Having well-manicured nails is something that makes me feel a little more polished (no pun intended) and like I have my life together. But since I can’t make it to the salon on a weekly basis, I do a DIY manicure at home that has some real good staying power. One of the most annoying things about manicures (especially if you pay for them) is how quickly they become disheveled and gross looking. So, it’s important to me to have a manicure that’s going to last for more than two days of laundry, dishes, and other things that are too boring to blog about. You know what I mean?
So with that said, if you don’t know how to do a mani, no worries, I have you covered. Just follow along with these 6 DIY manicure steps and tips for longer lasting polished nails.
1) File nails: First you want to file your nails going in one direction. Do not go back and forth, this can cause your nails to break, and you may not get the shape you intended to have.
2) Soak + Push Back Cuticles: With warm water, soak your nails for about 2 minutes, and then gently push your cuticles back.
3) De-Grease: Use some nail polish remover to get any extra oil off of your nail bed. Doing this will help your polish adhere better to your nails.
4) Apply Base Coat: Apply one layer of base coat. I used the Sally Hansen Double Duty Base & Top Coat.
5) Nail Polish: Next, apply two coats of any nail polish you want and let it dry for a few minutes. I used the color Incognito by Dior. If you get some on your skin, just use a q-tips with polish remover on it and sweep around the edges.
6) Gel Top Coat: To make your nail polish last, apply a gel top coat like the Red Carpet Brilliance Seal and Shine. You will have to use a blue curing light to make this step work. After you have cured the gel layer, just use Alcohol and cotton pad to remove the tacky layer.
Now you have a pretty DIY Manicure that’s easy to do and will last for longer than just a few days. What home manicure tips and tricks do you have? Leave them in the comments below!
Xo,
Kendra
Note* I purchased these products. There are affiliate links within this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own. See disclosure page for details.
I’ve never used gel top coat to make my manis last longer. Thanks for the simple tutorial!
I love the idea of using a gel top coat to seal it all in.
I’ve never thought of using a gel coat on top–excellent idea!
I’m a total klutz applying the color. I can do everything else but I look like a child did my nails when I try myself.
Wonderful tips!
I use my Sally Hansen gel coat for all my polishes I love the look and finish it gives but it also helps them last longer!
I’ll try using gel top coat, this could be my polish saver!
That’s a beautiful shade. I am in love with gel polish right now.
A gel top coat can really make a mani last! Using a light color like the one you chose also helps chips look less noticeable, too.
I’ve used the gel as a top coat before. I prefer it over all gel because it is still easy to remove. I hate how hard it is to get a full gel manicure off.
That’s a pretty polish colour.
Love it when my nail polish lasts a long time – it’s always so pretty when freshly applied.