Home Manicure Tips for the Busy Woman
The state of your hands, nails and cuticles says a lot about you and can make a big difference in people’s perception of you, especially if you are in a line of work that involves lots of direct interaction with customers or co-workers. Luckily, it can be rather easy to give yourself a quality home manicure and maintain beautiful, soft hands.
The nail care products you choose will make a big difference in the health and appearance of your nails over time. Look for nail polish removers, cuticle treatments and polishes that will nourish your nails and prevent them from becoming dry and brittle. For example, butter LONDON offers a variety of nail care products that help maintain soft hands and supple nails. For long-lasting color, butter LONDON nail polish comes in a variety of designer shades.
Step 1: Prepare Your Nails
The first step of your manicure is to remove any polish on your nails. We recommend using butter LONDON’s Powder Room Lacquer Remover. Clip your nails to the desired length, and file them to your desired shape. You shouldn’t ever file or clip your nails after you’ve soaked them, as the nails will be softer post-soak and more prone to breakage.
Step 2: Soak Your Cuticles
Next, tackle your cuticles. Start by soaking your hands for 3-5 minutes in warm water with a bit of liquid soap added. Then brush a cuticle remover, such as the butter LONDON Melt Away Cuticle Eliminator, onto your now softened cuticles, and gently push them back. When finished, wash and dry your hands.
Step 3: Load Up on Color
To get the most wear out of your color, polish your nails in three separate layers. Begin with a base coat to help strengthen your nails. For example, butter LONDON polish bases include Nail Foundation Flawless Basecoat for healthy nails or Horse Power Nail Fertilizer for weak or damaged nails.
Next, apply the desired shade of nail polish. Popular butter LONDON nail polish shades include dark, bright colors like “No More Waity Katie,” a sparkly griege shade; “Blagger,” a striking cobalt blue; and “Dosh,” an apple green with a splash of metallic gold. For a softer look, try butter LONDON nail polish shades such as “Tea with the Queen,” a shade on the pink side of tan; “Teddy Girl,” a pale bubblegum pink; or even “Lady Muck,” a powdery periwinkle blue.
After your polish, apply Hardwear P.D. Quick Top Coat from butter LONDON to set and protect your nails.