Your Manicure-Pedicure

Women have been painting their nails since the days of Cleopatra (gold was the first color of choice, for those keeping track). Of course, this was before the advent of the nail salon, and the invention of chemical solvents. Now we have such not-so-lovely health hazards as fungal infections and exposure to toxic chemicals (those fumes smell bad for a reason). Do your own mani-pedi, and you'll sidestep salon health risks, get a longer-lasting polish, even save a few hundred dollars a year. If you must have professional pampering (and we utterly sympathize), call your salon and see if they'll allow you to bring some of your own polish and remover along—not to mention keep that door open for ventilation.

Step 1: Remove the old polish.

Swipe with non-toxic nail polish removers. Acetone, still found in many polish removers, can cause headaches and dizziness, and the oils added to counteract acetone's drying effects compromise the ability of polish to adhere to the nail. Avoid these problems with a non-acetone remover you can find at any drugstore, or with a water-based remover like Acquarella , $6. For an even greener solution, try a soy-based version, like the one offered at New York's Priti Organic Spa, $22.50.   

Have a ball with organic cotton. And yes, even your choice of cotton balls can help the environment. Try and use organic cotton balls, like Organic Essential's , $2.49, since conventional "cotton is one of the most heavily sprayed and treated crops," says Kim D'Amato, owner of Priti. Organic cotton is grown without the use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers and many other harmful chemicals.   

Step 2: Shape up nails and cuticles.

Get on (emery) board with glass. For durability and stronger nails, use a glass emery board , $8, which will last you forever. "We use glass boards in our salon because I wanted to find an alternative to chopping down trees to file our nails," says D'Amato. "Glass is permanently etched and never becomes worn down. Plus, they reduce the amount of chipping, splitting and peeling of nails and are easily sterilized."

Kill cuticles — but gently, naturally. Cuticle care is the most important part of a neat, professional-looking mani-pedi, and we recommend Dr. Hauschka Neem Nail Oil , $38, and Pen , $17.95, to strengthen nails and soften cuticles. Anti-microbial, -fungal and -inflammatory, Neem oil is very moisturizing, and great for dry skin. The Oil and Pen are BDIH-certified natural , the highest natural beauty standard in Germany.

Step 3: Exfoliate and moisturize skin.

Exfoliate without those way harsh, newfangled, non-biodegradable plastic beads. Instead, get rid of dead skin and indulge your feet more gently, yet thoroughly, with a deluxe exfoliating treatment like Nature Girl's Eco Chic Pink Grapefruit Organic Salt Scrub , $32. The line exclusively uses organically grown ingredients from small, family-run farms. For something a little more hard core, Sierra Stone Pumice , $2.95, is a great, more natural alternative to those harsh boards often used at salons.   

Moisturize without the poisons and petroleums. Unlike at most salons, you can choose to moisturize using lotions that don't contain harmful parabens, a preservative linked to various cancers; synthetic fragrances, which can contain undisclosed toxic chemicals; or mineral oils, which are both a petroleum product and often contaminated.

Many leading eco-companies, such as Carol's Daughter, Origins and Stella McCartney, produce paraben-free lotions. As for synthetic fragrances, "the problem is that they can contain lots and lots of different chemicals—and the fragrance recipe is held as a trade secret. So if a company makes a fragrance and uses some highly toxic chemical to make it smell just right, the consumer will never know," says Alexandra Scranton, the Director of Science and Research at Women's Voices for the Earth.