Nail art is my life. And before I mastered some of the more complicated looks, I leaned hard on a few easy nail art techniques that looked much more complicated to pull off than they actually were.

Caring for our fingernails and toenails is often an afterthought, says professional nail technician Titilayo Bankole. Many of us don't think of maintaining our nails the way we do our teeth and hair.

Stop premature chipping with these basic steps.

After trying it for the first time on herself about a year ago, Jami Dougherty became so intrigued with nail art she decided to make a career of it. She practiced on her own fingernails until she was ...