Since I started living in Europe I've noticed that my nails have become more fragile and break more often.
Maybe because of the change of diet? The quality of the water? The bad weather? The lack of sun?
In order to take better care of my hands / nails, I've added more steps to my manicure routine.
As I hear my girlfriends complain on the state of their nails and always ask me tips about it, I've decided to do this post on how to make the perfect manicure at home step by step.
How to do a perfect manicure at home?
You should know that the care of your hands should be done on a daily basis.
This means protecting it from outside agressions, such as chemicals products and water.
For cleaning at home, doing the dishes, working in the garden, always remember to use gloves to protect your hands.
1. CLEANING
Step One would be to remove all previous nail polish with a nail polish remover. Using it will not only remove all the previous nail polish but also any residues of oil, dust, or other.
Tips: Nail polish removers can often be harsh on your nails because they contain acetone. You can find pretty much everywhere acetone-free nail polish removers. Some of them even claim to have mosturizers and protective ingredients.
Tools: For me, one of the greatest inventions EVER: The Sephora's "Express nail polish remover"!! It's a plastic bottle with foam and nail polish remover. You dip your finger in, you turn it as if it was a pencil sharpener, you tak it out, and the nail polish is gone!! As their slogan says: "C'est magique! It's terrific!" =D
First things first: for a perfect manicure you start by filing the nails to make them all the same size. It all depends on what you are used to do, filing or cutting. Personnally, I used to cut first and then file to finish but recently I am only filing (you can check my future post on filing or cutting the nails).
Tips: You have to file from the outside to the center of the nail, always on the same direction. Meaning that the back-and-forth technique that we are used to see in the movies... NOT good! The sides are to be filed straight and round on the edges in order not to make the nails fragile. And of course, you chose the shape you prefer for your nails! =)
Tools: It's been a while I am using the 4-faced file from Sephora and I finish with a glass lime for a smoother finish. I will later on make another post on these limes.
3. HAND WASH
Right after filing, nails have nail dust all over. To be able to continue your perfect nail routine, you have to wash our hands with soap and a brush.
Tips: After washing, use an exfoliating scrub. Put a small amount to rub in circular motion nail by nail. After you wash out the scrub, you can deep-nourish your nails by applying a nourishing oil or cream that you leave in.
Tools: Any body scrub and nourishing oil/cream will do the job.
4. CUTICULES
The secret for a perfect manicure is well-groomed cuticules. To soften the cuticules and to be able to push them faster and easier, it is advised to put your nails into warm water with soap for a couple of minutes until they become a soft. You can put them directly in the warm water with your nourishing cream on. After drying your hand you use your "pushing tool" =)
Tips: You push your cuticule from the center of the nail towards the edges in a soft move to push inwards and you eliminate the dead skin as well. Finally you slide the wooden stick from one side to another under the "clean" bordure of the nail. If your nails have a yellowish color (because you regularly use nail polish) you can add fresh lemon juice to the warm water. In this case you should take out the nourishing cream with a tissue before putting your nails into the water.
Tools: I use wodden sticks but a firm hand with cotton-buds can also do the work.
5. POLISH
This is a phase that we normally don't consider so important, but actually it is very good for the health of the nail. If you do it correctly, the polishing levels the surface of the nail making it flat, shiny and better for the nail polish last longer. Apparently it also accelerates the growth of the nail ;)
Tips: Don't exagerate with the polishing, because too much can make the nail too thin, hence fragile.
Tools: Again, the 4 Step Buffer from Sephora is my best tool for this step.
6. BASE COAT
What is a base coat? It's a nail polish meant to be used before your colored nail polish. It works as a protecting shield and prevents the pigments of the dark colors like black, red or blue to go directly into your nail (reason why your nails can end up having some kind of yellow color). It also facilitates the application of the nail polish and helps it last longer.
Tips: Put on a thin even layer and cover the nail completely in two moves (one half of the nail first, then the other). Start with your pinky finger and finish with the thumb.
Tools: You can find all types of base coats: with vitamins, calcium, aloe vera, for breaking nails, for dried nails, for yellow nails... there are so many brands and choices! Pick one that tackles the problems of your nails.
7. NAIL POLISH - 1st COAT
Now it's the Fun part of the perfect manicure! The colors!!! =)
After shaking the nail polish, turn the bursh inside the "throat" of the flask to remove all excess of liquid.
