I go through phases with my nails – sometimes I just can’t be bothered and have them cut really short, and sometimes I get obsessed with wanting them looking perfect. Either way, I’m very hard on my nails, so need high performing products to keep them in shape. Most of us have now heard of the 3 potentially toxic chemicals that we need to avoid, and that are still in many of the top nail polish brands: DPB, Toluene, and Formaldehyde. Fortunately, there are now dozens of great “3-free” brands. I’ve tried almost all of them now, and these are my favorites:
Priti NYC (Their new “After-the-snow pre-spring collection – OMG!)
Butter London (Unusual and gorgeous colors.)
Kaia House (We love their Bio organics “Seattle” shade!)
Zoya (Digging their new Spring 2012 pastel collection)
Sparitual (Check out their stunning “In Pink” collection.)
Nubar (Their “Polished Chic” collection is a must-have staple)
No Miss (We love their One-Coat Polish)
What about nail polish remover? I’ve tried a few “non-toxic” brands, and some of them will have you scrubbing away at your nails for 
hours. I love Karma Organic Lavender Polish Remover – it smells great and does a very decent job of removing your pesky chipped polish.
What about Gel Polishes? CND Shellac Gel Polish is a hybrid gel polish that will keep your nails perfect for up to three weeks. Although it’s “3-free,” you do have to have your nails soaked in acetone to get the polish off. It also has to be cured under a small UV lamp, which some argue is like a mini tanning bed. That said, Gel Manicures are a great thing if you are traveling for something special and don’t want to have to wrap your new mani in kid gloves!
What else? Always take your own bag to the nail salon and the most important item in the bag should be a large bottle of Tea Tree Oil, which you can buy from any health food store. Tea Tree is highly anti-bacterial – 5 or 6 drops in your foot-soak tub will deal with any potential fungus/bacteria issues.
Spring Trends 2012: It’s all about nude, pastels and classic red.