Spring is in the air and it’s the perfect time to give your nails a freshen up! One of my favourite ways to do this is taking the time to relax, stick on a Disney film or the latest Netflix series I’m bingeing and give myself a manicure.
I stopped having manicures done professionally a couple of years ago which has really made me focus on improving my nail painting skills and hopefully I can share some tips with you today. It’s important to remember that, as with most things, practice makes perfect! I was terrible at doing my nails for years and I would end up with more polish on my skin than the actual nail.
Preparation
One of the most irritating things about painting your nails is the smudging afterwards, if you get everything ready before hand you should be alright! Without sounding too much like your parents before you leave the house BUT make sure you’ve been to the toilet. Make sure you have any drinks or snacks opened nearby and keep some tissues close in case there are any spillages.
Also make sure you’ve already decided on your nail polish colour by this point and have your bottom and top coats with you too – I know it sounds basic, but we’ve all been there when you end up smudging your nails getting something that you could have got ready before you started!
When it comes to actually preparing the nail-bed, simply make sure have filed and cut the edges to the desired shape and make sure ALL the previous nail polish is gone. If you’re feeling really fancy then this is the perfect time to use a nail oil to give them some moisture, but if not then just wash your hands ready to begin painting.
The painting process
I like to start with a base coat, but it is not essential if you have prepared your nail-bed well enough. The ideal process is: base coat, two coats of colour and a top coat- so try and stick to this if you want a really long-lasting colour. Choosing the colour is obviously completely up to you, there are soooo many colours and textures to choose from now! My favourite go-to nail polish brand is Barry M’s Gelly nail polish which is super shiny, long-lasting and they are cruelty-free too.
Three stripe rule
One of the best tips that has helped me improve my nail painting is the ‘three stripe rule’, which basically means to always paint each nail with three stripes and no more. So doing one down the middle, then one either side and it will help you create an even distribution of nail polish. Another way to create a professional look is leave a very thin gap between the polish and the skin around your nail. This little break gives your nails a professional look and allows them to grow out the colour in a prettier way. It can be difficult to get this at first, but if you keep going with it then your hands will get steadier!
Top coat
The final step is a good top coat, to lock in that lovely colour and to make sure it lasts for as long as possible. I like to choose a top coat that is shiny or gel-like, but it’s completely up to your personal preference. A top coat is also a good way of smoothing over your colour if you’ve got any little bumps.
Once you’ve gone through all that you have the hard task of simply relaxing. Be very careful with your nails for at least 30 minutes and just try to relax, whilst not touching anything – even your phone! Then all that’s left to do is enjoy all your hard work as everyone compliments your perfect manicure.