Tips: You apply the first coat in three brush stripes: one in the center and one on each side. Like with the base coat, start with your pinky finger's nail and finish with the thumb's one. Of course, let it dry ;) One more thing! Some people prefer to leave 1mm of space between the nail polish and the skin (in the base of the nail and on the sides) in order not to put color on their skin. I don't like this technique because it looks more like your nail grew and you haven't bothered to change your nail polish! :-/ I go till the edges even if I put some color in my skin. I can always remove it later! ;) I like it when my final look looks like this.
Tools: Colors, colors, colors! Pick the brand and color you prefer/feel like! If you don't have any job restrictions, you can use the colors that suit your personality or your mood of the day. Otherwise you can adapt the color to the ocasion: a nude beige or pale pink for a job interview, a beautiful bordeaux for a date nigth with your "chéri", a hot-mamasita pink for a summer afternoon in the park, or a glittery dark blue for a night out with the girls!
8. NAIL POLISH - 2nd COAT
The first coat draws the path for the application so that the second coat covers the nail nicely and smoothly.
Tips: At this point, you can be more generous with the amount of nail polish used to have a more intense and unified color. Use the same application techniques as for the base coat and the first coat and make sure you don't leave any blank spaces. Let it dry.
9. TOP COAT
The top coat is the... last coat! ;) It's a transparent nail polish that gives the final shine to the colors. It also makes the nail polish last much longer.
Tools: I would advise to buy a fast-dry top coat that not only shines but also accelerates the drying time for the overall "painting".
10. CLEANING... Again
If you have overpassed the limits and put some nail polish on your skin, it's no big deal. But since we are doing the perfect manicure, you cannot leave it like that! It's time to remove it!
Tips: Don't leave the nail polish spots in your skin. It doesn't look pretty and it makes all the work you've done so far look sloppy. So don't waste your time and do things right until the end! ;)
Tools: Mavala sells a "Nail polish Correcteur" that's like a pen with remover on the tip. It's quite cool and practical though a bit expensive. Otherwise you can use the classic trick of soaking in the tip of a cotton-bud in your nail polish remover and carefully undo the mess for a perfect finish!!!
Et voilà!!! That's about it!!! =)
Of course, this is the full manicure care step by step.
You don't have to do all these steps if you change your nailpolish a couple of times during the week. If that's your case, you'd skip steps 4-Cuticules and 5-Polish in order not to deteriorate your nails and cuticules.
If you have any questions or you have a good tip that you'd like to share, feel free to leave a comment! Cheers et à la prochaine! ;)
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Step One would be to remove all previous nail polish with a nail polish remover. Using it will not only remove all the previous nail polish but also any residues of oil, dust, or other.
First things first: for a perfect manicure you start by filing the nails to make them all the same size. It all depends on what you are used to do, filing or cutting. Personnally, I used to cut first and then file to finish but recently I am only filing (you can check my future post on filing or cutting the nails).
The secret for a perfect manicure is well-groomed cuticules. To soften the cuticules and to be able to push them faster and easier, it is advised to put your nails into warm water with soap for a couple of minutes until they become a soft. You can put them directly in the warm water with your nourishing cream on. After drying your hand you use your "pushing tool" =)
This is a phase that we normally don't consider so important, but actually it is very good for the health of the nail. If you do it correctly, the polishing levels the surface of the nail making it flat, shiny and better for the nail polish last longer. Apparently it also accelerates the growth of the nail ;)
What is a base coat? It's a nail polish meant to be used before your colored nail polish. It works as a protecting shield and prevents the pigments of the dark colors like black, red or blue to go directly into your nail (reason why your nails can end up having some kind of yellow color). It also facilitates the application of the nail polish and helps it last longer.
Tips: You apply the first coat in three brush stripes: one in the center and one on each side. Like with the base coat, start with your pinky finger's nail and finish with the thumb's one. Of course, let it dry ;) One more thing! Some people prefer to leave 1mm of space between the nail polish and the skin (in the base of the nail and on the sides) in order not to put color on their skin. I don't like this technique because it looks more like your nail grew and you haven't bothered to change your nail polish! :-/ I go till the edges even if I put some color in my skin. I can always remove it later! ;) I like it when my final look looks like this.
Tips: At this point, you can be more generous with the amount of nail polish used to have a more intense and unified color. Use the same application techniques as for the base coat and the first coat and make sure you don't leave any blank spaces. Let it dry.
If you have overpassed the limits and put some nail polish on your skin, it's no big deal. But since we are doing the perfect manicure, you cannot leave it like that! It's time to remove it!
You don't have to do all these steps if you change your nailpolish a couple of times during the week. If that's your case, you'd skip steps 4-Cuticules and 5-Polish in order not to deteriorate your nails and cuticules.
