The world might be reopening right now, yet a lot of us are still in quarantine mode and are practicing social distancing because we aren’t totally out of the woods yet. You know what they say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, right? From where I’m at, a lot of stores and services are still close. Getting a haircut or a mani-pedi is still quite a challenge. Speaking of nail care, I haven’t been worried about it because I have been doing my nails for a very long time. I find the joy of applying nail colors to be somewhat of a time to disconnect and reflect, even though I’m not much of a fan of the scent of these products.

In this post, I will be sharing with you how I do my manicure at home, and if you have tips on how to do home nail care, please do so in the comment section below.

Nail Cleaning/Prep

First things first, I wipe off old nail polish using a textured cotton square. I like the ones from CVS. For the nail polish remover, I’m a big fan of the Zoya Remove Plus because I can pretty much tolerate its scent. It also removes nail polish very easily, it doesn’t dry the nails, and I really like its easy to dispense pump packaging.

 I tend to cut my nails in a squoval shape. That is, a hybrid between square and oval. To do this, I cut my nails using a toenail clipper/cutter. I like this particular cutter because it is wide and makes for a square cut on the nails. Then, I apply a cuticle remover using the one from Sally Hansen. I love this product a lot because it softens the cuticles within seconds, which makes it easy for the cuticle pusher and nipper to do their job. After that, I file my nails, especially the edges, to achieve that sort of oval trim.

For the next part, I brush my nails lightly with a wooden nail brush to dust off any loose cuticles and to have a smoother nail surface. I then apply the OPI Nail Envy Nail Strengthener in Original Formula and let it set for 3 minutes. Without this amazing base coat, my nails would go brittle and would chip easily after a few days of manicure. There are other types of Nail Envy Strengthener that OPI released nowadays, but the one in the Original Formula is my most fave.

Nail Coloring

After letting the base coat set for a few minutes, I then proceed to apply the nail color. Tip: In order to achieve a smooth nail color application, make sure that the nail color brush is parallel to the nail bed. In this post, and lately, I have been obsessed with the new Spring-released Chanel Le Vernis in Daydream. This color is a surprise love for me, and a great neutral nude nail color option for those can’t pull off the shade “Particulière”.

I let the nail color set for about 5 minutes, and then I apply a top coat. Depending on the type of nail color I use (gel vs regular), it’s always a good practice to use an appropriate top coat that matches each type. Since the new Chanel Le Vernis in Daydream is a gel formula, I use a matching gel top coat from Seche Vite (the one in blue bottle). I also usually use the Chanel Le Gel Coat, but I ran out of it. The Seche Vite one isn’t the most perfect, because it tends to peel after a week or so, but it really dries fast and it sets your nail polish in seconds, which is amazing.

To clean up mistakes or excess nail colors that had spread and stained the skin, I just use a cotton tip dipped in nail polish remover. After that, I let my nails set for another 5 minutes and I try not to touch or do anything.

And there you go! My nails are set for two weeks. The whole process can take about 20 minutes, more or less, depending on how elaborate you want your nails to be prepped, or how fast you can apply your nail polish.

To maintain the health of my nails and cuticles, I’ve been using the OPI Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Replenishing Oil, which is now called OPI Pro Spa Nail & Cuticle Oil To Go.

Lastly, don’t forget to take a #Nailfie 🙂

Take care my darlings! What’s on your nails today?

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