DIY Manicure

It’s possible to give yourself a home manicure with a professional touch if you follow a proper manicure procedure. With a DIY manicure, you can experiment with new colors and even try one of the new natural nail products not always available in a salon. And, you will save money!

Manicure Procedure Steps

1.    Shape your nails to a desired length using an emery board (preferred over a metal file). Always file using one-direction strokes beginning from the corner and working towards the middle of your nail. Resist using a “sawing” motion as this will weaken your nails.
2.    Clean hands and nails. Use a nail brush to clean under your nails and around the cuticle area. Remove any old nail polish. Soak your nails for a few minutes in warm water with a touch of olive oil and a few drops of fresh lemon juice. Dry your hands thoroughly.
3.     Using an orange stick, gently push back your cuticles to reveal the half moon white area. Your cuticles protect your nail bed and are important for healthy for nail growth.
4.    Place your hand on a flat surface and apply a base coat. This clear coat prevents your nails from staining. The base coat also allows the next layer of polish to go on smoothly.
5.    Using one brushstroke in the middle of your nail, begin to apply your colored polish. Follow up with brushstrokes on each side of your nail.
6.    After the color has completely dried, apply a second coat of colored polish using the same manicure procedure.
7.    When the second coat has dried, apply a clear top coat polish to seal the polish layers underneath.
8.    inish with a hand moisturizer working it into your cuticles.

Other Manicure Tips

• Always allow your nail polish to dry completely before moving on to the next step!

• Use a nail buffer to soften any nail ridges using the same motion as with a nail file.

•     If your cuticles are thick, another manicure procedure step is to use a cuticle cream in combination with an orange stick. (Follow the directions on the tube.)

•     Nail fungus is a horror to cure, and if you have ever had one, be sure to use formaldehyde and tourmaline-free polish products to prevent fungus growth.

•     Hang nails are common, broken pieces of dry skin that can appear on the sides of the nail. When disturbed, a hangnail can become painful and even infected. If you have one, cut it close to the skin using a very sharp, fine scissor. Then keep the hangnail moist with regular use of a moisturizer.