The first step to beautiful nails is maintaining nail health. Some key tips for healthy nails:

• Moisturize your nails and the skin around them daily with a rich hand cream or cuticle oil. This hydrates your nails and prevents hangnails.
• Take a biotin supplement. Biotin is a B vitamin that promotes nail health and growth. Aim for 2,500 to 5,000 mcg per day.
• File your nails into a rounded shape. Square nails are more prone to snags and tears. Gently file in one direction, not back and forth.
• Avoid harsh chemicals like acetone that can dry out your nails. Use a moisturizing nail polish remover instead and wear rubber gloves when doing housework involving harsh chemicals.
• Don’t use your nails as tools to open packages or pop tabs. This can lead to broken nails and infections.
• See a dermatologist if your nails become discolored, brittle or show other signs of infection. Conditions like nail psoriasis or fungal infections require treatment.

With your nail health addressed, you can now focus on nail polish options. There are many types of nail polish to suit different needs:

• For weak or brittle nails, choose a nail hardener or strengthener polish. These contain strengthening agents like formaldehyde to help harden and protect nails.
• If your nails are stained or discolored, try a ridge-filling base coat. This helps create a smooth base for polish to adhere to, hiding imperfections.
•  For a long-lasting manicure, use a base coat, two coats of polish and a top coat. The base coat adheres polish to your nails, polish colors and coats as desired, and the top coat seals it in.
• Consider gel nail polish or dip powder for a chip-free manicure that can last up to 2-3 weeks. These require UV light curing but provide an durable polish finish.
• For a natural look, choose nude, pale pink or clear polishes. Red and darker shades draw more attention to your nails and possible flaws.
•  Matte nail polish gives nails an understated, satiny finish. Glossy polish offers more shine and depth of color.

• Use a nail oil or cream that contains jojoba oil, vitamin E, keratin and collagen. These help moisturize nails and the skin around them. Popular brands include Cuccio Naturals, OPI and Essie.
•  For damaged or weak nails, use a nail treatment product 1-2 times a week. Look for those with fortifying ingredients like calcium, biotin, bamboo extract or silica. Products from Duri Rejuvacote, Nailtiques and Eveline are excellent options.
• Ridge fillers create a smooth base for polish. Popular brands are OPI Natural Nail Base Coat and Essie Millionails. For stained nails, try OPI Natural Nail Base Coat for Yellowing or Back-to-Life.
• Gelish and OPI GelColor offer at-home gel polish kits that provide a glossy, chip-free manicure for up to 2 weeks. You cure it with a UV lamp but it requires removal with acetone. Another option is the powder dip manicure, using brands like Kiara Sky, SNS or OPI Powder Perfection. These last up to 2-3 weeks and you buff off the polish instead of using harsh removers.
• For natural-looking polishes, try sheer pinks (Essie Ballet Slippers), pale nudes, whites (Essie Marshmallow) or buff shades (Zoya Purity). For an ultra-subtle look try matte polish in white, pink or tan.
• Some top nail polish brands are OPI, Essie, Butter London, Deborah Lippmann and Zoya. They offer stylish colors in formulas suitable for most nail types. OPI and Essie also have treatments for different nail needs.
• Use a moisturizing top coat like Seche Vite, Essie Gel Setter or OPI Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops. These help prevent smudges and dings until polish fully dries, plus hydrate nails.

I hope these additional tips provide some guidance on the many options available to strengthen your nails and achieve a beautiful, long-lasting manicure.

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