Top 15 Nail Hacks
| 19th May 2015
Sticking nails into iced water to dry, using glue as a polish remover and rolling bottles instead of shaking are just some of the top 15 nail hacks.
Getting the perfect manicure at home has been made simple thanks to these helpful tips from online hair and beauty retailer Hairtrade.com.
Other handy pointers included coating petroleum jelly around cuticles and using a white nail polish as a base coat.
Some of the hacks include tricks for nail art, like using a make up sponge for an ombre look and pencils for applying gems.
Beauty expert Laura Meredith from Hairtrade.com said: “It’s a common misconception that in order to have gorgeous nails you have to spend lots of time on them.
“When you’re working or have a family, sometimes you don’t have time to sit and wait for your nails to dry. Some of these tips can be real time savers.
“These nail hacks are also really cost effective as they will make your manicure last longer and stop you wasting polish.”
Here are the site’s top 15 nail hacks.
1. Iced water to dry nails
If you haven’t got the patience to wait for your nails to dry, leave them for thirty seconds then dip them in a bowl of iced water – instantly dry nails in seconds.
2. Homemade dotter
You can easily create your own nail patterns by sticking a pin into a pencil eraser. Dip the head into your nail varnish and dot away.
3. Coat petroleum jelly around cuticles
This will protect the skin around your cuticles from erroneous polish strokes. Just swipe away with a cotton bud for a mess free manicure.
4. Use clear plasters for French tips
Cut a plaster in half then stick it to your nail, leaving a small gap on your tip. Then coat your tip colour and use the plaster as a safety net for any shaky hand slip-ups.
5. Use a white base
Painting your nails white before applying your colour can really made them pop. This works especially well with sheer polishes like neon colours.
6. Match colours to your skin tone
Nude shades are still huge but make sure you match the right colour to your skin tone. Fair ladies should go for sheer pinks and creamy blushes whilst olive tone lovelies should stick to soft peaches.
7. Toothpaste to get rid of stains
If you have a nasty deep red stain left after your manicure, try scrubbing them with an a nailbrush and toothpaste. You’ll be minty fresh and stain free in no time.
8. Glitter polish removal
Try using craft glue as a base coat before applying glitter polish. When you’re ready to lose your sparkly digits, the polish will peel easily off, no more hours of torn cotton pads.
9. Use a pencil to place gems
If you’re getting creative with nail art, try placing adhesive gems with a pencil. Tweezers usually send them flying but using the lead of a pencil will easily pick them up.
10. Roll polish bottles instead of shaking them
Shaking nail varnish can cause tiny air bubbles, which will only rise once you’ve painted your nail. Try rolling it between the palms of your hand instead to mix the colour.
11. Use make up sponges for nail art
Make up sponges can be used to created ombre, gradient or spider web nails.
12. Create nail varnish with eye shadow
If you’ve got a broken eye shadow, don’t despair. Mix the pigments together with some clear nail varnish and hey presto you have a brand new nail colour.
13. Clean nails with distilled vinegar
Before applying your polish, clean your nails with a cotton bud soaked in a little distilled vinegar. The clean surface will help your manicure last.
14. Apply in multiple thin coats
To get your polish to dry faster, apply three thin coats as opposed to one or two thick gloopy layers.
15. Use a slanted eye shadow brush to clean up
If you’ve had some slip ups, dip a slanted eye shadow brush into some nail polish remover
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