1. Remove existing nail polish using a non-acetone remover. “It’s less drying to nails and cuticles than regular formulas,” Nia K. Terezakis, M.D., tells Shape. To apply the remover, celebrity manicurist Lisa Jachno suggests ditching cotton balls for the friction of a cotton pad or paper towel.

   • Product pick: Enriched with vitamin E, Barielle Acetone Free Nail Polish Remover Towelettes not only gently removes polish but also moisturizes the nail bed.

2. Rinse your hands, cleaning under your nails while rinsing off any remaining remover.
3. Dry your nails before filing. “You’ll get a better shape if you file before soaking,” Jachno tells Shape. Then file while softly rounding the corners. For a modern look, nail technician Chonya Alvarez tells Marie Claire readers to keep nails short and straight on top.

   “File your nails in one direction starting at the edges and moving toward the top,” she advises. “Sawing back and forth can break the nail,” celebrity manicurist Carla Kay explains in Shape.

   Got thin or peel-prone nails? Don’t use a highly abrasive or metal file, which only exacerbates peeling, Jachno notes. And “angle the file so that it lies slightly under the nails,” according to beauty journalist Melissa Milrad Goldstein in Better Homes and Gardens.

   • Product pick: SpaRitual Black Board File is a gentle, 100 percent biodegradable nail file.

4. Soften your cuticles by soaking them in a solution of warm water and liquid soap for five to 10 minutes.

5. Massage cuticle cream or oil into your cuticles for several minutes. This step not only nourishes cuticles but also stimulates circulation for healthier nails.

   • Product picks:
     • AHAVA Cuticle Cream hydrates and nourishes rough cuticles.
     • L’Occitane Shea Butter Nail & Cuticle Cream is an emollient product that moisturizes and protects the cuticles.
     • Decleor Aromessance Ongles is a 100-percent natural, non-greasy aromatherapy oil that softens cuticles and strengthens the nails.
6. Gently push your cuticles down using a cuticle stick. Note that you never want to trim your cuticles, because it can cause infection and damage your nails, according to Alvarez in Marie Claire. Specifically, cutting or aggressively pushing back your cuticles “can damage the nail matrix, the area under the cuticles where growth takes place,” nail specialist Richard K. Scher, M.D., explains to Shape.

   “Treating the cuticle is paramount and leaves nails looking like they were professionally done,” Sally Hansen manicurist Dana Caruso tells Better Homes and Gardens.

   • Product pick: Barielle Extra Gentle Cuticle Minimizer contains natural softeners, which let you easily push back the cuticle. In turn, healthy cuticles promote nail growth.

7. Gently rub the cuticles in a circular motion using a warm, moist washcloth. “The circular motion helps slough away that white membrane, which is dead cuticle skin,” Kay tells Shape.

8. For enhanced circulation in the nail bed, buff your nails. Buffing naturally nourishes the nails for normal, healthy growth, notes nail care brand OPI on ninemsn. Plus, buffing brings a radiant, rosy hue to your nails.

9. Rinse your hands again to remove any leftover cream or oil. Then fully dry your nails. Note that while some salons use polish remover to remove oils, this can actually dry out your nails, according to Dr. Terezakis.

10. Apply a basecoat. Goldstein writes in Better Homes and Gardens that basecoat protects nails from splitting. And professional manicurist Shawn Bingen tells Shape, “Basecoat is like double-stick tape for your nails — it holds polish in place so it lasts longer.” Basecoat also protects your nails from darker, potentially staining polishes, Bingen adds.

    • Product pick: Free of DBP, formaldehyde and toluene, SpaRitual Lacquer Lock Colorstay Basecoat protects nails and holds nail polish color.

11. After the basecoat dries, apply two thin coats of nail polish. Why thin? To prevent chipping, writes Goldstein. In Shape, spa owner Gretchen Monahan recommends dipping and wiping the brush only once before applying the polish to each nail. “This helps you apply the thinnest coats possible,” she explains.

    Start on one side of your nail and brush once from base to tip. Do the same in the middle, then on the other side — for a total of three strokes per nail. Before you apply the second coat, wait a couple of minutes.

    Make a mistake? Lightly apply a little nail polish remover on the spot. “The remover thins out the surrounding polish to cover the smudge,” Goldstein explains. Next, apply another light coat to the nail.

12. After the nail polish dries, apply a topcoat. Professional nail product and service supplier Jan Arnold recommends using a product specifically formulated to protect nails.

    “It will offer a harder, longer-lasting protective shell, with higher shine than a fast-drying topcoat can provide,” she tells Shape. Wearing topcoat also preserves the water in your nails, minimizing breakage, adds Dr. Scher.

    • Product picks:
      • SpaRitual Nail Lacquer Topcoat is a long-lasting topcoat that contains special polymers to protect and buff the nails.
      • SpaRitual Impeccable Protective Polish Shield ensures healthy, strong nails and lasting, chip-free color.

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