SCENARIO: I can’t afford to get a manicure/pedicure at a salon often–maybe once or twice a year–so how can I do it myself? It seems like my polish is all over the place when I do it, and it never stays on for very long!
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I’ve never had a pedicure or manicure. Try using a petroleum jelly and just creating a fine smudge around the skin near the nail, if you can’t use toe spreaders or cotton balls. Try enlisting a boyfriend for toe painting assistance!
Somehow I doubt a boy’s going to consider holding a girls toes as she paints them as a fun activity.
I read somewhere that you should paint a white line on the top, not worrying about it not being straight. After that, take a small paint brush (like a makeup brush), dip it in polish remover, and carefully clean up the line. Once that’s dry, paint a clear coat over it.
Haven’t tried this yet but I think I will!
you’d be surprised, Lila! mine actually asked if he could try, out of sheer curiosity. its a fun thing to do together i reckon.
meanwhile it always helps to shine your nails to perfection using one of those 3-step buffer board things. the surface of your nail is super smooth after, which makes nailpolish application so much easier.
a few tips – in order for the polish to stick your nails have to be super clean and free of any oil/lotions. What I prefer to do is after I pamper my toes with lotions and stuff I take a cotton puff and clean my nails with polish remover. Then apply your base coat. Wait about 1 minute then apply your first coat of polish, let this dry about 5 minutes (this will make the actual drying time a lot faster), then your second coat..again wait 5 min. then apply your top coat….then just sit and wait and wait and wait 🙂 The longer you wait between coats the faster the actual drying time is and less chance of a smudge. Also be sure to put a nice thick coat of polish on…not so thick it never dries but thick…like they do at the salon.
Try to coat your nails in three swipes of polish…makes things look much nicer.
I like to do my toes before my fingers so I can use one of my fingernails to pick up any polish on the skin. When doing your finger nails try one of those special polish remover thingies to get the polish off your skin.
If you want to splurge go to a Beauty College and get your nails done…its dirt cheap and those asian nail chop shops are pretty cheap…like 25$ for a pedi.
$25 for a pedi? Wow and I thought it was a special splurge to get a mani/pedi…most places I know of it’s about $25 for a mani/pedi together!
WOW Clover, where the heck do you live? thats a killer deal…California is really pretty expensive for most things.
I betcha my fiance would do it. I will find out and post results.
My husband would totally help me 🙂 He’s so super cool about stuff like that.
Here’s my basic DIY mani:
1. Begin by softening cuticles by soaking fingertips in a bowl of warm water with some oil in it. I use Sally Hanson Vitamin E oil.
2. Massage cuticles and push them back to your nail bed with a cuticle pusher or special wooden stick, or if you’re me, just use your fingernails! Getting cuticles out of the way makes polish application much neater.
3. Trim nails and file edges. Do any other clean-ups to cuticles, hangnails, ends.
4. Wipe off any excess oil.
5. Buff nails with a buffing block until smooth.
— at this point you can stop and have nice shiny natural nails, or … —
6. Apply base coat
7. Apply polish layer 1. Try to use three strokes. Don’t make the polish layer too thick or it will take forever to dry, get bubbles in it, and otherwise just be goopy and messy.
8. When dry, apply polish layer 2. repeat if necessary. Remember not to go to thick on the coats.
9. Apply top coat. I love Seche Vite.
10. Clean up any messy spots — I use Sally hansen’s cleanup pen to erase mistakes.
Voila! This usually lasts about 4-5 days for me before it starts chipping.
Practice and buy good quality polish. :p