Hello!
As promised in my
basic manicure post, here are some of my mani/pedi tips! Read on below for more.
Why wash hands first? This removes any dirt and grime from your nails, as well as softens them slightly (for softer nails, try dipping them in rose water). Don't forget to follow with polish remover!
Why clip before polishing? I thought this one was kind of obvious: so you can see where you're clipping! Also, this way your nails won't break underneath your polish.
Use remover to thin out chunky nail polish? What? Yep, pouring a tiny bit of nail polish remover into a bottle of old/thick/chunky polish will thin it out and get it back to normal! Credit to my mom for her worldy wisdom.
Why do I need a high-quality top coat? I used to have a low-quality, Dollar General brand of clear polish as my top coat, and it was crazy chunky and sticky! After two or three uses, it barely applied at all. Oh, and I'm pretty much super positive the fumes got me sick. Well, maybe not. But probably.
Why should I apply a top coat throughout the week? I want to say to do it every other day, because that will ensure your manicure lasts at least all week, but I never have time to do that myself. Try top-coating mid-week, at least, to avoid chipping (or more chipping) and anything else that could compromise your hardwork.
Why can't I file back and forth? This is important: Filing back-and-forth actually weakens nail fibers and cuticles! I know, mind-blowing. Try filing all one way.
Why can't I apply my next coat when my base coat is still wet? Oh, come on. :)
What do you mean, 'leave your bottle open'? I mean, when you're applying, say, your top coat, leave the original polish bottle open, in case it's actually still wet. That way, if you've gotta redo your entire nail for some reason, you won't ruin the rest of your polish in the act of opening the top coat bottle.
Not on the list...
For shatter coats, I've found less is more. Don't glop the shatter polish, use only a light coat for the full effect.
To make sure your nails are dry, tap two together. If there's any resistance, then they're not fully dry. If they don't stick at all, you're ready to roll.
Do you have any nail tips and tricks of your own?
xoxo,
Zoe
