The At Home Mani Essentials
There’s something about having your nails done that makes you feel instantly more put together. I have friends who don’t dabble in much beauty at all, but they will always have pristine nails. It’s something about feeling polished (no pun intended) and put together, neat nails are always a great step in the right direction. Regular manicures can quickly add up though and often take a fair bit of time. The occasional treat is fine but I found that Shellac damaged mine within an inch of their life and it wasn’t something I necessarily needed on the regular.
I’ve always been one for an at-home mani. Pop on the TV, set out all of my tools and it’s like a little moment of relaxation because we all know you can’t do a single thing when your nails are wet. I’ve got my routine and most importantly I have my essential products to make the process, quick and easy for even the most novice of nail-painters.
Sally Hansen Hard As Nails: This base coat is the only one I will use. Period. It has done an incredible job of strengthening my thin and flimsy nails of over the years, particularly post Shellac. It dries quickly, has an amazing shine and is fortified with nylon, retinol and Omega 3 to strengthen the nails.
Sally Hansen Insta-Dry: Similar to the base coat mentioned above, this is the only top coat I will use, and I have converted many friends and family members to it too. As the name suggests, it dries super fast but gives a brilliant shine to the nails too. It coats the nails perfectly so they wont smudge or get those horrible pillow marks hours after you think they’ve dried. These two together are my dream combination for making any nail varnish last longer than a few days.
L’Oreal Paris Color Riche Nail Polish: These are without a doubt my favourite nail polishes on the high street that I have tried. The shade range is good so covers you from light to darker nudes, there are vivid reds and dark berry and navy tones. A couple of coats are plenty to give a strong colour, the shine is great and they dry quickly. Paired with my Sally Hansen duo I find these tend to last me just shy of a week, if not a little more. Some of my favourite shades are 556, 114 and 664. If you aren’t great at painting your nails then practice makes perfect, start with lighter shades that are close to your natural nail colour as these are more forgiving of mistakes and just keep trying. You can always start the nail again if you make a mistake!
A good nail file: I can’t stand a flimsy emery board so I always go for one of the block nail files that have the 4 different sides. Buffing my nails and giving them a smooth texture helps the nail varnish to go on much more smoothly and also helps to prevent any future chipping from snagging or peeling nails. They’re also handy to keep everything neat and tidy so you aren’t reaching for the nail scissors too often.
Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream: This is the stuff of magic and dreams and I’m yet to find something it doesn’t help. The original ointment is too sticky for me to apply all over my hands but I do love this on my cuticles. I massage a little in to each one before applying my base coat and I find it keeps them looking a little tidier and softer.
Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Concentrated Cream: My hands are always dry so I’m always on the look out for a powerful, but non-sticky and fast-absorbing, hand cream. This thick formula feels luxurious to massage into your hands butit sabsorbs quickly and doesn’t leave that horrible greasy feeling on your hands. It’s also ideal for people with eczema prone skin and can be used elsewhere on the body so doubles up for feet or elbows if necessary. Who doesn’t love a multi-tasking product?
Nothing really replaces the feeling of having someone else do your nails but if you’re short on time or don’t want to spend the money then an at-home manicure is the perfect solution to keep your nails nice and tidy.
