Nail polish is a solvent used to enhance the appearance of one's nails to give color. It can be worn on the fingernails or toenails, or even both. Nail polish dates back to circa 3000 BC by the Chinese. They are believed to have used a solution made of beeswax, gelatin, and gum Arabic; in order to have color, the Chinese would add mashed flowers and leave them overnight. In Egypt, nail polish was used to indicate social status.

Nail polish has since then evolved to have a polished look than just being painted. There are wide arrays of shades that can match to one’s liking and/or one's skin tone; from glittery to metallic to clear. At times, men, not only women, prefer to match their nail polish with their outfit. Through the use of nail polish, people have found a way to create art on nails; people would draw lines or flowers or even use different colors on every nail. Apart from cosmetic purposes, some brands have showcased certain types of nail polish that promote, growth, strength, and prevention from occasional breaking and cracking.

Nail care is not only about nail polish. In fact, sometimes, you can get away without nail polish as long as you have beautiful nails. Nail care says a lot about your personality and on how you groom yourself. Aside from that, it can also build up your confidence, you’ll have younger looking hands, and healthy at that. So before you decide on the color that you like, prep your nails first to maximize your nail polish experience.
* Don't grow your nails too long. This is more prone to chip off. The ideal length is a quarter inch from your tips.
* Never cut cuticles. Cuticles are there for a reason, and that is to protect your nails. Once it gets cut, it can cause infections and it will grow thicker, the more you will have the urge to cut them. Just push the cuticles back with the use of a wooden tool.
* Moisturize your hands often.
* Don't use your nails as handy tools. Never use them for rough tasks like digging or puncturing something.
* Avoid nail biting.
* Proper nail care involves not using drying chemicals with your hands like alcohol or acetone to remove your nail polish. Wear gloves.

* Nail services can cost an arm and a leg; so, here are some tips on how to do your own manicure. Make sure you have your tools ready like:
* Wooden stick pusher - as mentioned, it is ideal to make use of wood rather than metal since this is gentler to your cuticles. Remember to just push back after you have soaked them in warm soapy water.
* Cuticle clipper – you will ONLY use this with hangnails and not for your cuticles.
* Nail file – it is better to file your nails than to clip them because dry nails have more tendencies to break. Also, you have more control with the length and the shape of your nail with a file.
* Cuticle remover or lotion – after soaking your nails, apply cuticle lotion to make them softer and easier to push back.
* Nail brush – you will use this before you start to brush off your nail beds together with warm soapy water
* Topcoat, basecoat, and your nail polish – you will need a basecoat as a primer so your nail polish will last longer. Topcoat to add gloss to your nail polish.
* Warm, soapy water & towel – to make your cuticles soft.
* Nail polish remover (if you have nail polish) – avoid using acetone or alcohol-based nail polish removers as they rub off the natural oils from your nails and make it dry.

Here are some general ideas on how to do your own nail care. Once you've read this article, you’ll never look at nail care the same way ever again!
* When filing your nails, it is ideal to shape your nails similar to the curve of your nails.
* Once you are done filing your nails and pushing back your cuticle, you are now ready to apply the basecoat.
* Basecoat helps the nail polish to last longer and it reduces the chance of your nails turning yellow. After applying the base coat, wait for it to dry for a few minutes so it will stick on your nail beds. You may also opt to use a nail strengthener as a basecoat.
* Once basecoat is dry, you may now apply your nail polish. Remember to apply nail polish in thin coats. When you apply it thickly, the nail polish tends to bubble. In order to do this, sweep the polish brush against the side of the bottle so excess nail polish is removed. You may apply two coats of nail polish BUT be sure the previous coat is dry so they will bond better. You would also want to wrap your nails by brushing a little at the edges and a little under the nail tip; this lessens the chances of chipping.

You might want to know that keeping your nail polish in a cool, dry place will actually lengthen its shelf life. You would want to store it where there is constant temperature. Once you have you have your nail polish on, avoid basking your hands in the water for too long as it can lift the polish off. If you really want your manicure to last, apply topcoat once a day; this would also keep the shine of your nail polish. Contrary to popular belief, you should never shake your nail polish, better to roll them between your palms. Shaking the nail polish would actually introduce air and therefore create bubbles.

Have fun coloring your nails!

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