Do yournails look a mess after the long holiday weekend? Fingernails and toenails really take abeating in the summer, especially if you’re spending time at the beach or inthe pool. Frequent dips in salt waterand chlorine can dry out your nails and make your polish chip and flake. While celebrities have personal manicuristson call to perfect their nails, a DIY manicure can look just as good. I asked my friend, the manicurist Helen Tien,who frequently preps actresses for the red carpet, for advice on nursing nailsback to life:

First, remove old polish. I know — sometimes you just want to slap on a coat of new polish and go — but thick layers are more likely to peel off (and take part of your healthy nail along). Try Cutex Nail Polish Remover Pads — no danger of spillage, and they’re available without acetone. File your nails before soaking, because wet nails are weaker and can shred. File from the side of the nail toward the center, until you have the shape you want. Check out Revlon’s Ceramic Stone Nail File. Then push your cuticles back; never cut the cuticles — this can cause bacterial and fungal infections. Use a base coat, like Essie’s Ridge Filling Base Coat, which helps your polish go on smoothly and protects your nails from staining, especially if you like dark polish. Then apply one to two coats of fresh polish. Wipe off excess polish on the inside of the bottle opening and apply a thin coat so the polish will be less likely to streak and chip. (Because my hands have to look professional at the office, I wear a pale shade — OPI’s Sweetheart.) Finish with a top coat like Seche Vite (“dry fast” in French) to help your polish last longer. Beauty Bonus from Dr. Jessica Wu Smart Snacking

My new favorite summer drink is iced chamomile mint tea. Make a pot of chamomile tea, let it cool, and pour it into a pitcher. Add slices of orange and a handful of fresh mint leaves. Chill the tea in the fridge. Pour into tall glasses over ice, and add an orange slice and a sprig of mint.