Want to get that salon-perfect manicure at home? Good looking nails and hands make a person feel more confident. In today’s world, we don’t always have time or the money to spend at a beauty salon to get your tips touched up – we get it! Sometimes you just have to DIY!
Follow these easy steps for salon-perfect results, without a second set of hands, every time:
1. Perfection starts with prep. Remove any current nail polish, if any, with nail polish remover and cotton wool.
2. Shape’em up. It is easier to file the natural nail when it is dry, once soaked in water they become soft and bend easily. To remove serious length, cut it first using a nail clipper. Continue then by filing from one side towards the middle of the nail and then from the other side towards the middle of the nail.
3. Soak. Soak and wash your hands with soap or exfoliator and warm water, remove any dirt and grime under your nails. Soaking your hands will soften the cuticles, which will make it easier to remove. Dry your hands using a towel.
4. Clean up those cuticles. The cuticle is the layer of translucent skin that grows under the nail fold and sticks to the nail. If the cuticle is not removed, any nail polish applied to that area will peel off. Use a cuticle pusher or Orangewood stick to push back the nail fold and remove the cuticle.
5. Time to Buff and Shine. Buff your nails using a sanding sponge. Do not use the sanding sponge more than once a month, this could thin the nail. Then use the sandwich shiner to up the shine of your nails. First, use the pink side of the sandwich shiner, then the white side.
6. Prep and Protect. Apply a drop of cuticle oil to the cuticle and use the thumb of your other hand to massage your finger, to complete the manicure. If you wish to apply nail polish then wipe your nails with a nail wipe and sani-spray to remove any oil on your nail. Always first apply a thin layer of base coat, then two layers of color and finish your nails off with a thin layer of topcoat.
