A Comprehensive Guide to Giving Yourself an At-Home Manicure
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Our audiences misses their stylists, derms, and manicurists as much as we do. Here, in our new series, we bring experts straight to the Allure reader’s home for lessons on handling at-home beauty like a pro. Welcome to House Calls.
Whether you need a few minutes of self-care (and who doesn't) or you simply don't want to spend the money to have your nails professionally done (and really, who does), mastering the at-home manicure is a skill that will serve you well.
Of course, just having the right tools and polishes on hand doesn't ensure a salon-quality manicure — anyone who's ever tried to paint their own nails knows that it's not half as easy as the pros make it look. But that doesn't mean you can't get the hang of it. Here, we're breaking down all of the expert-backed steps, tools, and tips required to give yourself the perfect at-home manicure.
What You'll Need
In order to properly pamper your nails, there are certain tools and items you'll want to have on hand. According to manicurists Lisa Logan and Betina Goldstein, these include a nail file (to shape the nails), a buffer (to smooth the nail bed), cuticle oil (to soften cuticles so you can push them back), plus a nail brush (to remove the oil before you paint), as well as your base coat, whatever polish color you've picked out, and a top coat.
And if you need to remove any old polish before getting started, Goldstein recommends using an oil-based polish remover — acetone is harsh and can cause nails to weaken — to keep nails and cuticles from drying out. Her favorite: Karma Naturals Nail Polish Remover With Rose Oil.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Now, here's what to do.
1. Shape
Trim your fingernails with nail clippers, unless you prefer to keep your length. "When cutting your nails, never start in the middle," says Goldstein. "Begin on the side and work your way across so you don't split the nail," she adds.
If you have long nails, it's especially important to start your at-home mani with a pair of nail clippers, rather than try to file down an excessive amount of growth. Sarah Gibson Tuttle, the founder of Olive & June, which recently launched a handy at-home manicure kit (we'll get to that), abides by the following: "It's all about the 90/10 rule — 90 percent of your shape comes from your nail clipper, [and] 10 percent from filing."
When it comes to filing, you'll want to start off using your file to whittle your nails into your desired shape: oval, square, rounded square, or whatever shape you choose. Not sure? Choosing your nail shape is a matter of personal preference, but professionals use the following technique.
"I let my clients decide on the shape. But when asked for my recommendation, I choose based on the shape of their natural nail edge [or tip]," Logan says. "If the nail edge is smile-shaped, I recommend a round-shaped nail. If line-shaped, a square shape is recommended."
When it comes to the actual filing, you'll want to file "from the sidewall to the center on either nail," Logan recommends, as "seesaw filing can cause hangnails." "Seesaw filing is when you move the nail file in a back-and-forth motion across the tip of the nail. Swiping it in one direction on either side of the center will ensure a smoother finish (sans hangnails)."
2. Buff
After you've filed, it's time to buff the nails in order to "create a smooth surface" on which you'll be painting, according to Logan. To buff your nails, you'll need to glide a nail buffer across each nail for a few seconds, moving back and forth until you can feel (and see) that the nail is smooth.
You might wonder if this step is truly necessary or if you can skip it when you're in a pinch. But going straight into painting your nails sans buffing will have a noticeable effect on the way your polish turns out. "If you don't start with smooth nails before polishing, it will be reflected on the painted surface," Logan says.
For allover smoothness, "exfoliate your hands at least once a week," says Goldstein. Her method: Massage a scrub, such as Herbivore Coco Rose Body Polish, over hands and nails in circular motions, paying extra attention to your cuticles and knuckles. Rinse and dry.
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