How to Give a Home Manicure or Pedicure

Manicures and pedicures are a great way to add some polish to your look (pun completely intended), but regular visits to the salon are a luxury that not many people can afford. Thankfully, it’s easy to give yourself a manicure or pedicure, using products that are readily available in your neighborhood drugstore.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Starting With a Blank Slate

1
Remove the polish from your fingers and toes. Before you start painting, you’ll want to ensure that your finger and toenails are completely free of polish. Pour a capful of nail polish remover onto a cotton ball and use the cotton ball to clean your nails.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Make sure your nail polish remover is acetone free.
- Never paint over already painted nails, unless you’re touching up a small area.
2
Trim and shape your nails. If your nails are long, clip them a little bit at a time until you reach your desired length. Once your nails are a good length, use a nail file to shape them into your preferred nail shape.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Oval nails - if you like traditional nail shapes or have short fingers, file your nails into an egg shape by holding the nail file at an angle.
- Square nails – if you like sturdy nails or have long nail beds, run your file in one direction straight across your nail. Lightly sand down the edges.
- Round nails – if you frequently work with your hands or have larger fingers, file your nails straight across, then round the edges, mirroring the curve of your finger.
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3
Smooth out your nails. Use a buffer to sand down the surface of your nails – this will remove any faint color that might still be staining your nails from previous polishes.^{[3]XResearch source}
- After you finish buffing, flip the buffer over to shine your nails with the smooth side.
- Do not over-buff your nails; this may cause your nails to weaken.
4
Soak and exfoliate your hands and feet. Allow your hands and feet to soak in a tub of warm water. Dry off your hands and feet, then exfoliate them using a body scrub. Wash away the dead skin cells, then rinse and dry your hands and feet.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Soak your hands for three minutes and feet for five minutes.
- You can also try soaking your feet in a bath of Epsom salt-infused warm water.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Make an at home exfoliator by mixing a tablespoon of sugar with a tablespoon of baby oil gel.
- Try rubbing a pumice stone in a circular motion over the bottoms and heels of your feet.
- Give yourself a quick foot massage by using your thumbs to apply firm pressure to your arches.
5
Shape your cuticles. Use an orangewood stick to push your cuticles back away from your nails and to clean the dirt out from under the nails. Finish off your cuticle care by massaging moisturizer into your cuticles and all over the rest of your hands.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Clean off your cuticles and nail beds with nail polish remover to strip away any oils and moisturizer.
- Orangewood sticks are thin sticks with pointed ends and can be purchased online or in most beauty supply stores.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Adding the Color

1
Select your polish. The hardest part of giving yourself a manicure or pedicure is picking out your polish. You want to pick something that will flatter your skin tone, but is neutral or fun enough to wear with different outfits.^{[7]XResearch source}
- If you have light skin, go for pastels or bright colors.
- If you have medium skin, aim for orange reds or peachy pinks.
- If you have dark skin, look for high impact colors, like neon pink or bright blue.
2
Paint on the base coat. Base coat provides the foundation for your manicure or pedicure and helps the paint to last longer. To apply, paint your base coat on all your fingers and toes. Go slowly and only apply one thin coat.^{[8]XResearch source}
- If you suffer from weak or brittle nails, choose a base coat with a strengthening formula.
- If your nails are dry, choose a base coat with a built-in moisturizer.
- If your nails have an uneven surface, choose a base coat that promises to fill ridges.
3
Apply your colored polish. To paint your nails like a pro, draw a line down the center of your nail with the polish, then use the polish to fill in each side. Allow your finger and toenails to dry completely before applying another coat.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Only opt for two coats of nail polish.
- Keep your coats as thin as possible. This will help your nails dry faster and your manicure and pedicure last longer.
- If you have an old lip brush, dip this into your nail polish remover and use it to tidy up any paint that has ended up on your fingers and toes.^{[10]XResearch source}
4
Finish off with a top-coat. Top coat adds shine to your nails and gives your nails a complete and finished look. To apply your top coat, paint one thin coat on your already dry nails.^{[11]XResearch source}
- Paint topcoat on the tip of your nails – this will keep your nails from chipping while typing.
- Touch up your top coat throughout the week to give your nails a quick pick-me-up.
5
Let your nails dry. Nails technically don’t dry fully until 24-hours after a manicure or pedicure, but they will appear dry in 20 – 30 minutes. Accelerate the drying process by allowing your nails to dry for 30 minutes, then run cold water over your hands and feet for three minutes.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Do not run the water directly onto your nails, or the strength of the water may cause the polish to smudge.
- Avoid taking a shower for a full hour after giving yourself a manicure or pedicure.
- Add quick drying drops to your nails to speed the process up even more. These drops can be purchased online or in drug stores.
- Wait at least an hour before putting your shoes back on.^{[13]XResearch source}
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Touching Up Your Manicure or Pedicure

1
Patch up the area. Chips to your hand or toenails are unavoidable and patching them up requires a lot of concentration. To cover up a nail chip, apply a thin coat of polish to the chip, then use your topcoat to blend the paint into the rest of the nail.^{[14]XResearch source}
- To blend, brush your topcoat on using short, sharp strokes.
- Do not paint over the entire nail.
2
Clip the area. Chips happen most frequently on the tops of your hand and toenails, where a lot of contact occurs. Use a nail clipper to remove the chipped area, then clip the rest of your nails to match.^{[15]XResearch source}
- After all the nails have been clipped, apply top coat and polish to the tops of all the nails. This will seal in the manicure.
- This is not a long term solution – once your nail chips or breaks, it’s only a matter of time before it chips or breaks again.
- Try not to lose too much of the nail length or shape when clipping.
3
Disguise your nail with glitter. There’s a reason accent nails are so popular – they’re a great way to hide polish problems. Rather than give yourself a whole new manicure when a nail gets chipped, use a glitter or metallic polish to paint over the whole nail.^{[16]XResearch source}
- You can also try disguising the offending area by painting stripes or polka dots.
- Try covering the damage with a nail sticker and some clear topcoat.
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Expert Q&A

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Question
How do you do a professional mani pedi at home?
Marta Nagorska
Nail Artist
Marta Nagorska is a Nail Technician and Nail Art Blogger based in London, UK. She runs the blog, Furious Filer, where she gives tutorials on nail care and advanced nail art. She has been practicing nail art for over 5 years and graduated from Northampton College with distinction with a Nail Technician and Manicurist degree in 2017. She has been awarded the top spot in the OPI Nail Art Competition.
Marta Nagorska
Nail Artist
Expert Answer
For a salon-like finish, use a small brush dipped in nail polish remover to clean any nail polish from your skin and around your nail.
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Question
What do you need for an at home manicure?
Marta Nagorska
Nail Artist
Marta Nagorska is a Nail Technician and Nail Art Blogger based in London, UK. She runs the blog, Furious Filer, where she gives tutorials on nail care and advanced nail art. She has been practicing nail art for over 5 years and graduated from Northampton College with distinction with a Nail Technician and Manicurist degree in 2017. She has been awarded the top spot in the OPI Nail Art Competition.
Marta Nagorska
Nail Artist
Expert Answer
For flawless nail polish, always use a topcoat to finish your manicure. It will add shine, make your polish last longer, and smooth out any imperfections.
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Question
Are there any nail polish colors for a deep autumn?
Lucy
Community Answer
You can do a deep orange, yellow, or brown. It is best when it is a pattern with all 3.
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