Emma Cox, Educator at Jessica Nails, reveals her top tips to achieving the perfect home mani this summer. With summer just around the corner, one of the easiest ways to keep your look on trend is with a new season manicure. This DIY mani not only delivers professional looking results, but will also leave your hands and nails super soft and nourished for the Summer months.
1. Soak fingers in a bowl of warm water for one minute and dry thoroughly.
2. Massage cuticle oil and cream into each cuticle and follow by treating yourself to a hand massage with your favourite moisturiser.
3. Push cuticles back with a cotton bud and nip off any loose skin only. Do not remove attached cuticles as this can make them grow back thicker.
4. Trim nails to the desired length and file gently in one direction to shape (filing back and forth can cause your nails to split).
5. With a nail brush, warm water and soap free cleanser, scrub nails well to remove any excess oil and dry thoroughly.
6. Using long strokes, apply a generous amount of prescriptive base coat to each nail and run the brush along the tip of the nail to seal it in. Chipping and breaking usually starts from the ‘free edge’ of the nail, so by sealing it with each coat you not only make your paint last longer, but your nails will be protected too.
7. Use the same technique to apply two coats of your chosen colour, remembering to seal the tip with each coat. If you paint cuticles by accident, tidy the polish with a cotton bud dipped in nail polish remover.
8. Give nails a protective finishing touch an add a high shine top coat – again, sealing the tip of each nail. And for the really impatient among us, add a drop of fast drying manicure oil to each nail.
Get 25% off all your summer mani essentials . Just enter MINTVELVET at the checkout. Offer available until 12th July 2012.
All Jessica products are available online and through spas and salons nationwide. To book your summer manis and pedis through Jessica spas and salons nationwide and to find your nearest stockist, click here.