How to Make Your Own One Minute Manicure

A manicure can make your nails and hands look polished and professional. However, if you are short on time and are not able to do a complete manicure with softening, polish and topcoat, then you can make your own easy one-minute manicure. You can achieve the polished look in no time when you are on the go. With the right materials, you will have the solution on hand for any number of upcoming special occasions.

Things You'll Need

• Ice cubes
• Water
• Bowl
• Exfoliating facial scrub
• Moisturizer
• Nail polish
• Top coat
• Basket or makeup bag

Instructions

1. Fill a bottle with water. Then add four of five ice cubes so that the water turns ice cold. A cereal-sized bowl or soup bowl will do. Set the bowl aside while you prepare the rest of your manicure.

2. Wet your hands in the sink, and use an exfoliating facial scrub to massage cleanser all over the hands. Pay special attention to the cuticles. Since you may not have time to push back your cuticles, exfoliating them will leave them softer and smoother. Use the exfoliating scrub to buff your hands and the tips of your fingers.

3. Rinse the exfoliating scrub off your hands, and then pat your hands dry with a towel. Squeeze a dime-sized amount of moisturizer into your palm, and smooth the moisturizer over the hands and nails. Exfoliating and moisturizing should only take around 30 seconds.

4. Use a fast-drying nail polish such as Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish. Choose a light color like pink or gold so that mistakes do not show as easily as dark colors. Brush a single coat on each nail. The polish may not appear thick on your nails. Yet it will still give your nails a nice sheen.

5. Submerge your painted nails into the bowl of ice water and hold for 10 seconds. This will harden the nail polish quickly so you do not have to wait the 60 seconds for it to dry.

6. Brush a top coat onto your nails if you have the time. However, your nails should be with only one coat of nail polish. Thin nail polish often sticks better than a thick coating. Submerge your hands in the ice water once more after the top coat, and your one-minute manicure is finished.

7. Gather together all materials, including the exfoliating scrub, moisturizer, light-colored nail polish and top coat, and place in a kit for the next time you are strapped for time. A small basket or makeup bag is a good storage solution.

References

• The one-minute manicure