Today I will show you how to get a long lasting, salon quality, beautiful manicure! You can also do this on your toes, and on your friends. A lot of people ask me were I get my nails done, and I just tell them I do them myself! These steps are really easy to follow and can save time, and money. This manicure takes me about 15 minutes to do, and I enjoyed doing it myself.

Step 1: Wash Your Hands

Washing your hands is good because it gives you a clean surface to work with. It removes any dirt, or debris from your nail. While doing this make sure to scrub under, and on top of your nails.

Step 2: Remove Any Existing Nail Polish, or and Product From Your Nails.

This step is very important because if you put new polish over the old polish, the old polish can lift up and make the new nail polish lift. Make sure to use any nail polish remover of your choice, but be carfull with 100% acetone. It can really dry out your nail and make it very brittle. You can also use non-acetone, but most non-acetone removers can have a lot of oils, and oils make any product on your nail lift. I prefer regular, it gives the right amount of acetone, but doesn’t completely dry out your nails.

Step 3: Push Back Your Cuticles

Pushing back your cuticles helps so that you have a bigger workspace to polish with. It also helps by removing dead cuticle from your nail plate. Be very gentle when doing this. Remember, cuticle is dead skin. So if you are too rough you can hurt yourself. If you decide to cut your cuticles, make sure you have the proper tool, and don’t go too deep. If you go too deep it can break a “seal” and cause infection. If you want to learn more about how your cuticles work, type in “nail anatomy” into Google to explain more of what I’m talking about. So what I prefer is you take a wooden cuticle sick, or rubber, and gently push back your cuticles. If your cuticles are hard, or very dry, try soaking them in warm water. Don’t put any lotions or oils on them. You can’t do this because the oils is what can lift, or chip your nail polish.

Step 4: File Your Nails

The tip of your nail is also called the free edge. This will make sure so that you have even, neat nails. Take a 100 grit file, or 180. And gently file the free edge. The grit on the file depends on your nail. If your nails are weak, and brittle (like mine) I prefer a 100 grit. If your nails are thicker, and less breakable than I prefer a 180. But it’s on you. Filing your nails can also help by filing down any breaks, chips, or just by making it a cleaner line. I like shaping my nails round, or square. I’m doing them round. I just go around being very gentle and clean up the free edge.

Step 5: Gently Buff the Surface of Your Nail

Buffing your nails is good because it removes any uneven spots, gives you smooth application of your polish, and helps your nail polish stick better to your nail plate. But remember, do NOT file too far or you can make your nails weak, and thin. Use a soft buffer, I prefer a buffing block, and gently buff your nails. Make sure to get into the sides, and in all the corners. It’s important to use a soft file because it can make your nail plate too rough, and make your nail polish look bumpy. Buffing your nail once in a while will help keep your nail nice and smooth.

Step 6: Wipe Your Nails Down With Rubbing Alcohol

This is literally my secret weapon for a long lasting manicure. This will remove anything that can lift, or chip your polish, or any product that’s on your nails. It will remove dirt, debris, particles from filing, and especially all the oils on your nail plate. These are the reasons why your nail poilish lifts! Tod remove them for a long lasting manicure, just put a little bit of rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball, and rub your nails down with it. This is also what they do in some salons.

Step 7: Apply a Base Coat

A base coat is basically a starter for applying color. It helps prevent staining, fills in any ridges, and helps your nail polish last longer. I’m using China Glaze’s strong adhesion base coat. Unscrew the cap, and wipe of one side of the brush, then tap and excess nail polish off so that you have a nice bead of nail polish. Start in the middle of the nail, and gently work your way up not flooding the cuticle. Then stoke down, and go side to side for a good application. (Sorry the picures aren't that great)

Step 8: Time for Color!

Once that base coat has dried, you can choose any color of your choice and use the same technique as you applied the base coat. I love mixing and matching nail polish color to create fun looks. If you love doing something special to your nails, you can try some nail art. But I’ll just be doing polish today. Apply two coats if needed.

Step 9: Clean Up Any Excess Polish

Cleaning up any excess nail polish will make you maicure look like you just got it done from the solan. Take a square brush, or a q-tip dipped in nail polish remover and clean up any existing color from your skin. I don’t have to much to clean up, but I do have some polish on my skin on the thumb. (I know my thumb is ugly)

Step 10: Add a Taco (top Coat)

Adding a top coat, or so called “taco” for short. It help seal in all that polish and add great shine. You can also use a mate taco too. Use the same technique for polishing as used for color and base coat. Make sure to cap the free edge too by just running your brush at the tip of your nail. Capping the free edge helps to seel in your manicure, and make it last longer too! I’m using China Glazes fast forward taco. Make sure to clean up any taco on your skin too.