So... for many years I've been overly obsessed with always having my nails (and hands) all dolled up! Well, I think I've finally done it enough where I can make a how-to guide for anybody else who would like some pointers! Warning, I am NOT an expert, but have plenty of experience doing my own nails and others!
I'll also be experiencing with something new in this blog post... PICTURES! Lots of pictures. If you're like me a picture says it all. After all, they do say a picture is worth a thousand words!
So without further ado, let's begin with step 1!
Step 1:
Remove all of you old, icky nail polish with a nail polish remover!
I've used many different brands and they all seem to work the same. Don't feel that you have to pay extra to get 'the good stuff'!
Step 2:
Push back your cuticles (with a cuticle stick...or your fingernail works too) and trim your nails!
It is very important to push your cuticles back! If you skip this step and end up polishing over your cuticles, you'll start to notice the polish peeling around the cuticle area!
Step 3:
File your nails down and to the shape that you want!
Even if you think they look fine, go over them very quickly to remove any rough edges. Without this step, you will have a higher risk of your nails chipping.
Step 4:
CLEAN YOUR NAILS WITH RUBBING ALCOHOL OR NAIL POLISH REMOVER!
Sorry for screaming at you, but this step is so important and often over-looked! Sure your nails look all clean and shiny but *knock knock* they aren't! Just rubbing over them with polish remover will get rid of all the residue and dust from clipping and filing your nails. The dust and residue that gets trapped under the polish keeps it from sticking to your nails like it should!
Step 5:
Apply a thin base coat.
My favorite is Orly Rubberized Base Coat. I like that it goes on clear and holds up well. After a couple minutes your base coat should be dry.
Step 6:
Apply a medium coat of your favorite brand and color!
I used 'Did Someone Say Party' by OPI! Try and apply the polish with as few swipes as possible. If you're unhappy with coverage apply another coat after a few minutes. Be sure to let your final color coat dry until it no longer feels tacky to a soft touch. I would highly recommend OPI as I've used it for years and it works wonders!
Step 7:
Apply a medium layer of top coat.
I swear by OPI's RapiDry TopCoat! It does not actually dry instantly but when it does dry, it's almost as if I have a layer of glass over my nails! It's soooo shiny and almost 'glass' like that it's almost creepy! No more hair lines in your nails after you sleep on them (lol)! Let them dry good and hard before you put your hands in water or do anything 'rough'! It really varies by person, but I've found that it takes nearly two hours before my nails set completely.
Step 8:
Apply a good quality, moisturizing hand cream!
This is your secret weapon! Your hands and skin around your nails need some TLC too ya know! Be sure to use something that will help keep hands and cuticles healthy too! I've been using Norwegian Formula Hand Cream by Neutrogena and it works like a charm!
Additional tips:
Never shake nail polish bottles. They will get bubbles which transfer to your nails. Yuck!
If you get polish around your nails, dip a q-tip in nail polish remover to wipe clean. They also sell nail polish remover pens on ebay for cheap!
If you want your nails to dry quicker, try to spray them with Original Pam cooking spray and lightly wiping off after 30 seconds. You can also very gently wipe with olive oil. Another way to dry them is to hold your nails in ice water for as long as you're able. Make sure that before you do any of these that your nails have set for at least 1 minute so that the polish has a bit of time to adhere.
My oh my so many steps for such a simple project! This may look time consuming, but you practice once and it'll get to be habit while painting your nails!
I've also got a nail stamping kit that I'll maybe have to blog about in the future! We'll see what happens!
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Day 4 Update:
Several showers and sink fulls of dishes and still no chips!
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