Hi there! Starting today with a simple nail care routine at home for you! Don’t want to go to the nail salon every week to get your nails done? Regardless of saving money and/or time, you’ve come to the right place! The details below will show you a simple, yet effective, streamlined process to getting your nails done in less than 20 minutes at home!
Best Nail Care Tips
Now, I know it’s not the most fun activity to do. Often times, I hear a lot of people say “I don’t have time” or “it takes too long!” My advice for this is to set aside one day when you think you can consistently do it every week. For me, this ranges from Saturday to Sunday. As for “it takes too long”, don’t worry, I’ve gotten it down to a solid 15-20 min manicure now! We use our hands a lot, so it can be tricky to find time where you literally won’t do anything with your hands. For me, I typically do my nails about 1-1.5 hours before going to bed. This is ample time for my nails to dry to the touch and not wake up to my nails with bed sheet imprints on them in the morning (you know you’ve been there!)
1. Filing & Cutting:
I’ll admit, I don’t do very much outside of the weekly cut and file. I use a regular nail clipper you can probably find at Target, Walmart, CVS, etc. I usually go with a simple straight across cut (square shape), then file to shape. For filing, I’ve used a glass nail file for several years now, and I will never go back to the regular, flimsy paper/cardboard filers.
People say glass nail files help with strengthening nails, and to be honest, I can’t speak to that in particular, but I do think it does a MUCH better job at filing nails than the paper/cardboard ones. The glass nail files are affordable, and you can even get them in a set of 5-10 on Amazon! Be wary of “fake” glass nail files, though. Those generally have just a coat of frost and rub off after a few uses (personal experience). If you’re wondering what you’d do with a set of 5-10 if one lasts you years, they make great stocking stuffers, bridesmaid gifts, or you can keep extras on hand in case something happens!
2. Base Coat
Let’s start off with the base coat! Yes, it’s important. Similar to painting, a base coat generally primes your nails for the nail color. In my experience, my nail color has always lasted longer with the help of a base coat. My recommendation: Deborah Lippmann’s Hard Rock Nail Strengthening Top and Base Coat or Nails Inc. Nail Kale!
Previously, I swore by DL’s base coat, but during one weekend when I was trying to replenish and DL’s base coat was nowhere to be found, I found a great alternative! Now, it’s the only one I use. I generally have somewhat brittle nails, so I opt for a base coat that’s known to help strengthen my nails. Also, it’s one of those “why fix something that’s not broken” type of things. I will say, I’ve had a hard time tracking down this base coat lately (discontinued?), so I recently started trying the Nails Inc. Nail Kale. Will provide an update when I decide if I like it or not. So far, the only thing I have to say is that the bottle was hard to open initially.
3. The Color
Next, it’s very important you invest in high quality nail polishes. Sorry to say but those $1 nail polishes at Walmart won’t cut it. They chip off easily, don’t last, brush and formula are an absolute pain to work with. No, no, no. I’d recommend Essie and OPI for their affordability and quality. They have an enormous range, with various undertones, you’re bound to find a shade you vibe with!
One of my major gripes with Essie used to be the teeny tiny brush that came with the polish, but I’ve noticed they’ve recently switched to wider brushes (yes, pls!). Depending on how sheer the nail polish is, I typically do at least 2-3 coats. I especially like the Essie Gel Couture line! In between coats, I use a fan to speed up the drying time. Yes, this helps significantly in shortening the entire duration of the process! You don’t need a special fan, just any stand-alone fan you’d use to increase air flow will do!
4. Top Coat
Lastly, a top coat! For ample shine and to seal that beautiful nail shade you’ve chosen! I’ve used a variety of top coats, and not all top coats are created equal. My top recommendations (in this order): Essie’s Gel Couture Top Coat or CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat.
Essie Gel Couture Top Coat vs. CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat
Essie Gel Couture Top Coat
- Fast drying
- Shiny
- Lasts 7+ days
CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat
- Fast drying (faster than Essie)
- Gets tacky closer to the bottom so can’t use all of it
- Shiny
- Lasts ~5-7 days
I’ve used CND’s top coat for years and I love it. It’s easy to find (Ulta, Target, Amazon, etc), affordable, fast drying, and makes your polish last! A recent discovery and favorite of mine is Essie’s Gel Couture Top Coat. I actually got this recommendation from Sylvia from HelloSylvia, fellow nail lover. Let me tell you, I can definitely see why she loves this! It’s incredibly shiny, makes your polish last, and still fast drying (though not as fast drying as CND) to where I can go to bed worry-free. Though CND does beat Essie in the fast-drying department, I think that’s an area I’m willing to compromise on, since I do notice a visible difference in terms of shininess and lasting power.
5. Removal Process
FINALLY, for the removal process, I swear by Zoya’s Nail Polish Remover. Other Acetone-based nail polish removers are ok and definitely get the job done; however, Zoya’s is truly gentle and effective. I love that it comes with a pump, is very accessible (Target, Ulta, Amazon), and is also available in the more economic bottle for refills. I use this in conjunction with cotton pads (you can get these anywhere), and the removal process couldn’t be easier!
Tip & Trick: What you can do for glitter polishes
Love glitter polishes, but hate the removal process? You’re in for a treat! During times I like to jazz it up a bit and add glitter polishes, the removal process can be a pain but it doesn’t have to be! I usually use a soaked cotton pad with acetone, aluminum foil to wrap around the finger (nail), wait 5-10 minutes, gently rub, and voila! The glitter polish should melt right off! I know it can be cumbersome to leave aluminum foil around your fingers for any amount of time, but I promise you this step is imperative. The aluminum foil keeps the acetone from evaporating, and keeps the cotton pad insulated, so the acetone can really dissolve the nail polish underneath the glitter.
There you have it, that’s my entire nail care/painting process! I don’t do anything revolving pushing my cuticles back or anything. Frankly, I still don’t quite understand why that’s a common practice (feel free to leave a comment if you know the benefits). Hope this helps on your nail DIY’ing journey! Let me know what your nail regime is & have a happy Sunday!
TL;DR:
Nail tools: nail clipper and glass nail file.
Invest in base and top coats!
Nail shade recs: OPI and Essie Gel Couture
Use a fan in-between layers!
Zoya’s Nail Polish Remover to remove!
Thanks for joining! Feel free to comment below and let me know your nail regime & I’ll see you next blog post!
