Manicure at home - instructions on how to do it yourself (85 photos of design ideas). How to make your nails beautiful at home: useful tips Applying shellac: a step-by-step guide

Nail design is gaining more and more momentum every year. Nowadays it is no longer enough to cover your nails in one layer or highlight several fingers. And if earlier nails were decorated mainly for the occasion (for a wedding, birthday, etc.), now more and more often you can see designs on the nails of girls working in offices.

Christina Fitzgerald training manager Galina Smirnova told us how the brightest trends of summer 2015 in nail design exist and how to perform them at home?

1. Geometric patterns

Geometry has been a leader in the fashion world for several seasons now. And of course, this trend could not help but affect nail design.

Triangles, vertical and horizontal stripes, ovals and squares are in fashion.

The design can be made using tape(you need to remember that before you stick the tape on the nail plate, the layers of varnish must dry) or thin brushes. Using a brush, the contour becomes clearer and smoother. In this design, do not limit yourself to color. Choose different combinations of varnish.

2. Negative Space

Translated from English, Negative Space is negative space. This coating technology ensures that one part of the nail plate remains free of varnish. Leave unpainted areas on the varnish in the form of a planned pattern. These can be complex geometric patterns, hearts or flowers, and even your own initials.

Negative Space will be appreciated by lovers of minimalism, creative, extraordinary girls.

How to do this manicure at home:

1. Apply two coats of color.
2. Take a regular fine art brush (ideally a special nail art brush), dip it in nail polish remover and remove the color from the polish in the pattern you have in mind.

3. Rhinestones

For example, at graduation, rhinestones will perfectly highlight a cocktail or evening look. They will make a bright accent on your nails. In this case, there will no longer be a need to wear accessories such as rings and bracelets.

Nowadays, stores offer a huge selection of stones of different colors, sizes and shapes. When choosing rhinestones, pay attention to their shape (the side that is glued to the nail should be flat), and also make sure that there are no chips on the rhinestones.

How to glue rhinestones:

1. Use special glue. Dip an orange stick into glue and place droplets on the nail.
2. Apply the rhinestone and lightly press it to the nail plate.

If you don’t have glue on hand, you can safely replace it with a topcoat. However, keep in mind that in this case the stones will hold much less.

4. Stickers

Stickers are a lifesaver for those who don't know how to draw.

There are a great variety of stickers to choose from. And different companies have their own application technology: from the simplest to the most complex. Therefore, before purchasing, carefully read the instructions.

One of the options for applying stickers:

1. The cuticle is pulled back, the nail plate is polished and degreased, and a sticker is selected according to the shape of the nail plate.
2. Heats up under a lamp until it becomes plastic.
3. We start sticking it on the nail from the cuticle area, smooth the sticker so that no bubbles form (to remove all the air from under the sticker).
4. Use a file to go along the free edge perpendicular to the nail, sealing the end.
5. If necessary, if the shape does not fit, adjust it to the shape of the nail using scissors.

5. Matte effect

You can make either a few fingers or all the fingers on each hand. Many manufacturers of varnish coatings have in their palettes not only a top coat with a matte effect, but also entire collections of varnishes. And the palette of shades is currently very diverse.

But it is not necessary to purchase a special varnish. This effect can be achieved using a soft sander.

Apply two coats of color, let the varnish dry thoroughly, and then go over the coating with a sander. But be careful not to press hard on the file.

6. Matte effect with glossy pattern

This type of design is suitable for those who do not like bright accents on their hands. It will be laconic and at the same time very mysterious.

How to make a matte manicure with glossy accents:

1. Apply 2 coats of varnish (this can be matte varnish or regular varnish using a sander).
2. “Arm yourself” with a regular top and a brush.
3. On top of matte nails, use a thin brush to apply a glossy topcoat in the form of a pattern. The patterns in this case can be different: from peas and flowers to ethnic patterns.

7. Silhouette design

This is a good alternative to painting. For this type of design, you can purchase both special adhesive stencils and stamping. Stamping is a special design kit that includes metal discs with patterns embossed on them, a stamp and paints. Recently, nail stamping has gained popularity due to the ease of creating designs on nails. The advantage of this nail design is that each of us can create a beautiful manicure at home without much effort.

The most basic way to create such a design is to use dots. You can use it to make flowers or even Mickey Mouse.

It is better to apply such a design in color - it will be brighter.

1. First, apply the color in two layers and wait for it to dry.
2. Using dots, we place a large drop - this is the head, and two small ones - we draw ears. We do this with each nail.
3. Let it dry, apply top coat and dry.

8. Ombre

Ombre can start on the little finger and end on the big toe, going from the lightest nail polish to the darkest. But this is the simplest ombre option. In addition, you can mix several colors on one nail at once. In this case, the ombre can be either horizontal (from the free edge to the cuticle) or vertical (from side roller to side roller).

Try combining moonlight manicure with ombre. This combination will become a bright accent.

