Why You Need a Vacation From Your Nail Polish
By Sheryl George, InStyle.com
Our offices are often filled with a rainbow assortment of nail polishes, and our Pinterest boards are loaded with nail art inspiration—so it’s safe to say that we’re obsessed with a pretty manicure. But like binging on Netflix for hours on end, your mani routine is another example of the platitude, “everything in moderation.”
Why? “Polish can starve the nails of oxygen,” says N.Y.C. podiatrist and nail specialist Dr. Johanna Youner. “Take a week-long break after two solid weeks of polish.”
RELATED: Our Favorite Rose-Based Fragrances
If you tend to see white spots on your nails, it may be a sign that they are dried out, says Youner. In between paint jobs, keep nails and cuticles healthy and hydrated by applying a moisturizing cream like Caudalie Hand & Nails Cream ($15; sephora.com) or a cuticle oil (like CND’s Solar Oil, $8; ulta.com) over the entire nail plate. If you’re not into rocking nails totally au naturel, try buffing them to create a shine while going bare. And think of it this way: you won’t have to worry about chipped nails as often.
RELATED: Reader Beauty FAQs: Mani Pedi Edition
photo: Getty Images
