Nailed It: Top Tips For The Perfect Manicure

There’s no denying that taking time out and treating yourself to a visit to the nail salon for a shapely new manicure is lovely, but like everything, those trips can be costly.  If you’ve been denying yourself the luxury of the odd manicure, fear not as you can get salon-perfect results at home. Here are our tips on how to nail it a D.I.Y manicure.  1. Setting the scene Put on a calming bit of music, get into your comfiest, lay-around-the-house clothes, light a few candles and relax. 2. Get soaked. Fill a bowl full of comfortably-warm water and give your hands a good soak. This will help to soften up your skins, nails and more importunely cuticles and make them easier for you to work with. 3. Nail polish remover. When you’re done soaking, grab a bottle of nail polish remover even if you’re not wearing any polish. The acetone in nail polish remover will help to get rid of any excess oils on your nails, which in turn will help your polish to set quicker. 4. Time files when you're having fun.  It is so worth investing in a crystal nail file, not only is it gentle on natural nails, they also last a lifetime. Top tip: Always file in one direction. Start at the edges and work your way slowly up to the top this will prevent your nail from splitting. 5. Buff it up. Use a nail buffer to get rid of any ridges and to even out your nails. Simply run your buffer over each nail three times – remember, you’re essentially grinding down your nails with this so more is less. 6. Say goodbye to cuticles. Get yourself an orange wood stick and gently push your cuticles back – don’t worry, you won’t feel it. Use Mavala Cuticle Remover once a week on the nail contour to clean away dead skin. Applying Cuticle Cream or Cuticle Oil every day can keep tissue supple and elastic. Never attempt to cut your own cuticles, as this could thicken the skin. 7. Invest in a serum. Nail serum penetrates, moisturises and strengthens nails resulting in healthy, flexible, shiny and soft nails that do not break. Mava-flex is a well-balanced concentrate serum which restores and maintains flexibility of very dry, very hard nails. 8. Get painting. Now for the fun part! After applying a base coat to your nails, brush on two coats of your chosen colour. When it comes to painting, always start at the edge of the nail – experts say you should be able to cover your nail in three strokes. When your two coats are dry, brush on a top coat. If you really want to go all out why not go avant-garde? This spectacular collection of six fusion metal blends from Mavala will accessorise your wardrobe with that precious, futuristic, visionary elegance. With enigmatic multiple reflection tones, ranging between shade and light, frosted-texture and liquid-metal effect, these Metropolitan colour polishes are definitely our favourite at the moment. Salon?! Who needs a salon! These tips come thanks to our friends at Mavala. Check out their mini manicure tutorial video here.