Things You'll Need:
- Nail polish
- Nail polish remover
- Cotton balls
- Orangewood stick
- Nail clipper
- Nail file
- Nail buffer
- Emery board
- Topcoat
- Cuticle scissors
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Step 1
Choose items to clean the fingernails and prepare for the manicure. Get a small bowl to soak hands and soften cuticles. Buy acetone-free nail polish remover from the drugstore and cotton balls to remove old polish. You also need a nail file to remove dirt, a nail brush to scrub outside and underneath nails and clippers to cut them.
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Step 2
Gather supplies to improve cuticle health. You need cream or oil to soften the cuticles and an orangewood stick or metal pusher to press them back. Make sure you have cuticle scissors to trim excess skin or hangnails.
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Step 3
Assemble supplies to shape and strengthen fingernails. Use nail oil or a hardening solution for weak or chipped fingernails. An emery board can shape and smooth the nails. Along with a sponge-like nail buffer, it's the final step before applying topcoat and polish.
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Step 4
Select nail polish for a home manicure at a beauty supply store or large chain drugstore. They have a larger variety of colors and formulas than a local pharmacy. Choose a base coat, which helps the polish slide on more easily and protects the nail from turning yellow, and a topcoat or sealant. Impatient types can buy a nail dryer or fan like the ones at the salon.
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Step 5
Look at nail appliqués and tips. Many companies offer complete home kits for French manicures or other nail decorations. Buy a complete kit unless you've applied artificial nails at home before to cut down on trial and error.
