To incorporate this product into your at-home manicure, simply use it when you do your moisturizing. First, you’ll want to remove old polish using a quality brand of polish remover. Wash hands, or soak them in sudsy water. After drying your hands is the perfect time to apply heated lotion. Spend a few minutes massaging the warm lotion into your hands, paying special attention to the cuticle area. Moisturizing the cuticles will make them easier to push back, which is the next step.

It’s not recommended that you cut your cuticles unless absolutely necessary. Instead, push them back with a cuticle stick wrapped in cotton. After that, use a cotton ball moistened with nail polish remover to swipe the excess lotion of the surface of your fingernails. Oily nails don’t hold polish well. Now it’s time to shape the nails. Work in one direction to avoid snags. A lightly squared oval shape is the most flattering for most women.

Now you’re ready to polish. Start with a strengthening base coat and allow it to dry completely. Then, polish nails with the colored enamel of your choice. Apply two coats, allowing each coat to dry completely before applying the next. There are fast-dry and one-coat enamels on the market today that cut down on polishing and drying time. To finish off your paint job, apply a protective clear coat.

The Amber manicure warmer is a great gift for women of all ages. Any girl would love a manicure gift bag or basket filled with not only this warmer but also other manicure accessories like polishes, lotions, filing boards and clippers. An alternative is to give a gift certificate to a nail salon, prettily wrapped in a small box. Either way, the recipient will love the end result — beautiful nails!

Pre-Polish Supplies:

Before polishing your nails it is important to prepare them. Soaking hands for ten minutes in sudsy warm water which contains a few drops of olive oil is the perfect way to clean and moisturize them. After hands have been soaked, rinsed and dried, apply a good hand and nail moisturizer. You can try a professional salon brand like OPI Avojuice or a drugstore brand like Vaseline Hand and Nail. Give the lotion a few minutes to soak in, then swipe each nail with a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover. The remover will prepare the nails for polish by eliminating oils leftover from your moisturizer which could compromise the integrity of your paint job. Another thing you’ll need is an emery board for shaping the nails. You might also want a buffer for those times when you want to go natural. Buffers polish your natural nail bed to a smooth, shiny finish without the need for any enamel.

Picking the Right Polish:

You’ll need a base coat, colored enamel (unless you want to go clear) and a top coat. There are handy formulas like Cover Girl 3-in-1 which combine these three steps into one bottle. Another popular type of nail polish is the fast-dry variety. These polishes set in around one minute and are perfect for those of us who use our hands a lot and have a tendency to smudge wet polish. If you do go for a clear top coat, choose something that offers a long lasting finish. Some of today’s top coats claim to last as long as ten days.

Maintaining Your Manicure

The right manicure supplies not only help you achieve gorgeous nails, they help you keep them that way. In between paint jobs, use a good cuticle cream to nourish and soften cuticles. Or, try a nail oil like Solar Oil. Every other day, top nails with a clear coat to keep your manicure fresh. If chips occur, you can either repaint the entire nail or simply repaint the chipped area using matching polish.

If you don´t have a Sally Beauty Supply or similar store in your area, you might need to shop online. There are plenty of online beauty supply stores whose merchandise and prices are comparable to stores like Sally Beauty if not better. When shopping online, do some comparing to make sure you choose the best product for the best price. Ebay is a surprising resource for bargain priced beauty supplies. You can often find even hard to find products on Ebay for very attractive prices.

When buying beauty supplies on Ebay, make sure you only deal with sellers who have a high feedback rating. And, make sure you read the item description very carefully. Some sellers offer decants or sample sizes of popular full-size products. This is perfectly acceptable, but you want to make sure you´re clear about whether or not you´re getting a full size or a sample size product. Ebay does not allow used cosmetics to be sold, so you can be assured the product you are buying is new and unused. If this is not the case, you should report the seller to Ebay right away.

 By Andrew J. Swan

Manicure cups and other nail care accessories are easy to find and affordable, because manicures are more popular today than ever. It seems like there is a nail salon on every corner. Today´s salons offer natural and artificial nail manicures complete with luxurious massages and beautiful, artistic paint jobs. Getting your nails done used to be an expensive luxury, but these days you can get a natural nail manicure for around $10 and a set of artificial nails applied for around $30. The affordability and accessibility are two reasons why so many women these days are sporting gorgeous nails!

There are all kinds of travel sets which are very similar to the one by Leeds described above. Most all of them will contain a nail file, clippers, tweezers and scissors. Some will contain sewing implements and other items like bottle openers. One variation on the manicure kit is the Swiss Army knife, which also contains other implements like a blade and corkscrew. Today´s Swiss Army knives are available in different sizes and colors for both men and women. There are even feminine pink ones designed especially for girlie girls!

