DIY nail polishing/nail care help needed

sallywin

Hey all, I've never done my own nails before apart from looking after my cuticles and using clear nail polish every now and again but I'd like to start looking after my nails a bit better. Don't really want to be spending the money on a french polish on a regular basis, so if anyone can help with how I can do it by myself i'd love to hear your suggestions.

If the French polish is too ambitious I was thinking I'd like to try a nice pale pink polish and just file my nails nicely and get my cuticles as good as possible. how does that sound for an alternative?

Any suggestions for a subtle and inexpensive pale pink polish?

I'm not interested in different colours as this is for work and needs to be subtle but sophisticated.

Appreciate any help at all.

Orlee

A french polish itself isn't going to do anything for your nails. I found this great when I started looking after my nails - Manicure 101 http://www.kaylashevonne.com/p/manicuring-101.html

Essence do a lovely pale pink called "sweet as candy" - it sonly €1.29. I have it on today actually!

pic from www.punmiris.com

sallywin

Orlee, thanks so much! That's amazing help!

Just one question, is it hard to do the French style white tips by yourself?

orchidsrpretty

Not at all, just needs s little practice and the right tools. I sometimes use that sweet as candy as the base and you can get nail tip polish that has a thinner brush. Put your hand on a flat surface and instead of moving the brush over your tips, move the nail, it always turns out better for me anyway. You can also get the tip guides things. Have never used them myself though.

Use a good quality top coat and your nails will look really nice healthy and shiny!
Have fun and patience is the key!!

Also on days you don't want to wear polish use a nail buffer, will also make your nails really shiny.

sallywin

Cool thanks again! Can you recommend a good white polish for the white tips to use with the sweet candy polish, and a good one for the overcoat? Does the overcoat go over both the main polish and the white tips yeah?


Essence is brill, I use their mascara and sometimes the foundation, amazing value

Orlee

Sally Hansen Insta Dri is the best top coat I've tried so far. It gives a great shine and dries 100% in like 30 seconds.

pic from walmart.com

For white tips it depends on how white you want to go. Most brands will do a white / off white polish

Essence do a nail tip whitener which has a really thin brush for french manicure

pic from www.cosmopinie.nl

Valentina

Essence also do a cuticle softener pen for a couple of euro in Penneys. Great for softening cuticles if you suffer from dry ones and can make removing cuticles easier. It's the yellow one in store. They also have an orange nail care pen which I think has cuticle oil in it, which can help with the growth of healthy nails. Any oil you can get with aloe vera or vitamins will be good. Also a decent moisturiser is a must in my opinion. No point having lovely nails and dry hands!

If you've never done French tips before it might be a good idea to practice on your toes until you get the hang of it, and if you make a mistake no one will see it.

sallywin

Valentina wrote: »

Essence also do a cuticle softener pen for a couple of euro in Penneys. Great for softening cuticles if you suffer from dry ones and can make removing cuticles easier. It's the yellow one in store. They also have an orange nail care pen which I think has cuticle oil in it, which can help with the growth of healthy nails. Any oil you can get with aloe vera or vitamins will be good. Also a decent moisturiser is a must in my opinion. No point having lovely nails and dry hands!

If you've never done French tips before it might be a good idea to practice on your toes until you get the hang of it, and if you make a mistake no one will see it.

Hey I had a look in both Penneys and Dunnes at the Essence stand and couldn't find the cuticle softening pen! Is it definitely Essence?

Orlee

It's this http://www.essence.eu/products/nails/on-the-go/product/2.html

Although I've never actually seen it on stands. Have a look in the nailcare section of Boots and you'll definately get something similar

sallywin

Hey I was in the other Penneys and saw the label for it but looks like it was sold out.

Got the sweet as candy, really love it, and great how you can build it up to get is as dark as you like!

Valentina

sallywin wrote: »

Valentina wrote: »

Essence also do a cuticle softener pen for a couple of euro in Penneys. Great for softening cuticles if you suffer from dry ones and can make removing cuticles easier. It's the yellow one in store. They also have an orange nail care pen which I think has cuticle oil in it, which can help with the growth of healthy nails. Any oil you can get with aloe vera or vitamins will be good. Also a decent moisturiser is a must in my opinion. No point having lovely nails and dry hands!

If you've never done French tips before it might be a good idea to practice on your toes until you get the hang of it, and if you make a mistake no one will see it.

Hey I had a look in both Penneys and Dunnes at the Essence stand and couldn't find the cuticle softening pen! Is it definitely Essence?

Yep! I got mine in Penney's on O'Connell St, Dublin.

sallywin

Valentina wrote: »

Yep! I got mine in Penney's on O'Connell St, Dublin.

Looks like they're sold out of it now Saw the label for it but they had none on shelf, checked yday eve and today!

sallywin

Does anyone use the cuticle sticks with the two edges on the top of them for pushing back cuticles?