How many times have you thought to yourself; “I want and need a manicure, but I just can’t afford it right now”, or “I just don’t have the time to wait for an appointment”? Here are 10 easy tips to give yourself a lasting manicure at home that will look and make you feel beautiful AND save you money and time! (The only thing you’ll be missing out on is the hand massage at the end, but maybe you can talk your significant other into doing it for you.)
Step 1- Clip then file your nails into your desired shape. It’s important to file before you soak, filing soft nails is a no-no. Also, make sure when filing, you file in one direction, no sawing action….. this shreds and weakens your nails causing them to tear.
Step 2- Soak your hands in a manicure dish or deep bowl with the hot (not scalding), soapy water for ten minutes.
Soak fingers in a mani bowl or deep dish.
Step 3- After soaking, gently push back your cuticles with a cuticle pusher. You can purchase manicure kits at any retail store. Wal-Mart, Target, Walgreens. Use a file or pterygium stone to remove any cuticle that that remains on the nail. (often times buffing the nail can remove this as well.)
Step 4- Clean under the free edge (the tip) of your nails.
Step 5- Use a nail buffer to gently remove the shine from your natural nail. This will will help your base coat to adhere and prolong the wear of your polish.
Step 6- Rinse your nails back in your dish, scrubbing them off with a nail brush.
Nail Brush, disposable wooden cuticle pushers and a block buffer.
Step 7- Dry your hands thoroughly and apply a base coat. (I suggest OPI natural base coat. If you have nails with ridges try OPI Ridge filler, it serves as a base coat.)
Step 8- Apply 2 thin coats of the polish of your choice, making sure to put polish down over your free edge (the tip of your nail) to prevent chipping. (Too thick of coats will also cause chipping). Clean excess polish around nail with a brush or q-tip dipped in acetone.
Step 9- Apply 2 coats of your favorite top coat, again bring it down over the free-edge. My favorite top coats are CND Air Dry and Out The Door. If you have white polish, make sure to use a top coat with a purple tint to keep your whites white!
Step 10- Once your nails are dry, (to test this, use a pencil to tap your nails, if you hear a clicking sound, they are dry enough to apply cuticle oil and lotion. (I use Cuccio cuticle oil, but any oil will do!) Viola’! Enjoy your beautiful home manicure!
What do you enjoy the most about having a manicure? Share with us in the comments!
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