Beautify your nails and cuticles with these nontoxic steps from Nonie Crème, creative director of Butter London, a natural nail salon chain based in Seattle.
Take off old polish with acetone-free remover that contains protein to strengthen nails and lanolin to moisturize. Wash and dry hands thoroughly.
Scrub dirty nails with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a paste made of 1 tablespoon baking soda and a few drops of water. Shape with a file.
Dab cuticles with vitamin-E-rich oil, which helps heal and condition, and let sit for two minutes. With your finger, gently rub in oil, pushing cuticles back and exfoliating dead skin. Rinse hands.
Battle winter dryness by massaging ½ teaspoon olive oil into hands. Blot off the excess with a clean towel.
Gently buff nails with a three-sided buffer. To avoid stripping away too many layers, use the gray side once a month, the pink side once a week, and the white side as needed to add shine. If desired, apply atranslucent polish that doesn't contain toxins, such as toluene, formaldehyde, or dibutyl phthalate.