Technique for applying nail polish. How to paint nails with regular varnish. Tips for perfect nails

It is not always possible to visit a nail salon to change or renew nail polish. Therefore, the ability to paint nails beautifully and correctly has not harmed anyone in life. But, despite the seeming simplicity of applying varnish, anyone who has ever tried to do it rarely achieves a good result the first time. If you still can’t make up your nails evenly and beautifully like in a salon, our article is for you.

Preparation for applying varnish

To keep the varnish longer, remove the previous layer and degrease the nails well. Try not to touch the fat-free surface with your fingers, because they always have particles of sebum on them.

Secondly, check how suitable the varnish is for use, especially if you have not used it for a long time. Many people add nail polish remover to the bottle, but later, when using such a varnish, they risk getting an uneven coating. And even if the varnish lays down evenly, it is unlikely to last on the nails as long as a new one.

If you still do not want to part with your favorite color, then buy a special liquid. But remember that even with this liquid you can dilute the varnish only once or twice.

Once you have verified that the varnish is suitable for use, shake the bottle well before opening. Many lacquer manufacturers put several metal balls into the bottle beforehand, they help to shake the lacquer faster. But you yourself can throw a couple of small beads.

Let's divert your attention for a couple more minutes to talk about the brush. Professionals prefer to use a special brush to apply varnish, and not the one that is attached to the cap. Get one brush to feel the difference and ease of use. The only drawback of such a brush is that after each use it must be thoroughly rinsed in nail polish remover.

Before applying colored polish, coat your nails with a base that will increase the adhesion of the materials and prolong the life of your manicure. The rules for applying the coating are the same as for varnish, and we will talk about this below. Wait until the base is completely dry.

What color varnish to choose

In the salon, the master, as a rule, asks the opinion of the client regarding the varnish, he can also warn against the wrong choice. If you paint your nails yourself, and it is precisely today that the manicure should be at its best - in the evening there will be a date or an opportunity to wear an elegant silver bracelet or a Claddagh ring - there is no one to consult with. Therefore, you need to know how this or that color looks on the nails, and for what events which color is suitable.

Dark or bright neon color looks best on short nails, it even tends to lengthen them a little. Such varnishes are equally good for manicure and pedicure. But on very long nails, dark varnish should be used very carefully, as it can look vulgar.

Red lacquers also require caution. Such nails are good only with bright, extravagant clothes. A long scarlet or coral manicure with a business suit turns any woman into the heroine of an erotic thriller.

Pearlescent varnishes should be applied with extreme care, as they give out any error of the master. But on the other hand, they look very elegant and are suitable for both daytime and evening wear.

But for work - it doesn't matter if you have to draw up documents all day, tie a Celtic knot or just play solitaire - it's best to choose varnishes as close as possible to the natural color of the nail or colorless. Remember that in many companies such a trifle is stipulated in the regulation on the corporate style of clothing and the behavior of employees.

Now you can start applying color.

Immerse the brush in the varnish, then shake off the first two drops on the edge of the bottle.
Now place the brush for a second vertically in the center of the nail plate, a millimeter from the cuticle.
Do not let the varnish spread and touch the cuticle. Tilt the brush towards you and quickly draw a line to the end of the nail.
Without allowing the first stroke to harden, perform two side strokes in the same way, covering the entire surface of the nail. Those. full coverage of the entire nail plate is performed in three movements.
When brushing over the nail, do not touch the skin. If the nail polish has run a little, take a cotton swab, soak it in nail polish remover and remove excess paint from the skin.
Cover the nails of both hands with the first coat of varnish. Usually, when you finish the last finger, the polish on the first one is dry and ready for a new coat.
Apply a second coat of varnish and wait for it to dry completely.
To speed up drying, you can put your fingers under a stream of cold water.
You can dry the polish with a hair dryer, but keep in mind that hot air will dull the polish a little.
Finish any coating by applying a fixer - a transparent liquid that increases the strength of the varnish and protects the color layer from mechanical damage.

The last manicure stage is the coating of the nails. Of course, you need to choose the color of the varnish based on your preferences. However, do not forget that a bright top coat will only look good on well-groomed medium-length nails. For very long or short nails, it is better to look for other options. At the same time, it will be easier to perform a coated manicure if you choose a varnish that is good in consistency.

In addition, the coating of the nails, regardless of whether it is colored or not, also performs protective functions. The plate must be protected from external influences. Therefore, the composition of the product should use components that help ordinary nails remain strong and beautiful.

