biting. Plus the amount of bacteria in human saliva can easily spread once it is on your fingers. Once you start regularly trimming and pushing your hangnails and cubicles, you won’t have to pick as much. It’s one of those things where the solution (picking and chewing) makes the problem (hangnails and cuticle overgrowth) worse!

    • Isabella Muse

      ha thanks eriu I didn’t know that! Now to get me out of actually picking and biting at them 😀

  • kary

    What a cute nail set! I’ve never seen a nail file as cute as that, I would probably think twice if I’ll use that or just put it in my collections. LOL. But really, that nail set is pretty good to in maintaining your nails healthy.

  • Susan

    My nails and cuticles are in terrible condition because I work at an animal hospital and have to wash my hands frequently to avoid cross-contamination, and it seems pointless to moisturize because I’ll just wash again in five minutes.

    • Isabella Muse

      i don’t work in an environment where I am washing my hands frequently but I do so none the less and it causes them to dry out terribly! Totally understand 🙁