I love getting pedicures. But to be honest, I hate getting manicures because I always end up messing up my nails within a day or two after if I get a bright color. Plus, my nails get easily irritated by chemicals and acetone. So, rather than waste money on a weekly manicure, I took it upon myself to find a few essentials that perform and give me an easy mani at home. 

There are two brands that I applaud for taking a serious stance on their nail product ingredients: butter LONDON and Julep. I purposely went direct to them, as they are making a concerted effort to help ensure their products promote healthy nails. This is a very controversial topic, and if you want more info, there are tons of articles on Google available from various bloggers and watch-dog sites. But for now, I will focus on these brands, as I’ve had great luck with their products.

I wear my nails short, and I love this combination of products as they give me a sheer, natural-looking, and easily maintained finish. 

1) Prep nails & cuticles with essie Apricot Cuticle oil: this oil is fantastic for quick absorption and hydration. This is one of the few essie products I have, and it’s always been great. It has a nail polish brush, so you simply swipe across the cuticles and then massage in.

2) Julep Cuticle Wand: this is super easy to use in pushing back cuticles without tearing skin. I love that it’s soft-edged, and easy to grip.

3) Julep Oxygen Nail Treatment: this is a fantastic alternative to nail polish. It allows your nails to breathe, while strengthening them. It delivers a delicate, sheer pink, glossy finish – looks beautiful against many skin tones. It also can be layered – I usually apply another coat about two days later, after my initial application. Another GREAT nail polish alternative is the new butter LONDON Nail Tinted Moisturizers. More on those later!

4) butter LONDON P.D. Quick Dry Conditioning Drops: this is magic in a bottle!! You could actually use this over any manicure process, but it immediately makes polish dry and keeps cuticles conditioned. Best stuff ever!

I can be done with this process in about 10 minutes flat – including time to initially trim and file my nails. Also, I don’t use water in the manicure process – it’s been proven to cause nails to become brittle. Also, my hands haven’t become raw or irritated since I’m avoiding harsh chemicals. Due to sailing, gardening, and other summer fun, my nails take a beating. But these easy essentials give me great, consistent results fast! 

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