Is buffing actually good for your nails?

Buffing is an essential part of today’s nail care routine. “If you don’t buff, the natural oils in your nails can build up, leaving manicure-ruining residue on them,” says Rita Remark, global lead educator for nail care brand Essie (via HuffPost). “Buffing your nails is kind of like brushing your teeth — it’s brightening, it makes nails look more youthful, and it gets rid of ridges.” 

Her buffer of choice is the sponge buffing block which you can pick up at any drugstore — and fun fact; she says the block has another purpose: “I also love using them on the sides of my fingers when they start to get dry and peel.”

With nail experts buying into the buffer, is there such a thing as too much of a great thing? Definitely. Saunders compares buffing to exfoliation and says, “I think that buffing is great as long as you don’t do it more than once a week.”