DOING YOUR NAILS AT HOME DURING QUARANTINE
I don’t outsource a lot of beauty procedures regularly, aside from getting a biweekly manicure and pedicure and oh how I miss those days when it was still safe to go place and see people! While it is expensive, I still love getting it done. I typically do an OPI dip powder on my nails and the matching regular polish on my toes. The color pictured above is OPI “Lisbon Wants Moor”. Now that I do my nails at home, I can’t do dip powder. So, I stick to regular polish in my favorite colors.
While I love getting my nails done with dip powder, I’m not skilled enough yet to do it on my own at home. Currently, I’m getting a lot of use out of my regular polish, which was otherwise neglected. It’s good because now I’m finally using them! *Looking on the bright side!*
Before we get start please be aware that some of the links below are affiliate links, which means, at no additional cost to you, I will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. Okay, on with the manicure!
DIP POWDER, GEL POLISH & REGULAR POLISH REMOVAL
Start by soaking off any polish you already have on your nails, whether its gel, dip powder, or regular polish. If you have on dip powder or gel, use 100% pure acetone and wrap you fingers in foil with a acetone-soaked cotton ball or cotton pad place on top of the nail. 1 hour works for me when soaking off dip powder, but it really depends on how thick the product was placed on your nail. Once ready, I remove the foil and use a polish peeler to remove any remaining or tough polish. If its really stubborn, I just put the foil back on with newly soaked cotton balls. It’s not worth ruining your nail. Be patient!
- Polish Peeler – I highly recommend using this tool after you’ve soaked your nails for the appropriate amount of time!
- 100% acetone – to remove dip powder and gel you need to have 100% acetone
- Cotton balls
- Aluminum foil – instead of purchasing the pre-cut aluminum foil, specifically made for removing gel polish, just use the roll you have in your kitchen. Rip or cut it yourself. It’s not that time consuming.
MANICURE TOOLS YOU'LL NEED
Start by soaking your nails in warm water, just like they do at the salon. Then, if you like to remove your cuticles, apply a cuticle remover and let that sit for a few seconds. After, use a cuticle pusher or remover to remove or push back the cuticle. The Sally Hanson one works very fast and its painless!
Next, I use the cuticle clippers to remove any left over cuticle or hang nails.
Lastly, I buff and file my nails into the desired shape. If the nails were really long to begin with, then clip them with nail clippers first.
Note: Always sanitize all tools after you use them to prevent infection or contamination. Never let someone else borrow your manicure tools. PERIOD. Nail fungus is extremely difficult to get rid of. Trust me, you don’t want it. You only need the cuticle products if you like to cut your own cuticles. Some people don’t like to do this and that’s fine, just skip that step.
- Zoya Remove Plus 3 in 1 Formula – this is the best nail polish remover, in my opinion, because it doesn’t smell.
- Sally Hanson Instant Cuticle Remover
- Nail Clippers – make sure you are using clippers that are made for your hands and not for your feet. Never use toenail clippers for you hands. Never use finger nail clippers for your feet. Avoid cross contamination.
- Nail File – while some are a bit more flimsy than others, most of them are all very similar. Go with what you have or what’s in your preferred price range.
- Buffer Block
- Cuticle Cutter
- Cuticle Pusher
GET A GOOD BASE & TOP COAT
I’m using Chanel “Le Top Coat” and “La Base”. I received all my Chanel nail care for free from a charity event I attended that was sponsored by Chanel. I’m glad I did because I never would have purchased these for myself or known how much I liked them if I hadn’t received them in the event’s gift bag. I recommend them both, but you don’t need Chanel to get a good top and base. I’ve used top and base coats from OPI, ESSIE, and Ella + Mile that I liked as well, Essie is my go to drugstore brand for nail care.
PICK YOUR COLOR
Possibilities are endless and since its summer, but I usually go with a muted, light, or natural tone. Yes, I’m aware that these are all similar colors — muted light and pale pinks LOL. I like them best because I don’t want it to be obvious once my manicure starts chipping. Now that I’m doing my nails at home, I appreciate these colors even more because I’m not doing touch ups as often.
FINAL TOUCHES
Usually, after I finish my nails my hands look and feel very dry. I like using a cuticle oil and a hand cream after the nails have already dried.
That’s it! It’s a lot of work, but it’s great to save the money! Do you have any great manicure tools or techniques? Drop a comment with your recommendations below!
xo,
City & Chic
Head to my Amazon page if you’d like some more color recommendations!
