How to Give Yourself a Manicure or Pedicure at Home
Looking for a quick pick-me-up? If that dress won't zip or a pimple's got you down, grab a nail file and some nail polish, and you'll be feeling beautiful in nothing flat. Doing manicures and pedicures yourself is easy if you've got the right tools and you give yourself enough time. Knowing how to give yourself a manicure at home will save you a lot of time and money at the salon.
At-home manicures and pedicures will also keep your nails healthy and beautiful. Regular nail care will smooth nails and remove any imperfections. This will help keep nails from splitting and breaking, which is important even if you're not the girly-girl nail polish type.
What You'll Need For Your At-Home Mani-Pedi
- Bowl of warm water
- Cuticle oil or cuticle cream
- Cuticle Stick
- Towel
- Nail Clippers
- Nail File
- Buffing Block
Optional:
- Base Coat
- Nail Polish
- Top Coat
- Nail Polish Remover
- Cotton Pads
10 Steps to a Perfect At-Home Manicure and Pedicure
- If you're wearing nail polish, remove it with a cotton pad and nail polish remover.
- Trim your nails with nail clippers if they've gotten too long. You'll get the perfect shape later, so don't worry about it now.
- Shape your nails with a nail file. File your nails in one direction. Start at the edge and file towards the center. Filing back and forth will damage you nails. Short nails with rounded edges will give you a modern look.
- Soak your hands in warm water for a few minutes to soften your cuticles. Now is the time to exfoliate if you'd like to. If you're doing a pedicure remove calluses with a pumice stone.
- Put cuticle cream or oil at the base of your nails. Let it soak in for a few minutes, then take a cuticle stick and gently push them back. Don't cut your cuticles. This puts you at risk of infection. Wipe your nails clean before you continue.
- With the coarsest side of your buffer, buff each nail in a circular motion. This will smooth out imperfections in your nails. Next, move to the next finer side to smooth the nail. Repeat with each side of the buffer. You'll end up with shiny, beautiful nails. You can stop here or you can continue on to polish.
- Apply clear base coat onto each nail and allow to dry. Don't skip this step. Base coat hydrates your nails and prevents splitting. It also protects your nails against discoloration from the polish.
- Apply two thin coats of your favorite nail polish. Let your nails dry a few minutes between layers. Be careful not to apply it too thickly. Thick polish is more likely to chip, and it can look uneven.
- Apply a thin top coat. This will protect your polish.
- Reapply top coat every other day or so to make your manicure last even longer.
Giving yourself manicures and pedicures will get faster and easier with a little practice. Care for your nails about once a week. You'll notice them getting stronger and healthier, which will allow you to go longer between mani-pedis.
Congratulations! You now have a beautiful manicure and pedicure that you did yourself at home! You can change your nail polish as often as you like without breaking the bank at the salon. Not to mention your nails will be beautiful and healthy.
