How to Do a Manicure at Home

A manicure at home costs little, takes about 40 minutes and can look as neat as a salon visit once you know the order of the steps. The secret is preparation. Polish only looks smooth and lasts well on nails that are clean, shaped and free of oil.

What you need

Wash your hands and clean your tools before you start.

Step 1: Remove old polish

Press a pad soaked in remover on each nail for a few seconds, then wipe from the base to the tip. See How to Remove Nail Polish at Home.

Step 2: Trim and shape

Clip nails only if they need shortening, then file. File in one direction, from the side towards the center, with a fine-grit file. Choose a shape that follows the curve of your cuticle. How to File and Shape Your Nails explains the shapes and technique.

Step 3: Soften

Soak your fingertips in warm water for two to three minutes, or do your manicure after a shower. Do not soak for longer if you are going to apply polish, because nails absorb water and swell, and polish applied over them chips sooner. Dry your hands thoroughly.

Step 4: Care for the cuticles

Apply a drop of cuticle oil or cuticle remover. Using an orangewood stick or a soft pusher, gently ease the cuticle back from the nail plate. Do not cut the cuticles. They seal the base of the nail against germs. Trim only a hangnail that is clearly loose. See Cuticle Care: How to Keep Your Routine Gentle.

Step 5: Buff lightly, if needed

If your nails have ridges, pass a fine buffer over them a few times. Too much buffing thins the nail.

Step 6: Moisturize, then clean the nail

Massage hand cream into your hands. Then wipe each nail with remover or rubbing alcohol on a pad to take off every trace of cream and oil. This step makes the biggest difference to how long polish lasts. See How to Prepare Nails for Nail Polish.

Step 7: Paint

1. Base coat: one thin layer. It helps color to grip and stops staining.
2. Color: two thin coats. Wipe one side of the brush on the bottle neck, place the brush near the base, push it gently towards the cuticle and draw it to the tip. Paint the center, then each side.
3. Cap the edge: run the brush along the tip of each nail.
4. Top coat: one layer over the color and along the tip.

Wait two to three minutes between coats. How to Apply Nail Polish Evenly covers application in detail.

Step 8: Tidy and dry

Clean up any polish on the skin with a small brush or an orangewood stick dipped in remover. Let your nails dry for at least 15 to 20 minutes before using your hands, and treat them gently for an hour. Finish with cuticle oil once the polish is touch-dry.

Manicure without polish

Follow steps one to six, skip the paint and buff the nails to a soft shine. Bare, well-shaped nails with cared-for cuticles always look tidy.

Hygiene and safety

• Do not share nail tools. If you do, clean and disinfect them between users.
• Wash metal tools with soap and water and wipe them with rubbing alcohol. See How to Clean and Store Nail Tools.
• Replace emery boards and buffers regularly. They cannot be disinfected properly.
• Use polish and remover in a ventilated room, away from flames.
• Do not push, cut or pick at skin that is red, swollen or sore. See a doctor about signs of infection.

How often

Polish usually lasts five to seven days. Give your nails a day or two without polish from time to time, and moisturize daily. How to Care for Nails Between Manicures explains care between manicures, and the Manicure Planner sets a schedule for you.

Related on ArniSun

• How to File and Shape Your Nails
• Cuticle Care: How to Keep Your Routine Gentle
• How to Apply Nail Polish Evenly
• How to Care for Nails Between Manicures
• Manicure Planner: Schedule Your Nail Care

Sources and further reading

• American Academy of Dermatology: 11 dermatologists' tips for healthy nails
• American Academy of Dermatology: Manicure and pedicure safety