in ,

Green Your Summer Routine: Bare Nails

We all want our nails to look their best, especially in the summer time when they are so visible.  While there are many less toxic nail polish brands that deliver beautiful color, bare and healthy is the greenest hue of all.  In this week’s edition of our Green Your Summer Routine Series, see how to bare those nails with style.

Sporting shiny, gorgeous nails is easy and inexpensive.  All you need are the right tools.  Invest in a good pair of trimmers, cuticle nippers and a buffer.  Now that you have the essentials let’s get started. Begin by soaking nails in warm soapy water.  If you’ve just bathed or showered, you can skip this step.  Next, trim and file nails smooth.  Push back cuticles with an orange stick and remove any excess with your cuticle nippers.  Now, using your buffer, buff nails to a glistening shine.  The shine should last several days, maybe not as long as a clear coat of polish, but just buff a little more and the shine is back.

This system works for either mani or pedi and produces a beautiful au naturale look.  Those of you who are used to painted digits may be shocked by the way your toes look bare (I know I was) but once you get used to it it really is a nice change.  And…it goes with everything!

[Image by m-o-s at Flickr.com, Creative Commons license]

Written by Liz Thompson

I am an organic beauty expert, writer, and mom of two young environmentalists who can already spot a toxic product when they see one. Read more about me at Organic Beauty Source.com, and find me on , Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.

Three DIY and Natural Sunburn Relief Treatments

5 Tips to Finding and Following Your Passion