Start by clipping your nails. After washing and drying your hands, cut and file your nails in one direction only for the shape and length you want.
Short and square or long and tapered? To find out which style suits you best, just look at the shape of your cuticles. If they’re square, choose a rectangular or “squoval” shape (straight tips and rounded sides) for your nails. If your cuticles are rounded, choose longer and oval or almond-shaped nails to create the illusion of slender fingers
Care for your cuticles. Soak your nails in lukewarm water to soften them, then push back your cuticles using a cuticle pusher to expose as much of the nail as possible. Careful! The cuticles form a barrier against germs, so you don't want to damage them or push them too far back.
Do your cuticles tend to crack and/or bleed? They probably need a moisturizing treatment. To restore their suppleness and strength, make sure you coat them with a nourishing oil daily. In addition to protecting them, it will help prevent the appearance of streaks on the surface of your nails.
Prepare your work area. Using back-and-forth movements, buff your nails with a fine file, working your way from the sides towards the centre. Then clean them with a cotton ball soaked in acetone-free nail polish remover. They’ll be smooth, clean and ready for polish.
Apply a protective base coat that will strengthen your nails and protect them from harm by reducing porosity. It will also help prolong the life of your polish.
Dry the base coat by holding your nails under an LED or UV lamp for anywhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes.
Repeat these steps with the polish and the topcoat, which is essential for resistant, long-lasting nail polish. Apply one or two thin coats of each product and hold your nails under the lamp for at least 30 seconds after each application.
For a more uniform finish, remove any excess polish before application by stroking the end of your brush against the mouth of the bottle, then apply the polish to the centre of the nail first, moving outwards.
Does your polish tend to run? Leave a clear border of a millimetre or so around the sides and cuticles. If the polish starts to run, you can always use a corrective pencil soaked in dissolver to clean the streaks.
Don’t have a lamp? Choose a gel-finish varnish that doesn’t need "baking" and allow it to air-dry properly between coats. The key word here is patience! If you don't wait until your varnish is completely dry before applying the next coat, you risk getting an irregular finish, which will likely rub or flake off in no time.
Easy 2 step gel manicure in a strip with no dry time that removes easily with acetone polish remover.
Safe, easy to use gel manicure at home. Up to 2 week wear. No chips. No dry time. Flawless mirror shine.
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