DIY Salon Worthy Manicure at Home

DIY salon manicure at home

So, like many of you mamas I don’t always have time to sneak off to the nail salon to get a manicure. Not only that, but weekly trips to the salon are not always in the budget. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love going to the salon. But the logistics get tough, I have to find someone to watch the youngest of my kiddos. So, a $30 manicure turns into a $50 outing once I pay the babysitter.

More often than not, I do my nails at home. Here is how I am able achieve a salon look quickly at home.

I tend do my nails at night after the kids are all in bed, while watching TV. Starting with clean dry nails, here is my process.

First, I rub hand sanitizer or rubbing alcohol on on my nails. This takes the excess oil off of my nails and allows the polish to adhere better. This is the first step to a longer-lasting manicure.

Second, I use a basecoat. I love Orly Bonder. It’s a rubberized product that allows the color to stick to your nails. One coat and let it dry thoroughly.

Third, it’s time for color. I almost exclusively use Essie polish. I love the colors, high-quality and finish. One of the things I love most about it, is that I can almost always only use one coat. And for a busy mom, sometimes less is more. (This color is Angora Cardi)

Finally, I use a topcoat. I love, love, love Essie Gel Setter. This my secret weapon for a long lasting manicure. It is literally the only top coat I ever use!

This process works great for toes too! Happy Pampering.

Comments

Favorite Everyday Shoes

Favorite Kicks I bought these shoes about a year & a half. I LOVE them. I stalked these shoes at my local DSW, I looked up outfits for these shoes on Pinterest. I did my due diligence. Needless to say, I have already gotten my money worth and they are still kicking! I bought mine at my local Store. You can find them online HERE . These are Dr. Sholl’s brand. They have memory foam and are terrific for walking all day. Not to mention, they are a pretty reasonable price point, especially when you consider how often I wear them! I wear them with jeans, leggings and shorts. I’ve even paired them with the occasional relaxed dress. What I love most about them is that they are as comfortable as my running shoes, but they take it up a knotch with fashion & style.

Valentines Snack Mix

This snack mix is so easy & versatile for any holiday or activity. This is a super kid pleaser. The variety I made is nut free, there is a peanut allergy in my daughters class. I started with popcorn & pretzels as my base. I popped my popcorn on the stovetop, you could just as easily use pre-bagged popcorn (Smartpop) or microwave popcorn. I used 8 cups of popcorn and 3 cups of pretzels. Mix in a large bowl. Next, melt your vanilla coating chocolate. Follow the melting instructions on the package. I dyed mine pink for the occasion. Once the coating candy is melted and the right color, pour it over your mix. Stir constantly until is all incorporated. Spread out on parchment or wax paper. I used valentines sprinkles next... this is optional... but too cute to pass up! Next, I did the chocolate covered pretzels. I used the remainder of the bag of pretzels. Same process as before, but using chocolate. Sometimes this is referred t...

Motherhood

Motherhood has the unique ability to expose our deepest weaknesses as well as highlight personal substance you never knew was there. In the trenches of the days of no sleep, spit up covered shirts and endless dirty diapers you discover the deepest part of who you are. One thing I have learned in the last almost 10 years of motherhood, is that knowing who I am is vital to my success. As Americans, I see great fear in understanding one’s own weaknesses. I know the opposite to be true. I see strength in your own full self discovery. We see women that look a certain way and are wearing certain things and we think that we have to imitate that to establish our identity. I see women everyday who are stretched to the brink, trying to do it all. As mothers, it’s important to relay to our children that weaknesses are a part of who we are, we are not defined by those rather we are defined by our strengths. When we truly know who we are, we can feel more comfortable making choices t...

Work of the Heart

Search This Blog