Since we are all collecting and going crazy over new fall nail polish colors, I thought it would be fun to share my manicure must haves with you. I will try any brand of polish as long as I’ve fallen in love with the color but there are a handful of items that I can’t live without, and that make my at home manicures (and they are always at home, this germaphobe doesn’t do communal nail tools, shudder) look fantastic every time!
1. Sand Turtle Nail File – traditional files make a rasping noise that frankly freaks me out a bit and if you slip while you are absentmindedly filing away while watching a movie you can really tear up your cuticles. The Sand Turtle is a soft foam file so no cuticle mishaps, no splitting or tearing, and best of all minimal noise. Plus the malleable material means you can squeeze into tight spots for precision shaping. Tip: clip and file your nails before removing the old polish, this makes it easier to see the shape you are creating and will prevent your nails from splitting or breaking.
2. Sonia Kashuk Nail Buffer – the secret to perfect varnish application is buffing the nail super smooth before you begin, and this nail buffer is one of the few skinny enough to maneuver easily on my small hands. Tip: once you buff your nails they will be more susceptible to staining by dark polish so make sure to double up on the base coat.
3. Deborah Lippmann The Stripper Lacquer Remover – I change colors often, partly because chipped polish sets off my OCD alarm bells and partly because there are just so many gorgeous colors and so few days in the year! This remover gets every trace of polish off quickly without drying out my nails and, best of all, without making my bathroom smell like a toxic chemical spill.
4. Sephora Lavender Cuticle Pen – dry cuticles are not only painful they are the quickest way to ruin the look of an otherwise beautiful manicure. I have one of these pens everywhere for quick touch ups whenever I feel the need, especially before bedtime.
5. Essie Good To Go – this is the most important piece of the puzzle, the absolute MVP of my manicure world! Not only does this top coat dry in a flash so that you are, quite literally, good to go in minutes, it is super shiny and will fix anything that ails your tips. Any smudges, imprints, or sheet marks (I always seem to get sheet prints on my new polish, no matter how early in the day I paint) are instantly fixed and what would have been a mess is suddenly a perfect manicure. Good To Go is also fantastic for midweek touch-ups to return that just polished shine to your tips in seconds. If you only add one thing to your polish routine, this little miracle in a bottle is it!