Covering nails with varnish, especially when it comes to home conditions, is easier if your hands lie on a small stand. To do this, you can use just a towel folded in several layers. Be aware that some top coats can leave permanent stains, most often yellow. To avoid such a surprise, always use the base under the varnish.

Many companies are now producing a special nano-coating, which helps to save the plate from such troubles, as well as further strengthen it. Many lacquers that are the base have special components that help take care of the natural nail plate. This nano-coating allows regular nail polish to last longer, and laying the nail polish is easier.

To make the manicure as beautiful as possible, there are a number of small tricks:

To ensure that the top coat is the same, it is necessary to dip the brush into the varnish before painting each nail.
It is recommended to keep a cotton swab under your hands in order to immediately remove the remnants of the product that have fallen on the skin, without using a special product in the future.
You can speed up the drying process at home as much as possible by dipping your nails in cold water, while blowing on them is not recommended. This can make the top coat dull.
If ugly grooves have formed during painting, then you can remove them with the help of an additional coating, for which a varnish base is used.
You can extend the life of a manicure at the tips with the help of a transparent varnish.

If you have heavily exfoliating nails, then the top coat should be done without colored varnish. It is better to use a special strengthening base or nano-coating.

detailed instructions

At home, it is important to properly apply nail polish, as this will protect the plate from damage and prolong the effect. The base base is applied before the usual varnish to completely level the plate.

The fact is that you may not notice some roughness on an unpainted nail, but applying a color coating, especially in light shades, will shed light on such shortcomings. Additionally, the base will be a protective film that will not allow the nail to darken and provide additional nutrition.

Do not try to paint over the entire nail in one go. This technique can only be found at home. Professionals apply the top coat first with a wide stroke in the center, and with the next two stretch it along the edges.

After the first layer of varnish is applied, you will need to allow it to dry. On average, it costs three minutes to spend on this, despite all the manufacturers' assurances about the required 60 seconds. Color varnish involves application in two layers, although now a top coat is appearing on the market, which is applied strictly in one layer.

After a two-layer application, it is desirable to use a special transparent fixer. Many girls at home neglect this item, although it prolongs the life of a manicure. Some finishes have additional properties. For example, they can make the surface matte or enhance the shine.

For a complete drying of nails, especially at home, it is recommended to allocate at least half an hour. After such a time, you can be sure that dents and unaesthetic prints will not spoil your nails. For faster drying, you can use special tools. They are both in the form of a regular bottle of varnish, and are sold in the form of sprays. Experts recommend choosing a top drying coating in the form of a regular bottle.

After the necessary time has passed to check the quality of drying, you can lightly touch the nail of one hand, the nail of the other. If they do not start to stick together, then everything is in order, you can return to normal business.

After drying, do not forget to completely remove excess varnish from the skin around the nail. If this is not done, the manicure will look unaesthetic. The ideal option for removing such stains is a special corrector that looks like a marker, and its tip is soaked in nail polish remover. By the way, after drying in the tip of the liquid, you can simply dip it in your favorite product and continue using.

When applying varnish at home, one must not forget that it is applied in different ways, depending on the shape of the nail. If you are the owner of narrow long nails, then varnishing the hole is not recommended. It is advisable to retreat from it a little higher. For short and wide nails, staining only the central part is recommended, leaving small stripes at the edges. This will visually stretch the form.

In addition, for short nails it is recommended to choose a varnish of a thin consistency. If you are the owner of almond-shaped nails, you can consider yourself lucky. This option is considered ideal, and you do not have to resort to additional tricks for painting them.

Most often, such a procedure can be done in beauty salons, or at home with a specialist. We will show you how to apply gel polish at home.

Currently, gel polish is very popular and when performing a manicure, the choice falls on it. This is due to the fact that the coating can stay on the nails for a long time, up to 2 weeks, and it also makes the nail plate noticeably stronger. Most often, such a procedure can be done in beauty salons, or at the home of a specialist, but today on the website we will show you how to apply the coating yourself at home. Our tips will help you understand the technology of using gel polishes for beginners.

Required Tools

The fact that manicures are most often performed by specialists is largely due to the fact that you need to have special tools to cover your nails with gel polish. But if you stock up on them for your own use, you can provide yourself with a beautiful manicure for a long time.

