My secret to healthy nails: Oro Gold

I've always had nice nails. I used to wear them long but when I became a magazine editor, long nails and tapping away on keyboards incessantly just don't mix. So I kept them short but always colored with nail polish.

Around 4 years ago, which was the most unbelievably stressful year of my life, my nails began to crack and split. I've tried lotions and nail treatments to help ease the brittleness but nothing worked. I stopped putting on nail polish. I used gloves when washing dishes and doing the laundry. Nothing helped.

Then a few weeks ago, I was accosted (yes, that's the right word. More on that later!) by sales people at the Oro Gold standee boutique at Shangri-la Plaza. This woman told me that they have a kit that will miraculously make my nails healthy. I waved her off but she asked for just one minute and my thumb nail. She worked on that nail with a buffer and when she was done, my nail was free from the grooves and bumps it's been plagued with since 2008! So I bought that kit!

Here's my nail grooming secret:

Because I'm a mommy now, I have to keep my nails short. The nail set has a nail buffer, an oil and a hand-and-feet lotion. The nail buffer is really good. I actually already have one that I bought from Watsons but the Oro Gold buffer is much better!

Step 1: Use the rough side to file away the ridges and bumps. Call it exfoliation. I like how the rough side is still so fine so I don't feel like my nail is getting damaged.

Step 2: Use this pad to buff away and smoothen.

Step 3: The final pad is used to polish the nails. It's so good that my nails actually squeak! That's how smooth and clean they become!

Tada! Smooth and shiny nails!

Step 4: The tea tree oil makes nails healthy by sealing in moisture. Plus, tea tree oil is antibacterial. It's good for nails and cuticles since it protects them from infections.

Love that golden green color! Just one drop is all I need. I put one drop each on my thumbs then spread the oil all over the other nails. This small bottle goes a loooong way!

No more brittle nails after this! It is truly amazing. Like I said, the kit comes with a hand-and-feet lotion, which is Step 5. I just forgot to take a photo. So the nail buffer, nail oil and lotion is P2,000. Not bad!

I do have one complaint with Oro Gold. They are very aggressive with their sales pitch. Here you are, walking along happily and they will really block your way. And they will keep following you! It's a good thing I was in a good mood and was willing to listen to that woman. I also didn't like her spiel. While it's true that the treatment does its job, I didn't need to hear superlatives and stuff like, "Try not to kiss me because after this, you will be so happy you will jump for joy and try to kiss me." Something like that. I mean, really.

Other than that, I'm pretty happy with Oro Gold. A high school classmate said the face creams and other products are really nice. She loves them. And since she looks so good, I believe her!

The Oro Gold I bought is from the kiosk in Shangri-la Plaza, near the escalators on that floor with Bench. I think I saw another kiosk at Power Plant Mall, near the arcade. I don't know where else Oro Gold is available. If you do, kindly leave a comment below!