The Basic Manicure

I have always loved dress up my nails. There were times I used them long, others square and currently use them short and slightly rounded. Like all changing fashion trends, nails are no exception but what remains intact is the pleasure to have them always neat. To keep my nail polishes and tools in order I stock them in a plastic box with several divisions. I divided them by colors to visualize the tones. It let me keep in mind what color I still do not have when I slip in a shop for a new nail polish.

Even though getting a professional manicure is a great pleasure, long waitings in the beauty salon motivated me to learn these basic steps.

Tools: Cotton / Nail Polish remover / Hand cream / Manicure stick / Cuticule trimmer / Nail clipper / Nail file / Buffer / Nail polish (a top coat or an extra-strength nail hardening treatment)

1. Soak a cotton pad in polish remover and remove all old polish. Do not forget the sides and under the nails. Rinse hands.

2. Clip your nails and then file them ot the desired length.

3. Apply a hand cream to your cuticles and then gently push your cuticles back with a manicure stick.

4. Using your cuticle strimmer, clip the parts of your cuticles that are dry and ragged. This step can be omitted if you do not cut your cuticles.

5. Run the buffer back and forth over the surface of your nail to smooth out any lines (this creates an even surface so that the polish adheres better)

6. Apply a cuticle treatment. My favorite is Sally Hansen ‘Maximum Growth Cuticule Pen‘.

7. Apply one layer of the top coat or an extra-strength nail hardening treatment. Let it dry.

My homemade manicure finishes applying a colored nail polish. Recently, use colors in shades of pink, coral or red and if I want to give a special touch use a sparkly nail polish. At the end, I apply a top coat and, if necessary, a drying accelerator.

Favorite base: Loreal ‘Honeysuckle’ and Essie ‘Mademoiselle’ / Favorite nail polish: Essie ‘Camera’ / Favorite sparkly nail polish: Deborah Lippmann ‘Diamonds and Pearls / Favorite top coat: Rimmel ‘Ultra shine topcoat’ / Favorite drying accelerator: Loreal ‘Quick dry’

8. Apply two coats of the desired nail polish. One stoke down the middle and one on either side.

9. Apply a top coat. Let it dry.

The end result: a professional-quality manicure at home.

I apply the same steps when I do my pedicure at home. I usually try to coordinate the nail polish of my fingers and toes but sometimes I tend to use complementary colors. Here are my favorite combinations:

• Black and pink
• Red and white
• Dark red and nude
• Pink and glitter
• Dark blue and grey
• Coral and tangerine
• Pastel violet and light blue