We could go on and on about color, because we all know there are endless shades and tones, but I walk to talk about the 'au naturel' look that has become so very popular. This look can apply to acrylic and gel nails as well, but I'm here to talk about good ol' natural nails.

The key to this look is to keep your natural nails healthy and looking flawless. One thing I've learned over the past few years is that oils, hardeners, and a good top coat are going to be your best friends.

First off, just like skin when it comes to makeup, you want to take care of your base before you go layering on products. Take care of your cuticles & nail beds! The look isn't going to work if we're looking dry and crusty. Any cuticle oil will work, but I like to use any oil that I'm currently using in my skincare routine. Right now I'm using the 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Oil from The Ordinary. I take a drop of this and massage it into my cuticles and nail beds. After letting it absorb for a few minutes I wipe my nails clean with a cotton round. This step is crucial for keeping the skin around the nails in tact so that we can achieve a flawless mani!

Filing the nails is also a must! We want the shape to look smooth and consistent throughout all of the nails, whether the shape be round, square, almond, etc.

If you're going to be using opaque color I always recommend using a base coat. The reason being, very opaque colors such as reds, blues, and yellows can stain your nails and we don't want that! If you're going to use a more transparent or iridescent color, like with this look, you can forego the base coat if you wish. If you want to go ahead and apply a base coat, I recommend the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails. It is tried and true and is just going to be that extra step to protect & strengthen your natural nails. If I'm going for a bare minimum look I love to apply just this to my nails and call it a day. It adds a very slight translucent pink finish to the nails as well as great shine. 

To add a little more pizazz to the natural look, I tend to use a polish with a subtle duo-chrome flip. Here, I used China Glaze in Afterglow. It has almost no opacity, but has a pinkish-purple translucent finish with a blue flip. This is such a cool polish to add onto your natural nails or over another polish to add a different layer of interest to the color. 

Another great thing about this polish in particular is that it's made with hardeners. So, it's going to dry to a hard finish; almost like a gel polish, and it's going to last longer without chipping. Let's have a round of applause for that!! 

Another great step to take to improve the longevity of your mani is to add a quality top coat. My current favorite is the Advanced Hard as Nails Strengthening Top Coat from Sally Hansen. Taking this extra step adds at least another five days to my mani. The longer I can keep my polish lasting the better, am I right!? Again, the key word here is 'strengthening'. It's not only better for your nails themselves but it strengthens your mani as well and keeps is looking fresher, longer. Not to mention the crazy high-shine finish this gives. It just elevates the look that much more. 

My last tip is to moisturize after going through your nail routine. The harsh chemicals in removers and acetones can really do a number on the skin. Applying the oil to the cuticles and nails beds is definitely going to help with this, but moisturizing the entirety of the hands is a good step to take as well. It's going to help keep the hands looking healthy and flawless just like our fresh mani! Not to mention, if you use something that smells as amazing as this Burt's Bees Almond & Milk Hand Cream, you're going to feel pampered & luxurious. Which, I think we all can appreciate!