A manicure is a beauty treatment of the hands. It consists of filing and shaping the free edge of nails, painting them, and removing the cuticles. As they say, well-groomed nails convey confidence and say a lot about you.
Therefore, regular manicures should be a part of your grooming routine. Although, not everyone has the time and money to make it to the salon for a perfect manicure. It’s possible to get an ideal manicure by yourself; you only need a little practice, patience, and the right tools.
How To Do A Manicure
Step One: Gather All Your Supplies
Before starting, you’ll need to gather all the tools you need to do a manicure. Here are the things you’ll need;
- Manicure set
- Nail polish remover
- Nail clipper
- Cotton pads
- Hand moisturizer
- A clear top coat
- Nail buffer
- Cuticle pusher and nipper
- Cuticle remover or cream
- A base coat for the nails
- Your favorite shade of nail polish
Step Two: Remove All Traces Of Nail Polish
If you’re wearing old nail polish, you can remove it by using a non-acetone nail polish remover and cotton pads.
Note: Non-acetone nail polish is perfect and does not dry out the skin around your nails. On the other hand, acetone-based nail polish removers work faster but can damage your nails.
Step Three: Trim And File Your Nails
Use nail clippers to trim your nails, then use a nail file to shape them to your desired shape. Popular nail shapes include; Square and Oval tips. If you want square tips, file the tips of your nails, so they are straight with rounded edges. For oval tips, file your nails into tapered oval shapes that are rounded at the ends.
Avoid trimming your nails if they are already short; instead, file them. If your nails are too long, cut them halfway and file down to your desired length. Another important tip is to avoid filing your nails in a back-and-forth sawing motion; this will only fray your nails and make them peel.
Step Four: Buff Your Nails
Buff your nails to smoothen them and provide an even surface for your nail polish. Be careful not to press too hard or buff too much, as you don’t want to thin out the surface of your nails.
Step Five: Soak Your Nails And Push Back The Cuticles
Soak your nails in a bowl of warm water big enough to hold your palms. Add a few drops of baby shampoo or a gentle cleanser if you like, and leave it for a few minutes. This will soften your cuticles and make them easier to push back. It will also loosen up dirt and dead skin cells.
Use the cuticle pusher to push your cuticles back toward your skin. Be careful not to push too hard to prevent the cuticles from tearing. Remember, you need to keep them intact because they will protect the nail beds from getting infected.
Step Six: Apply A Hand Moisturizer
Give your hands a gentle massage with a hand moisturizer. Rub the moisturizer into your hands, fingers, and nails and let it sit for five minutes. Wipe it off with a cotton ball or swab dipped in nail polish remover.
Step Seven: Apply A Thin Base Coat
Now it’s time to paint your nails; cover each nail carefully with a clean base coat to provide a good surface for your nail color. The base coat will prevent your nails from getting stained and ensure your nail color looks even. Allow the base coat dry for five minutes before continuing the process.
Once the base coat is completely dry, apply a thin coat of your favorite shade of nail polish. Before applying, roll the bottle between your hands for about 10 seconds to blend the color and remove air bubbles.
Do not shake; it will only create air bubbles and make it difficult for it to stick to your nails. Paint vertical stripes on nail sides to fill in your nail completely. Continue this process until your nails are all painted.
Step Eight: Let It Dry, Then Paint A Second Coat
Paint your second coat in the same way as the first. The second coat will take longer to dry than the first one, and you will have to be patient.
Finish it with a top coat that will help your manicure stay in place for a long time. At this stage, you can consider nail art like the color splash nail art, deep blue nail art, Halloween nail designs, and many more.
Leave It To Dry
Now, you just need to chill and resist the urge to do anything. To make your manicure last longer, reapply your top coat every two to three days. Apply cuticle oil once a day to ensure your nails are healthy.