If you are a woman who values their money and time, the DIY approach to nail polish is the only way to go. Not only will you be safer, but it is ultimately cheaper and convenient. Let us face it, a trip to the salon during your weekend is not a pretty prospect, especially on weekend traffic. fortunately, there are proven and handy tips that you can utilize to ensure that you have nails like it is fresh from the salon every time. Take a closer look at them below.
Get Yourself A Manicure Kit
There are new kinds of nail polish products out there, and one of the best ones are the semi-permanent enamels. Sure you can DIY these but they need an extra step and extra equipment, such as a LED lamp or a UV lamp. Besides, the only real advantage is that they last longer, and that can also be achieved with your regular nail polish. Source your items and manicure kit from a reputable store like Geles constructores, as they are among the best when it comes to sourcing your manicure and pedicure supplies. Make sure that you know what you are getting and familiarize yourself with the do’s and dont’s of DIY manicure.
The Prep Work
Soak your hand in warm water for a few minutes to loosen and soften up your cuticle to make it easier to push and mold into shape. Do not cut your cuticles because they are your fingernails defense against fungal infection and bacteria. Cutting them will only lead to faster regrowth and it could become very unsightly. Push them with the orange stick and clean off any excess old nail polish that is still on. Buff your nails lightly as this will cause the base coat to adhere more and be more durable. Apply a nail degreaser after this. It is also extremely important that you block out maybe a couple of hours or more for this activity, as it won’t do well for you to engage in housework while your nails are still in its drying stages correct?
The Application
Make sure that you use the so-called three-stripe rule among manicurists, where they dab a small amount of nail polish on top of the nail near the cuticle and slowly and carefully drag the brush to the top with the bristles splayed as far as they can. Then, dabbing the same droplet, make sure to drag the same while being guided by the curves of your nails on the left side. Repeat this process on the other side of your nail and do a second coating if necessary. Before the application of the actual color, make sure that you apply a base coat first, and make sure it is completely dry before putting paint on top of it. Not waiting for the paint to fully dry will just actually prolong the drying time, extending the time where your nails are most vulnerable to damage, during its drying and curing time.
Curing And Drying Time
For faster drying and curing time, you can actually dip your freshly painted nails in ice cold water for a few minutes. This allows the acrylic to cure faster and make the drying time faster. This is why it is important to block off a portion of your time for this activity, as it does take time. However, compared to going to an actual salon it is still considerably less time spent.
Prolonging Your Nail Polish
To make your newly done nails last even longer, carry a bottle of top coat with you at all times, yes, even at work. Retouch your top coat after a couple of days to get back that newly-done shine and gloss. This way you can almost make your nail polish last twice as long. When your nail grows, it would leave a whitish growth peeking out of the nail polish, trim this very carefully and top off once again with the handy top coat and your will end up with nails that look freshly done.
Care Of Your Kit
It is important to sanitize your tools after use, to prevent any bacteria, mold or fungi from growing on them. For used nail polish, keep them in a cold place, even inside the refrigerator to keep them from drying out. This way you can use your nail polish up to the last drop, saving even more money.
Final Words
This list is in no way complete. There are more ways to actually do this but just following the ones above will get you those nails that you want at a cheaper cost!