Spring Beauty Trends 2011

QUESTION:
How can I stop polish from staining?

ANSWER:
Try this DIY remedy: Soak nails for a few minutes in a solution of 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/2 cup olive oil, suggests N.Y.C. manicurist Patricia Yankee. "The lemon juice gently lightens nails, and the olive oil moisturizes to help prevent stains." For really stubborn spots, N.Y.C. nail guru Jin Soon Choi recommends dabbing whitening toothpaste like Crest 3D White Vivid Toothpaste ($4; cvs.com) onto nail beds. "The whitening agents work on nails the same way they do on teeth," explains Choi. Rinse off the paste, then buff nails with a tool like the Dashing Diva Shine-On Buffer ($2; dashingdiva.com) or Revlon Shape-n-Buff ($4; drugstore.com) to remove the top layer of stains. In the future, always apply a base coat. "It's like armor—it creates a barrier stains can't penetrate," says Yankee.

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