From top coats and nail buffers to cuticle balm and polish remover, these are the top five manicure must-haves you need to keep at home.
Chip-proof: Sally Hansen Diamond Shine Base & Top Coat, $8.
This chip-proof, two-in-one base and top coat not only protects your manicure, ensuring the colour stays on longer, it also adds a lustrous shine. Plus, you'll have noticeably harder and stronger nails — a win-win all-round.
High-gloss: Revlon Crazy Shine Nail Buffer, $6.
Perfect for those days when you don't want to wear a polish, but still want your nails to look nice. The Crazy Shine Nail Buffer does exactly what its name suggests: buffs our nails until they gleam with a high-glossy shine.
Healthy hands: Avon Nail Experts Rose Cuticle Balm, $7.
Too busy to hit a nail salon, but suffering from raggedy-looking nails? We know. Smoothing a little of this hydrating cuticle balm goes a long way — it makes your cuticles look and feel healthy and it smells pretty, too.
Quick fix: Sephora Instant Nail Polish Remover, $11.
A real quick fix, this paraben-, sulphate- and triclosan-free nail polish remover not only wipes away the hardest to remove nail polish, it also eliminates the need to use a cotton ball, thanks to a pre-moistened pleated foam nestled inside the bottle.
Purse-friendly: Tweezerman Matchbox Itty Bitty Nail Files, $5.
Perfect for travel, this compact matchbox-style case filled with colourful patterned nail files is not just cute, it's smart. Pop a pack in your purse and you'll be prepared for any manicure or pedicure emergency.
2012 beauty guide: Check out all 100 of our favourite expert-approved beauty products
Chatelaine celebrates, inspires, informs and empowers. We know that Canadian women contain multitudes, and we cover all of the issues—big and small—that matter to them, from climate change to caregiving, Canadian fashion and what to cook now.
Subscribe to Chatelaine!
Want to streamline your life? In our Spring 2025 issue, we’ll show you how—whether it’s paring down your wardrobe, decluttering your messiest spaces or spending way less time cooking thanks to an easy, mostly make-ahead meal plan for busy weeknights. Plus, our first annual Pantry Awards.