Manicure

Try this at-home manicure

Going to the salon can be a fun afternoon, but when you don’t have the time or money to spare, there has to be an easier way. Just as with any beauty treatment, you can do your own manicure at home. However, you need to know the secrets and steps the professionals follow in order to get that salon finish that you desire.

Clean and prep

The first thing that you’ll want to do for your manicure is to clean your hands and nails thoroughly. Remove any old nail polish with remover and clean thoroughly to be sure that none of the remover in still on your nails. Gently pat your hands dry and clean the undersides of your nails with a nail clippers scraper. To prep your hands, you’ll want to soak your nails in lemon juice for about ten minutes. This releases any pigment that may still be on your nails as well as brightens the nails to look cleaner and whiter.

Cuticle therapy

The next thing that you’ll want to do is look at your cuticles. While you might think that trimming them is the best way to tame them, this can actually lead to infection, so you want to avoid trimming as much as possible. Start by putting cuticle cream on them, rubbing it in so that the cuticle is saturated. Wipe away any excess that might be on your actual nail. Take a cuticle pusher (not your nail) and gently push your cuticles into the nail bed to extend the surface of the nail. If any cuticle is hanging out after you do this, you can gently cut the extra skin away, but not too close to the skin that you break it and cause an infection.

Trimming it up

Now, during your manicure, you can trim your nails in any shape that you like, though a popular method is to cut your nails straight across and then file down the edges for a slightly graduated look. Always file your nails in one direction, rather than the sawing motion that you generally see. This will prevent your nail from becoming damaged. After you’ve trimmed your nails, you can choose to buff them with a nail buffer. Do this gently so that you’re not damaging the nail or causing it to become too brittle. When you’re done buffing, gently wipe off any dust and move to the next step.

Polishing it up

Whether you’re trying for a casual or a glamorous look, you will want to begin with a clear base coat of nail polish. You can choose a specific formulation for the base or just a regular clear polish. Using the three stroke method (one brush down the middle, and one down each side), you will paint the whole nail and let dry thoroughly. After it dries, you will then want to use the polish that you have chosen. Try to think ‘light’ as you’re applying the polish – you can always add another coat. Most manicures will require about two coats of polish and then follow with a clear polish to seal in the color.