1. Remove any old nail polish. To remove the old polish, first moisten cotton with nail polish remover and press over the nail for a few seconds to soften the polish. Then with a firm movement, bring the cotton from the base of the nail to the tip. Repeat this process until all of the polish is gone.

2. Shape the nail, using a file or emery board. File each nail tip from corner to center; do not file in a see-saw motion with the emery board because doing so can cause ridges in the nail and nail splitting.

3. Soak the hands in warm, soapy water for a few minutes to remove dirt. Clean under free edge of nail with orangewood stick.

4. The cuticle is the skin that grows from the finger onto the base of the nail (nail root). We recommend that the cuticle not be pushed back. Leaving the cuticle intact helps to prevent infection of the nail growing tissue.

5. Now apply clear nail polish. There is no reason to waste money on several different kinds of clear polishes such as a ridgefiller, base coat, top coat or nail strengthener. They all do about the same job. After the clear polish dries, apply a color polish of your choice if you wish. Let dry. You may then reapply the clear polish as a top coat. This will help strengthen the nail and prevent chipping of the nail polish.

6. Finally, apply a moisturizing cream or lotion to the hands and cuticles. This will help prevent splitting of the nails.