Perfect Home Manicure

If time and pocket money does not allow frequent trips to the salon for a manicure, follow these tips to make your at-home manicure look more professional.

	Never cut your cuticles as they act as a seal to the nail bed and protect against infection. Instead, try gently pushing them back in the shower with a warm, wet, soft cloth.
	Massage your fingertips daily with a cuticle cream containing Alpha Hydroxy Acids. For best results, do this right after you have washed your hands since alpha hydroxyl acids work most effectively on moist skin.
	Always use a good quality acetone polish remover as it is the most effective solvent to remove paint from the nail. Acetone free removers often stain nails making them look yellow.
	If polish has left your nails yellow or discoloured, drop two denture-cleansing tablets into 1/4 cup of water, then dip a tooth or nail brush into the solution and whisk it across your nails. This is also great for cleaning embedded dirt and stains from under the nail.
	Use a top coat with UV protectors on your nails. Especially when wearing a French manicure or pale nail colour, look for a top coat with a blue or purple tint which indicates that it contains optical brighteners.
	For all at-home manicures, but especially when wearing pale nail colours, always begin with clean dry nails. Be sure to wash off any polish remover residue with a lanolin-free soap. Start with a base coat, followed by two very thin coats of colour, followed by a shiny top coat.
	For a more professional finish, try dipping a thin eyeshadow or paint brush into some polish remover then whisk it around the edge of the nail near the cuticle for a nice, clean edge.