Are you in need of manicure that also looks great and feels good? You’re in luck, because we want to help you save time if you are in a pinch and cannot get to your usual salon manicure. We’ve put together some essential tips for doing your on DIY manicure at home!
What you need:
We recommend that, if you can prepare a kit, then be sure to have these items:
• Nail-polish remover
• Cotton balls or pads
• Nail clippers
• Nail buffer
• Cuticle tool
• Cuticle remover
• Moisturizer
• Base coat
• Nail polish
• Topcoat
DIY MANICURE: IN A FEW SIMPLE STEPS
1: Remove previous nail polish
First remove any existing nail polish with either a Non-acetone nail polish remover (gentler) or acetone-based one (works faster, but should contact with the skin for a shorter period of time. Gentler non-acetone based polish removers are still not kind to skin, but may give you more time for the task.
2: Define the shape of your nails
Clip your nails if necessary. Next, file them into a shape that looks like what you want, rounded or square with a rounded edge are common. To avoid splintering, avoid metal or coarse files. Emery board or crystal nail files are more gentle. Smooth out tops and sides with an abrasive buff-down to even the surface. Don’t buff nails too smooth or polish won’t take well and may slip off.
3: Soak
Place your hands in a bowl of warm water and relax for a few minutes. You can also add some soap or shampoo to the water. It is very helpful to soak cuticles before trimming. Over-soaking can damage your skin and nails, so try to limit the soak time to less than five minutes.
4: Apply cuticle remover
As you remove or cut away thickened skin near the nail, some cuticle remover can be helpful. Some of these products can be powerful, so only allow it to stay on the area for a few seconds.
5: Remove excess cuticle around the nail
Using a cuticle pusher, gently push cuticles back away from the nail. Do not push too far as it can damage nail growth or fray cuticles. BE sure that you do not lift, pull, tear, force or cut the cuticle. Never clip the cuticle; just trim the free edge with cuticle nippers. Less is more. Under-cutting is better than too much as cuticles protect our nail bed from problems. You can also trim any hangnails on the sides at this time. Still, being careful not to cut into the nail or skin too deep.
6: Moisturize
Following removal, you will now apply cream or oil to the cuticles and hands. This will hydrate and replenish the skin.
7: Prepare to polish
Be sure to remove any excess oil or cream from the nail to allow for polish to adhere correctly. This is best done with cotton balls or a pad. You may also want to us a small amount of nail-polish remover to remove any excess residue. Try to avoid getting remover on the cuticle to keep the area moisturized. Some is okay because you will moisturize your nails and hands again after your nail polish is dry. Be sure there is nothing oily left on your nails, this is the most important part of this step.
8: Paint your nails in layers
You may want to use a base coat to fill any ridges if you have weaker or brittle nails. This will help to avoid chipping and also staining nails if you are using a heavy color, such as red. Brush on your nail polish color. be sure to paint in layers and giving each layer time to dry before applying another coat. Typically, two coats of polish and a top coat will be sufficient in most cases.
At this stage, you can allow nails to fully dry and clean up any mistakes. You may want to use a fan to help dry nails faster as they can take some time to fully dry, but too close to a fan will cause bubbling. Also, avoid using heat, this will cause polish to chip and peel.
9: Reapply some moisturizer or oil
To keep your nails and hands healthy reapply moisturizer.
And that’s all it takes to provide your very own self care DIY manicure!
