5 Tips And Tricks To Get Salon Like Nails At Home

Want the salon like finish on you nail but not sure if it is worth it? While some things like hair treatments are better left to the professionals, painting your own nails isn’t as hard as it may sound. With a few nail polish hacks and tricks, you can make your DIY manicure look like you got it done at the salon.

Here are a couple of tips and tricks which can help you get that salon-like finish at home!

* Use petroleum jelly for easy clean-up

Unless you are a pro, painting your nails without getting the paint on your fingers is difficult. Using this hack you can do it easily. First, use a cotton swab to rub petroleum jelly (like Vaseline) on your cuticles and the skin around your nails. This creates a barrier between the nail polish and you skin which can be easily wiped off once your nails are done!

* Apply base coat on your tips

The nail paint tends to chip off easily from the tips of your nails. To prevent this, paint two base coat layers. First apply one coat on the top half of your nail and then go for the second coat over, covering the entire nail.

* Use white nail polish as base coat

If your nail polish isn’t super opaque, the natural tint of your fingernails can end up changing the colour of your polish. This has an easy fix, simply use a white nail paint for the base coat. This will help reflect the true shade of your nail colour.

* Create sharp lines with clear tape

Scotch-tape works great for nail art. You can either apply the tape directly onto your bare nail for a negative-space manicure, or for a two-toned look, stick the tape in cool shapes on already painted nails or do another coat right on top with a different nail colour. Let it dry for a minute, and then grab both ends of the tape, and slowly peel them back at the same time for the finished look.

* Make French tips with rubber band

Take a rubber band and tie it in the middle. Loop one end over your thumb to create tension on the band, and place the other end over the top of your nail and just below the edge to create the French-tip shape. Using the edge of the rubber band as a guide, paint the tip of your nail. Then, carefully remove the band and allow it time to dry before sealing it with a top coat. A flat rubber band works better than the round edged ones.

* Make custom nail shade

You can make your own shade of nail paint with your eye shadow. Pour a little bit of the pigment of your choice on a spoon. Then, add a little bit of clear polish to it. Mix it all together, grab a brush, and try out your new colour. You can alter the intensity of your new polish by adding more pigment or more clear polish to the mix.

* Use water cup to create cool marbles effect

First, choose an accent finger and tape underneath and around your nail to protect your skin. Next, fill a small paper cup with filtered, room-temperature water. Grab two different colours of paint and add drops of each polish into the cup of water, alternating paints each time. Once you’ve added a few drops, grab an open paper clip and use the tip to swirl the layers together to create the design you want. Then, stick your finger into the cup with your nail facing the paint layer. Holding your finger in the cup for a few seconds, use your paper clip to pull the rest of the paint away from your finger. Then, slowly remove your finger from the water and remove the tape to clean up the edges.

* Dry nails faster with ice water

After you’ve finished painting your nails, fill a bowl with ice and water, and soak them for a few minutes. The cold water will set the paint and help your nails dry faster.