Getting a Perfect 10

If you're never quite happy with your at-home manicure, don't blame your skills with the brush.

Top manicurist Eugenya Viner from Beverly Hills, California, says that the condition of your nails and cuticles makes all the difference.

• Filing nails in the wrong direction. Sawing back and forth with your emery board and going too deep into the corners can split and weaken nails. The fix: Holding a fine emery board at a slight angle to the nail, file from left corner to center for a few strokes, then from right corner to center. Smooth with a fine metal file.
• Neglecting cuticles. Rough, ragged cuticles can lead to painful hangnails. The fix: Brush cuticles with a rich oil after your morning shower and before bed. Let oil soak in for a minute or two, then rub into cuticle. "Oil penetrates better than hand cream," says Viner.
• Cutting cuticles. Nipping away at your cuticles invites the risk of infection. (Your cuticles act as a barrier against bacteria.) The fix: In the shower, gently push back cuticles with a washcloth (the steamy water helps soften them).
• Skipping base coat. Polish on bare nails can dry out the nail plate; and without a base coat, dark shades can stain nails or leave them yellow. The fix: Brush a moisturizing base coat on clean, dry nails; let the base coat dry for a few seconds before applying polish.
• Leaving polish on too long. This, as well as too many layers of polish, dehydrates nails. And once polish begins to chip, it can peel away a superficial layer of the nail, too. The fix: Remove polish after five days; wash hands to rinse away remover, which can also be drying.

• Start off with clean nails. Use an old toothbrush and good old fashion soap to scrub the nails and use an orange stick to clean any dirt or debris from underneath the fingernail. A good orange stick is important and the best kind to get are the ones with a point on one end and flat on the other.
• Get your hands ready. Soak your hands in warm water or milk for 5 minutes to get the cuticles nice and soft. Your whole hand doesn't need to be in the bowl, just your nails.
• Remove your nails from the water or milk and dry them off. Rub them with a rich moisturizer.
• Use a strengthening nail polish remover to get every bit of polish off your nails. Make sure you get the polish on the sides and edges with a Q-tip.
• Trim your nails. Try to trim them evenly so they are all the same length. If your nails are short or you want to grow them out, just file them.
• File your nails. File them so the edges on them are smooth and round. Don't be too rough; you don't want to break your nails or cause nail bruises (the little white dots you get on your nails when you injure them). But go in one smooth direction. Don't go back and forth. It defeats the purpose of filing.
• Shape nails. If nails are different lengths, start by trimming them all to the length of the shortest nail. This will make your hands look nice, nails of the same length looks better than nails of different lengths! Sometimes toenail clippers do a better job since they cut a straight line and not the curved cut you get from fingernail clippers. Cut each nail straight across and then take the tiniest clip on the edges, just enough to remove the point but not enough to cut down into the side of the nail. Cutting and filing the sides of the nail will make them weak and prone to splitting. Once all nails are trimmed and the same length, take an emery board and smooth out all the edges. Move in one direction.Don't go back and forth. It defeats the purpose of filing.
• Wash off nails again, this will remove all debris from filing. After they are washed, dry them well and get ready to apply the first layer of polish. Some people are allergic to nail polish, and the place the allergy will show up first is around the eyelids. This is due to the formaldahyde in the polish.
• Fix your cuticles. Rub some cuticle oil in to heal them. Push them back with cuticle stick. A good rule is to use a cuticle oil or cream between manicures to assure they never get into bad shape. In order to start with cleaning cuticles, get a good cuticle remover. Follow directions and massage in and use flat end of orange stick to push back cuticles and remove dead skin. After this step is complete, wash fingernails again using soap and the toothbrush.
• Buff your nails. Try to get a nail buffer with two sides, one for filing the ridges off your nails, and one for shining your nails.
• Apply a clear basecoat. Use three strokes only. This is important to avoid streaks and lumps. Dip your brush in and move the coat first down the center of the nail and then on the right and left sides. Don't go back and touch up. It will only make a mess. If you do make a mess, use nail polish remover to start over. Always apply two base coats, as it fills in the ridges and makes the polish look nicer and last longer.
• Be patient and wait several minutes for the base coat to dry before applying polish. Apply the polish using the same technique, one stroke down the center and then left and right. You will also need two coats and make sure to let nails dry to the touch between coats. After color is applied and is dry to the touch, apply one more layer of topcoat.
• As needed, apply the clear top coat and this will help you to make the manicure last longer. Perhaps touch up the top edges of the nail as the polish wears off and then add an entire topcoat. Remember to use the cuticle cream daily and next time you do a manicure, you will have less dead skin to remove.
• Something that I found easier is finding a sticker and putting it low on my nail and the part above the sticker paint white and then take off the sticker and paint the whole thing a clear color(after the white is dry).

Don't do this close to bedtime, since the nails will press against the sheets and form lines.

Do it at least two hours before bedtime. Be patient and let nails harden before doing any work that might mess up your perfect manicure.

1. Nail polish remover, preferably acetone free
2. Cuticle oil or cream
3. Nail clippers
4. Nail buffer
5. If you want, a basic nail set