The Perfect Manicure
Fall begins with your first red manicure. You can get professional results at home with a steady hand, some essential tools and the right products.
My favorite true red nail polish colors:
The key to a lasting result is in the prep work and the result is worth the effort!
1. Soak a cotton pad in acetone and remove any old nail polish. Don’t skip this step even if your nails are clean because it helps to remove any oil buildup on your nails. Wash your hands with soap and water and dry.
2. Clean any debris from under your fingernails with a bamboo stick or cuticle tool and shape your nails into your desired shape. I like to keep my nails short and filed in a ‘squoval’ shape. I use a glass nail file because it is gentler than a regular emery board.
3. Gently push back your cuticles with a bamboo stick or a stainless steel cuticle tool.
4. Lightly buff your nails with a fine buffer to roughen up your nail surface. Doing this step will help the nail polish adhere better, and smooth out any lines and ridges.
5. Brush off any nail dust and rub an acetone-soaked cotton pad on your nails again to clean up before the application process.
6. Clean up any hangnails that are dry and ragged.
7. Apply a rubberized basecoat. I use Orly Nail Bonder and swear by it.
8. Apply very thin coats of nail polish. I like to frame out my nail by brushing a thin coat on each side and finishing with swipe down the middle to connect the sides, and a final swipe across the top of the nail to seal it all in. I wait about five minutes between coats because it really helps your manicure to cure faster. I usually do three coats of nail polish.
9. Apply a single layer your top coat. My favorite of all time is Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.
10. Instead of waiting forever for your nails to dry, your manicure can cure in almost no time with this cocktail of products. About two minutes after your top coat is applied, add a single drop of Orly Flash Dry Drops and wait two minutes. Next, spray each hand with a couple of sprays of CND Solar Speed Spray (which smells delicious and conditions your cuticles) and in about five minutes, your manicure will be completely cured and you can go about your day!
Formula x ‘Haute Sauce’
