Hi Everyone! I wanted to share some of my favourite at-home-mani essentials for this time in quarantine when salons are closed:
Be sure to check out my tried and true tips in this blog post before painting your nails.
Here's a brief summary on how to keep your nails from chipping:
1. Take a bath
2. Remove Cuticles
3. Once dry, buff and file nails
*I like to do this the day before so my nails are super smooth
4. Clean any oil off nails with rubbing alcohol (not polish remover or acetone - those can leave polish-loosening residue) wipe with a muslin style TOWEL - not cotton, that leaves fuzzies!
5. Prep nails with OPI Nail Envy Matte - this strengthening polish always protects my nails from chipping and breaking, along with serving as the ideal matte base for nail polish over top. My nails are never left yellow and one bottle literally lasts 3-5 years
6. Apply 2-3 thin coats of polish and let them fully dry in between (5 min)
Pass over the nail once, don't keep applying! This will make the polish junk up and smear
7. Finish with a generous layer of top coat. My all-time fav is INM Out The Door
8. Again, follow the rule: one-and-done. Do not apply 5 strokes of top coat. 3 max, then let it dry. You can always clean up with an orange stick or apply more!
9. Re-apply top coat every 4 days to keep your mani strong and fresh.
10. Wear dish gloves and apply cuticle oil and hand cream daily to keep the nail beds healthy.
2. Remove Cuticles
3. Once dry, buff and file nails
*I like to do this the day before so my nails are super smooth
4. Clean any oil off nails with rubbing alcohol (not polish remover or acetone - those can leave polish-loosening residue) wipe with a muslin style TOWEL - not cotton, that leaves fuzzies!
5. Prep nails with OPI Nail Envy Matte - this strengthening polish always protects my nails from chipping and breaking, along with serving as the ideal matte base for nail polish over top. My nails are never left yellow and one bottle literally lasts 3-5 years
6. Apply 2-3 thin coats of polish and let them fully dry in between (5 min)
Pass over the nail once, don't keep applying! This will make the polish junk up and smear
7. Finish with a generous layer of top coat. My all-time fav is INM Out The Door
8. Again, follow the rule: one-and-done. Do not apply 5 strokes of top coat. 3 max, then let it dry. You can always clean up with an orange stick or apply more!
9. Re-apply top coat every 4 days to keep your mani strong and fresh.
10. Wear dish gloves and apply cuticle oil and hand cream daily to keep the nail beds healthy.
NAIL PREP ESSENTIALS
- Nail Brush (or clean toothbrush)
- Cuticle Pusher - a small, sharp edge works best for me, I love this one from Sally Beauty
- Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover - follow the directions VERY carefully - don’t leave on too long and it will work best on moist hands - fresh out of shower/bath
- Buffing Block to remove ridges/cuticle left on nail
- Alcohol Spray (wipe with fuzz-free, cotton cloth like a dish cloth) or Alcohol Wipes to clean off oil or dust
- Cuticle Oil and Hand Cream - apply this the day after your manicure to prolong the life of your polish and to keep cuticles/nails strong - healthy nails start with moisturized cuticles!
- Base Coat: OPI Nail Envy MATTE Strengthener
- Essence, Essie, Revlon, L’Oreal, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure are the best polishes
- Top Coat: Sally Hansen, Essie Top Coat or INM Out The Door (cheapest at Sally’s Beauty)
- Nail Wheel to practice designs or swatch colours
- Olive & June Nail Stickers (I bought from Target in US) Similar HERE and HERE
- Glam My Mani (these on amazon look similar) KISS Nail Stickers/Stencils - see how I used them HERE
- Dotting Tool (or DIY with a head pin and pencil!) Halloween Nail Art 1, Halloween 2, My Santa hat tutorial, Geometric Nail tutorial, My Misc Nail Art
- Disposable Eyeliner Brushes or Disposable eyeshadow applicator for Gradient Nail Art - See my tutorial HERE on my blog!
- Suncoat Non-Toxic Girls Nail Polish for little kids - I reviewed the brand here
- How to remove glitter polish? 100% acetone applied to the nails using a robust cotton pad like these Shiseido ones - then scrub! If any glitter flakes remain, gently use a buffing block or cuticle pusher to remove.
Where do I save all of my favourite nail art ideas? PINTEREST! Follow my nail board here.
Happy painting,
xx
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