How to Give Yourself a Manicure

Manicured nails are part of a finished look for many women. But with a rocky economy, personal perks like trips to the nail salon can be one of the first items on the budget chopping block. Luckily you don't have to journey to the local nail place to pamper your hands. Do it yourself at home.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cotton Swabs
• Cuticle Creams
• Hand And Body Lotion
• Manicure Kits
• Nail Brushes
• Nail Buffers
• Nail Cleaners
• Nail Clippers
• Nail Files
• Nail Polish Remover
• Nail Polishes
• Nail Strengthening Polish
• Cotton Swabs

1. 

   Remove old nail polish thoroughly.

2. Soak hands in warm water for 10 or 15 minutes. Dry hands.

3. 

   File nails in one direction only. Avoid using a seesaw motion.

4. 

   Push back cuticles. Use a cuticle moisturizer if they do not push back easily after soaking.

5. 

   Massage your hands. Use a moisturizing lotion. Use an exfoliating lotion if your skin is dry and/or roughened.

6. 

   Apply a base coat. Allow it to dry.

7. Apply polish. Clean any stray marks with a cotton swab dipped in polish remover.

8. Add a second coat for deeper color.

9. Finish the manicure with a top coat of clear polish.

Tips & Warnings

• Put your hands in a basin or sink full of ice-cold water if you need your nails to dry in a hurry.
• Avoid cutting your cuticles with scissors or nail clippers.

[chimeracc]

on 9/23/2009 Soaking hands in warm water for minimum 20 minutes give good result.

Between Pretty Good Article

Regards
Chimera Nail Polish Australia
http://www.chimeracc.com

[ggrammi]

on 6/9/2009 Purchase a small oval sable nail brush. Dip in polish remover and brush off any excess nail polish. It's soft and flexible making corrections easy, especially those hard to reach places. Squeeze dry and place in toothbrush storage holder to keep clean, dust free and ready to use again.

[grapegirls]

on 3/13/2009 Great nails are a must when holding a wine glass. Cheers! :)

[ambam]

on 3/5/2008 If you plan on polishing your nails when you're finished with the manicure, do NOT soak them in water at all. Our technology with our cuticle creams are so advanced that they will soften your cuticles without having to soak them in water.

By soaking your nails in water, your nail tends to expand a little bit. Once it's dry, and the polish that's on it has dried, it tends to shrink back to its normal size. This causes nail polish to chip off faster.

[roxannemoon]

on 6/22/2007 Never soak your nails before filing them. Soaking leaves them weak and the filing can cause damage. Switch the steps. File your nails and then soak them to soften the cuticles.