The perfect Mani!

Ok...so I'm sure we have all had that time where something exciting gets planned last minute, and it's essential  that you look glamorous and faultless, yet there isn't any spaces to fit you in at your local manicure shop! Dilemma! This may be the savour of you if it unfortunately happens very often in your life as i am going to tell you how you can get nail parlour worthy nails from the comfort of your own home!

You will need:
- nail varnish remover (or nail varnish pads)
- cotton wool
- orange nail stick
- cuticle cream
- a towel
- a bowl of hot water
- cuticle remover
- brush (optional)
- nail file
- cuticle knife (optional)
- base coat nail varnish
- coloured nail varnish
- top coat nail varnish
- nail art polish (optional)

1. Admit it. We all get a little lazy when it comes to repainting your nails after you find that half of your nail is painted in a vibrant, rich colour and the other half has chipped away...don't we all! Therefore, for step one, it is essential that you remove any trace of nail varnish completely before starting your manicure. To do this, I'm loving Quickies nail varnish remover pads as they each come the hydrating vitamin B5 to effectively remove all nail varnish with ease leaving them fresh and nourished.  Plus, because they come in their own little packet, you can remove your nail varnish on the go to save you precious time!

2. Next, you want to take an orange nail stick and dip it into a glass of water so that you can wrap a small amount of cotton wool onto the end of it. To ensure that the wool is secure, twist the stick whilst holding the cotton wool into place. If the end of the stick isn't wet then the cotton won't stay. Then you want to dip the cotton end of the stick into some nail varnish remover so that you can clean away any last traces of nail varnish around the edges of your nails. 

3. Once you have finished step 2, you want to take your cuticle cream just like Jergens Daily Moisture Daily Smoothing Hand & Cuticle Cream to softly rub the skin around your nails to hydrate your delicate skin. You then want to soak your nails in a bowl of hot water (not to hot otherwise you will burn yourself!) as it will make your nails and cuticles softer. Once you have soaked your nails for a couple of minutes, dry your hands with a towel by pushing the cuticle back towards your knuckles to remove the water and cream.

4. After this, you want to take your cuticle remover such as Boots Salon Nail Cuticle Remover and gently push it into your cuticles. If you are finding this hard, you may find it easier to dip a brush into the remover and do it this way. 

5. One of the most important things when it comes to a perfect manicure is the shape of your nail itself. Having chipped and unshaped nails is not a nice look so you need to make sure that you keep them trimmed with some nail clippers. The best shapes to go for are oval or slightly square as they can look attractive and contemporary. To achieve this perfect shape, you need to take your nail file and start from the outside edge of the nail and move towards the centre. Make sure that you do not do the 'seesaw' motion, instead, opt for the back and forward movement as it encourages the layers of the nail to separate and increases the likely hood of creating a slick shape. If you are going for the oval shape, ensure that the highest point of the nail is in the centre of the tip of the finger. 

6. Again, you want to take your orange nail stick and repeat the the wrapping of the cotton wool around the tip step. This time, we are using it to remove the dead cuticle by using circular motions from the centre outwards. Make sure you don't press to hard otherwise you may break the skin completely underneath and cause it to bleed. You may find it helpful to use a cuticle knife to gently push back and lift the cuticle away from the nail surface. 

7. Next, you need to make sure that your nails are completely dry otherwise it may cause the polish to form bubbles and not create an even, slick layer of paint. Firstly, take a clear base coat and paint a thin layer across your clean nail as it will make sure that when you come to remove your coloured nail varnish, there is no stain left on your nail. Once your base coat is fully dry, you then want to get your chosen coloured varnish and paint a thin layer over the top of your nail. Repeat with a second coat if necessary once the first coat has dried. We all have the time where our hands are shaking and we don't get the result we are hoping for, but keep trying because practise makes perfect! If you accidentally get nail varnish on your skin surrounding the nail, take your orange nail stick with the cotton wool wrap round the top of it, dip it into nail varnish and wipe away. If you want to, this is the time to put some cute designs over the coloured polish. Finally once the polish is dry, take your top coat and paint on a thin layer to create a flawless and beautiful finish! 

So there you have it! Professional nails straight from home!