How to do a manicure

Giving yourself a manicure is a quick and easy way to keep yourself looking well groomed and attractive. With just a few easy tips, you can be on your way to beautiful looking nails.

Giving yourself an at-home manicure is a fabulous way to keep your nails healthy and happy; plus, a clean, polished pair of hands only reflects well on your overall image. When preparing an at-home manicure, be sure to assemble all your tools and materials before you begin; otherwise, you risk smearing your polish and giving yourself extra work.

How to do a manicure at-home

Before you start, make sure you have the following materials at hand: a pair of good nail scissors, an emery board (try not to use a metal nail file, as these are extremely abrasive), a non-acetone nail polish remover (much more gentle than those containing acetone), cotton balls, cotton swabs, a small container with warm sudsy water, a nail brush, a thick hand lotion, a base polish, a clear top coat, and your polish of choice.

Next, remove any previous polish that may still be adhering to your nails. Use as little nail polish remover as possible, and never soak your nails in it. No matter how gentle the remover claims to be, nail polish remover still contains chemicals that are extremely drying to your nails and cuticles. Lightly run a cotton ball dipped in the remover over your nails until all the polish has been removed. Hint: starting with clean, dry nails allows the polish to adhere fully to your nail base, reducing chipping and peeling.

Now, cut and file your nails to their desired shape. The most popular shapes for nails are either slightly squared off (for a natural, clean appearance), or an oval shape, which gives a slightly more sophisticated and elegant impression. Avoid any shape that is too long, too pointy, and too short (exposing the underlying nail bed) or too squared off. When using the emery board to file your nails, swipe it in one direction instead of back-and-forth, which can weaken the nail and lead to splitting.

Next, soak your fingers in the small container full of warm, sudsy water for no longer than three minutes. Use a nail brush to effectively scrub away any residue from the nail polish remover, and be sure to clean under the nail bed. If you want to remove a bit of excess cuticle, now is the time to do so since it has softened in the warmth and wetness of the water. Hint: be careful when trimming your cuticles, and only cut the part that is free from the nail bed. Do not pick or pry the cuticle up to cut it, as the cuticle protects the sensitive nail bed from germs and bacteria.

Remove hands from the water and pat dry, leaving them a little damp. Apply your moisturizer of choice. Hint: applying moisturizer when hands are a little damp effectively seals in the moisture and prevents hands from drying out as quickly. Moisturizers boasting petroleum or glycerin work wonders for cuticles. When working in the lotion, be sure to spend a little extra time massaging your fingers, the pads of your palms, your wrists and each joint. This allows for a brief moment of stress-relief from what is often a busy, hectic day.

Using a cotton swab, gently push the cuticle back from your nail bed. This simply cleans up the appearance of your hands and keeps your nails and cuticles healthy and happy. Do not push so hard that you bruise your cuticle, and do not tear the cuticle in any way.

Now you’re ready to polish your nails. But first, remove the moisturizer from the nail bed, as the oils and emollients in the lotion will create a barrier between polish and nail, preventing the color from adhering. You may use a cotton ball dipped in remover, just be sure to very lightly swipe it over the nail’s surface, avoiding the cuticle and the surrounding skin; you don’t want to remove the lotion.

Now, apply the base coat to your nails. Hint: some base coats claim to be rich in nutrients and vitamins, but just ignore the hype. Nails are simply keratin, or dead cell matter, and all their health stems from the growth plate located around the very first joint in your finger. Nail health relies on your diet and hygiene, not what you paint on them, as long as it is nothing toxic or known to be damaging to one’s health. Allow the base coat to dry thoroughly. Hint: to test if your polish is dry without actually touching and smearing it, lightly touch the tip of your tongue to the polish. If it tastes sharp or has a little sting, the polish is not dry.

Next, apply two coats of your color of choice, allowing each one to dry completely. Hint: some quick-dry polishes contain alcohol, which is very drying to your nails. It also allows your polish to chip and peel more than usual, so try to stay away from these. Simply allow yourself the time and patience to use a more traditional polish. A quick-dry spray or oil is a good way to prevent smudges, but the polish will not be thoroughly dry and chip resistant for at least a full hour.

Finally, apply a final top coat to add shine and to protect against chips. Hint: do not dry your nails using a heat source such as a blow dryer. Heat causes the polish to expand, pulling away from the nail bed. Finally, help your manicure last longer by touching it up every other day with a fresh layer of top coat. One layer will add a new luster whenever you use it.