How to DIY a manicure

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Sometimes you can’t make it into the salon. So, between your hair and manicure appointments, DIYing is the next best thing! Here are the 10 steps you need to take to DIY an at-home manicure.

Gather your supplies. Cuticle remover cream. Hand lotion. Nail polish. Fingernail clippers. Nail file. Nail polish remover. Hand exfoliator. Towels. Bucket of water.
Start by removing any nail polish you currently have on your nails with your nail polish remover. To do so, take a cotton ball or toilet paper and dip it into the fingernail polish remover. Then in a wiping motion, remove the polish.
After you have a clean nail bed, it’s time to clip your fingernails. If you prefer not to use clippers, use a nail file. Make sure your nails are smooth so you don’t scratch yourself or those you may touch.
Grab your bucket of water and soak your nails and hands. This will soften your skin so you can exfoliate and trim your cuticles. To have this experience be the most efficient and effective, use warm water and soak your hands for at least 5 minutes, more if possible.
After your hands are soft and you’ve soaked them for a minimum of 5 minutes, it’s time to take care of your cuticles. Using the cuticle cream, place a small amount onto your cuticles and rub them into each one. Then push your cuticles back, so they are no longer covering your nail bed. If you know how to trim them and feel comfortable doing so, this is when this optional step would be best performed.
Our favorite part comes next which is to exfoliate your hands. Using your hand exfoliator, rub the exfoliator between both your hands. Make sure you get the top and bottom of your hands as well as in between your fingers. Exfoliating the dead skin will help rejuvenate your hands’ smoothness and promote new skin growth. Rinse this off using your warm water and get ready for the next step.
After you’ve exfoliated the dead skin from your hands, it’s time to use your hand lotion. Place a small amount of lotion on to your hands and rub it in. Using a hand towel, remove any lotion from your nails.
Choose which nail polish color you want to use and be sure you have a top and base coat. Put one layer of base coat on your nails.
Apply two layers of nail polish to your nails.
Apply a top layer of topcoat and allow your nails to dry for at least 10 minutes before you do any activity that involves your hands.