Step by step home manicure

View our step-by-step guide here

Handy beauty manicure hints

• Shaking the bottle of polish before painting creates bubbles. Instead, roll it between your hands.
• If you’re not a dab hand at painting, use a pale colour – mishaps and chips aren’t as obvious.
• Small nails appear bigger when painted with sheer or metallic polish.
• To get the right amount of polish on the brush, dip it into the bottle and drag it up along the side of the bottle’s opening. The side of the brush with the polish still on it will have enough to cover one nail.
• After applying colour, swipe excess polish from across the tip of the nail to protect the edge. 
• Revive thick or gluey polish with a few drops of polish thinner – don’t use nail polish remover, as it breaks down the formula.

For more about nails and getting a great treatment at a salon, read our Nailing it: salon treatment article.

Photography: Steven Chee. Hair & make-up: Angie Barton. Styling: Nadene Duncan.