How to make ombre at home:

1. Degrease the nail plate and apply a base coat.
2. We take foil and select several shades of varnish (there may be two or more) from light to dark.
3. Place a drop of each color on the foil one after another in a row.
4. We take a sponge (it is better to cut a small piece from the sponge so that it is no wider than the nail plate), saturate it with the selected varnishes and with quick, light pressing movements, apply color from the cuticle area to the free edge.
5. You can repeat the color application several times. Until you achieve the desired result!
6. Cover the top with topcoat.

Beautiful nails give self-confidence, lift your spirits, and increase the status of their owner.

But not everyone can afford to visit a salon all the time. For many, the topic of manicure at home is relevant.

To properly make a beautiful manicure, preliminary preparation is necessary.

It includes the purchase of manicure tools, disinfectants and related items that you cannot do without.

Necessary tools for manicure at home

Good, solid tools– this is the key to high-quality cuticle care, prevention of nail splitting and high speed of the procedure.
For a classic edged manicure you will need the following tools:

Tool	Description
1. Cuticle tweezers.	It is best to purchase a Solinger brand tool, this is an old German brand of cutting tools. Tweezers have their own sizes. They determine the length of the blade. It’s good to take 0.5 cm.
2. Pusher (translated as pusher)	Double-sided cuticle spatula: on one side it resembles an oar, on the other it resembles a hatchet. Must be metal.
3. Knipser	Tool for cutting the length of the nail. It looks like a small guillotine, it can be used for fingernails and toenails.
4.File 180 grit	The grid should be imprinted on the file itself.
5. Polisher 2000 grit	There are double and triple polishers, then the grit for each side must be printed.
Related Items:
1. A large bowl, preferably ceramic - it holds the temperature well;
2. Towel or napkin;
3. Cotton pads;
4. Orange sticks;
5. Nail polish remover.
Disinfectants:
1. Chlorhexidine;
2. Alcohol solution 70%.
3. At the pharmacy you can purchase a professional product for treating hands and metal tools.

Which manicure tools should you use and which should you not?

If you still have little experience in nail care, orange sticks will come in handy. They can move the skin near the cuticle and clean the eponychium.

Some people use it to trim cuticles. manicure scissors. This is acceptable, but the best quality manicure will be if you use tweezers. Scissors have straight blades, while tweezers have beveled blades. That's why It is the tweezer that cuts the skin more and deeper and after them the manicure lasts longer.

Nail fork

Since we are talking about the cuticle area, No blade pressure is allowed. This can damage the matrix - the growth cells of the nail under the hole. As a result, the nail will grow crooked for the rest of its life.

Choosing a nail file, which one is used for what

Files vary depending on the grit. Grits measure the amount of abrasive applied to 1 square centimeter of a file:

The coarsest file is 80 grit. It is used to reduce the length of artificial nails;

Technique for performing European unedged manicure at home:

Step 1: Wash your hands with soap;

Hand washing

Step 2: Apply cuticle remover;

Applying cuticle softener

Step 3: Starting from the little finger, use the rounded tip of a file or an orange stick to push the roller away;

moving away and grinding the roller

Step 4: Remove the softened thin skin from the surface of the nail;

Cuticle removal

Step 5: Process the rollers with a 180 grit file;

processing rough rollers with a file

Step 6: Wash your hands with soap;
Step 7: Degrease nails with an alcohol solution;

Degreasing nails

Step 8: Apply varnish coating.

Varnish coating

How to paint your nails evenly and beautifully

There is no difficulty in painting your nails easily and quickly and doing it exactly at home, without using a brush on the roller.

First of all, the varnish must have a certain consistency. The new varnish applies well and dries quickly, because the solvents have not yet evaporated from it. If the varnish has thickened, add 3-5 drops of varnish solvent to it.

Do not try to thin the varnish with acetone. or nail polish remover. These products will cause the varnish to curl.

Technique for applying varnish in bright or dark tones:

Step 1: Dip the brush into the varnish, squeeze out the excess with the back of the brush onto the bottle in a “pull away” motion.

Step 2: Place the brush in the middle of the nail at an angle of 45 degrees and move towards the cuticle. Before reaching the roller, stop the brush and move towards the free edge of the nail. This entire double movement must be done without lifting the brush from the nail or stopping it.

Positioning the brush Smooth movement towards the cuticle Moving the brush towards the free edge

Step 3: Place the brush on the nail in the cuticle area so that the brush lies in the hand perpendicular to the finger. Make a stroke with the brush along the cuticle to the side roller, round the stroke along the contour of the nail (the brush changes position - now it lies in the hand parallel to the finger) and bring it to a free edges of the nail.

Movement to the side roller

Step 4: Repeat this movement on the other side of the nail. If you run out of varnish on the brush during the process, turn it over and continue.

Step 5: With a well-wrung out brush, run along the end of the nail, sealing it.

Result

Technique for applying varnish in nude and dense pastel colors:

Nude polish

Step 1: Dip the brush into the varnish, squeeze out the excess with the back of the brush onto the bottle in a “pull away” motion.

Step 2: Place the brush in the middle of the nail at an angle of 5 degrees and move towards the cuticle, holding it almost suspended. The brush does not put pressure on the nail, only the polish touches the nail. Before reaching the roller, stop the brush and move towards the free edge of the nail.

Step 3: Bring the brush to the cuticle area. Keep the hand parallel to the finger. Barely touching the nail, move the brush towards the side roller and down to the free edge. The brush should go along the side of the nail without touching the roller.

Step 4: Repeat this movement on the other side of the nail. If you run out of varnish on the brush during the process, turn it over and continue.
Step 5: With a well-wrung out brush, run along the end of the nail, sealing it.

Nail designs at home

There are beautiful design options for which you don’t have to go to the salon. They can be done at home: rhinestones, glitter, gel pen painting, stickers, bouillons, varnish painting, craquelure, velvet, cat's eye.

Cat's eye - stripes Cat eye-waves

1. Cat's Eye Design. For it you will need to purchase magnetic polish and a Cat's Eye nail magnet. Still releasing options “Wave”, “Stripes”" and others. But the most spectacular is “Cat's Eye”.

Cat's eye - made with gel polish

It is done on the newly applied layer of varnish. The magnet is brought to the nail so that the strip is along the nail. Hold for 1 second.

If you hold the magnet closer to the nail, there will be a clear line, further away it will be blurry.

If you bring a magnet first vertically and then horizontally, there will be a bright point.

Gel polish - made with ordinary varnish

2. Craquelure design. A new product, hard varnish, has appeared on the product market. This is a special cracking varnish that is applied to the dried previous layer.

Substrates made of gold, white, and black varnish look good. Crack polish dries quickly. It can be thinned like regular varnish.

If you apply it in a thick layer, it will crack into large pieces. If in a thin layer - into small ones. You can combine it: make one side of the nail with large fragments, and the other with small ones.

Craquelure - large, medium, small.

3. Velvet design. The varnish for this effect is called “Satin”. After drying it becomes matte, hiding all the unevenness of the nail.

If you apply a top coat on it, it becomes shiny, like regular varnish. You can make two nails shiny and leave the rest matte. This design looks good in dark or bright colors. On pastel colors it is almost invisible.

4. Leopard design. On a dried substrate (for example, coffee-au-lait color), uneven spots are applied with a brush with a slightly darker (beige) varnish and, without waiting for them to dry, a black dot is added to each spot. Using an orange stick, each dot is given the appearance of a comma.

Leopard design

This design is classic. It can be performed not only in natural tones, but also in avant-garde ones. A turquoise backing with blue spots and black commas looks good.

5. Zebra design.

Zebra design

Black lines are applied to a dry white substrate with a thin brush. There are varnishes for design, they have just such brushes.

The lines are drawn diagonally on the nail. The first line is drawn simple. The second, parallel to it, with a thickening coming from the middle of the line. It looks like a very narrow triangle. The third line is drawn simple along the previous one. The fourth is drawn with a thickening on the other side. The fifth is simple.

You can draw with a regular black gel pen. When the drawing is dry, simply seal it with topcoat. One zebra nail looks good, the rest are white.

Nails with rhinestones and bouillons

6. Design with stickers, bouillons and rhinestones. It is used on special occasions (weddings, graduations) and requires a beautiful dress.

Decorate two nails, tightly covering them with rhinestones of different sizes.. Swarovski rhinestones are suitable; they can be purchased in a set. The largest stone is placed in the center, closer to the cuticle. Near it on both sides there are smaller stones.

The smallest stones are placed on the edge of the nail. The space between large stones can be filled with golden broths. On the remaining nails, place one small stone in the center near the cuticle.

Pencil for rhinestones

Place stones on wet varnish. The stone is taken by simply bringing an orange stick moistened with water or a special pencil for rhinestones to it and it sticks to it (there are special pencils for attaching rhinestones on sale). It is placed on fresh varnish, corrected, trimmed, it sticks to the varnish and releases the stick.

Sterilizing instruments at home

In nail salons, instruments are sterilized in a dry-heat oven.

Manicure tools

At home, you can use the oven for these purposes. Place metal tools in a specially designated bowl, turn on the oven at 250 degrees and heat for 15 minutes.

If during the procedure a wound was caused and blood came out, the instrument is soaked in the solution before sterilization chlorhexidine or wiped three times with 70% alcohol(in the presence of special pharmaceutical products, it is better to carry out processing with them, according to the instructions).

Files and orange sticks can also be soaked in a disinfectant solution. But if there was no blood while working with them, it is enough to wipe them.

Below you can watch a detailed video about sterilizing manicure instruments; some information will be useful to you at home.

What pharmaceutical products may be useful?

In addition to chlorhexidine, you can buy hawthorn tincture 70% in the pharmacy. This alcohol solution can be used as a disinfectant.

The professional line of pharmaceutical products for sterilization is very diverse. Disinfectants are divided into two types: for hands and for metal tools. The pharmacist at the pharmacy will always tell you what products are available.
You may also need it glue BF-6. This is a medical glue for treating wounds. It is convenient for cuts, disinfects and seals the wound instead of a band-aid.

Good to have on hand for warts "Mountain celandine", brown herbal balm. If a wart is discovered during the manicure procedure, you can immediately cauterize it with this balm.

Baths and oils for strengthening and growing nails after manicure

To keep nails healthy, they need to be nourished and treated. The aggressive environment makes them thin and brittle, appear on them. To avoid this, it is good to do it with sea salt.

You don’t have to buy expensive sea salt; the kind sold in grocery stores will do. You can add it during manicure to steam your nails.

In the process of saturating the nails with such water, a phenomenon called osmosis. This is an exchange of salts between two environments. Nails, like appendages of the skin, are an excretory organ. Nail effusion emerges through microscopic holes on the surface of the nail.

After taking a course of antibiotics, it forms very actively, preventing artificial nails from sticking to the nail bed. That is why after taking antibiotics, two weeks must pass before nail extensions.

Those who spent a lot of time in sea water on vacation notice improvements in the condition of their nails. Baths do not have to be done for a long time. 15 minutes is enough. This procedure can be carried out in the evening while watching TV.

After the bath, hands are lubricated with nourishing cream. The best creams are with fruit oils. This could be avocado, aloe, or apricot oil. Just do not confuse them with essential oils. This is a completely different product.

If the cream says that it contains mineral oil, it is better not to buy such a cream. This is a product of chemical distillation of petroleum. It won't be good for your nails.

You can always look beautiful, you just need to get used to it.

A woman's calling card is beautiful, well-groomed hands. To get a manicure, you don’t have to go to a salon; you can do the procedure at home. The main thing is to purchase the necessary tools and follow the recommendations.

Home manicure technique

Mastering the intricacies of manicure is not difficult. First, select your tools:

1. Knipser with sharpened blades. He easily bites off his nails.
2. Cuticle nippers to create a trim manicure. Choose small-sized models that fit comfortably in your hand and do not cause discomfort when working.
3. (another name is trimmer). Most often double-sided, made of a metal alloy. On one side there is a spatula for pushing back the cuticle. The other edge is pointed; it is used to remove dirt from under the nails or a thin layer of cuticle attached to the nail plate.
4. Nail scissors. Straight ones are designed to shape the length and shape of nails, and rounded ones are designed to remove cuticles.
5. Orange sticks made of soft, but at the same time dense material. With their help, you can easily remove the cuticle without damaging the surface of the nail.
6. 180 grit file, ideal for shaping natural nails. And - a polishing file with different grain sizes. You need to start polishing the nail with the largest one, ending with the smallest one. Don't get carried away with polishing. For those with healthy nails, 1-2 times a month is enough.

Photo gallery: necessary tools for the procedure

Using a nail clipper, you cut the nail at an angle of 90°, preventing it from splitting
The tool must be of high quality, durable and lightweight. Buy pushers made of hypoallergenic steel. They are comfortable and will last a long time
Give preference to nail scissors made of medical steel
The material from which orange sticks are made has antiseptic properties.
The surface of the file should display the grit

You will also need a deep bowl, a towel, nail polish remover, cotton wool, and moisturizing oil. If you want to do an unedged manicure, then buy a cuticle softener.

Now you need to select a form. By choosing it correctly, you can make your nails visually longer and your fingers more graceful. Remember that all nails must be the same length, otherwise it will be obvious.

Features of edged manicure

Wash your hands with soap and remove old nail polish. Spread a towel on the table and place a bowl of warm water. If desired, add a little liquid soap to the water. Now start the procedure:

1. If you are right-handed, start your manicure with your left hand. Place your hand in the bowl and hold for a few minutes.
2. Remove your little finger from the water, dry it with a towel, and use a trimmer to move the cuticle to the base of the nail.
3. Clean the nail plate from rough skin. Use cuticle clippers or special nail scissors to carefully trim the cuticle.
4. Repeat the same procedure with the remaining fingers (start with the little finger and end with the big).

After treating your left hand, change the water. Place your right hand into it. Carry out the manipulations that you did with the left one. After this, polish your nails and apply oil to the cuticles, thoroughly rubbing into each finger.

If you don't want to use colored polish, apply a base or clear coat to protect your nail surface from the harmful effects of detergents and powders.

Video: DIY trim manicure

Features of the unedged version

In beauty salons they do hardware unedged manicures. If you don't have a special device, it doesn't matter. Making it unedged is quite simple.

The essence of the method is that the cuticle is not cut, but softened and pushed back. To soften the cuticle, a remover is used - a product based on alkali or acid. An acid-based remover should not be left on the cuticles for more than two minutes. Alkaline removers are more gentle, but their effect is noticeable only after 15–25 minutes.

Advantages of unedged manicure:

1. The action of the remover occurs in 1.5 – 20 minutes, depending on the composition. In any case, there is no need to wait for the skin and nails to dry, as is the case with the use of softening baths.
2. The simplicity of this manicure also makes it popular. Even a beginner can handle applying the remover and then removing the cuticle, even on his own hands.

However, there are also disadvantages:

1. There is a risk of damaging the nail plate. A remover is a certain chemical composition that, in addition to keratinized areas of the skin, can also corrode the nail plate at the base, and this is dangerous.
2. Tissue burns and plate splitting are possible. Therefore, it is not recommended to use potent drugs containing aggressive acids at home.

Before the procedure, wash your hands and wipe dry. There is no need to soak your brushes in water. Actions during the procedure:

• apply remover to the cuticle;
• starting with the little finger, use a special ceramic hoof or an orange stick to push back the skin and clean the nail plate;
• remove the softened skin and give the nails the desired shape;
• wash your hands and wipe your nails with a piece of cotton wool and an alcohol solution to degrease the nail plate;
• Apply regular or clear varnish.

The main advantage of an unedged manicure is that there is no pain associated with cutting the cuticle, and the risk of infection is minimized.

Video: unedged manicure at home

Secrets of sustainable coating

When doing a manicure, every woman dreams that it will last as long as possible. It has long been noted that with an unedged manicure, cosmetics stay on the nails longer than with a trimmed one.

On polished and degreased nail plates, the polish adheres better and lasts longer. The main thing is not to be overzealous when polishing your nails so as not to damage them.. Degrease with alcohol solutions. Soak a cotton pad in rubbing alcohol and wipe each nail thoroughly.

The quality of the varnish is also important. It is better to buy products from well-known companies. If you bought a polish that lasts a long time, store it in a dark and preferably cool place, such as the refrigerator.

Do not shake the bottle before applying the polish to your nail. The coating will lie on the surface unevenly and cause bubbles to appear. It's better to roll the bottle between your palms before opening it.

One layer of varnish is not enough, but three or more is already too much. The best option is two layers. Before applying polish, cover your nails with a protective coat or base coat. When it's dry, apply varnish. Apply the second layer no earlier than after 5–10 minutes; Allow the first layer to dry, otherwise there is a risk of wrinkling. If something goes wrong and defects appear, then the varnish must be erased and everything must be started again.

At the finish, apply a fixer to the nails. Allow the polish to dry for 15 minutes before starting your daily routine. Don't rush - and then everything will work out.

Do your homework with gloves. This will extend the life of the manicure and also protect the skin of your hands from the harmful effects of detergents.

To make your manicure look fresh, apply a coat of topcoat every few days.

Video: how to make nail polish stay on your nails for a long time

Design ideas

The easiest way to apply polish is to apply a single color coat on all nails. If you want variety, paint each nail with a different color of polish or highlight only some of your fingers.

Appeared in the middle of the last century, it quickly gained popularity among women of all ages. You don’t have to limit yourself to white varnish; bright colors are also suitable for a French coat.

You can easily make a chess manicure at home that looks original. You will need black and gold varnish, paper tape and a fixative. First, coat your nails with black polish and let them dry. Using tape, cover the nail so that only a quarter remains free, onto which gold varnish is applied. When it dries, do the same manipulations with the second quarter.

Lunar manicure looks luxurious. You will also need paper tape for this, as well as a thin manicure brush.

Using a thin manicure brush, you can apply a stunning polka dot manicure.

Your nails will be admired if you cover them with medium-sized colorful polka dots.

Apply a simple design to your nails. First, practice on paper, and then start drawing on your nails. Try to apply the picture not to all the nails, but to select only a few.

Don't forget to cover the polish with a sealer at the end to preserve your manicure for a long time.

Modern manicure has turned into a work of art. But even simple, neatly painted nails with a single-color polish evoke admiration. By following simple recommendations, you will get a high-quality manicure that will delight you for a long time.

• How to make a matte manicure?
• Lunar manicure: creation scheme
• How to do a water manicure?
• How to do an ombre manicure?
• Ideas for a beautiful manicure

• A manicure that you do yourself has several undeniable advantages. Firstly, you do not need to make an appointment at the salon in advance and waste time on the road. Secondly, this skill can save you a lot of money. And thirdly, the procedure for creating a manicure can be truly exciting. We have compiled a detailed beauty cheat sheet that will help understand the issue even for those who have never held a nail file in their hands.

How to give yourself a manicure?

Before you start using bright varnish or creating complex nail art, you need to prepare the appropriate ground - in other words, do a basic manicure. We'll tell you how to do this at home.

What do you need for a manicure?

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Of course, the list of essentials depends on many factors. For example, depending on what type of manicure you prefer: . But the standard set of tools you'll need looks something like this:

• nail polish remover,
• cotton pads or lint-free wipes,
• nail clippers or nail scissors,
• orange stick or cuticle pusher,
• cuticle remover (cuticle remover),
• nail file for shaping nails,
• nail file,
• hand cream,
• base coat for nails

Simple unedged manicure at home: step-by-step instructions

Have you prepared everything you need? Then make sure that your workplace is properly lit - and follow our instructions exactly.

Wipe your nails with nail polish remover

The first step is to remove any remaining old polish using cotton wool or a lint-free cloth moistened with nail polish remover. By the way, it is better, if possible, to do this with a napkin: cotton pads often leave small fibers, due to which the varnish is then distributed unevenly. And even if there is no polish on your nails, still wipe the nail plate with nail polish remover to degrease it.

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Use scissors or clippers to trim your nails. If your nails are not too long, or you do not plan to shorten them significantly, you can skip this step and immediately proceed to using a nail file.

Use a natural nail file with an abrasiveness of 180-200 grit. You can find out how to choose the right tool, and our detailed guide will help you choose the appropriate nail shape. Do not move the file in a “right-to-left” pattern, this can lead to splitting of the nails: move in one direction, with smooth movements. Round your nails very carefully and do not overdo it: if you file your nails on the sides too actively, this can lead to ingrown nails in the future.

Under no circumstances use a nail file immediately after taking a shower; the nail plate must be completely dry!

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Sand the edges

Use a buffing file to smooth the edges of your nails to avoid splitting and lightly buff the surface. But, again, do not try to achieve a mirror shine: it will be difficult for nail polish to “fix” on a perfectly smooth surface.

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Using an orange stick or a special pusher, carefully push back the cuticle and pterygium - the lower layer of the cuticle, which is a thin film.

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Apply a special cuticle softener (remover) and wait 20-30 seconds.

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Push back the cuticle again

Using an orange stick or pusher, gently push back the cuticle again, trying not to press too hard on it. If you don’t have a special remover on hand, you can use a rich cream instead.

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If necessary, remove burrs with pliers or scissors. Treat the skin of your hands with cream.

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After removing the cuticles, use an alcohol-containing liquid or nail polish remover. This will help remove any remaining remover and degrease the nail surface. By the way, some beauty brands produce special nail degreasers; they are also very effective and easy to use.

Apply base coat

Be sure to use a base coat: it will prevent yellowing of the nail plate and provide better adhesion to the polish. Distribute the base in a thin layer, slightly retreating from the cuticle. Don't skip this step, even if you plan to paint your nails with a light polish later.

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Video tutorial on how to create a manicure

Beauty blogger Lena Sevelenium has prepared a simple and understandable video tutorial on how to create a basic manicure at home. Let's see!

Is it worth getting a trim manicure?

Nowadays, the procedure of unedged (European) manicure is more popular, the creation schemes for which we presented above. With this manicure, the cuticle is not cut, but softened using a special product (remover), and then pushed back.

If you usually stick to an untrimmed manicure, it's best not to start trimming your cuticles: the more often you trim them, the rougher they become and the harder they are to remove.

In addition, the cuticle serves as a barrier and protects the skin from infections. If you are still used to trimmed (classic) manicure, but would like to switch to a European one, just stop trimming the cuticles, start using a remover - and be patient. Fortunately, the process is reversible, and if you refuse to cut the cuticle, with regular European manicures, over time the cuticle will become softer and thinner.

How to do a French manicure at home?

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French is one of the classic types of manicure. If the tip of the nail is highlighted with a contrasting stripe, then this is a French style. The canonical version involves a combination of “pink translucent varnish plus a white stripe,” but today, more and more often, in French manicure they use different and different textures - shimmer, glitter, and matte.

According to the latest trends, the colored line at the tip of the nail does not necessarily have to be even. But if you want to create a classic version of French, then this problem will be the main one you have to solve.

The most common way is to use special stencils to create a French jacket. You will only need to glue the stencil (you should not start right at the base of the nail, but slightly away from it) and mark the tip with varnish. When it dries, peel off the stencil: a perfectly even strip will remain on the nail.

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A brush for a French manicure, the edge of which is not straight or beveled, but with a semicircle “cut” in the center, will also help you quickly and conveniently draw an even strip. Such brushes are sold only in specialized stores, so you will have to spend some time searching for them, but they will save you a lot of time when creating a French jacket.

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The third way (and perhaps the easiest) is to buy special stickers for the jacket. You just need to glue a ready-made strip of the selected color to the edge of the nail.

French manicure: step-by-step photo instructions

For anyone who is skilled enough to work with manicure brushes, making a French manicure will be as easy as shelling pears. You will need the actual brush itself (the thinnest of all possible), a transparent base, soft pink or another light shade of varnish, white or any colored varnish with which you will paint a stripe on the tip of the nail, as well as a fixative varnish.

Apply clear base coat.

Apply two layers of light pink or beige nail polish and wait a couple of minutes for it to dry.

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Using a thin artistic brush, carefully paint the tip of the nail with white or colored varnish, creating that very “smile” that distinguishes French manicure from other types of manicure.

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How to do a quartz manicure?

A nail plate with imitation of streaks and veins, like on the surface of quartz, is one of the main nail trends of recent years. How to repeat this image? First, stock up on a soft pink polish with a translucent texture, white polish, a toothpick or needle and, of course, base and top coats.

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Apply a base coat and paint your nails with a soft pink translucent polish in several layers (for example, a classic French polish is suitable). In this case, it is not so much the specific shade that is important, but the texture: the varnish should not be dense, otherwise it will not be possible to create a quartz effect.

Wait for the layers of pink polish to dry thoroughly and begin creating those very white “veins” that distinguish this type of manicure from the rest. Paint them with a toothpick, a needle or a special manicure brush with old or pearl varnish applied to it. Draw the lines in a random pattern, and then, before the polish has time to dry, cover your nails with another layer of translucent pink polish so that the lines end up a little blurry.

Apply clear topcoat.

How to make a matte manicure?

The easiest way to create a matte manicure, which has recently become a serious competitor to the usual glossy manicure, is to use a special matte coating: many nail brands produce these today. The coating can be colored or transparent - the latter can be supplemented with any other glossy varnish to turn it matte.

• You will need: nail polish remover or nail degreaser, cotton pad, colored polish of any shade, matte finish.

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Apply a special degreaser to your nails or wipe with a cotton pad soaked in nail polish remover.

Apply any varnish from your collection in two layers. It can be with a dense or translucent texture, with shimmer or glitter, metallic or pearlescent. But it’s worth clarifying that an ordinary plain varnish with a dense texture will look more impressive in combination with a matte top coat.

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Make sure that the coating is perfectly smooth, without the slightest flaws. A matte top will highlight imperfections, so if you are not happy with something, it is better to repaint your nail. Also keep in mind that a matte finish can change the original shade of the varnish - for example, make it lighter. Apply a matte finish to your nail. Manicure is ready!

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You can learn about other ways to create a matte manicure using available tools from.

How to do a marble manicure?

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Marble manicure in appearance resembles quartz, as it is made according to the same principle. In this case, it is proposed to create a pattern on the nails that imitates the surface of marble tiles with multi-colored veins. How to quickly create it?

• You will need: base clear coat, white polish, black polish, gray polish, manicure or fine art brush, sponge, clear top coat.

As usual, start your manicure by applying a layer of base coat that will protect your nail plate.

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Apply one or two coats of white varnish, depending on how thick its texture is. Your task is to create a coating without “bald spots”. Wait for the polish to dry thoroughly.

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Using black varnish, using a special manicure brush or the thinnest artistic brush, draw thin stripes on your nails in a chaotic manner.

Use gray polish to paint a few dots on your nails. Do this when the black lines are already dry so as not to smear the previous coat of varnish.

Carefully apply a clean cosmetic sponge to the surface of the nail: this action will help create those “marble” stains.

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Seal the effect with a clear coat.

DIY mirror manicure

The easiest way to create a mirror manicure is with the help of a special shiny powder (rubbing), which can be found in specialized stores. Also, you will have to use not ordinary, but gel polish. In addition, you will need special coatings for gel polish (base and top), a UV lamp and a cosmetic sponge.

Apply a special transparent base for gel polish, hold your nails under a UV lamp for two minutes so that the coating has time to harden.

Every girl cares about the health and beauty of her hands. For that to make your manicure look well-groomed and neat people don’t have to visit an expensive salon. You can get your nails in order yourself, and you don’t need to spend a lot of money. Well maintained manicure no matter what color it is painted or what design is depicted on it, it will look excellent.

Preparing tools

Before you get a quality manicure at home, you should prepare the following tools:

• manicure scissors made of high quality stainless steel;
• wire cutters;
• knipsers;
• cuticle spatula (for independent purposes, it is advisable to use a wooden one);
• nail file;
• polishing buffs;
• bath or bowl;
• a product for softening and removing dead skin around the nail plate;
• cream, hand mask;
• nail degreasing agent (you can use pharmaceutical alcohol or face cream).

In order to master the art of creating a manicure yourself, you need to pay due attention to the preparation process. First you need to get rid of the old coating, then the dead skin near the nail plate is removed, and the process is completed by filing and leveling the surface. For those with thin and brittle nails, it is better to use a crystal file; for extended nails, a glass file is suitable. Everyone's favorite metal file is only suitable for strong and healthy nails. The oval shape of the tool takes care of long nails, shortens them and processes the edges.

Boomerang file rounds the nail plate, rectangular - suitable for any purpose. Polishing buffs are used at the final stage to level the surface and help get rid of small grooves. In addition to hand tools, you can use a special device (milling cutter) to facilitate the preparation process.

Before use, instruments should be thoroughly treated with disinfectants; you can use alcohol wipes at home. In case of using an orange file to get rid of cuticles. The instrument is disposable and does not require disinfection.

Creating a manicure at home, step-by-step instructions:

European manicure created without the use of tools. There is no need to soak your nails. The old varnish is removed, the nail plate is degreased, and a special product is applied to the cuticles. After 5 minutes, the cuticle becomes soft, you can remove it with a wooden spatula. All that remains to be done is to wipe the nail with remover and apply a special base for the varnish; it will fill all the cracks and uneven spots.

Trimmed manicure with regular polish

It is advisable to do manicure on short nails, he will look more attractive on them. All preparatory procedures are carried out in the same sequence as described above. With a simple varnish you can create such varieties of manicure as: artistic, gradient; ombre, patterns on water.

Regular coating at home It won't be difficult to do and will save time. After the base is completely dry, coat the nail plate with varnish. If the shade is not too saturated, apply a second layer, but after the first has completely dried. On top of the dried varnish, the nail is covered with a fixative. It sheds the life of the varnish, strengthens the plate, and the fixative also enriches the nails with nutrients.

Creating a French manicure yourself

Do French at home, quite easily without special skills and abilities. All you need to purchase is varnish with a thin brush; you can also use ready-made stencils.

Step-by-step instruction:

1. To low fat base coat is applied to the nail plate. After complete drying, a layer of the main color is applied. To create this type of manicure, pastel colors are used (pink, cream, beige, peach).
2. Once dry base varnish creates a “smile”. You can use ready-made stencils, but they have their drawbacks: they peel off and let varnish through.
3. At the edge of the nail plate a white stripe is drawn, resembling a “smile”. Depending on individual preferences, it can be of any shape (triangular, oval, square). The optimal strip thickness for a French jacket is 2-4 millimeters.
4. After the “smile” becomes dry, coat the surface with a fixative. Thanks to it, the manicure will not crack and will give your nails a natural shine. Instead of a regular fixer, glitter varnish with sparkles is sometimes used.

How to do a mirror manicure correctly?

There are several ways to create a beautiful mirror manicure. It is made using foil, reflective film or nail art varnish.

The easiest way at home is to use foil:

• cover the surface of the nail with varnish of any shade;
• without waiting for the polish to become dry, stick foil on top and tear along the contour of the nail plate;
• cover with fixative.

Elegant moon manicure

Creating a lunar manicure yourself is not difficult. The technique is reminiscent of a French manicure. Unlike French, only the holes are covered with white varnish. You can paint your nails with either regular or gel polish.

Stages of creation moon manicure using gel polish:

1. When working with gel polish, special products are used for degreasing; alcohol and regular tonic are not suitable. Professionals use preparations enriched with minerals and silicone.
2. Next, the surface of the nails is painted over with gel polish, and holes are drawn. To obtain an even image, it is advisable to use acrylic brushes. The holes can be decorated with rhinestones, for reliable fixation, pressed gently with a stick. Nails are dried for two minutes under an ultraviolet lamp.
3. Then the entire plate is painted with gel polish, then placed under a lamp for two minutes and dried. To obtain a rich color, apply a second coat.
4. Completes the process of wiping the nail with a special product to remove stickiness.

To create a lunar manicure, you can use contrasting shades
(green and yellow) and pastel tones (cream and white).

Velvet or matte manicure

In recent years, matte manicure has become especially popular. You can use both special velvet varnishes and regular ones.

Step-by-step instructions for creating a velvet manicure:

1. When using regular varnish, apply it in several layers. Dry your nails over steam for a few seconds, keeping a distance of ten centimeters, so as not to burn yourself. After drying, the nails become matte.
2. A quick and simple option is to apply matte varnish.
3. Using a special sand coating, after drying, it turns into powder.

Matte manicure will look impressive using different textures. For example, you can cover your nails with a dark color, put dots or draw lines. A velvet leopard manicure will look beautiful. Cover the nail plate with light varnish, draw glossy dots on top, and outline them with matte varnish of a different shade. For example, a dot can be put in black and outlined in brown.

Water manicure

Doing a water manicure is not so easy. This method allows you to create unusual designs; for this you need to purchase high-quality varnishes, show accuracy and dexterity.

Step-by-step instruction:

• The nails are painted with white varnish, this is necessary so that the colors look rich and bright.
• Add varnish drop by drop into a container with warm water, at intervals of a few seconds. You need to act quickly, otherwise the varnish will dry out, which will complicate the process.
• Using a toothpick, draw the desired design.
• There are several schemes. The easiest one is to start from the center and draw circles.
• Once the pattern is ready, lower your finger into the container perpendicular to the liquid for a few seconds.
• Using nail polish remover, remove excess polish.

Water manicure is interesting and original; it takes very little time to create. For a quick effect, it is better to give preference to acrylic paints.

How to do an ombre manicure

Gradient manicure holds a special place in the hearts of many girls. Smooth transitions from one shade to another look fashionable and elegant. In the salon, an airbrush is used to create ombre. Due to its ease of use, a simple sponge will do just fine at home. It should be smooth and dense.

Stages of creating a gradient manicure:

1. Apply base and white polish to the prepared nail plate.
2. Cut out a small part of the kitchen sponge and apply varnish of different shades over the surface in strips. You can combine cherry with white, sand or gold.
3. Lightly blot the nail with a sponge. With strong pressure, a smooth transition will not work.
4. Apply glitter and fixative to help hide sponge marks.

Letter or newspaper manicure is a fashion hit in recent seasons. Created using newspaper, in just a couple of minutes. For printing, ink is used that can be easily erased with alcohol. If you turn the newspaper over and rub alcohol on the back side, the letters will come off to the other surface.

Stages of creating a letter manicure:

1. Prepare the nail plate in advance. Then apply the base and varnish in any shade except black.
2. Apply a small part of the printed publication to the nail with the reverse side.
3. Go over the newspaper a couple of times with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol.
4. Once the letters are on the nail, apply a sealer.

Anyone can create a beautiful and unusual manicure on their own; all you need to do is put in a little effort and care.