· By Hannah Jones
How to paint your own nails
Do you paint your own nails?
There was once a time that I was terrified to doing my nails myself, and I would only ever visit the professionals for a fortnightly mani. These days I save it as a treat once or twice a year (if i'm lucky!)
Don't get me wrong, manicurists are the best - grammable nails, no smears or wonky bits, and how great is that hand massage - But if you're time poor, don't live near an excellent salon that uses low-tox polishes, and wanting to save $$ - you can totally nail a DIY mani with a few easy tips...
💜 Get yourself a glass nail file, and ALWAYS stroke it in one direction (otherwise you’ll end up tearing the tips)
💜 Use a base coat - yep, it takes a little extra time, but this provides your colour polish with something to ‘stick’ on (giving you an extra couple of days wear) and will also prevent any staining on your nail from the pigment of your coloured polish
💜 You ONLY need 3 strokes to cover your nail - don’t over do it. More than 3 strokes and you’re going to have too much polish on your nail to dry evenly (and quickly) before the next coat. Any areas you’ve missed you can get them on your second coat!
💜 Top Coat, every time! I know when you’re time poor it’s tempting to skip this part - but if you’re wanting your manicure to last more than a few hours you need to use a top coat to seal the deal, and always paint it all the way to the tip of your nails (and across the top ridge) to lock it in!
💜 After they've dried, apply a cuticle oil (such as Hanami Rescue Me oil) over the entire nail - this instantly hydrates your nails and also offers some protection if you accidentally hit your nails against something
💜 And, when the time comes for a refresh, be sure to choose a non-acetone remover (like ours!), especially if you’re trying to strengthen your nails. Acetone drys out the nail, making it more likely to peel and dry out.
There was once a time that I was terrified to doing my nails myself, and I would only ever visit the professionals for a fortnightly mani. These days I save it as a treat once or twice a year (if i'm lucky!)
Don't get me wrong, manicurists are the best - grammable nails, no smears or wonky bits, and how great is that hand massage - But if you're time poor, don't live near an excellent salon that uses low-tox polishes, and wanting to save $$ - you can totally nail a DIY mani with a few easy tips...
💜 Get yourself a glass nail file, and ALWAYS stroke it in one direction (otherwise you’ll end up tearing the tips)
💜 Use a base coat - yep, it takes a little extra time, but this provides your colour polish with something to ‘stick’ on (giving you an extra couple of days wear) and will also prevent any staining on your nail from the pigment of your coloured polish
💜 You ONLY need 3 strokes to cover your nail - don’t over do it. More than 3 strokes and you’re going to have too much polish on your nail to dry evenly (and quickly) before the next coat. Any areas you’ve missed you can get them on your second coat!
💜 Top Coat, every time! I know when you’re time poor it’s tempting to skip this part - but if you’re wanting your manicure to last more than a few hours you need to use a top coat to seal the deal, and always paint it all the way to the tip of your nails (and across the top ridge) to lock it in!
💜 After they've dried, apply a cuticle oil (such as Hanami Rescue Me oil) over the entire nail - this instantly hydrates your nails and also offers some protection if you accidentally hit your nails against something
💜 And, when the time comes for a refresh, be sure to choose a non-acetone remover (like ours!), especially if you’re trying to strengthen your nails. Acetone drys out the nail, making it more likely to peel and dry out.