What are the steps to giving yourself a manicure at home? Any advice to getting pretty, well-groomed nails?

Like, I want nice looking nails and hands, but please, don't even mention about going to the nail salon. I don't want to waste money. But is there any way that I could get shiny, shaped, and sleek nails and soft beautiful hands at home? It will be nice if you gave me a set of instructions on how to do a manicure and tips would be great too! Links or videos would be wonderful also! Person who gives the best, detailed, and most helpful and effective answer will be given 10 points! Thanks for all answers!What are the steps to giving yourself a manicure at home? Any advice to getting pretty, well-groomed nails?
I'm a qualified beautician and I do a manicure on myself every week, this is what I do:





* File nails into desired shape


* Massage cuticle cream or vaseline into cuticles


* Soak hands in warm soapy water for about 5 mins, I sometimes rub an exfoliant into my hands at this stage.


* Rinse and dry hands and push back cuticles using either an orange stick or cotton bud.


* Massage hands and nails with a hand cream.


* At this stage you can either leave your nails as they are or go over your nails with a nail polish remover to remove excess cream and then paint them as required. I don't tend to wear coloured nail varish but I usually put a coat of clear on at this stage to help protect my nails.What are the steps to giving yourself a manicure at home? Any advice to getting pretty, well-groomed nails?
1. File! File your nails in a nice rounded shape.


2. Soak! Soak your hands in soap and water.


3. Trim! Trim your cuticles.


4. Moisturize! Massage your hard-working hands.


5. Apply! Apply a clear coat to your nails.


6. Apply! Apply a nail polish of your choice.


6. Re-apply! Put another coat on your nails.


7. Apply again! Put a clear coat on your nails.


8. Let it dry!!!!!!!!!





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Moisturize your hands to get them looking nice and healthy. File your nails into a nice round shape. You can buy from superdrug a cheap nail file with 4 sides : Shape, smooth, buff and shine. They are really good! Get a good make of a manicure kit, which includes a white, natural pink and clear nail varnish and tip stencils. Here is the order of what you should do:





1) Apply a coat of natural pink and wait for it to dry.


2) Apply a second coat of natural pin and wait for it to dry.


3) Apply a coat of clear and wait for it to dry.


4) Put a tip stencil of each of you fingers on 1 hand and apply a THIN coat of white to tips - wait for them to dry.


5) Apply another coat of white and wait for them to dry.


6) Repeat for other hand.


7) Apply a coat of clear varnish.


8) Apply another coat of clear varnish





TIP: Make sure that the nail varnish is COMPLETELY dry because if it is not and you put on the tip stencils (which are sticky) they will just peel of the nail varnish underneath.


TIP: You can blow them dry


Use a hairdryer on 'cool' setting


Put your hands in cold water for a few minutes.





Hope this helps!