I'll try not to belabor things in today's post, as long time readers of my blog are well aquainted with the angst of this writer regarding her nails. Some expensive luxuries were very easy for me to give up, others not so much, and this is one of them. I love having my nails and feet pampered, it's truly one of life's finest pleasures. It's also pretty pricey, considering you need to have it done every other week.
And therein lies the rub: when you're counting every penny, you get an ulcer every time you break one of your professionally manicured nails. I see enough dollar signs going 'bye bye'......I don't need more!
So, what can you do? You like the look of well groomed nails? Well, do them yourself!
First of all, I can't stress enough how valuable YouTube tutorials are for any and all makeup and nailcare instruction. You can find step by step videos on how to give yourself a perfect manicure at home. Whereas we once had to swallow hard and buy those inocuous yellow and black 'For Dummies' books, now we can anonymously search for cuticle softening and removal in the privacy of our own, beauty challenged homes :P
Like long nails? Well, unless your nails are as thick as steel pipe, I'd go short. Keep them shaped and well groomed, and short nails go with everything. Get in the habit of carrying around a good quality emery board (the big ones can be had at the dollar store)and you're set whenever you hit a snag (literally). Do NOT try to cut off your cuticles. You risk infection and lots of unnecessary pain. Instead, buy cuticle remover at Sally Beauty, and make soaking your cuticles part of your nailcare routine. Be sure to follow the directions and get every last drop of the remover off before you go onto the next step.
Once you've filed and shaped your nails, and softened up your cuticles, you're set to polish them up. If you're wanting the most impact with the least amount of work, buy a buffer (also Sally or the dollar store) and buff your nails to a splendid shine. Those having no splitting or peeling nails can do this with ease. If you like the bare look, but DO have an issue with breakage, check out Sally Hansen Hard As Nails, or Miracle Cure. They can be worn by themselves, or I use them as a topcoat over polish with great success. In fact, I'm on my second week using the Miracle Cure over my nude polish, and am just today seeing a crack here and there. That, my friends, is a successful home manicure :)
Do you prefer colored polish? There are several over the counter brands that have staying power. Revlon is always a good, well priced brand for polish. They have a high color turnover, so once you find a favorite, you might want to stock up! Claire and I also love Essie brand. We like it better than the hugely hyped OPI. We've found Essie at Meijer and Kohl's......with the latter having the biggest variety of colors.
Once you've put on a coat or two, seal it with a topcoat of something clear. Leave a little time in between coats to make sure it sets up a bit. After you're done, spray your nails with a 'quick dry' spray, or run your nails under cold water. Both will help to set your polish on top, but allow a couple hours for thorough drying all the way through. Be patient, and don't do your nails an hour before a big date or event.
If you do your nails before bed, and wake up in the morning with 'blanket prints' on your nails, a quick coat of clear will renew your 'just polished' beauty.
If you're like me, and get polish on your cuticles, dip a cotton swab in polish remover and clean it up. Make sure to dab Aquaphor around your cuticles as often as you can, like before bed. This winter has given me snaggy cuticles like you wouldn't believe, and Aquaphor has helped a great deal.
I would never tell you what color to wear on your nails, but here's a bit of advice from a girl with very lined fingers.......darker colors tend to bring any imperfection or age out more than if you go natural or with a nude polish. I have to save my wild, dark colors for my toes!
Ok.....what if you say, 'this is all well and good, Erin. But I love the look of acrylic/gel nails. How can I duplicate THAT at home?' Well, you honestly can't 100%, but you can fake it well! Check out the press on nails at your drug or big box store. If you're a fan of the 'French manicure,' you have several brands to choose from. I was pleasantly surprised at the resilience of the new press ons. With good, firm application, you could easily wear a set for several days. For the budget minded prom goer, a set of press on nails will look just as good as a professional set, with the added bonus of not having to ruin your nails when you eventually have to take the suckers off.
There you have it! Tightwad advice for your pretty fingers and toes. It does take more time than if you just ran into the salon for some nail TLC......but it's a whole lot cheaper, too.
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