I always get asked where do I get my nails done and the truth is I’ve been giving myself manicures since I can remember. Every once in a while I like to indulge myself and get a manicure at a salon but I always felt like I would have done it better! I swear I don’t mean to sound like I’m such a professional but I have always been very particular about my nails. Now this is honestly so easy for everyone to attain. When I actually paint my nails I make so many mistakes! It’s the clean up process that makes them look perfect every time and I’ll tell you exactly how I do it. đŸ˜‰
Prepping
Before you start polishing your nails we first have to file, buff and cut the cuticles if necessary. I’ve been cutting my cuticles since I was younger so after so many years I don’t have a choice but to continue doing it but if you have to just push the cuticle back then better for you! A great nail cuticle cutter is essential. This is something that you will have to make sure is good quality because you don’t want to cut and hurt yourself.
Start With A Good Base
This may seem like a duh moment but a good base really goes a long way. I usually go with either Seche Vite or Essie but I’ve recently dabbled with Julie G It’s All About Base – Base Coat and it’s a great one as well.
Applying the Color
Applying the first coat is most important in terms of application around the cuticle. The rest of the nail may look slightly gloopy here or there and isn’t perfect but you really want to focus on the cuticle area. You want to get it as close to the cuticle as possible to really elongate your natural nail. Sometimes I let the polish just slightly touch my cuticle and worry about clean up afterwards.
The second coat is where I really focus on making sure the polish goes smoothly along the whole nail. After this is done I promise you I always have quite a lot of clean up. This is where I use a double sided flat end wooden cuticle stick. This guy will become your best friend when doing your nails! I pour some nail polish remover into the cap of the bottle, get a clean paper towel and start cleaning off any nail polish around my cuticle. With practice this really gets easier and you’ll become a pro. This takes the most time for me personally. Applying the actual polish takes only about 3-5 min but I can spend a good 10 min just perfecting the cuticle and cleaning up.
Now I know this isn’t the best picture but I really wanted to show you exactly the type of flat end I use for clean up. There are several different shapes but this is by far the most productive one for me.
Top Coat
Finishing off with a great top coat is so important! My number 1 top coat is Duri. They are not easy to find so here’s a link of where to purchase it if you’re interested. My Rite Aid used to sell them but unfortunately they stopped.
This is the finished product! I used Essie Shall We Chalet. I wanted to make sure not to edit anything about the photo so you can really see the work done here. Like I said I’m totally not a professional but I’,m always pleased with the end result!