These implements can be purchased at many stores. You can find travel sets and Swiss Army knives in stores like Wal-Mart and Target. Department stores offer more high-end choices. You can also choose to shop online for these items. Online giant Amazon sells an incredible variety of items. And of course, there´s always Ebay. The point is that you should have no trouble finding what you need for good grooming on the go. These kits are perfect to use at home, too. Rather than having your grooming implements all over the house, you´ll have them in one handy spot.

By Andrew J. Swan

Personal travel manicure sets make great gifts. They are ideal for gift giving in a corporate setting. If you want to give one to someone you are close to but feel it is too impersonal, have the kit engraved or embossed. Or, include it as part of a gift basket. You could fill a pretty basket with nail polishes in all colors, toss in a manicure set, add a colorful bow and you´ve got a great gift for a sister, mother, daughter or friend!

These power tools normally consist of a manicure pedicure set which comes with rotating disks. Each disk serves a different purpose such as shaping, buffing and filing. The disks are interchangeable, allowing you to do your entire manicure with one convenient tool. It certainly cuts down on time and offers reliable results. But many women are more comfortable using traditional tools. For the basic home manicure, you need a kit which contains a file, clippers, tweezers and a buffer. Some people will tell you to use cuticle nippers, although most pros say that cutting the cuticles is a bad idea. They should instead be pushed down with a cotton wrapped orangewood cuticle stick.

If you´re using top quality manicure tools, you also need top quality polish. There are some good brands at the drugstore, but the most popular brands these days include OPI and Essie, both of which are used by salons everywhere. These brands can be purchased at stores like Sally Beauty, some drugstores, most salons and online. You´ll love the wide variety of colors available and the high quality of the polish. These brands wear for days without chipping and dry to a shiny finish.

 By hawktrainer

Professional manicure tools are luxurious and enjoyable to use. Probably the most optional yet most luxurious of all is the lotion warmer. These handy little warmers come with disposable cups and warm oils and lotions to the perfect temperature. You can find these warmers for around $10, or you can go high-end and get something like the professional Amber manicure warmer. Another fun accessory to have is a paraffin warmer, which melts special wax for a nourishing hand and foot bath. When the paraffin dries on your skin, it is peeled away to reveal softer, more beautiful skin!

If you´re doing your nails on your own, you´ll definitely need some supplies. First, make sure you have a good remover. You can choose from acetone or non-acetone. Acetone remover is best for natural nails. It whisks off old polish in a flash, but smells horrible. Non acetone remover is more gentle and appropriate for acrylic nails or sensitive natural nails. It´s a bit milder than the acetone remover. Rather than buying your remover in spillable bottles, try the nail polish remover jars that contain a saturated sponge. You simply insert your finger into the hole in the sponge, twist, and the polish is removed quickly and easily!

 By Wyscan

You´ll also need some kind of cuticle moisturizer to nourish ragged cuticles. Solar Oil is a popular moisturizer which can be applied before and after polish. If you apply it before polish, swipe each nail with remover before painting to remove excess oil. After massaging the cuticles, you should push them back with an orangewood stick wrapped in cotton. Contrary to popular belief, you don´t want to cut the cuticles as that causes raggedness and tearing.

To shape the nails, an emery board is required. File in one direction only to avoid ragged tears on the nail tip. The classic shape for nails is oval, but many women like square shaped nails. If you´re not sure, try the ever-popular squoval shape which is a square shape which incorporates gently rounded edges.

Nail polish is definitely the most important of the nail manicure products. Choose a base coat with hardener to keep nails strong and prevent yellowing from colored enamel. After applying your base coat, it is important to let it dry before applying color. If you´re in a hurry, try one of the new fast-dry colored polishes like L´Oreal Jet Set or Maybelline Express Finish. You´ll also need a clear top coat to protect your polish from chipping and impart a dazzling shine. Today´s clear top coats come in quick dry varieties and extend the life of your manicure, sometimes for as long as a week!

The first thing you´ll need is a quality polish remover to take off old polish and prep nails for new paint. If you wear artificial nails, you must choose non-acetone polish. Natural nails can hold up under acetone remover unless they are very fragile or brittle. Remove all polish first before proceeding with the rest of your manicure or pedicure. You´ll want to soak hands and/or feet after using remover.

A foot spa is the ideal way to soften and clean rough feet before primping and polishing. Or, you can soak hands and feet in bowls of warm, soapy water for twenty minutes. There are soaking products at salon supply stores like Sally Beauty Supply that can be added to warm water for a fragrant, softening soak. Make sure to have lots of fluffy towels handy to dry off afterwards.

After a good soak, moisturizer is an ideal next step. Try a manicure warmer which uses even heat and disposable cups to warm lotions and oils. Massaging hands and feet with warm moisturizer is the ultimate in pampering. Not only does it feel fantastic, but the heat helps the product penetrate the skin more efficiently.