Must have:

LED lamp or UV lamp- it is a mandatory attribute, since it is with the help of it that the gel polish solidifies. It affects the varnish with special ultraviolet radiation and is completely safe for health.
Base- an indispensable tool that provides protection to the surface of the nails and better adhesion of colored varnish.
Top- Applied at the end, it provides a strengthening of the coating and prolongs the duration. The top is glossy and matte.
Themselves gel polishes of various colors, according to your taste and color.
Degreaser- a special tool that allows you to clean and degrease the surface of the plate, thereby ensuring its stronger adhesion to the varnish.
Nail treatment tools: files, buffs, tweezers, tweezers, pusher, lint-free wipes (it is better to avoid using cotton pads, as they leave debris on the coating).
Decor: sequins, nail stickers, rhinestones.
For beginners, especially for self-use, for the first time it is better not to take very expensive products. It is better to buy at an average price and in small quantities, and next time choose based on experience.

Step-by-step application instructions

In order to perform a high-quality manicure and not forget anything, you need to properly prepare your workplace. First of all, free up enough space on the table, provide it with lighting and put all the necessary tools in front of you so that you don’t have to look for them in the process.

Before applying gel polish directly, you need to prepare your nails well:

The remnants of the previous manicure are carefully removed, removing even the smallest points.
Next, you need to do a regular manicure, cut off the burrs, remove the cuticle, correct the shape of the nail and file the edge from bumps.
With a buff, you need to walk over the entire surface of the nail plate.
Nails are degreased with a special tool.

After the preparation stage, you can proceed to cover the nails:

Video: step-by-step instructions from the manicure master

Removing the coating from the nail plate

When the nails have grown enough and the manicure does not look aesthetically pleasing, the coating must be removed from the nails. In order to properly remove it, it is not enough just to rub the nails with a cotton pad dipped in a special liquid. This is done in a slightly different way:

With a nail file, you can walk along the upper glossy layer, sawing off a shiny surface, especially for the butt.
Cotton pads need to be cut into 4 parts, apply a remover to each.
Wetted pieces of discs are superimposed on each nail, and are well fixed on top with foil.
After 10 - 15 minutes, the foil can be removed from the fingers, the varnish should swell on its own and peel off the nail. If a small amount remains, then it can be carefully removed with a wooden stick (pusher). Do not use metal tools for these purposes, otherwise the nail plate itself may be damaged.

If during removal the gel polish had time to harden in the air, then you need to repeat the procedure.

In order for the manicure to last as long as possible on the nails and look beautiful, you need to follow a few tips that will help you avoid mistakes:

before work, it is better not to do nail baths, less than two hours before manicure;
if there is not enough experience, then you should not work with all the nails at once, it is better to paint 1-2 nails in turn;
during the day it is better to avoid strong contact with water, especially when washing floors, visiting the pool;
do not apply a thick layer, remove excess product on the brush.

Manicure Ideas

When working, you can also give free rein to your imagination and make various patterns on your nails.

Some of the simplest nail design ideas that you can do yourself at home:

Using Multiple Colors- now it has become fashionable when the nails are painted in different shades, when only one or even a combination of colors on one finger stands out. In addition, you can use a thin brush and use it to draw on the nails.
Decoration with rhinestones or stones- a monochromatic or colored manicure can be decorated with various pebbles, in the same way, highlighting only one nail, or used on each finger. Jewelry must be applied to the last, still sticky layer of gel polish, you can use special glue, and then dry it in a lamp. And after that, fix with a layer of top.
Loose sequins- with such a shiny powder you can decorate the entire surface of the nail, or apply a drawing with a thin brush until the varnish is dry, pour sparkles on it that will stick to it. And then fix the whole drawing with a top.
Various pictures or shiny ribbons- the principle is the same, you need to place the sticker you like on the sticky top layer, and then apply the top and fasten it under the lamp.

Video “Apply gel polish yourself”

Have you tried gel manicure yet? Be sure to share your experiences and ideas in the comments!

Despite the emergence of a large number of different long-term nail coatings, ordinary varnish remains in demand and we will consider how to properly apply varnish on nails in this article.

Brand lines of varnishes offer fashionable palettes of color coatings with various effects. It cannot be argued that gel polishes have a richer palette, as some brands present very complex and deep tones of the varnish coating. It all depends on the brand, on the quality of the product.

Nail polish is popular with women who prefer to take care of their hands firstly; secondly, among women who need efficiency in this process and thirdly, girls and women who do not need permanence and manicure for three weeks prefer varnish.

