At-Home Manicure Mistakes You Didn't Know You Were Making

Pampering yourself with an at-home manicure from time to time is a must, especially when salons are closed these days. If you love your DIY manicure, then this article is a must! It will help you discover the mistakes you are making, and why your nails don't end up looking the way you want them to. So, if you want to give your nails the proper treatment, here are the manicure mistakes that you should avoid:

Not doing prep work

Repeat after us; clean – buff – file; these are the three basic steps that you have to do to prep your nails for your manicure. When cleaning your nails, you are removing dirt and oils that interfere with nail polish, so it does not stick properly. To make your nails even more malleable, you also need to buff them and file your tips. This will give them the shape you desire and create a surface on which your nail polish will easily stick to.

Cutting your cuticles

It might annoy you to have excess cuticles, but take a dip breathe and leave them as they are. If you are not a professional nail technician, do not cut your cuticles; doing it wrong will make your nails susceptible to infections, so avoid cutting your cuticles. Instead, push them back gently, and continue with your at-home manicure.

Not applying a base coat

Now that your nails are trimmed and ready for some color, it's time to move on to the nail polish. However, before using the color coat, you should apply a base coat to your nails. It might be tempting to skip this step, but we promise that it is worth the while. A base coat makes for a smoother application of the nail polish, and it will make the final results look great.

Using acetone to thin out nail polish

This is a big NO-NO that somehow became very common over the years; your nail polish of choice has developed clumps, so you reach for your acetone or nail polish remover to thin it out. Now, we need to use some logic here. Nail polish removers remove nail polish by dissolving it, so how can it help you get the nail polish texture you want? If you want to thin out nail polish, there are wonderful nail thinners you can use that will not damage your nail polish, and will save you money in the long run.

Applying just one color coat

After your base coat is dry, you can start applying your nail polish color of choice. To get the best possible results, do not settle for just one coat. To get the full-color effect of your nail polish, apply two coats, slowly and evenly, and your nails will look gorgeous.

Not waiting enough time between coats

Most women have the same habit when it comes to manicures; they finish applying nail polish, on one hand, move on to the next, and immediately return to the first hand. This one is a big manicure mistake; when you do not wait enough between nail polish layers, the application will be even, and the first layer may even be removed by the second layer. To get an even and professional look, wait a few minutes between layers, and do not apply the second coat when the first one is not dry enough.

Not using a top coat

The same as with the base coat, a top-coat is intended to give your nail that after-manicure glow and finish. A top coat will lock in the nail polish in its place, give your nails a wonderful finish and make it look like you went to a manicurist. Just remember – let the first two layers of nail polish dry before applying the top-coat.

Using cotton buds for mistakes

While they may seem like it, cotton buds are not precise nail remover tools, and they cannot correct manicure mistakes properly. The size of cotton buds often causes them to make a mess, so do not use them if you want to correct manicure mistakes. Instead, use a precision make up brush, like an angled eyebrow brush, dipped in nail polish remover, and gently correct manicure mistakes.

Washing manicured hands with hot water

If you want the results of your manicure to last, do not put your hands in hot water for two hours after the manicure. Hot water softens nail polish, so if you have dishes in the sink, either wash them first or wait two hours before you wash them.

An at-home manicure from time to time is a great way to relax and treat your nails to some much-deserved pampering. To get results as close to a nail salon as possible, avoid the manicure mistakes mentioned here, and most importantly – have fun!