How to get a salon quality manicure at home

We understand that sometimes people don’t have much free time for a pamper sesh, nonetheless go somewhere to get pampered. More and more people are opting out of the traditional salon experience and are staying home to do their own nails or just not getting them done at all. We have a solution for those who don’t have the time or patience to visit a salon anymore. It’s quite simple to give yourself a good manicure in your own home, and we are here to give you some tips on how to do just that.

Shaping your nails

Everyone is different when it comes to the preferred shape and length of their nails. When preparing the shape make sure to trim them first if you want them much shorter. You should do this with nail cutters or nail scissors. Too much filing can cause stress on the nail and cause it to split. After you’ve trimmed the nail down to your desired length, you can then begin to file. When filing your nail make sure to avoid a back and forth sawing motion.

The best and healthiest way to file your nails is to go in one direction. Start at the side of your nail where it meets your skin and go towards the centre. Repeat this by picking up the nail file once in the centre and returning it to the side of the nail to begin again. Once both sides are complete and you have the desired shape you want, you can get rid of any bits that are still hanging on but placing the file under the nail and flicking it in an outward motion.

Cuticle Care

Cuticles are an essential part of your nail, so it’s important to take good care of them. They provide your nail with a protective barrier against infections and damage. To start, remove any polish that is on your nails with acetone, then apply cuticle remover onto the cuticle. After the cuticle remover is applied, soak your hands in warm water mixed with a soak to soften the cuticles and nails. This will help to make it easy to remove the cuticle and you will be less likely to cut yourself.

Next, you can choose which tool you prefer to use, a spoon-shaped cuticle pusher, or the classic orangewood stick. The metal pusher is more efficient and easier to use, but the orangewood stick is the universal tool for this job. Hold the tool like you would hold a pencil and lightly push the cuticles up towards the base of your nail. Once all of this is done you can then take your nippers and remove the skin you have just pushed up to the base. Be careful not to nick your skin around the cuticle.

Buff it out

When your cuticles are in order and the filing is complete, the next step is to buff your nails. Buffing your nails helps to smooth out any ridges or rough patches. The best way to do this is to use a four sided nail buffer. Using the larger grit buffing side, hold the buffer parallel to the nail and buff in one direction as you would filing. Buff your nails in an X shape and only use 6-8 strokes on each nail to make sure to not over do it.

Once the first step of buffing is complete, you can now move onto the finer grit side of the buffer. Do this in the same fashion as you did the first step, but only use 4-6 strokes to brighten up your nails and make them shiny. The last step is the smooth side of the buffer. Place the smooth side on your nail and move it in tiny circles all over the nail to create that killer shine.

Polish it off

The last and final step to the ultimate at home manicure is to apply the polish. First, start by applying a base coat to your bare nail. Do this with three strokes only, starting at the base in the center and bringing the brush down. Then repeat this process on the sides of the nail. Once your base coat is on, you can move onto the colour.

When you have chosen a colour, apply it to the nails in the same fashion as you did the base coat. Using three strokes only and starting at the base of the nail going downward towards the tip. Clean up the edges of the nail with the orangewood stick, to get rid of excess colour on the skin. Lastly, apply a top coat to each nail in the same fashion.

If you want the perfect at-home manicure, but don’t fancy doing it yourself, book with us! We can come to you and treat you to a fabulous manicure right in your own living room, office, or hotel. It’s so easy to book on our app or the website. For more tips and tricks on manis, pedis and general pampering follow our blog on our website.