How to Do a Manicure at Home

Today we give you these basic tips to get perfectly manicured and professional-looking nails at home.

If you haven’t tried doing your own nails at home, then maybe it’s a good time to try. Not only will you save money, but you don’t have to go through the hassle of making an appointment and actually leaving the house to go to the nail salon.

A good manicure keeps your hands well groomed, soft and smooth, so finding and learning the easiest ways you can do a manicure on yourself is definitely something worth trying.

Keep reading to learn about the 10 steps on how to do a manicure at home.

1. Clean your nails.

Remove all nail polish on your nails with cotto balls or pads soaked in nail polish remover. You can use the non-acetone type but it will take longer to work.

2. Shape your nails.

Use a nail file with a fine surface for this step but make sure your nails are already dry after removing the existing nail polish. The 3 most common types of nail shapes are square, round, and oval. Oval nails look the most feminine and dainty, and is a popular choice because it looks nice on most people. But if you do a lot of activities with your hands, it is best to keep the nails short and square, otherwise, it will just be prone to breaking.

File your nails from the corners to the center of the nail tip and in one direction only, not in back-and-forth sawing strokes.

3. Soak. Prepare a bowl of warm, soapy water and soak your hands for 5 to 10 minutes. This will soften rough cuticles and hydrate dry skin. Dry your hands after soaking, apply a hand cream, and put on manicure gloves preferable made of cotton. Leave the gloves on for 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Pat your hands dry thoroughly with a clean washcloth. Using the edge of the washcloth, lightly rub the cuticle of each finger.

5. Using an orangewood stick, push back the cuticle of each nail but do not cut your cuticles because it can cause pain, inflammation, and worse, infection. The most common mistake that even professionals make is cutting the cuticles.

6. Don’t forget to clean under the nails.

7. Apply hand lotion on the hands and massage. Look for a product with humectants, an ingredient which attracts moisture and help lock it in.

8. Thoroughly wash your nails so you have a clean canvas to paint the polish on. It is important that there is no oil remaining on the nails because it may interfere with the nail polish.

Optional step: Use an orange stick that has been wrapped an dipped in nail polish remover and rub it all over the surface of your nails. This will help ensure you have zero oil residue before applying nail polish.

9. Apply your polish in 3 strokes. Make 1 stroke down the center and 2 strokes on each side of the nail. Depending on the thickness and consistency of the polish, wait 3 to 5 minutes for the first coat to dry then apply a second coat.

10. Finish your manicure by applying a clear top coat. This will make your nail polish last longer.

Optional step: There are also quick-try solutions out in the market that you can drop on each nail so make them dry up faster.

Our hands deserve all the love and care because we use them all the time. So treat your hands to a weekly manicure at home to keep them healthier and looking nice.