How to Have Nice-Looking Nails Without Polish

Giving your nails a rest day from wearing polish? Be confident to go bare and have your nails looking pretty and healthy sans colorful nail paint.

Use gloves to protect your hands

We can't scrimp on housework, we all know that. However, exposure to detergents can be harsh for our hands and nails. When scrubbing bathroom floors or washing dishes, slap on a pair of rubber gloves to protect the hands from harsh detergents and cleaning agents. You can also use laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid with moisturizing properties.

Have hand cream ready

In your purse, car, or near your kitchen sink. As you massage hand cream on your hands, don't forget to rub your cuticles too with hand and nail cream.

Buff your nails once a month

Aqua Minerals Nail Kit can be used on days when you have no time to get your nails professionally done. The buffer leaves your nails shiny even days after treatment while the hand cream cares for your hardworking hands leaving it with a nice, elegant scent.

Buffing removes rough ridges and leaves your nails smooth and shiny even without clear nail polish. Do this once a month for beautiful nails. I'm using Aqua Minerals nail kit which includes a nail file, nail buffer, cuticle oil, and hand cream to give my nails some TLC when I have no time to go to the salon. The buffer also leaves my nails shiny even days after my DIY home treatment. By the way, don't do this too often as too much buffing can weaken the nails.

Don't cut your cuticles or pull hangnails.

Telenovela queen Thalia said in her book Belleza that cuticles are like weeds. When you cut them, they just grow back. Apply cuticle remover gel instead to dissolve cuticles and push them back with a metal stick soaked with cotton. I also use Cure gel to remove dry skin and cuticles. I can't say enough about pulling hangnails. They're painful and leave you with a bleeding, painful wound.

Consider vegan or toluene-free formulas

I love dark polish, yet I know they leave my nails with a stain. I try alternating my polish with light and dark polish and when I still want to go dark, I use a vegan formula such as Zoya polish, which is gentler for my nails.

Eat better

Just like your skin, your overall health will show as well with how your nails look. Add healthy and nail-strengthening food to your diet. Also, you may take supplements for healthy nails.

Get nail-whitening treatments

There are add-on nail treatments to whiten nails. Add this to your next polish-free hand and nail pampering session to remove yellowing from dark polish stains.

Resting your nails from nail polish and nail art is actually a step in taking care of your nails, so I hope you like these prettifying tips in making your nails presentation-worthy during its rest day.

Nail polish photo from Zoya Facebook Page.