How to Paint your Nails at Home like a Pro

Before  sharing the tips on how to  paint your nails at home like a pro, let me share this cake from my birthday last year.  I'll be 45 in few days, time flies when you are having  fun!  Thanks for my husband for making my life  awesome  despite of being so far away from my family.

When it comes to having your nails done, some people just won’t even entertain the idea of doing them themselves. However, with the proper savoir-faire and equipment, anyone can get professional results from home. Here are some few tips on   how to paint your nails at home like a pro.

Use Fresh Polish

If you want to know how to do your nails like a pro, know that the process starts by using fresh nail polish. You can tell nail polish is fresh because it is thin and easy to spread. If the nail polish is gloopy, that will carry over to the polish on the nail, as well. You could try to add nail polish thinner to the nail polish, but that could create other problems. Don’t use a polish that is streaky, either. If the polish is thick and heavy, the surest bet is to throw it out.

Start with a Base Coat

While applying a base coat takes some extra time, it will give the colored polish something to stick to and helps it last longer. This layer will protect the nails underneath from staining, as well. If you’re going to apply neon nail polish, apply white or opaque polish that matches your skin tone to make the neon color pop. This also makes the sheer neon polish look thicker.

Don’t Lay It on Fast or Thick

You only need three strokes to paint your nails. Each layer of nail polish needs to be thin and spread out. This prevents both caking and smudging. Another thing to do is to take your time. Wait for the first coat to dry before you apply the second one. By waiting for the first coat to dry, the second one will dry faster and thus won’t smudge. If you apply one or two very thick layers, they’ll never dry.

Have Quick Dry Coat on the Ready

Quick dry coats are essentially an extra coat of polish you put over the manicure job. This top coat protects the polish and refreshes its shine. The “quick dry” type of polish is recommended since it will dry in a few minutes, letting you get back to work in a matter of minutes without the risk of smudging. However, you don’t want to use quick dry nail polish when you’re doing the initial manicure since this can dry out your nails.

Use Cuticle Oil

Cuticle oil hydrates your cuticles. One trick the pros recommend is to apply cuticle oil over the nails after they’ve dried. Then, if they hit something, they’re less likely to nick. Don’t cut your cuticles. The only exception is if you have a hangnail, though the odds of this happening are reduced if you’re using moisturizer.

Click off the Excess

After you’ve worn nail polish for a few days, clip off the excess. That excess is the thin white line that forms at the edge of the nail. By removing this, you eliminate the part of the nail most likely to chip or already have chipped. Top the nail off with a new fresh top coat to keep the manicure looking new. If you need to file the nails, stroke the file in one direction so you don’t tear off the tip of the nail.

Conclusion

You can do your nails at home and have them come out looking as good as if they were done by the pros. Just make sure you follow these simple tips and you should be able to achieve a professional look for a fraction of the price.