I wish I could go to the salon every week to get my nails done. But the truth is, it’s not practical for my lifestyle at the moment. I work full time and find it hard to make time for the salon! Not to mention, it costs money!
So, I’ve tried to master doing my own nails at home. I’ve tried various brands of nail polish, gel polish, top coats, base coats, etc. Below I will list the steps and products I use to achieve my at home manicure! Disclaimer: I am not a professional. All tips and products are my personal ideas and thoughts.
The first thing I do is set up my tools and products I will need. This way, I won’t have to dig around and potentially mess up the polish or top coat!
Once all of my products are laid out, I start by applying my Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover . Once applied, I begin pushing back my cuticles. There are several different tools you can use for this but the one I use is pictured below. Here is a link, Cuticle Pusher and Cutter .
Once my cuticles are pushed back, I use my Stainless Steel Cuticle Nipper/Cutter/Clipper to remove the cuticles I pushed back. Once my nails look like they are cuticle free I use my sanding block on the top of my nails to even out any rough spots. Sometimes the tips of my nails split or crack, this helps even that surface out!
Next, I wash and dry my hands. Make sure your hands are dried completely before you paint! I prefer not to use a base coat, only because I haven’t found one that I love. If you have one you love, that would be the next step.
My favorite red nail polish this year has been “Fishnet Stockings” by Essie. I love Essie nail polish (not sponsored)! My top brands for regular polish are Essie and OPI. I find these to have the best durability and shine on my nails. Below is Fishnet Stockings by Essie, clickable link.
When I paint my nails, the key is to not paint all the way down to the cuticle! I used to make this mistake all the time! But if you leave a tiny space, I promise you will achieve cleaner lines. This goes for the sides as well, you don’t need to paint down to the skin!
I always apply one coat of polish, let it completely dry, then apply another. This helps the durability as well as achieve an opaque and uniform color.
After two coats of color polish are dry, I apply my top coat. By far, my favorite top coat is….drum roll…. Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Nail Coat . This top coat is extremely shiny, durable, and fast drying! It’s the best I’ve tried.
I usually only apply one coat of topcoat to my nails. I let them completely dry and then I add a small drop of Argan oil to each base of my nail to nourish the cuticle! And BOOM. You have a flawless at home manicure!
XOXO CR
