HOW TO: Give Yourself a Manicure

Have you ever wanted a manicure without dealing with a salon? I can show you how to give yourself a manicure at home, which is less hassle and cheaper than going to a salon.

You will need:

Nail polish remover

Cotton balls

Nail Clippers

Nail File
Big Bowl

Warm Water

Few drops of lemon juice or oil
Cuticle Cream

Orangewood Stick

Lotion

Base Coat

Nail Polish

Top Coat

*Clean

First, you must remove any  polish already on your nails. Even if you don't have any polish on your nails, give them a swipe with remover anyways to get rid of any oils that could be on your nails.

*Shape

Use nail clippers and a file to shape your nails. The best way is to cut straight across to the length you want and then use a file to shape the edges. Make sure not to file back and forth; move only in one direction.

*Soak

Fill a big bowl with warm water and add some drops of lemon juice. The citric acid will whiten your nails and the warm water will soften your cuticles. If you don't need whiter nails, instead of lemon juice, use a few drops of oil. For more info on how to whiten your nails, click here. Soak for about 5 minutes and then dry.

*Cuticle Cream/Oil

Massage cuticle cream or oil into each nail bed. If you don't have one, you can use olive oil or vaseline.

*Push Cuticles Back

Use the tip of an orange wood stick to gently push back all your cuticles. Your cuticles should be softened by now and will move easily. Don't cut them!! It's too easy to clip too much or too close, which can lead to pain, bleeding, and even infection! The orange wood stick is also great for cleaning under the nail.

*Lotion

Apply lotion all over your hands and wrists. Move in small circles to increase blood flow. 

*Base Coat

Wipe the lotion off the nail surface of each nail. If they still feel greasy or look shiny, you could wash them and give them a quick swipe of nail polish remover. Any oil or greasy spots will keep the polish from sticking to the nail and can lead to chipping sooner! Apply a base coat (not too thick!). A base coat will protect your nail from staining and create a smooth surface for your color polish, helping it last longer. In a pinch or if you don't have a base coat, you can use clear nail polish. My favorite is Beauty Secrets base coat. I also like using ones with nail hardeners. 

*Color

After base coat has fully dried (5-7 minutes) you're ready for color! Starting in the center of each nail, apply your color polish in a thin coat using three even strokes. After about three minutes, apply a second coat. Wait longer than that for thicker polish. Take care to wipe excess nail polish off of the brush to avoid an unfortunate ‘blob’ situation, and allow a full ten minutes or so for the paint to dry to avoid smudging. Don’t give in to the temptation to get up and start doing things with your hands. For some polishes, three coats may be needed to look opaque, drying completely between coats. If you get polish on your skin, dip the orange wood stick or a Q tip in remover to clean it up.   

*Top Coat

When your nails are fully dry to the touch, seal them nails with a top coat. This will help prevent chips and will make the color last longer. 

I hope this post has shown you that you don't have to go to a salon and pay to be pampered. It's easy to do at home and several of these things you probably already have around the house. If you don't, a quick trip to Walmart will fix that and it will be cheap too!