How To: At Home Manicure

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today I will walk you through an at home manicure! In this blog I will be preferring to the products that are a part of our ‘At Home Manicure Kit’, but you are welcome to replicate this using the products that you already have at home. So, lets jump right in, shall we?

Step One -

First things first, just take a deep breath and relax. A manicure, whether it is a service being provided or you’re doing it yourself, is self-care. Make sure you take the time to enjoy what you’re doing, and use this time to zen for a second. So, go ahead and light a candle, grab a glass of wine, or go dig into the secret stash of chocolate you hid. (Hey, we’ve all been there and chocolate = destress. We won’t tell anyone, promise.)

Step Two-

Unbox your manicure kit! Next, lay down a towel on your working space, and make sure you’ve given yourself plenty of room for all your supplies. You can lay out all of the products in the order that you’ll be using them. This makes it a little easier to know what you’ll be doing next, and you won’t have to go searching for something mid mani. You can line up your products beside your towel in the following order : cup of hand soak, nail file and buffer, cuticle softener, hand scrub, hand lotion, nail polish and cuticle oil. (The cups are also numbered so there's no confusion.) Other than these supplies you’ll just need a small bowl to mix your hand soak, nail polish remover if you need to remove old polish and a towel to dry your hands after washing them. The rest is in your kit!

Step Three-

If you currently have any polish on your nails, you can remove it now. Then mix your hand soak with warm water in your bowl, and soak your hands for 5-10 minutes each. If your cuticles need a little extra TLC, go ahead and apply the cuticle softener now. Take this time to sit back and catch up on your favorite show, podcast, or just enjoy some peace and quiet.

Step Four-

Once you’ve soaked your hands for 5-10 minutes, dry them off and move the bowl out of the way. We’ll be moving onto trimming and shaping your nail plate. When filing your own nails, I find it is easiest to have your nails facing you and kind’ve anchor your finger by placing one finger over the nail you're filing. (I’ll attach a photo so this makes sense.)

Pro Tip: When moving onto your non-dominant hand it normally gets a little tricky. My advice to not move the nail file, but rather your hand against the file for more control.

Hey, we’ve almost made it through our manicure! Have you made it to your zen stage yet?

Step Five-

Go ahead and apply your cuticle softer now, even if you applied it during the soaking stage. You can apply this with a q-tip for more control. Let this sit for 5-10 minutes. And remember, take your time and enjoy this moment of self-care!

Step Six-

Using a wooden orange stick, q-tip or cuticle pusher (whichever is your preference), start to push back your cuticles. Make sure to not be too abrasive. Remember, the cuticle is the body's first line of defense from the outside world. The cuticle is meant to be like a barrier for your nails, so don’t trim any more cuticle than necessary. Most of the time, just a good pushing back of the cuticle is all our hands need!

Hello baby-smooth hands, where have you been?

Step Seven-

Next, we will be exfoliating your hands. Massage the sugar scrub into your hands, take extra time to work it into the cuticle area or any particular dry spots. When desired, rinse the scrub off and dry hands thoroughly.

Step Eight-

We’ll be moving on to the massage and lotion portion of the manicure. Take your time to work in the lotion, or better yet, convince someone else to give you a hand massage!

And hey, a little bribery never hurt anyone. So, maybe this is the time for a ‘remember when you didn’t do the dishes…’

Step Nine-

Wipe off any excess oils from your nail plate so the polish adheres better. You can use rubbing alcohol if you have this handy. Once you’ve done this, you can lightly buff the top of your nail plate and free edge so you have a smooth surface to work with. Again, don’t be too abrasive! We only want the natural shine of the nail to be gone. Now, go ahead and polish

Pro- Tip: Go to the bathroom before polishing! And remember to not glob on the polish. Even though this may be tempting with lighter colors, it’s better to build the color with thin layers than have your nails be drying for five hours!

Step Ten-

Relax while letting your polish dry! Like we talked about earlier, take this time to zen and take a few deep breaths. Life can get crazy, but if there is anything that will make you stop for a minute, it is most definitely waiting for your nails to dry so you don’t mess up all your hard work! Once your polish is dry, gently apply our homemade cuticle oil to nourish your nails and add some extra shine!

Pro Tip: Sometimes darker polishes can take longer to dry, so allow a little extra time for them to fully dry. Keep in mind that it may be a longer drying time depending on how many coats you applied as well.

All finished…

Well ladies and gentlemen, we hope you enjoyed your at home manicure! It’s always important to remember to take time for yourself, and sometimes you need something that will make you take that time. Don’t neglect your own self, and take joy in the little things we can do. Thanks again for supporting us during the crazy time, and we hope you come see us again soon.