Every Reason You Shouldn’t Skip Buffing Your Nails

I’ve always preferred to keep my self-care routines short and to the point, which sometimes means sacrificing particular steps in the interest of time. When it comes to my weekly at-home manicures and bi-monthly salon visits, however, I never settle for less than perfection. I want to finish a manicure, admire my perfect nails, and wonder what shape and polish I’d like to try next. Over time, I’ve learned that it’s the pre-polish preparation that determines what my nail experience will be, and it begins with a good nail buffing.

Buffing your nails is one of the best ways to set yourself up for flawless nail polish application and healthy-looking nails, but taking the time to complete the nailcare step tends to get lost in the manicure mayhem. Below, we’re taking a closer look at the must-have tool with the help of two beauty experts who know their way around a nail buffer.

What Are Nail Buffers?

Multiple nail buffers are sitting right in front of you at the salon and in the hands of your trusted nail artist, but you’re still skipping over them during your at-home manicures. Both celebrity manicurist and brand founder Deborah Lippmann and Ogle School veteran cosmetologist and beauty educator Lindsay Worthen tell us buffing your nails happens to be the one step that should never be overlooked, as it smooths away your natural nail’s ridges and imperfections and raises natural oils for a smooth, shiny, and healthy finish.

Additionally, selecting the right nail buffer for your manicure goals—especially when it comes to understanding what the role of certain buffer designs. “It is worth noting that buffers come in various ‘grit’ levels, which allows you to choose the one that would be best for you based on the coarseness of your nails,” she begins. “Some buffers have an additional fabric that can make nails über-shiny to give the illusion of clear polish.” If, after using a nail buffer, you’re planning to apply polish, she warns against picking a buffer that features the fabric used to shine the nail since polish won’t adhere as well due to the high gloss.

What Is the Correct Way to Buff Nails?

According to guidance from both Worthen and Lippmann, the best way to buff your nails is as follows:

1. Before beginning to buff your nails, ensure that they are completely dry and clean of polish.
2. Flat nail buffers should be held parallel to your nail and make strokes in an X shape to smooth out the surface without causing damage.
3. If using a four-sided nail buffer, start with the roughest side and buff the nail back and fourth before repeating the same action for each side. (The lower the grit on a buffer, the more abrasive it is on the nails.)
4. Stop buffing when your nails look smooth, as over-buffing can leave them thin, frail, and damaged.
5. Finish by leaving your natural nail as is or coating them with your polish of choice.

How Often Should Nails Be Buffed?

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when buffing your nail is to over-buff. “How frequently you should buff your nails is based on lifestyle. You do not want to buff too often, as it is removing a small layer of your natural nail plate,” says Worthen. She suggests buffing your nails only as often as you would get a manicure.

Lippmann agrees that minimal buffing is the way to go, encouraging reserving buffing nails for when extra TLC is needed or give your manicure an extra boost. To not weaken your nails and keep them looking their healthiest, she recommends sticking with buffing your nails about once a week, or each time you refresh your manicure, if doing minimal buffing. So the next time you’re in need of a spa night and ready to upgrade your at-home manicure, a nail buffer may be the way to go.

Keep scrolling to see which nail buffers experts and beauty editors trust to deliver a flawless-looking manicure without breaking the bank.

The Best Nail Buffers