How To Manicure Nails

Learning how to manicure nails at home gives you the amenities of the spa treatment without the high prices. Similarly, a manicure at home can be done any time it's convenient, without the need for an appointment. Manicuring nails takes about an hour of your time and a bit of patience to perfect.  

To manicure nails, you will need:

• Nail polish remover
• Cotton circles
• Cotton swabs
• Emery boards
• Cuticle softener
• Dish of soapy warm water
• Scented oil (optional)
• Nail brush
• Pumice stone
• Orange stick or cuticle pusher
• Nail buffer
• Base-coat polish
• Nail polish
• Top-coat polish

Process to manicure nails:

1. Remove any existing nail polish. Wet the cotton circle with the nail polish remover and swab over the existing polish on the nails, working from the cuticle towards the tip of each nail. Use a cotton swab moistened with nail polish remover to remove any polish in cracks or crevices.
2. File the nails. Use the emery boards to shape the nails evenly, working in one direction rather than sawing back and forth. A standard shape is an oval; however, semi-rounded or square designs are also popular. Check each nail for a proper shape by viewing from the front and back (palm side).
3. Apply cuticle softener. Using cuticle oil, serum or cream, rub the cuticles on each nail with the softener. Gently massage the softener in and allow the nails to sit for a few minutes.
4. Soak the nails. Using the dish of soapy water, add a few drops of scented oil if desired, then soak the nails for just a couple minutes. Soaking nails for too long can lead to cracking and peeling.
5. Clean the nails. Use the nail brush to scrub any dirt from the top of and under the nails. Clean any cracks or crevices using an orange stick or cotton swab. If any calluses are present on the fingers or hands, gently remove them using the pumice stone.
6. Push back the cuticles. Gently push back the cuticle on each nail using an orange stick. Be sure the cuticles are moist to prevent cracking and do not push back too far. This should not be a painful step.
7. Buff the nails. To provide a nice shine and good surface to add the polish, buff each nail evenly using the nail buffer or a very smooth emery board.
8. Apply the base coat. While many skip this step, adding a good base-coat polish to each nail will smooth any rough areas and provide a good surface for the nail polish to stick. Allow the base coat to dry.
9. Paint the nails. Using a nail polish of your choice, apply the nail polish to each nail. Start with one stroke in the center of each nail, then apply one stroke on each side of the nail, leaving an 1/8-inch free space near the cuticle. Allow the nail polish to dry and paint a second coat, if desired.
10. Apply the top-coat polish. To add shine and extend the life of your manicure, apply a clear top coat of polish over the dried colored nail polish on each nail. Allow the top coat to dry thoroughly before handling anything.