Perfect Pedicures and Magnificent Manicures : A "How To"

By Danna Schneider

How to Get Salon Quality Manicures and Pedicures

Summer time is once again upon us. Gone are the thick socks and stifling shoes, and in are the feet-baring sandals that adorn your shoe closet. You know what that means ladies. Pedicure Time! Oh, and while we're talking about pedicures, most of these pointers also apply to manicures.

Shopping List for Success :

 1.)  Cuticle Stick
 2.)  Cuticle Oil or Conditioner
 3.)  Fast Drying Base Coat
 4.)  Fast Drying Top Coat
 5.)  Buffer
 6.)  Large Emory Board

The first thing you need to do is to make sure you start off with clean nails. Clean nails will help the nail polish to bond better with the nail, and help ensure a lasting finish. If you have any nails that are obviously longer than all of the others, then I suggest you use a small pair of nail scissors, not clippers, to give them a trim before anything else is done.

The reason I don't suggest using clippers, at least on your hands, is that they tend to make fragile nails split, because they do not "bend" with the nail when it is cut off, which stresses the rest of the nail and can cause splitting and breaking down the line. Once the nails have all been evened out with a pair of nail scissors, the filing begins.

Begin with an emory board style nail file, not metal. It is easier to use the larger emory boards rather than the small, because it covers more surface area and tends to be more easily manipulated. Gently file the rough edges of the nails, angling it only slightly around the outer edges, for a somewhat "squared off" look. You don't want the nails too rounded, since nails typically grow better and faster when they are kept in a squared shape, but you can use your judgement as to your shape preference.

Next, using a rubber tipped cuticle stick, gently shape the cuticles. Some people have barely any cuticle at all, and can skip this step. Others may have thicker, more noticeable cuticles and they are the ones that need to focus on grooming them more. One you've shaped and gently pushed back your cuticles, dab a drop of conditioning cuticle oil and rub in.

Use a makeup brush and dust off any dust leftover from filing. You may even want to go wash your hands so that none of the nail dust or the cuticle conditioner interferes with the application of the polish. The next step is crucial to the longevity of your manicure and pedicure, since it forms a base which provides optimal adherence of your polish to your nail surface.

Use a nail buffer, or the buffing side of your nail file, and lightly buff the surface of your nails, just enough so that you do not see as much luster on the surface as you usually would. Now, take your preferred sheer or clear base coat polish and slick a light layer of it on. Wait a full minute and half at least, and then you may begin to apply your nail color of choice.

This next step is also very important to the longevity of your manicure or pedicure, as it seals you polish in a hard armor which is very tough to chip. Using the top coat of your choice, slick one to two layers of the top coat on and allow to completely dry. And that's it, you're done! Trust me, if you follow all of these steps your manicures and pedicures will last forever! Well, maybe not forever, but you get the picture.