Manicure 101: Four steps for better-looking nails

Painting my nails and keeping them nice and Pinterest-looking has never been my thing. I've tried and tried but my nail plates have been screwed up for years (partly because I used to bite them A LOT, partly because they have uneven surface to begin with). However, I recently established a nailcare/nail-painting regime that I'm satisfied with. It's pretty simple, nothing fancy, really, just basic steps to keep my nails looking as good as possible with just a few basic products.

Step one: Filing my nails with a paper nailfile. I find this step has really helped get my nails back in their proper shape. In my view paper files tend to be more gentle on the nails, they are super fine and they help you get a more precise shape without damaging your nails. And, of course, it is important to file your nails in the same direction to prevent them from being uneven and separating.

P.S.: Look at my cute British-themed nailfile!

Step two: Using a nail-stengthener on my nails and an oil on my cuticles and pushing my cuticles back. I'm using a Rimmel Double Duty strengthener that also serves as a base coat. I find this pretty handy, it's a great two in one product and I'm definitely pleased with it. On my cuticles, I'm using coconut oil at the moment but I've been eyeing the Essie Apricot Cuticle oil, too. This helps soften your cuticles and makes them easier to push back. I never used to push my cuticles back before, but it really makes your nails look super shapely and your manicure - neater. I'm using an AVON manicure kit to take care of my cuticles, and it's defintiely worth investing in one.

Step three: Painting my nails. Quite an obvious one, really. My favourite shades at the moment are Essie's Ballet Slippers and OPI's Oy-Another-Polish-Joke (quite the mouthful... you can check my review of it right here). I find larger brushes easier to use as I have small nails and I pretty much need one swipe and I'm good to go. Essie, OPI and Maybelline Superstay polishes all have amazing brushes that I find supr easy to use.

Step four: Removing my nailpolish. This step can make or break your nails (literally). It's very important to use acetone-free nailpolish remover enriched with oils to keep you nails healthy and chip-free. I like using the Bourjois nailpolish remover. I like both the bottled and the sponge form, as the formula is basically the same - free of acetone and enriched with oils. It also smells divine, which is quite unusual for a nailpolish remover!

These are my four super easy steps for better-looking nails. What are your favourite nailpolishes/ nailpolish removers at the moment?