No time or money to head to the nail salon for a measly manicure? Don’t fret – Sassy Dove has you covered. I rarely make it out to the nail salon, and when I do, I’m always frustrated by how long they take and how rarely it’s done exactly the way I’d like. Save yourself the time, money and trouble and give yourself a perfect manicure to go with your DIYed supersoft feet by following my step-by-step guide to gorgeous nails at home below:
- Using an emery board, file your nails straight up the sides. Don’t file the sides of the nails inward toward the nail bed, as this can create ingrown nails and nasty looking cuticles. The thinner your nail, the finer the grain on the emery board should be. You can also try nail wraps as an alternative, click here to learn how to apply nail wraps.
- Apply cuticle oil to the edges of the nail and massage fingertips gently. Bag Balm is cheap and works great!
- Soak your fingers in warm, soapy water. If your fingertips are discolored or dirty, dissolve a tablet of denture cleanser in the water and watch the nastiness disappear.
- Using a cuticle pusher and cutter, push the cuticle back and cut any excess torn skin from around the cuticle. Don’t cut into the cuticle; this will cause them to bleed and surprisingly enough, blood does not make hands prettier.
- Apply a moisturizer like Ahava Mineral Hand Cream all over your hands, rubbing it into your nails and cuticles. Don’t forget spots in between your fingers and at the tops of palms, where dead skin often builds up and creates rough patches.
- Dip a cotton ball in an astringent like witch hazel or lemon juice and remove any excess oil from the nail itself. This is necessary for polish to go on smooth.
- Apply a base coat or primer and allow it to dry.
- For the final coat, brush on a one-coat polish. Choose a combination color and top coat formula; they work just as well and save you tons of time.
