With all this hand washing, our talons are in need of some TLC!

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We love sharing inspiration for wedding nails here at One Fab Day. And with all the hand washing of late, many of us could do with giving our mitts some major TLC. We thought we'd use our time while social distancing to share tips and ideas for doing the perfect DIY manicure at home. While a lot of the more unique or artistic nail trends can only be done by the professionals (or those with a very steady hand!), applying polish with precision is an invaluable life skill to master. So files at the ready, let's get our mani on!

Photo by Laura Gummerman via A Beautiful Mess

1. Assemble Your Kit

Having the right tools will make your DIY mani so much easier!

One or two good quality nail colours you really like (one summer and one winter hue is ideal)
Nail file and buffer (Our Dep Ed Celina swears by a crystal file and pros say that 180 grit buffers are the best)
Orange sticks for your cuticles
Hand wash, hand cream and cuticle oil (any food oil you have at home will do)
Cuticle remover (optional)
Base coat
Gel setting coat
Nail polish remover and cotton wool
A great film and a glass of water, so you don't have to move once you start!

2. Remove & File

Start your manicure by removing any lingering nail polish before you file your nails. Do your best to file the nail in one direction to make it as smooth as possible and avoid damaging the nail.

For shape, a good rule of thumb is to mimic the shape of your cuticle though if you like the idea of something a little more stylised, get some ideas above. (Though has to be said - short nails are more hygienic for the current Coronavirus climate!)

3. Wash & Moisturise

Wash your hands to remove any powder from the filing and apply your favourite hand cream generously. If you want to go all out, you can wrap your hands in warm towels and sit back at this point!

Use some oil on your dry cuticles and then use the orange stick to gently push back your cuticles - some people try to trim them, but this isn't always advised, especially at home. If you do have lots of snags, use a cuticle remover instead to remove dry skin.

4. Buff Your Canvas

You're almost ready to paint, but first, you need to buff all of your nails, so they take the polish and give it staying power. Be gentle, you don't want to wear your nails down. Before you finish, give your nails another quick wipe of nail polish to remove any leftover oil or cream.

5. Paint!

Paint your nails in very thin layers, starting with a base coat.

A base coat might seem pedantic (be honest, we've all skipped this step at home) but it will keep your nails in good condition, stop them being stained, and help the colour last longer.

For the colour, start with a swipe in the middle of each nail, then go back and coat either side - that will help you stay inside the lines! Apply two coats - you might need three for a dark colour.

Wait until your nails are almost try, then apply a top coat. Gel ones can be thick, but tend to last the longest. The top coat should smooth out any minor imperfections. Don't be tempted to get up or do anything for at least 45 minutes, until your nails are completely dry!

If you have gone over the sides, hold off on the top coat for the moment. When your nails are dry, run your hands under warm water and then peel any additional polish off the side. Add the top coat then!

6. Try a Tutorial

If you're looking for something more ambitious than a single colour mani, why not hone your skills with some DIY manicure tutorials? Here are a few of our faves: