Don't get me wrong: I ♥ getting a professional manicure as much as the next girl, but I usually end up doing at-home manicures because I'm really picky about my nails. Also, I never have time or money to go to the salon!
When doing your nails at home, it's definitely important to have great polish options, but it's equally important to have the right tools to complete your perfect manicure & make it last. My must-have manicure tools are a nail cutter, a base coat, a quick dry top coat, a nail polish remover, a transparent treatment, a nail buffer & nail file. Read on to learn more about these must-have products & why you need them in your own nail kit.
I start all of my manicures with my nail cutter. Even though I'm in ♥ with my nail file, I really need the nail cutter first so that I can get the perfect nail length with one snip.
This is one area where you can save your pennies (I've never really used a bad nail cutter) they're pretty much all the same. These're easy to find at the store & not expensive at all!!! The mini travel size ones can also come in handy if you ever have a nail issue on the go.
Base Coat
A fresh coat of clear base coat nail polish before applying a colored tone will help to prevent yellowing of the nails which is often a problem especially with red toned polishes.
Quick Dry Top Coat
Most of us don't have a nail dryer at home so for a home manicure it is essential to get a quick drying top coat. There're many different brands available that will dry very fast so the choice is really just a matter of preference when it comes to choosing an ultra fast drying coat that is perfect for you!!!
It's just like a clear polish would be except for it isn't quite as thick & makes the final coat of color hold longer.
Nail Polish Remover
The best removers will be acetone free making them essentially safe for real nails & acrylic nails too. It's essential to have a good nail polish remover on hand so that you can quickly remove & fix any nail polish blemishes that may occur in between manicures. There're even natural nail polish removers on the market today making it a great choice even for the going green woman who needs a good manicure!!!
Transparent Treatment
Depending on the quality of your nails, they might need proper treatment. If your nails're always breaking apart or peeling away, you need a nail hardener. On the other hand, if your nails're dry, you need a nail moisturizer. If you are in doubt, your local chemist or doctor should be able to advise you as to what type of treatment is best suited for your nails. Proper treatment of your nails will ensure that they always look healthy & beautiful.
Nail Buffer
Nail buffers're definitely among my favorite manicure tools: they're so addictive!! After clipping & filing my nails, I buff & shine them & I ♥ the results! You can use a nail buffer before nail polish to create a smooth, clean base for your polish to adhere to or you can use it without nail polish for a super shiny, high-gloss look.
Nail File
This is quite possibly the most important & most versatile tool for a top-notch manicure: the nail file, which is usually used after a nail cutter to groom your nails into that perfect shape.
It works like a charm & makes a huge, noticeable difference in how neat & polished my nails appear. Even though it's easy to grab cheap files at stores, I highly suggest investing in a quality nail file for the best manicure results.
What do you guys think about these at home manicure tools??? Do you've any other tools that you swear by??
