10 Nail Care Tricks That Can Replace Going to a Beauty Salon

Smudged corners, dry cuticles, and chipped polish — this all can be long forgotten. Getting a manicure is a time-consuming and precise process that can sometimes go wrong if you try to do it yourself at home. Though, there are some special tricks and techniques that can make the whole process easier and more fun. And this will leave you with a precise and stylish manicure — all done at home.

Bright Side is always in search for new ways to make things easier. This time we are ready to deliver our list for simple, yet effective nail care tips, and we are sure they won’t leave any beauty lover indifferent! Also, in the bonus we included an awesome trick you can use to easily peel off your nail polish.

1. File your nails in one direction.

First things first — prepare your nails before applying a nail polish. A proper filing is the base procedure that will prevent your nails from breaking. The right way to do this is to start from the corner to the center, slowly and gently and in one direction. This way you won’t harm nails beds and will get accurate results.

2. Apply 2 base coats.

Nothing is worse on a manicure than painted nails that chip quickly. Here’s a way to prevent it: you need to apply 2 base coat layers. You should cover just the bottom half of your nail with the clear polish for the first coat and the second coat should be applied over the whole nail. This will help a nail polish to stay on the nails longer.

3. Use Vaseline to avoid smudging the corners of the nail.

Painting nails yourself means there is always a risk you will smudge the corners and need to repaint them all over again. Well, here is a trick — petroleum jelly. With a cotton swab, apply a small amount of the product onto your skin around the nail. This will help to create a barrier and, if you make any mistakes, you can easily wipe it off.

4. Roll the polish, instead of shaking it.

If your favorite nail polish has gotten a little bit too old, then you might need to mix it a bit. But in this case, it’s better to not shake the bottle. Otherwise you can create little bubbles of air inside that will transfer to your nails later on and spoil your manicure. Instead, try gently rolling the bottle between your hands.

5. Start painting with the brush in the middle of the nail.

It’s better to not to cover your nail with polish all at once. Otherwise, there is a chance that the nail polish will spread and leave uneven edges. To make sure it’s all neat and chic, you can start from the middle of your nail and slowly move the brush around the side. When you finish painting the sides, finish in the middle.

6. Apply a top coat.

Finally, it’s time for the top coat. You can skip this step if you want, but without it, your manicure won’t last as long. Basically — a top coat is used to protect the polish below it and gives your nails a shiny finish.

7. “Dry” your wet nails in cold water.

Waiting for a fresh manicure to dry can take quite some time. But, you can use a little trick that will quicken the process. Fill a bowl with very cold water and put the tips of your fingers in there. Hold them there for a couple of minutes. The cold water will set the nail polish and make it “dry” faster.

8. Fix smudged corners with warm water.

If it happens that you have some smudged corners after your manicure session, there is still a way to fix them. After your nails dry completely, all you need to do is to simply wash your hands with warm water and scrub off the corners. They will come off easily!

9. Use foil to remove stubborn polish.

After you get tired of your manicure, it’s time to remove the nail polish. In some cases, nail polish can be a really stubborn substance to remove. Instead of just trying to rub it off with acetone, you can try a foil wrap. Soak a half of a cotton pad in nail polish remover, put it on a small piece of foil, and wrap it around your finger. Let it sit for 5 minutes and remove it to see how easily the nail polish comes off.

10. Use toothpaste to get rid of stains.

If you have a stubborn stains that don’t come off after your manicure, you can try scrubbing your nails with toothpaste. You can use this trick to fix smudged corners after you paint your nails and let them dry. Or after you’ve removed your nail polish and noticed some stubborn stains that didn’t get removed very easily.

Bonus: Create a peel-off base to remove polish easily!

Some types of nail polish, like glitter, can be pretty annoying to remove. This easy-to-make, peel-off base will quicken this process and prevent a mess. Simply pour some PVA glue into an empty nail polish bottle. With a brush, apply a thin coat of this glue and let it dry. Now you can apply any nail polish of your choice on top. When you get tired of it, you can scrape it off with a wooden nail stick.

Do you prefer doing your nails at home or getting your nails done at a beauty salon? What is your personal nail care routine? Let’s share in the comment section!