Hi guys! Lately, I have really been getting into doing my own nails and I wanted to share some tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way. As a disclaimer, I’m nowhere near an expert at nails, and they honestly don’t come out perfect (especially my right hand) but this is what I’ve found works best for me!
1. Prep is everything: As I’ve done my nails more and more at home, I’ve realized that taking the time to prep your nails makes all the difference in your end result. Prep will look a bit different depending on if you're painting your natural nails vs press on (or if you're doing poly gel or acrylic which I haven’t explored yet). To bring it back to basics: make sure you buff and file your natural nails. I use an alcohol prep wipe and this product before applying my gel base coat. I find wiping the nail with alcohol, gently buffing the surface, and then using the nail prep makes for the longing lasting manicure.
2. Cuticle care: Taking the time to make sure your cuticles look good is half the battle with achieving a good manicure and ties into step number one, but deserves a dedicated mention. I recently bought this cuticle trimmer from Sally’s, and I have to say it’s a game changer. I have dry hands and always have hang nails, so this tool is a must-have for me. Be very cautious when using it because you don’t want to create tiny cuts around your cuticle and nail bed. I found this YouTube video really helpful to explain how to use one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkaY2Vag0yo
The process that I follow is pushing my cuticles back with a cuticle pusher, and then cutting the excess cuticle and any hang nails.
3. I generally don’t use glue-on nails because my natural nails will usually be in decent shape/long enough on their own. This time, I had quite a few broken nails so I decided to use press on ones. This way, everything looks uniform. I’ve always had good luck with this brand, and I find that the glue that comes with the kit is actually high quality and lasts. Of course if you wash your hands a lot, the glue will loosen over time and a nail might pop off here or there. To me, it’s not a big deal to buff my natural nail and glue it on again.
4. For this manicure, I used floral nail decals which were super easy to use (I could also never achieve the same look by attempting to hand paint a similar design). I used gel polish (shade linked here) on the the press on nails, and cured one layer of top coat before adding the decals. Once I added the decals, I added another thin layer of top coat, cured it again, and then gently buffed my nails, added a final thin top coat, and cured for a last time. This allows for the sticker to fully adhere to your nail and ensures there won’t be edges of the decal lifting or causing ripples.
5. Random helpful tools: these pointed q-tips are so simple but are a must have. Especially when paining my right hand, I tend to get polish on my nail bed/cuticle. These are precise enough to wipe away any excess without smudging your actual nail. These are my tried and true gel top and base coat that I've used for more than a year now, and this UV lamp is the same deal - I've used it for more than a year now and it's never let me down.
Hope this is helpful to anyone who likes to do their own nails or wants to start!
