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5 Tricks for a Better DIY Manicure!

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Stetson chapter.

 

It seems as if when anyone is in desperate need for a manicure, there is never enough time to make it to the spa! Fortunately, there are easy and amazing tools you can use right at home! I decided to put together a few basic but extremely helpful nail tricks and tips you can use at home! 

1.) Everyone always complains about polish not lasting long enough! Complain no more, because you can make your polish last longer by storing it in the fridge to help preserve the consistency. The cold temperature actually works to slow down the discoloration that occurs once your polish starts to age! If your favorite nail polish has gotten all dried out and lumpy just add a few drops of nail polish thinner, like Orly Nail Polis Thinner ($5) to the bottle to help restore majority of it’s original state! 

2.) Never ever shake your nail polish bottle! This causes bubbles to occur that you may not see in the bottle but you’ll notice on your manicure! Instead of shaking it, try rolling the bottle in between the palm of your hands! 

3.) Everyone has probably experienced the dreadful dull, yellowish looking stain on their nails! I normally thought there was nothing I could do about it, but I recently discovered that using 2.5 tablespoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide while using a cotton swab, you apply the mixture all over your nails and let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse your nails with warm water and you will be stain free! 

4.) Another really cool trick I’ve discovered is that if you want a neat looking pattern on your nail, wait until after the base color has dried. Press a loofah onto your nails and use a sponge to dab on another color. It creates a really cool fishnet pattern manicure!

5.) Finally, if you want to create a cute perfect moon mani or reverse French manicure, then simply paint your nail with the base color of your choice. After it dries, place the tape over the part of the nail that you don’t want to paint, then paint it with a second color. After it dries, carefully remove the tape off your nails and you’re done! 

Hopefully these simple, fun, and easy tricks will help you save a little money, but also a long and inconvenient trip to the spa!

 I am currently a junior at Stetson University who is ready get things going! Growing up in D.C., I developed a keen sense for fashion, a thick skin, and a yearning for success. It was only recently that I took the leap of faith and permanently moved down to Florida, not far from where I attend school, so I could pursue my love for fashion, warm weather, and a fast-paced life. I can remember my first day at Stetson University like it was yesterday with all the chaos of meeting new friends mixed with the anxiety of new classes and nervousness of being alone for the first time, but most of all my biggest concern was the stress of figuring out how I could possibly pop out of my bubble and become what I wanted to be: the confident, successful, and driven college student who would not follow but create the trend! After two years of hard work, through becoming a part of the Greek life scene, joining many different organizations and learning from prior upperclassmen who have become successful, I have created communication and leadership skills that I am forever grateful for. With a recently new found passion for the journalistic side of life, I cannot wait to be apart of something bigger than I have ever been before so I can continue learning and gaining memorable experiences that will help me in my goal to make my lifelong dreams and aspirations come to life!