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.
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Take off old polish with acetone-free remover that contains protein to strengthen nails and lanolin to moisturize. Wash and dry hands thoroughly.
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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.
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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.
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Battle winter dryness by massaging ½ teaspoon olive oil into hands. Blot off the excess with a clean towel.
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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.
