It can be difficult to get into your favorite nail salon due to their limited hours and availability. Not to worry – there are many types of manicures that you can do from the comfort of your own home. Become a pro in no time as you master the art of doing salon-quality nails from home.
You may wonder what type of manicure is best for you. There’s gel-based polish, dipping powders, or artificial nails to choose from. How can you figure out what stellar manicure to give yourself when there are so many fabulous choices?
If you need a nail refresh, don’t worry about the hassle and cost of going to a salon. We’ll go over how to do a manicure at home, all the supplies you need, and the most popular manicure styles for 2021.
Manicure Supply Checklist
Before you get started, there are a few things you’ll need in your manicure toolbox. Having the proper tools will ensure your manicure looks professional and replicates the salon experience at home.
Here are some of the basic tools you’ll need:
- Nail polish remover
- Plastic bowl or foot tub
- Cuticle pusher
- Nail file
- Hand cream or oil
- Buffer
- Cuticle trimmer
- Nail brush
- Nail clippers
Whatever type of manicure you decide to give yourself, these tools will help you lay a good foundation.
Best Type of Manicure
The type of manicure you decide to go with depends on your personal preference. Some of the manicure types require a little skill. Even if you’re a novice, you can have killer nails in no time.
Classic Manicure
A classic manicure is a staple of many at-home nail enthusiasts. It doesn’t take a lot of time to freshen up your look with a new coat of nail polish. All you’ll need for this type of manicure is a base coat, nail polish in your color of choice, and a topcoat.
One way to get creative with a classic manicure is with your nail shape. This can also be applied to other styles of manicure as well. Some of the shapes you can choose are:
- Oval
- Square
- Rounded Square
Trim your nails to your desired shape. Use your nail file to smooth the edges and perfect the look.
Dipping Powder
If you haven’t heard of dipping powder, you’re missing out on one of the best manicure types out there. Dipping powder gives your nails the durability of acrylics and is as easy to remove as gel polish.
A dip manicure starts with a base coat made of resin-like material. The nails are then dipped into the powder, with the base coat acting as glue. An activator is then applied to harden the powder.
The nails can be shaped with a buffer once the powder is dry. A gel topcoat is the final step, which gives your nails a hard, acrylic-like shell.
One of the top brands of dipping powder is SNS. There are a lot of reasons to choose SNS dipping powder.
SNS dipping powder doesn’t have a strong chemical smell, which is perfect for an at-home manicure. The last thing you want to do is stink up your house with an unpleasant odor. A dip manicure also doesn’t need UV exposure, so don’t worry about any bad effects on your body.
Gel Manicure
A gel manicure lasts way longer than a classic one, with your polish lasting up to three weeks. The process requires a UV light to cure the polish, so you’ll need some extra tools if you want to try this at home, primarily a UV lamp and gel polish.
After you apply your base coat, you’ll need to hold your nails under the UV light for around 30 seconds. Apply your color coat, curing your nails under the lamp each time you put on another coat. Once you are satisfied with the color, apply your top coat and apply one last time.
How to Remove Gel and Dip Manicures
One of the things to keep in mind about both dip and gel manicures is that you can’t peel off the polish. It can cause serious damage to your nails. Most salons recommend coming back in to remove the polish, but if you’re doing this at home, that’s not entirely feasible.
To safely remove those types of manicures, you’ll need a few things:
- Cotton balls
- Nail polish remover
- Cuticle oil
- Nail file
- Foil
Before you get started, make sure you’re in a well-ventilated space. Acetone contains harsh chemicals and you don’t want to breathe too much of it in.
Grab your nail file and begin filing down the top coat of your nail polish. This helps to rough up the top coat, so don’t file too much.
After that, rub cuticle oil on your fingertips and nails. You want to protect your skin and nails from the harsh chemicals of acetone.
Fill a small bowl with some acetone and add a few drops of cuticle oil. You can either soak your nails in this bowl or soak some cotton balls in the solution. Cotton balls work the best as they hold the acetone directly on your nails, effectively removing the product.
Make sure the cotton balls are fully saturated with acetone. Get 10 small squares of foil to secure the cotton ball in place on your nails. Begin this process with your non-dominant hand to make your job easier.
Leave the cotton balls on for at least 15 minutes and check your progress. The polish should come off with very little pressure. If it requires hard scrubbing, leave the cotton balls on for longer.
After the polish or dip powder has been removed, apply a generous amount of moisturizer to your hands. You want to rehydrate and rejuvenate them after soaking them in acetone for so long.
Figure Out Your Ideal At-Home Manicure
Whatever type of manicure you decide to go with, there is a style and technique that works for everyone. If you want to quickly freshen up your nails, go with a classic manicure. If you’d like a long-lasting manicure, choose a dip or gel manicure.
For more beauty tips, check out one of our other articles.
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