Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash
If you’re like me, you don’t feel complete without a fresh manicure. Throughout the years I have become obsessed with the look and feel of professionally done nails. There’s just one problem…the price.
Spending roughly $40 every two weeks is expensive for anyone, especially a college student. Since I’m already paying for workout classes, groceries, car maintenance, etc, it became virtually impossible to have my nails done and stay within my budget (which I rarely do anyways…sorry mom and dad).
I resorted to painting my nails on my own at home, but those chips easily and I find myself peeling them off before its even been a week. There are gel machines that you can invest in, but recently I have strayed from UV light in order to avoid the harmful effects it can have. I love the look of dip nail polish, but can you really get that from home?
Image via Pinterest
Luckily, it’s easier than you think.
I found a simple $35 dip kit off Amazon, and I can confidently say it’s amazing. My kit came with 5 colors, nail prep, base coat, activator, and top coat. The instructions are on the back of the box and a few YouTube videos helped me get my best at-home nails yet. You can also buy more colors on Amazon or at any beauty supply store that range from $7-$30 depending on the brand.
They look amazing and they last the standard two weeks (if you do it right). I’ll admit it took me a few tries to really get the “salon-look”. My advice: invest in a heavy-duty nail file (I got mine from CVS for $2), do four coats of powder, be very precise with your lines, and finish it off with a cuticle oil to get that fresh manicure look.
Image via Pinterest
I would recommend this for anyone who is looking to save a few pennies. $35 is less than the cost to get your nails done ONCE at a salon. Obviously, it’s not as glamourous as getting your nails done with a foot scrub and lotion massage, but this is a good way to save some serious cash!