Caleb Foster
Painting your nails is a fun way to express your mood, match your outfit, or show off your personality. However, it can be challenging to do, especially with your non-dominant hand. To get a neat finish, you can apply Vaseline, lip balm, or tape around your nails to prevent nail polish from getting on your skin. You should also push back or trim your cuticles, as they can make your nail polish application look messy. It's best to paint your nails on a clean, well-lit, flat surface, and always remember to do a little prep by removing any old nail polish and shaping your nails with a nail file.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What to put around finger nails | Vaseline, lip balm, tape, petroleum jelly, liquid glue, cuticle oil, olive oil, coconut oil |
| Nail painting surface | Well-lit, clean, flat, stable |
| Nail painting position | Lay your hand on the surface, use your little finger to keep your hand stable |
| Nail painting technique | Avoid overloading the brush, stripe your nail three times: once down the middle, once on each side |
| Number of coats | 2-3 coats |
| Drying technique | Run your nails under cold water, spray cooking oil, use a hairdryer |
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What You'll Learn
Vaseline, lip balm, or tape
Another use for tape is to create clean, straight lines and shapes on your nails. By placing strips of tape on your nails, you can paint over them to achieve crisp edges and unique designs. Nail artist Shannon Sullivan recommends using thin layers of polish, allowing them to dry, and then applying tape. She also suggests gently pressing down on the tape to remove any air bubbles and ensure a smooth surface. You can use craft scissors to create different shapes with the tape for more intricate nail art.
Athena Solomon, a nail artist and salon owner, has a unique method to prevent smudges and scratches. She applies nail polish, lets it air dry for a minute, dips the nail in cold water for a minute, and then applies a thin coat of Vaseline before placing the tape. This process ensures that the polish won't smudge or peel when removing the tape.
Using Vaseline, lip balm, or tape can elevate your at-home manicure experience, providing you with professional-looking results and the ability to create intricate nail art designs. These simple tools and techniques can help you achieve salon-quality nails without the expense of a professional manicure.
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Push back or trim cuticles
Cuticles are the thin pieces of skin at the base of each nail. They can make your nail polish application look messy if they are not pushed back or trimmed before you paint. Here is a guide on how to push back or trim your cuticles:
Soak Your Nails
Submerge your fingertips in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes to soften the cuticles. You can also add a few drops of moisturising soap to promote softening. Alternatively, you can put jojoba or coconut oil in the water for extra moisturisation.
Dry Your Nails and Hands
Use a clean towel to pat your nails and the surrounding skin completely dry. Make sure all traces of oil are gone.
Push Back Your Cuticles
Use a cuticle pusher to push the soft skin of each cuticle back to the edge of the nail. It is important to note that you should not cut your cuticles, as this can expose you to dangerous and painful infections.
Apply Moisturiser
Rub a small amount of petroleum jelly or cuticle oil onto the cuticle to add moisture and further soften them. You can also apply hand cream or lotion to the cuticles and surrounding skin, massaging it in well.
Trim Hangnails
If there are any hangnails or loose skin present after you've pushed your cuticles back, there's no harm in trimming this away. Be mindful not to pull the skin or trim too much away. Use a cuticle nipper to remove stubborn skin or hangnails. Angle the nippers as close as you can to the base of the torn skin, snipping away the hangnail in a single, smooth cut.
Sanitise Your Nails
Use a cotton ball dipped in a non-acetone polish remover to wipe each nail and help them dry. Then, sanitise the nail's surface with spray-on hand sanitiser to remove any excess residue.
Wash Your Hands
Wash your hands in warm soapy water to remove any residue from the cuticle oil or small pieces of skin left from the exfoliation process.
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Flat surface
Painting your nails on a flat surface is essential for a neat and tidy manicure. A flat surface provides stability, ensuring your hand remains steady while painting. This helps prevent accidental smudges and spills, keeping the polish confined to your nails.
When choosing a flat surface, opt for a table or desk that allows your elbows and forearms to rest comfortably without shaking or slipping. This stability is crucial, especially when painting with your non-dominant hand, as it provides the control needed for precise application.
If you don't have access to a table or desk, get creative! Nail artist Gina Edwards suggests using a yoga block or turning a shoebox upside down to anchor your arm and provide the necessary steadiness. Another handy tool is the small removable cap found on some nail polish brands. As nail artist Bachik advises, you can use this cap as a miniature pedestal to support one finger at a time as you paint.
In addition to stability, a flat surface also offers a clean and well-lit workspace. This is advantageous because it allows you to clearly see what you're doing, reducing the chances of mistakes. It also makes it easier to keep your tools organized and within reach, ensuring a smooth and efficient manicure process.
Remember, when painting your nails, take your time and focus on creating a relaxing self-care experience. With a flat surface as your foundation, you'll be well on your way to achieving salon-worthy nails in the comfort of your own home.
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Thin coats
Painting your nails with thin coats is a great way to ensure a neat and tidy finish. It is also a good way to prevent your nail polish from flooding your cuticle area.
Before you start painting, it is important to prepare your nails and the area around them. Push back or trim your cuticles, as these can make your nail polish application look messy. It is easier to do this after a shower or once you have soaked your hands in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. Then, trim and file your nails. Make sure your nails are completely dry before you start painting. You can also go over your nails with a little nail polish remover to clean and prep them for painting.
When you are ready to start painting, wipe the far side of the brush after pulling it out of the bottle. This will help to prevent too much polish from being applied. Start with the brush about half a centimeter away from your cuticle, then place it down and pull up to the free edge of your nail. This will disperse the first blob of polish. Then, move the brush back to the starting position, and scoot it down close to your cuticle. Aim to leave a hairline space between the colour and your skin. Repeat on the left and right sides until your whole nail is covered.
It is best to apply a few thin layers of nail polish, rather than one thick layer. This will help your nail polish to dry more efficiently. Most of the time, you will be able to achieve your desired colour in three coats. If you apply too many coats, your nail polish may not dry correctly.
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Horizontal swipe of topcoat over the bottom edge
To prevent nail polish from getting on your skin, you can apply Vaseline, lip balm, or tape around your nails. You can also put some petroleum jelly on your skin around your nails.
Now, for the horizontal swipe of the topcoat over the bottom edge:
Nail artist Gina Edwards recommends using a topcoat like Morgan Taylor React Extended Wear Top Coat. Take the topcoat and run a horizontal swipe over the bottom edge of your nail after applying your last coat of nail polish. Let it dry, and repeat one more time. This will help to prevent chipping at the tip of the nail, where chips tend to happen most.
It is important to note that you should wait at least one or two minutes before applying another coat of colour or a topcoat. This allows the solvents in your polish to evaporate, which dries your nails. If you apply too many layers of nail polish (more than four), it will not dry correctly.
Additionally, make sure to push back or trim your cuticles before painting your nails. You can do this by soaking your nails in warm water for a minute or two to soften the cuticles, drying your hands and nails, and then using a cuticle pusher to push the soft skin back to the edge of the nail.
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Frequently asked questions
You can apply Vaseline, lip balm, or tape around your nails to prevent nail polish from getting on your skin.
It is recommended to paint your nails on a well-lit, clean, and flat surface. You can also use your little finger to keep your hand stable.
Nicks and chips tend to happen at the tip of the nail, so remember to give that part a little extra topcoat love. Take a topcoat and run a horizontal swipe of it over the bottom edge of your nail after your final coat. Let it dry, then repeat.
Try running your nails under cold water. If you need them to dry even faster, spray some cooking oil onto your wet nails.
Before painting your nails, you should push back or trim any excess cuticles. You could also soak your hands in warm water to ease this process. Then, trim and file your nails.
