Spring is in full swing and so are frilly, feminine sundresses, and fresh looks for face, hair and even nails. This spring, uncover those nails and strip off the dark colors of fall and winter; we are going lighter - shimmering pastels to white, french manicure to barely-there pinks.

Some recommended products:

* Sally Hansen Star Opal Nail Glaze - wear alone or with a french manicure. Eight pastel shades that glide on shiny and smooth in just 1 coat. Real crushed opals to give that iridescent shimmer.

* Revlon’s Sweet Nothings Radiant Lacquer - pearls of pigment in luscious pastels that add shine and dazzle. Six pastel to sheer shades. DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde free.

* L’oreal Bijou Facets collection. Pastel shades with optic fibers to create a dimensional and unique look. Try Hopeful, Pure, Innocent and Sweet shades for a girlish, spring look.

Carpenters’ nails are made of steel for strength. Fingernails on the other hand (forgive the pun) are not made of steel but it would be nice if they were. We would spend a lot less time repairing split and torn nails.

L’Oreal may have invented the next best thing to nails of steel with their Steel Colour nail polish. The formula contains what they call “steel elements” to help strengthen and harden nails as well as provide long-lasting color.

What I did notice about the ingredients is that there are a few toxic chemicals missing that are often found in nail polish. There is no formaldehyde in this nail polish. Toluene, another dangerous chemical often found in nail polish, is also missing from the ingredient list. The plasticizer, dibutyl pthalate is not listed as an ingredient. DBP has been found to have damaging effects on unborn male babies.

Less importantly health-wise but still handy is the bottle’s chunky shape. Delicate, fluted bottles are much too easily knocked over and spilled. I like a bottle that has stability, especially with something as permanently staining as nail polish.

There are 23 shades available. The colors are rich and the shine factor is not bad. As for hardening and strengthening nails, only time will tell if it will give me nails of steel.

Nail polish can hide a multiple of nail imperfections such as discolorations and ridges or uneven surfaces. But nail polish is one of the main culprits in causing nails to yellow or stain and an uneven or rough nail surface will only lead to early chipping and peeling of your nail polish.

There are a few simple tricks that can make nails brighter and smoother, and you don’t need to go to a nail salon.

To whiten nail tips, try soaking in lemon juice. Some women swear by effervescent denture cleaner tablets and still others use a whitening toothpaste, rubbed onto the nail. All of these methods work, it’s a matter of preference. One method I don’t recommend is soaking nails in a mild bleach solution. The bleach smell is hard to get rid of and it can be damaging and drying to skin. If you use the lemon solution, just be careful you don’t have any open cuts around your fingertips or you can expect a bit of stinging. Cutting a lemon in half and sticking your fingertips directly into the lemon for a few minutes also works.

Buffing the nails will smooth out uneven spots and give nails a high shine. Use a buffer specifically designed for the task. A buffer block with 4 sides is an excellent tool. Buff nail from cuticle to tip. Remember you are buffing for shine and smoothness, not trying to remove layers of nail. That will only leave nails thinner and more vulnerable to breaking, chipping and staining.

After whitening and buffing, you can apply a couple of coats of a shiny, clear top coat or apply one coat of a sheer pink or peach and follow with top coat. You will have an instant French manicure and a healthy, shiny look for nails.

Winter nails have never been easier to make beautiful. Dry and chapping skin is always a problem this time of year and hangnails multiply in spite of generous and frequent applications of hand lotion.

Avon’s Nail Experts Mira-Cuticle Vanishing Complex will keep cuticles soft and healthy while preventing buildup. This special moisturizing lotion contains both Vitamins A and E to nourish cuticles while banishing dryness and chapping. It truly is a miracle for cuticles.

And for the finishing touch in a fraction of the time it normally takes, try Avon’s Speed Dry nail enamel. Right now Avon is offering four new shades for a limited time only: Cherry Sensation, Chic Pink, Striking Pink and Velvet Berry.