Every girl
knows that manicure is important. Untidy nails and unkempt hands can ruin your
image completely, even if your makeup and outfit are perfect. However, going to
a salon to get a manicure can get pricy and time consuming.
Don’t fret, today we will tell you how to do the perfect manicure at home:
1. Exfoliate.
Start with removing any dead cells and tiny particles of dirt from your hands.
Scrub them clean by using a product that suits you. Avoid harsh scrubs as skin
on your hands is more delicate than you think and can be damaged by hard particles.
Massage the scrub into your hands gently. Start at the wrists and move on
toward your fingers. Carefully massage every digit, pay special attention to
any calluses. You should exfoliate at least twice a week to keep your skin
soft.
2. Shape your nails.
Depending on the results you seek, you might need to use a clipper. If you
don’t want to cut your nails short, a file will suffice. Choose the shape of
your nails depending on the shape of your hands and the type of activities you
have to perform daily. The most popular shapes are oval and square. Both will
look good on almost anyone. You can try out both and pick the one that you like
best. If you choose this option, shape your nails square first as this shape
can be filed down to oval.
Don’t use coarse files as they will damage your nails and can cause them to
splinter. File in one direction, never
back and forth as that will also cause splintering.
3. Make your nails smooth.
This is necessary if you want to apply nail polish perfectly. Smoothing out
your nails with a specialized buffer will ensure that polish adheres to the
surface. In case you are in a hurry, you can skip this step. However, it is
mandatory if you want to use metallic nail polish as it highlights even the
slightest imperfection on the surface it covers.
4. Soak and relax.
You will have to deal with your cuticles next, and you need to soften them up
in order to make this task easier. To achieve this, you should soak your hands
in warm water for a few minutes. Note that water mustn’t be too hot. If you
want to add anything to it, use essential oils or scented salts, but never mix
any cleansers into this water.
Allow your hands to soak for about 3 minutes. Too much time in the water will
only damage your skin.
5. Remove excess cuticles and calluses around your
nails.
This is a vitally important step, because your hands will never look tidy with
overgrown dry cuticles. It doesn’t matter how fancy your nail polish is, this
simple detail will completely ruin your manicure. You can use either a special
kind of cuticle remover or a special kind of clipper to remove excess cuticle.
The former option is more preferable if you aren’t a professional. However, if
your skin is very dry and you have plenty of calluses, this kind of product may
not be “strong” enough to deal with the problem. In this case, you should go to
a salon first. It would be much easier to prevent reappearance of these issues
if they are dealt with by a pro, and you take good care of your hands
afterwards.
6. Moisturize and nourish.
Apply some rich nourishing hand cream to hydrate the skin and create a
protective layer around it. Be sure to remove all traces of moisturizer from
the nails, as it will not allow any polish to adhere properly. Wipe off each nail with either a nail polish
remover
7. Apply nail polish.
Keep a steady hand, start by first applying the base coat. Take a good amount
of polish on the brush and apply a coat right in the centre of the nail. Take
some more polish on the brush and apply coats on the two sides of the nails.
Make sure that the entire nail is covered in these 3 swipes. Never keep on
repainting the nail, it thickens the polish and you may smudge it. Let the coat
dry completely. Follow the same steps with your nail polish color. If the color
is really light, apply a second coat and allow it to dry completely!
8. Set &
Shine.
If you
want to, you can apply a fast-setting top coat (available in beauty stores) and
make sure it sets really soon. If you don't have a top coat, dip your fingers
in ice cold water. This sets the nails polish and gives it a nice shine.
