How to do nails at home: step by step and how to assemble your manicure kit

Having your nails done, filed and painted is one of the vanity habits adopted by some women, however not all of them have time to go to the manicure every week. Therefore, doing your nails at home is an alternative for women who are looking for a cheaper solution, without waiting and that has the comfort of their own home.

In addition to being economical, the practice of doing your nails at home is therapeutic, as you can relax and take care of yourself and your beauty at the same time.

Not to mention that at home, you use your own materials and avoid the risk of contracting any disease due to the shared use of pliers, nail polish and the like.

The following tips are from the manicurist Damiana Emidio Ribeiro, from Instituto Embelleze, and will help you to make this practice easier.

How to assemble your manicure kit

Before becoming a nail professional, you need to assemble your manicure and pedicure kit. Check out the essential items to adopt the habit of doing your nails at home, as well as the intermediaries, who can provide extra help in the process, and the professionals, who also bring ease, but it is up to you to buy them or not.

to the hands

basics

• Nail cutter
• Sandpaper (size of your choice)
• Nail polish, transparent base, drying oil
• Nail cutters
• Cotton
• Toothpick
• Nail polish remover
• Spatula to remove cuticle

intermediaries

In addition to the basic items, a nail polish file and cuticle softening cream/enamel can provide better results.

Polishing the nails makes them shiny and smooth, so the enamel is more beautiful. However, if you have fragile and brittle nails, it is better to avoid this process so as not to worsen their condition. In this case, it is worth replacing the transparent base with a strengthening base.

The cuticle softener, regardless of whether you remove the cuticle or not, facilitates the process. For those adept at removing, the softener facilitates removal by the simple fact of making them softer. While for women who prefer to keep the cuticles, the softener facilitates the process of pushing them, leaving them more hydrated and consequently more beautiful.

Professionals

To achieve faster and more professional drying (without bubbles), it is possible to invest in an enamel dryer. They are usually battery powered and can be a great option for those who don’t have the time or patience to wait for the nail polish to dry.

A sterilizer is also part of the list of professional items that bring advantages with the acquisition. The sterilizer is used to keep pliers, spatulas and even other items sanitized. It is important in cases of sharing materials with others, even at home, to avoid the transmission of any virus or disease.

To the feet

basics

• Nail cutter;
• Ordinary sandpaper;
• Foot file;
• Enamels, transparent base, drying oil;
• cuticle pliers;
• Cotton;
• Toothpick;
• Nail polish remover;

intermediaries

In the case of the pedicure kit, items that can be useful are the finger separator and an exfoliating cream. The separator prevents newly enameled nails from touching and damaging the applied layer, in addition to facilitating the entire process prior to enameling, as with the fingers separated it is easier to perform the steps of filing, cutting, etc.

The beauty of the feet is not just a manicure, but a hydrated foot as a whole and that’s why the exfoliating cream is useful. In addition to moisturizing, it removes the dead skin in the region, leaving the skin of the feet ready to be combined with a beautiful nail polish.

Professionals

The nail polish sterilizer and dryer, already mentioned in the hand kit, are also useful and have the same purposes for the feet.

Products to assemble a complete nail kit

In addition to your favorite nail polishes, check out a gallery containing all the essential products to be able to do your nails at home. And also the most professional products mentioned in the article, which you can choose to invest or not.

Step by step to do your nails at home

Before starting the process, it is necessary to separate the materials that will be used. “In addition to the materials, a clear, peaceful and comfortable environment is also needed.”, says Damiana.

After that, the first step is to remove the old nail polish with cotton soaked in nail polish remover and cut the nails with the clipper, if necessary. After that, just follow the steps below:

Manicure: how to do fingernails

1. File: File your nails in the shape you prefer. Try to maintain symmetry. If you are going to file them in a square format, remember to file the sides of the nail as well.

2. Polish: If you have a polishing file, this is the time to use it. Pass it over your nails gently, as the process reduces the thickness of the nail.

3. Soften the cuticles: Apply a moisturizing cream, or apply the cuticle softener. Let the cream act for a while (about 2 minutes).

4. Remove or remove the cuticles: After the cuticle has softened, you can remove the excess with the pliers or, if you prefer not to remove it, just push it with the help of the spatula and remove with the pliers only the “little hairs”. ” that can appear around the nails.

5. Apply base coat: Apply a clear or strengthening base coat before nail polish. It serves to increase the duration and coverage of the enamel and protect the nails from the pigment present in the enamel.

6. Enamel: Wait for the base to dry and then apply the chosen nail polish. Try to apply thin layers and use a little product on the brush, starting from the inside towards the ends.

7. Apply the drying oil: After coloring the nails, apply the drying oil, in addition to helping the enamel dry faster, it also improves the coverage and gives an extra shine to the enamel.

8. Clean the corners: It is normal to dirty the side that surrounds the nails when applying the enamel and this is perhaps the most boring and time-consuming step to perform. To remove, wet the tip of the toothpick with nail polish remover and wrap it with cotton, dip it again in the nail polish remover to wet the cotton and pass the toothpick over the excess nail polish making rotating movements, being careful not to remove the nail polish. .

9. Drying: To speed up the nail polish drying process you can use a nail polish dryer or a spray dryer. If you don’t have any of these items, wait for the nails to dry naturally, just be careful not to touch / bump into anything.

Pedicure: how to do toenails

1. Exfoliate: Before going to the nails, it is interesting to hydrate and exfoliate the skin of the feet. To do this, soak your feet in warm water for 2-3 minutes. Dry them and start exfoliating. Another alternative is to sand the soles of the feet to remove excess skin and calluses.

2. Moisturize: After exfoliating, apply a moisturizing cream by massaging your feet until the cream is fully spread.

3. File your nails: Now, file your nails so that they are straight and proportional.

4. Soften and remove cuticles: As with fingernails, you can choose to remove cuticles or not. When deciding to remove it, use good pliers for this. If you prefer to keep it in place, just push it away with the help of the spatula.

From there, just follow the same steps as the process of making your hands: apply the base, nail polish, drying oil, clean the excesses in the corners and let it dry. Just remembering that when painting your toenails it is interesting to use a finger separator to facilitate enamelling.

“Be careful when choosing nail polish color, as it often reveals what is inside us. Choosing colors that match your personality will make you feel more beautiful and powerful, being well with your self-esteem always.”, advises the professional.

Tutorials to take care of nails without leaving home

If you have any questions or want to see the process of doing your nails at home, check out four video tutorials that can help you:

The dangers of sharing nail pliers

Many women are changing their habits and instead of removing, they are just pushing the cuticles away, in order to avoid any cut and propensity to contract fungi, viruses or bacteria through the use and especially the sharing of pliers.

According to the specialist at the Embelleze Institute, it is not advisable to share pliers, however, in cases where this cannot be avoided, the important thing is to keep the material sterilized.

“Sharing pliers is not a safe action, as we are vulnerable to contagious diseases such as hepatitis, HIV and others. Therefore, the pliers must be properly sterilized.”, says Damiana.

In addition, the cuticle has a protective function and by removing it, the body will understand that it needs to replace this layer of protection, activating and increasing the growth of the skin that forms it.