Lacquer coatings today have become much better and more resistant, and a manicure can easily last up to ten days, subject to all the rules for applying varnish.

Manicure

Many women choose to do their own manicure. With the availability of all manicure tools for sale, master classes and training lessons, learning how to do a manicure professionally is very easy and fast. Women have mastered this skill, but not everyone is able to master the complex procedure of gel polish or shellac.

This requires a set of tools and skills to work with thick rubber mixtures. Therefore, varnish remains a popular product. Its application is much easier, but it has its own special moments and secrets.

Applying varnish after manicure is a condition for the preservation and duration of the coating. The cuticle must be clean and mobile, pterygiums and burrs removed, the nail polished. If the nail plate is clean, the varnish will lie evenly and firmly.

The last stage of preparation is the degreasing of the nail. To do this, you can use a professional clinser, the most popular at home - Severena, or a regular nail polish liquid and an alcohol solution. Uncoated nails have a fatty layer, just like the skin. This is secreted fat that mixes with exfoliated skin flakes and dust. This fatty layer will provoke peeling of the coating, so that this does not happen, it is necessary to degrease the plate before applying the base. Degreasing removes the fat layer and dries the surface.

Base coat or base coat

The base coat performs several functions. The base protects the nail from the aggressive action of colored varnishes, prevents yellowing of the nail. A natural nail, even after polishing, may have roughness and microroughness. The base layer will fill the relief of the nail, and the varnish will not get into cracks, will not start to crack.

Often the varnish cracks and snaps off due to the poor condition of the nail. In the place of delamination of the nail, the varnish is damaged, so it is important that the surface is perfectly even and smooth.

After polishing the nail plate and applying a good base, even an average quality varnish lasts a long time.

Bases and bases are presented on the market in a huge assortment. These are both domestic and foreign products. Today there are a lot of Asian brands of manicure products.

Each line of varnishes necessarily contains base and top coats. When buying, you can pick up all the products of one brand, this will affect the quality of the manicure.

The base is applied to the entire surface of the nail. It is advisable to wait for drying and only then proceed with the application of a color coating. Some manufacturers recommend applying two coats, but this is fine if you like a voluminous coat like gel polish or shellac. If you need a thin coating, then one layer is enough.

color coating

Varnishes differ in density, as a rule, two or three layers are needed for a rich and deep tone. The most difficult first layer, when you need to draw a smooth rim of the nail without hitting the cuticle. Just like gel polish, regular polish is applied under the cuticle. With proper application, the varnish will not smear, will not touch the cuticle.

First option

Remove excess varnish from the brush by turning it in the neck of the bottle, and place the brush three-quarters from the end of the nail or right at the cuticle. Swipe a strip.

Again, put the brush at the base of the nail, but not with the end, but by turning the brush almost 90 °, that is, it will be located horizontally. Draw a semicircle on the left and also on the right with the side cut of the brush. The more you press on the brush, the more its shape resembles a fan, and the smoother the line from drawing with the side of the brush. With this method, the coating line is perfectly even, goes along the rim of the nail plate. If you do not unfold the brush and paint with the end of an even oval, it will not work, especially the flaws are noticeable on bright varnishes.

If the brush is cut evenly, then it is difficult to make a completely even semicircle with it. It is easier if the brush has a rounded shape. If you unfold it, it is easy to paint over the oval shape of the nail. After sealing the end, you need to wait for the coating to dry and apply a second layer.

Second option

A brush with a drop of varnish is placed almost at the base and gently moves forward to the cuticle. At the same time, you need to press on the brush to form a fan and create a straight line along the rim. This is difficult to do with liquid varnishes because they immediately flow under the cuticle. For them, the first method is more like.

Bringing the brush with a drop to the rim as much as possible, draw a strip along the center of the nail and paint over the sides, slightly unfolding the brush. If the brush is wide or semicircular, then it will cover the entire center of the nail.

All other options for applying varnish are a combination of these two methods.

Top coat

The manicure ends with a top coat, which can be with any special effect: glossy, matte, brilliant, neon. The final coating keeps the manicure for a long time in its original form.

Cuticle cover

Before applying the base, you need to push the cuticle with a metal or silicone pusher. The secret is to push the skin further before painting each nail. Then she will come back and close the edge of the varnish. Manicure for a long time will not look overgrown, not neat. But even when the nail grows, an even rim of varnish will appear.

At each stage of the coating, you need to paint over the end of the nail - seal it. This is done to preserve the manicure and for beauty.