Achieve salon-quality nails with a Home Manicure

Take matters into your own hands and achieve salon-quality nails in the comfort of your own home. These 10 simple steps will help keep your nails looking great, along with the satisfaction that you did it yourself!

Here’s what you’ll need for your Home Manicure

• Nail polish remover
• Nail file
• Cuticle cream 
• Hand cream
• Base coat/Top coat
• Choice of colour polish
• Cuticle pusher/ orange wood stick 
• Small bowl for warm water
• Cotton wool

PREPARATION
Remove any old nail polish from the nails of both hands.

FILE
To avoid nail breakage, smooth the file in just 1 direction rather than using a “sawing” motion, until the nails are the length and shape desired.

SOFTEN CUTICLES
Massage a small amount of cuticle cream to the cuticle area of the filed hand, and place fingers into a bowl of warm water. Add some nourishing bath oil to the water if you have some.

TIDY CUTICLES
Dry the 1st hand and then gently push cuticles back with the Avon Cuticle Pusher, being careful not to apply too much pressure, or push too far. Repeat on the 2nd hand.

NOURISH & TREAT
Apply hand cream to 1st hand and spend a few minutes massaging the cream in thoroughly. Focus on any areas that feel tense or particularly dry. Repeat on the 2nd hand.

PREPARATION FOR POLISH
Wipe over nails with some nail polish remover to remove any hand cream from the nails.

BASE COAT
Apply a thin coat of the base coat to one hand. Repeat on the 2nd hand.

POLISH
Apply a thin coat of your chosen nail polish colour, starting down the centre of the nail, then curving out from the base of the nail and down one side, repeating on the 2nd side so the nail is completely covered.
Aim to leave a very small gap around the outside edge of the nail so not touching the surrounding skin.
Apply a 2nd coat for full coverage and colour pay off.
Sweep a very small amount along the underside of the free edge of the nail (if long enough) to help prevent chipping.

PROTECT POLISH
Apply a thin coat of topcoat to protect your polish and help the polish last longer. Again sweep along the underside of free edge (if long enough).

NEATEN POLISH
Take an orangewood stick (or a wooden toothpick) and dampen the pointed end in water. Pull apart a piece of cotton wool, so the fibres are loose, and then roll the dampened end of the stick into the cotton wool (like rolling candy floss!).
Dip the covered end into some nail polish remover, and gently wipe around the edges of the nail where the nail polish may be touching the skin. Repeat as needed, and until you have a neat edge around the nails, and a small gap between the nail polish and the skin.

To give yourself the perfect home manicure, Check out this Nail Edit bonus brochure here

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Abbie x