You Can Score A Perfect Salon-Style Mani At Home.
Learn how to recreate this chic and artful pastel nail look in six easy steps — no salon visit required.
There’s nothing like freshly done nails to make you feel like a million bucks. Thankfully, with the right tools and a little expert advice, mastering the art of the mani-pedi is a cinch — no salon visit required. Here’s how to ace this artful pastel look.
Step 1: Prep is everything
To achieve a salon-worthy mani, it’s important to prep your nails before polishing them. First, apply a nail treatment or mask, like the Sally Hansen Hydrating Hand Mask. Then, gently push back your cuticles using a cuticle pusher or orangewood stick. Now you have soft and supple hands and conditioned nail beds, ready to be shaped.
Step 2: Clip, buff and smooth
Cut nails from side to side using a stainless-steel nail clipper, like the Revlon Catch All Nail Clipper. Then shape your nails using an emery board and smooth the surface with a buffer. Gently clip away any hangnails or unsightly cuticles with a stainless-steel cuticle nipper.
Step 3: Prime your canvas
Prep the nail surface by wiping away dust, debris and any remaining cuticle treatment with a lint-free pad and oil-free nail polish remover or isopropyl alcohol. Don’t skip this step: any residual oils will affect your polish application. For your base, apply a thin layer of Quo Beauty Breathable Base & Top Coat to all nails. Pro tip: Thin coats are always best! Applying a thicker coat won’t cut down on time as your polish will take much longer to dry.
Step 4: Make waves
Using Revlon Ultra HD Snap! in “Get Real” on your pinky and middle nail, lay the brush at the side of your nail wall and pull the brush downward with a bit of a wiggle to the tip, creating a wave effect on one side of each nail. (Remove the polish from one side of your brush to help control the amount and give you more accurate strokes.) Repeat the same design on your ring finger and index nail using Essie in “The Snuggle is Real”. The beauty of this manicure is that it doesn't have to be perfect, so have fun with your design!
Step 5: Link it up
Repeat step one using Pacifica Beauty Bio-Based Plant Magic Polish in “Happy Yellow” and Sally Hansen Rainbow Lights in “Sweet Pea” on the opposite sides of each nail, connecting the colours together just above the free edge of your nail. Then paint your thumb nails to match. Pro tip: Always start painting on your most dominant hand first. It’s a little trickier to paint this hand so once you’ve completed it, the rest is a breeze.
Step 6: Set the look
Seal the colour by applying a coat of Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat Activator on every nail, making sure to cap the free edge of each nail for longer wear. Allow two to three minutes of drying time before you move on to your next hand. Voila!