¤Filing BEFORE removing polish will help prevent splitting.
¤ Using cotton pads (instead of balls) will minimize the fuzz that stays on your nails. No more messy manicures.
¤ If you smudge your nail polish, moisten your finger with your tongue and lightly rub over the smudge and it should go away.
¤ When soaking your hands for a manicure add a little salt to the water. This will help eliminate water wrinkles on your fingers.
¤ For really dry cuticles soak hands for about two minutes in olive oil. Then with a small circular motion rub the oil in the nail bed.
¤ To avoid bubbly nail polish on your nails, try applying thin coats and allowing each coat to dry before putting on the next.
¤ Your nail polish will always be smooth and easy to apply if you store it in the refrigerator. Frosted nail polish will not separate whereas warm will.
¤ For a quickly drying nail polish, set both hands in a bowl of very cold water when your nails are partially dried. Or stick your hands in the freezer for thirty seconds.
¤ Treat all new bottles of nail polish by rubbing petroleum jelly inside the cover and on the grooves of the bottle. This will make the bottle open easier if nail polish gets in the way of the grooves.
¤ When nail polish gets clumpy just add a few drops of rubbing alcohol to thin it out, or add a few drops of nail polish thinner (not remover), or cap bottle tightly and run hot water over it.
¤ After washing your hands, apply a cream or lotion. Hands and nails tend to get dried out from soaps and cleansers. You should try to keep your hands and cuticles well lubricated, with a moisturizer.
¤ Sometimes nail polish, dirt and bacteria can stain the nails. This can be removed by using a Q-tip or an orangewood stick with a cotton tip. Soak the cotton in 10 parts water mixed with 1 part bleach, then rub the nail where the stain is. This will remove most stains from the nails. Scrub under the nails with a nail brush or toothbrush with soap or bleach solution to remove stains under the nails.
¤ To keep the area underneath the free edge clean and to help stop natural nails from peeling away from acrylic, apply adhesive or a light-cured sealant product.
¤ If you can’t afford an airbrush, you can still do a perfect french manicure. Apply pink or peach for the base of the nail plate. Use a Q-tip or cotton-wrapped orange stick dipped in non-acetone polish remover to remove pink or peach from the free edge and define a perfect smile line. Apply white or cream using the defined smile line as a guide.
¤ Some new files have sharp edges, so sand down the edges of your file (you can use an old file) before using it for acrylics. Otherwise, you could cut your skin.
¤ To keep manicure water warm, put your table lamp over the bowl. It will keep it warm as long as you need it.
¤ Soak discolored nails in a denture cleaner to brighten them.
¤ When you’re finished with your airbrush for the day, use a little WD40 to clean and condition it overnight.
¤ When doing pedicures or natural nail manicures, use a little white vinegar in the water to help rid nails of excess moisture.
¤ Roll the nail polish bottle in a horizontal position between your palms. Don’t shake or massive air bubbles will form which will pop and spray all over your face and eyes.
¤ Apply a thin layer of clear top coat on top of glitter nails. If you don’t sparkles will rub off all over you.
¤ When mixing colours, add the darker colour to the lighter colour, not the other way around. You’ll need a lot more of the lighter than the darker.
¤ Don’t mix metallic with pastel.
