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- Cuticle Trimmer
- Use these trimmers after soaking and pushing back your cuticles, then trim away the skin to clean up your nail bed.
- Nail Clippers
- Hopefully you know how to use nail clippers (LOL) but they are definitely a must-have for keeping your nails lookin’ fresh.
- Nail File
- Again, I assume you know how to file your nails, but it’s always a great idea to have a file with you at all (or almost all) times in case a nail splits or gets a rough edge.
- Cuticle Oil
- Use cuticle oil to moisturize your nail beds and strengthen your nails as they grow. Also a great way to prevent hangnails and dry cuticles in the colder months.
- Nail Strengthener Clear Coat
- Nail strengthener is a great way to keep your nails strong…duh. But it also adds a cute, sophisticated shine to your nails if you’re looking to take a break from colored polish.
- Base & Top Coats
- Applying a base coat to your nails is a necessity before painting the colored polish to avoid yellowing of the nails. Top coats add a delightful shine to painted nails and are a great way to make your polish last longer & prevent chipping.
- Nail Polish (obvi)
- My personal favorite polish brand is Essie, and I’m a huge fan of their Gel Couture polishes because I find that they last longer, shine brighter, and give the appearance of true gel polishes (no UV/LED curing necessary).
- Nail Art Tools
- One Christmas, I received these exact nail art dotting tools from my aunt and they were actually my favorite gift that year. I fell in love with decorating my nails with polka dots, hearts, flowers, and more. They make it so easy to add cute designs to a DIY manicure.
- Pointed Q Tips
- One of my top nail secrets is dipping these pointed cotton swabs into a capful of polish remover/acetone to clean up the polish around my nails. I quite literally can’t do my nails without them now.
- Nail Polish Remover or Acetone
- If you’re looking to remove regular polish from your nails, it’s a good idea to use a strengthening remover, like the first linked product. If you want to remove glittery polish or gel polish, 100% acetone is definitely the way to go. It can be a bit drying to the nail and skin, FYI.
- Cotton Balls
- I use cotton balls soaked with polish remover to take off my nail polish. I prefer jumbo cotton balls, like the ones linked.