At Home Manicures

I sometimes get compliments on my manicures, which I almost always do myself, so I thought it might be fun to write out my personal recipe for the perfect at-home manicure here. I don't do any of the fancy, trendy nail art and I have to admit I keep my nails extremely short which I'm pretty sure contributes to how long my polish can last before chipping. But mostly I learned that if I wanted to replicate a salon manicure I needed to WATCH during my salon manicures. So that's what I've done. I don't pay to have my nails done all that often, but when I do I go to MiniLuxe (in Boston or Hingham, though I hear they've recently opened a location in Texas?). They are extremely clean there, including using the buffer and file only one...and then they offer to send them home with you. I ALWAYS say yes. This is my secret! That little buffer they use (or that I'm sure you can get in most beauty stores) roughs up the nail just a little bit and I swear that makes the polish stick better. When I started using that at home it made all the difference in how long the polish lasts. I also recommend keeping cuticles moisturized and pushed back (they say not to clip them--I do, but that's just my personal battle with cuticles), and do this first before buffing and painting nails. The best advice for smooth, even coats? Practice practice practice. I've painted my own nails almost every weekend for years, but doing it so frequently gave me the practice to make the polish look perfect almost every time after just a few months. Practice, try out different products (base coat, top coat, drying drops, etc.) to see what works best on YOU, and have fun! That's why we're here, right? < Previous Post Next Post >