Professional manicures may look great, but with the right products and a little patience you can achieve the same look at home for a fraction of the price.
Making your at-home mani look professional is all dependent on what tools you use. Your kit should include cuticle sticks, cuticle removing cream, nail clippers, nail file, and nail buffer. These items are all generally inexpensive and can be purchased at any beauty store. My go-to cuticle cream is (1) Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Cuticle Eraser & Balm.
To give yourself a great at-home manicure it is also important to invest in a decent base and top coat. You can save money by purchasing a brand that combines both into one formula. I’ve been using (2) OPI Start to Finish. This product is awesome because it is a base coat, top coat, and nail strengthener all in one. I simply apply this before and after I put my polish on and it gives my nails a professional finish.
After you put on the base coat it’s time to get your color on! It is entirely up to you what brand or color of nail polish you decide to use, but I prefer (3) Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure. I’ve found this polish to last longer than others and I always get compliments when I use it. Whenever I use this nail polish my friends actually think I’ve gotten a gel manicure!
Sally Hansen makes 40 colors in this formula but some of my favorites for winter include All Fired Up, a nice red shade, and Snow Globe which has cute specks of glitter in it!
Once your polish is dry it’s time to apply your top coat. If you don’t feel like using an all in one formula, I have heard great things about (4) Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. I’m very curious to try it because of how quickly I’ve heard it dries nails. Who couldn’t use a time-saving top coat?
Now that you have an effective method for getting a professional looking manicure for half the price there’s no excuse for not having hot nails!
About the Author
Gabrielle holds a B.A. in Communications from University at Albany. She enjoys beauty and fashion, reading non-fiction books, and white wine. She aspires to be a motivational coach and speaker for young women to help them feel better in their own image.
Website: gabriellebogan.com