Sometimes you don’t always have the time (or money) to pop into a salon to get your nails done, but fingers sporting chipped polish and scruffy cuticles are a sure-fire way to scream ‘unkempt’.
Yep, sometimes a girl’s just gotta DIY! Follow these steps to make sure your manicure is on point, every time:
1. Clean-up job
Get the canvas sparkling clean before you begin your paint job. Any traces of moisture, dust or leftover enamel will create havoc with new polish adhesion. Remove old polish by swiping over a polish remover or antiseptic wipe. To achieve true staying power, apply a little hand soap onto an old toothbrush and get into the corners and under nail tips.
2. Dry spells
You don’t need to soak your fingertips. When nails absorb water it temporarily softens and puffs them, so when they revert to their normal state the expansion and contraction can result in chipping, peeling and cracking of your polish.
3. Cuticle care
If you’re about to apply your polish, cuticle skin on the nail’s surface can interfere with your base coat. Don’t push back your cuticles without prepping them first as this can crack polish. Loosen ragged edges by rubbing in a softening cream, then gently nudge cuticles back with an orangewood stick, preferably wrapped in cotton. Tend to hangnails with cuticle trimmers, but to prevent infection avoid cutting the cuticle. Massage in cuticle oil, allowing it to soak in, then wipe off the nails using a cotton ball with polish remover.
4. Shape ’em up
The best shape to gain maximum nail strength is to have tips rounded and corners left relatively square. A “squoval” is easy to shape, maintain and is flattering for shorter nails.
Filing is also healthier than clipping, so don’t cut the nails to shape them as it can make them more prone to cracking and breakage. Use a fine-grit emery nail file and work in one direction only. Always file in one direction, never in a back and forth motion as this causes the delicate keratin layers to peel away from each other. File up from beneath the tip to seal the free edge of the nail.
5. Laying foundations
A base coat is a must-have for a good manicure. It provides a bottom layer for your lacquer to latch on to and studies have shown it sticks to nails better than polish. A base coat acts as a road map for the rest of the products. The coloured lacquer will follow it, so despite being transparent it needs to be cleaned up if you “go out of the lines”. A corrector pen, cotton bud or even your nail can be used to clean up the edges.
6. Colour coordinates
So many colours, so little time to try them all. Performance doesn’t only vary from brand to brand, but from colour to colour too. Creamy opaques contain a high pigment content that can hinder adhesion. Make the most of metallics – some manicurists say you can get an extra couple of days’ wear out of them. When it comes to polish, it’s most often a case of ‘you get what you pay for’, so steer clear of the $5 bin.
7. Stroke of genius
Your polish should always be applied in three narrow, even strokes. The first down the centre and one down each side to follow. The thicker the layer, the more difficult it is for the solvent (the liquid agent in enamel) to evaporate, boosting the chances that polish will peel.
Apply two thinner coats, allowing at least two minutes in between, rather than one thick coat of lacquer. Painting over to the underside of the nail gives it a seal to lessen the chance of chipping or peeling.
8. Top coat
Once your lacquer is down, seal it with a kiss of slow-setting topcoat. While the quick-dry varieties are tempting, they can evaporate too fast and leave polish soft and prone to denting. A slower-acting topcoat typically leaves a harder, more protective finish and is worth the extra drying time invested. If you’re in a rush, use a drying oil or spray over your topcoat for a speedier result.
9. High maintenance
Everything you touch basically acts like an emery board on your nails, so if you have a top coat on, this is worn down rather than your colour.
Mid-week apply another top coat for maximised shine and protection, plus cuticle oil and hand cream. It’s all about having healthy nails to begin with if you want a long-lasting manicure.
10. Tip-top toes
Soak your feet in warm soapy water. Dry your feet and apply cuticle remover, then push cuticles back with an orangewood stick. Clip your nails and file them with an emery board for a smooth finish. Exfoliate feet by buffing rough and calloused areas with a pumice or exfoliating scrub.
Massage a generous amount of nourishing lotion on your feet, then go over your toenails with polish remover to remove residue. Brush on a base coat, then two coats of coloured lacquer, followed by a topcoat – and voila!
