When it comes to getting my nails done, I’d like to say that I’m my own manicurist. It’s not that I’m always able to make them look professionally painted, but somehow I resort to doing them myself because of the price of a manicure. An average manicure is about $15 – $30, which is not a whole lot, but considering they only last a week or so, the cost really adds up if you keep getting them redone. A good quality nail polish costs about $6 – $9 and you can probably use it for more than ten times. Let’s say you also buy a base coat and a top coat, that will add to about $18 – $27; if you get a manicure done by a beautician ten times, that’s $150 – $300. That’s a huge price difference. I understand that you get the whole package at a salon, including filing, buffing, and cuticle treatment, but I guess nothing beats the comfort of my own home.
That being said, it does take some practice before you’re able to get your nails perfect on your own, but we do have some tips!
The Basics:
1. Start with a layer of base coat – this is to protect your nails from the colorful nail polish and prevent them from turning yellow
2. Paint two layers of your favorite nail color – it is necessary to do two layers to bring out the color and cover your natural nail color (if you’re using something opaque and not sheer)
3. Seal with a top coat – this gives your nails a glossy shine and helps them last longer
Tips:
1. Don’t worry too much about painting within the lines; you can always wipe the sides with a Q-tip soaked with nail varnish.
2. Do your nails the day before a big event, not the day of. Anything painted outside the lines tend to disappear within a day, so it looks as if you made no mistakes.
3. Use a glittery polish if you’re a beginner. Mess-ups are less obvious with glittery polish than with solid colored ones.
4. Always thin out your nail polish if it’s getting thick. It’s really hard to apply goopy nail polish. Here’s how to do it properly.
5. If you messed up a little, you can always conceal it with some nail art. You even get more compliments! But don’t forget to add another layer of top coat after applying your nail art.
How to apply nail art:
1. Some nail art comes with adhesives, so you can just put it on your nail directly. Though this is simpler, it does come off more easily.
2. If there are no adhesives, I recommend using tweezers. Get your top coat and apply it to the bottom of your nail art before placing it onto your nail.
3. I am personally incapable of doing anything with my left hand, so I use toothpicks for applying rhinestones. I dip the tip of the toothpick in my top coat so that it’s able to pick up the rhinestone and the rest of the process is the same (applying top coat to the bottom and then placing onto the nail).
4. When you’ve achieved your desired design, seal it with another layer of top coat and you’re done!
To purchase some nail art, you can visit The Nail Superstore or Gel Nails.
Here are more ideas and a few of our favorite nail art for this holiday and New Year’s:
