The Ultimate Home Manicure Guide

There’s no reason you can’t enjoy that fresh salon manicure every day. Whether you’re looking to save some money, or the salons are closed, our ultimate DIY manicure guide will leave tired hands feeling revitalised in no time!

Conditioning treatments for your nails

If your nails frequently split or break, there are many strengthening treatments available. Look out for treatments with calcium and keratin, as these ingredients work to support the nail bed. Cuticle Oil moisturises your nails, protecting them against damage. Dehydrated nails become brittle, meaning they will break when damaged rather than bend as a hydrated nail would.

You could also consider taking a supplement containing vitamins like Biotin. Some are specifically advertised as great for healthy hair and nails. This will give nails the nutrient boost they need from the inside out.

Prepare your nails

Clean your nails

You should begin by cleaning your nails with a nail polish remover. If you have any polish on it’ll remove it, but even if you don’t it will remove oils and dirt that could warp your polish later. Don’t forget to wash your hands with soap and water after.

Push back your cuticles

Pushing back your cuticles will keep them looking neat and can make your nails look longer.

A cuticle remover will help to dissolve dead skin and soften the area. Make sure you use a cuticle remover rather than an oi or balm, as they are not the same product and cannot be used interchangeably. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and then gently push your cuticles back with a cuticle stick.

Advice is a bit mixed as to whether it is necessary to cut your cuticles or not. What we do know is that cuticles protect your nails from bacteria. Cutting them could open the door for infection and irritation.

File and buff your nails

If you need to take some length off your nails, it’s best to do this gradually with a nail file rather than with nail clippers. Because of how nail clippers work, they are more likely to tear or break your nail below where you meant to clip it. When you use a file, you only want to move in one direction across your natural nail. Try not to apply too much pressure.

Once you are happy with the length and shape of your nails, it’s time to buff the tops and sides of your nails. Make sure you use a nail buffer, not a nail file, and use gentle pressure. This creates a smooth surface, ready for your polish.

Care for your hands

Exfoliate

Give your hands, wrists, and forearms a pamper with an exfoliating scrub that removes dead skin cells. Even better if it moisturises as well. Then, grab your cuticle stick again to gently remove anything that has built up under your nails. Wash hands and dry hands thoroughly afterwards.

Moisturise

Take the time to give yourself a mini hand massage with your favourite hand cream. To finish, wipe each nail with nail polish remover again to get rid of the greasy residue.

Paint your nails

Apply a base coat

Applying a base coat hydrates and protects your natural nail and prevents your polish from chipping. A base coat also protects your nails form staining, and many include additional ingredients to benefit the nails. To get the best results, it’s recommended to wait a full 2 minutes between each coat of polish.

Apply your colour

Now for the fun bit! Remove some of the dripping excess from the brush and try to apply your colour in 3 stripes, once down the middle and then on each side. And try to keep the layer thin! Then, after it’s dried for 2 minutes, apply your second coat of polish in the same way. Sheer or pastel polishes may require a third coat for full coverage.

Finish with a topcoat

A topcoat protects your nail polish from chips and adds shine. Skipping a topcoat will significantly shorten the lifespan of your new manicure, but be careful with the application.

Topcoats ‘shrink’ as they dry, and this means you can see little ridges if it hasn’t been properly applied. Try to stick to the three stripe method above.

Tidy the edges and let it dry

If you’ve made any mistakes or have any wobbly edges, you can use some cotton on the end of your cuticle stick, a cotton bud, or even a small brush to tidy everything up. Simply dip it in nail polish remover and get to work! Then, let your nails dry for 5 minutes to ensure nothing will smudge and you’re done!