I run on a fresh manicure and tons of coffee every week at work. While I do love the results of a professional manicure, I wanted to see if I could do it myself and give my bank account a much-needed break. Since the pandemic hit, many of us have become our own nail techs and learned the tricks of the trade. For the first few months, e-files were sold out and gel kits were flying off the shelf. I, myself, became one on my personal quest for perfectly manicured talons. I’ve been practicing with polygel on and off for a couple of months and my nails needed a break. While my nails were recovering, I tested out treatment products from Ella + Mila and executed a fun manicure with plenty of TLC.

I have been loving the Ella + Mila nail care treatment line for how gentle and effective the products are. I used the Soy Polish Remover, a gentle, non-acetone remover for natural nails, to remove any residue and leftover nail product. The remover contains no acetone and nourishes with oil while working to dissolve the nail color. For the base coat, I followed it up with a coat of the First Aid Kiss nail treatment, a lavender-scented nail strengthener to help with peeling, thin nails. Since polygel has left my nails in a pretty weakened state, I’ve been using it for 2 weeks and my nail beds look relatively healthy again. My nail plate also looks clearer and brighter!

There are so many fun variations of the French manicure that I’ve been seeing around on Pinterest and Instagram. Instead of a classic white, I decided to go with a disco-inspired glitter to accent my nail tips. Essie’s Let’s Boogie is Studio 54 in nail polish form, absolutely fabulous on the nail tips. I used three coats to reach the opacity I wanted and sealed it up with a quick-dry topcoat for a high gloss finish. Finally, a healthy dose of the Oil Me Up cuticle oil to finish off my relaxing and easy manicure at home. Now, the only thing I have to worry about is not spending my money on coffee every morning.