How To Ace A DIY Manicure At Home
Getting a good manicure at home takes a lot of practice and skill but it can be fun when you have that time for some self care on a sunday afternoon. You should definitely try it today and enjoy your nails for the rest of the week!
Essential tools:
- Nail-polish remover and cotton swabs or pads
- Nail clippers
- Nail buffer
- Cuticle pusher
- Callous/cuticle remover
- Hand/nail moisturizer
- Base coat
- Nail polish
- Clear topcoat
Step 1: Clean your nails with polish remover
Step 2: Choose, Clip, file, and buff
First, choose your nails shape: Almond, square, round, small, coffin, etc. Now Clip nails first, if necessary. Then file gently moving in one direction to get your desired shape. Harsh filing back and forth can splinter the nail, so it's best to move gently.
Step 3: Push back your cuticles
Prep cuticles with cuticle remover. Cuticle Oils help moisturise, while cuticle removers act like an exfoliating treatment for your nail beds. Then, push back gently with a cuticle stick.
Step 4: Exfoliate your hands
Exfoliate hands, wrists, and forearms with a scrub that eliminates dead skin cells and replenishes moisture.
Step 5: Moisturise your hands and cuticles
Moisturise now to avoid smudging almost-dry nail polish later. You can also add a cuticle moisturiser.
Step 6: Apply a base coat
Apply a base coat to hydrate and protect nails and prevent chipping.
Step 7: Apply your colour
Now for the fun part: Apply a coat of your colour of choice, being sure to get the brush all the way down to the cuticle and into the corners of your nail. Layer twice after drying.
Step 8: Lastly, apply a topcoat
A top coat protects your manicure from chipping and adds shine to nails—don't skip it, or you'll significantly shorten the lifespan of the paint job you just worked so hard on.
Step 9: Clean up the messes and dry your nails
Tidy up any mistakes or wobbly edges by wrapping a piece of cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover around the end of your cuticle stick and carefully trace around your nails.
And Voila!