If you possibly don’t have time to go to the salon or you want to save cost, doing your manicure at home is great. In fact, it has been known to be therapeutic, giving satisfaction. You can master the art of doing your manicure at home. There is never a bad time to invest in self-care because your body would thank you for it and it boosts self-confidence.
On a weekend, you can indulge yourself in manicure and be proud of the result when you are using your work or you appear in public. Follow the step-by-step DIY manicure listed below:
1. Clean your nails with nail polish remover
To get a great manicure at home, do as the pros do by spending as much time prepping your nails as you do polishing them. That means starting with a good nail polish remover. It quickly takes off all polish (even glitter) and has essential nutrients to help strengthen your nails and moisturize your cuticles. Even if you don’t have polish on, you’ll still want to run a cotton ball of remover over each nail to get rid of any oils or dirt that could warp your polish. Don’t forget to wash your hands with soap and water afterwards.
2. Clip, file and buff
Clip nails first, if necessary. Then file gently, moving in one direction to get your tips square, round, or somewhere in between. Have thin nails? Hold the file flush to your nail and tilt it so you file from slightly underneath. This allows you to see exactly what you’re doing and helps protect against overfiling. Finally, buff the tops and sides of your nails lightly with a nail buffer. Buffing your nails is kind of like brushing your teeth—it’s brightening, it makes nails look more youthful, and it gets rid of ridges.
3. Push back your cuticles
Prep cuticles with cuticle remover—make sure it’s not an oil or a balm—to help dissolve dead skin and soften the area. Contrary to popular belief, cuticle oils and cuticle removers are not one and the same, nor can they be used interchangeably. Oils help moisturize, while removers act like an exfoliating treatment for your nail beds. Then push back gently with a cuticle stick. Your cuticles protect your nails from bacteria and keep them soft, so avoid cutting them.
4. Exfoliate your hands
Exfoliate hands, wrists, and forearms with a scrub that eliminates dead skin cells and replenishes moisture. Grab your orange stick again to gently clean any grime from under nails. Wash hands afterward and dry them thoroughly.
5. Moisturise your hands and cuticles
Moisturize now to avoid smudging almost-dry nail polish later. Take the opportunity to give yourself a mini hand massage—just because you’re not at a spa doesn’t mean you can’t relax for a minute. To finish, swipe each nail with nail polish remover to get rid of residue.
6. Apply base coat
Apply a base coat to hydrate and protect nails and prevent chipping. Then chill for a few. We recommend waiting two full minutes between each coat, starting with the base coat.
7. Apply your first coat of 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. Maximum coverage on the first coat makes the second coat a breeze. Just keep the layer thin. The key is to load just enough polish on the brush to cover the nail in one coat.
8. Apply your second coat of colour
After a nice full two minutes (set your iPhone timer if you know you’re going to cheat), apply the second coat of nail polish. Sheer or pastel shades may require a third coat for full, seamless coverage. Just remember to keep it nice and thin.
9. Finish with a topcoat
Don’t skip applying a topcoat. This protects your manicure from chipping and adds shine to nails. Be careful when you put your topcoat on since a messy application can ruin your entire manicure. Topcoats tighten as they dry, which is what can cause those little ridges if you don’t put them on properly.
10. Clean up rough edges and let your nails dry
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. If you have nail polish remover pads, try folding one into a triangle for more precise application. Then let your nails dry an additional five minutes—it’ll be worth it when you show off your nails.