How to Apply Nail Polish Neatly

Applying neat, even layers of nail polish is extremely tricky. Getting a clean and crisp nail polish line takes practice, patience, and a steady hand. If you happen to paint outside the lines, you can always clean up your mistakes!

part 1

1.Preparing Your Nails for Polish

1

Remove old polish from your nails. In order to produce a neat and even manicure, you must first remove any old polish from your nails. Acetone nail polish removers dry out your nail, and cuticle. If possible, use a non-acetone nail polish remover over an acetone nail polish remover.

• Place a cotton swab or ball over the opening of your nail polish remover. Make sure it is completely covering the opening of the bottle.
• Tip the bottle upside down and wait a few seconds for the cotton swab or ball to become saturated with the remover.
• Rub the saturated cotton swab or ball over your nails to remove the polish.
• Re-saturate your cotton swab or ball as needed.

2

Trim, file and smooth your nails. After removing your old nail polish, devote some time to clipping, shaping and buffing your nails. Locate nail clippers, emery board and a gentle buffer.

• Use the clippers to trim your nails, if needed.
• Smooth the edges of your nails with an emery board nail file. File your nails into a round, square, or rounded-square shape.
• Run over each nail with a slightly abrasive buffer to even out the surface of your nails.

3

Soak your hands in warm water. Once your nails are clipped, shaped, and buffed, take a moment to relax and pamper yourself. Retrieve a basin and fill it with warm water and a squirt of your gentle facial cleanser. Use a gentle body scrub to exfoliate your hands before soaking them. Submerge your hands in the warm, soapy water to remove the body scrub. Soak your hands for three minutes. Remove your hands from the basin and dry them on a clean towel.

• After soaking your hands, your cuticles will be soft and easier to push back.

4

Push back your cuticles. Do not do this if it starts really hurting as this could cause them to bleed. It might hurt just a little whilst you do it if you haven't done it for a while. Cuticles are a part of your skin. They protect your nail matrix, the portion of the nail that grows, from infection. Cutting your cuticles leaves your nail matrix open to infections. It can also cause deformities in the nail, such as ridges and discoloration. Instead of cutting your cuticles, push them back to give your nail an oval appearance. It also makes it easier to create a neat polish line.

• Use a cuticle pusher to carefully push the cuticle back towards your nail bed.
• Push in the sides of the cuticle as well.
• Remove any dry or damaged skin.
• Repeat on the rest of your nails.

5

Moisturize your cuticles and skin. After exfoliating your hands, it is important to rehydrate and moisturize your soft skin. Select a thick and luxurious hand cream or lotion. Massage this cream or lotion into your hands.Or apply some almond oil (usually comes in a pen or a nail varnish type pot) or some clearly labeled cuticle oil and apply to your cuticles. This hydrates them and the remaining white half-dead skin will properly get dealt with.

6

Remove oil and grease from your nails. If left on your nails, the oils from your hand cream or lotion will shorten the life of your polish. You can remove these oils from your fingernails with rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab or ball.

• Place a cotton swab or ball over the opening of the rubbing alcohol bottle.
• Tip the bottle upside down and wait a moment for the cotton swab or ball to become saturated with the rubbing alcohol. Place the bottom of the bottle on a flat surface.
• Swipe the rubbing alcohol-saturated cotton swab or ball over your nails to remove the oil.
• Repeat as needed.