Swipe each nail with polish remover after your moisturizing session to prep them for polish. Before painting, however, you´ll want to push back cuticles with an orangewood stick wrapped in cotton and shape the nails using a quality emery board. There are different grades of emery boards designed for natural and artificial nails. If you want to forgo polish, try buffing nails to a shiny finish with a soft buffing square.

 By lizadanger

If you do choose to use polish on fingers and toes, go for a quality salon brand like OPI or Essie. Quality polishes such as these brands come in countless colors to suit every skin tone, dry fairly quickly, resist chipping and go on smoothly. You might not think there is much of a difference between the high end brands and the drugstore brands, but once you try the salon brands you´ll likely want to stick with them. These brands of polish can be purchased at Sally Beauty Supply or most anywhere else professional manicure and pedicure equipment is sold.

Many of today’s French manicures incorporate other colors, such as black or red. For example, a black French manicure features black tips rather than white ones. A red French manicure features red tips. In both cases, the preferred overlay color is clear. Sometimes, however, women will paint their nails with a background color then do the colored tips. An example of this might be a pale pink background with black tips.

Then there are seasonal designs and images that can be airbrushed onto the nails. For example, during the holiday season you could have little Christmas trees painted onto your nails. Candy canes are also a popular choice. Easter is the perfect time for pastel shades and airbrushed bunnies or chicks. In fall, try airbrushing a single autumn leaf onto each nail. Halloween is a great time for black nails adorned with images like pumpkins and airbrushed ghosts.

By iwillnotsuccumb

Your nails can also convey a message. You can airbrush letters or numbers onto your nails. This is a romantic way to express your love for a special someone or even show support for a school or team. There are so many different ideas for creative nail design. The best thing to do is go to your local nail salon and look at some samples which represent the work they can do.

Your creative nail design custom manicure should be just that — creative and custom. Your nail artist should be able to work with your ideas and preferences. Whether or not your nail art professional will be able to accommodate you depends on what you want and what they are capable of doing. Some nail artists use stencils, while others work freehand. A good first step is a consultation with a salon near you.

Prep the nails with nail polish remover after moisturizing. Nails should be clean and dry before polish is applied. You´ll find that when shopping for nail polish, there is no shortage of choices. Neutral shades look great on everyone. Bright colors are gorgeous on pale skin tones, while darker skin tones look incredible in pearly pastels. Wild shades like blue, green, purple and black are perfect for pedicures. You will need a base and top coat to keep your nails strong and protected and extend the life of your manicure. There are base/top coat combinations in the same bottle as well as three in one polishes that already contain the base and top coat.

 By RK Catch

You might also want a ridgefiller if your nails have bumps or ridges. Ridgefiller contains a fiber which fills these spots and allows polish to go on more evenly. Ridgefiller should be applied before colored polish, of course. Some women like to use nail polish quick dry sprays and oils. There are even drying fans for your fingers. One alternative is the quick dry polishes which claim to dry in sixty seconds. These polishes aren´t going to be quite as durable as the traditional type but they´re perfect for women on the go.

Ok, so you´ve got your manicure dish, nail file, nail polish and all your other accessories. You´re all set! Pretty nails can really improve one´s mood. If you´re just not the type to take time painting your nails, try the new stick-on manicure from Avon. These stick-ons come in lots of colors and adhere to the nails for an instant polish job without any drying time! They can be purchased through your local Avon representative. You might find they take a bit of practice to use, but once you get the technique down pat you can get gorgeous nails in a snap!

There are two basic types of manicures you can get these days. You can have your natural nails done, or you can have fake nails applied. A natural nail manicure includes moisturizing the hands, shaping the nails and applying polish. Acrylic nails include these steps but also include the application of fake nail tips and acrylic filler. Today’s fake nails look really natural these days and last a long time, but do require some maintenance. And, they often cause damage to your natural nail. Luckily, short nails are quite trendy these days.

One of the most creative trends in manicures these days is the use of an airbrush to paint designs on the nail. This is most often done with acrylic nails. You can have perfect French manicures featuring special designs and shapes, or tiny paintings of most anything you can think of. You can have flowers, palm trees, symbols, letters and more airbrushed onto your acrylic nails. Nails are becoming works of art thanks to today’s creative manicurists.

By ‘RK Catch’

Toenails also get the royal treatment these days. Pedicures are the ultimate in luxury, with some of them incorporating ingredients like warm chocolate and champagne into the process. Even the most basic pedicure is a treat, with a warm foot bath, moisturizing foot massage and the application of pretty polish as part of the procedure. One modern trend in pedicures is the French pedicure to match your French manicure. Light colors like those used in French manicures look fantastic with tan skin. Or, go bold and choose a wild color for your toes that you wouldn’t dare wear on your hands. When you go for a Dubuque manicure you should consider getting a pedicure also. Many salons offer mani-pedi combinations to cut down on time and expense.