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Beauty
Perfect your at-home mani
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Buff and prime!
Prepping is so important to the end result of your manicure. It will not only make it last DAYS longer but it’ll also help the look of your nails. Buff your tips with a basic buffing tool to smooth ridges, then use a nail primer for super sleekness.
Sephora Collection 3-Step Ergo Buffer, $6, sephora.com
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Multitask like a pro
Paint one hand at a time and let dry fully, then do the other. This may seem like a silly step but if you’re at home painting your nails while watching TV, nevvvver do both hands at once. If you do just one, you can use the other hand to scratch your face/text/change the channel…ultimately making it WAY less likely that you’re going to smudge. Takes a little longer, but totally worth it in the end.
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Paint inside the lines
Clean up edges with an angled eyeliner brush tip dipped in polish remover. Alternative: pointed Q-tips you can snag at any drugstore. You can do some detailing right on the edges and near the cuticle for a super neat finish—it’s what the pros do.
Q-tips Precision Tips Cotton Swabs, $4, walgreens.com
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De-lump your polish
Invest in some nail polish thinner, its super affordable and will save you loads in the long run when you’re not replacing all your polish. If you find that your fave new fall red that you saved up for is thick and lumpy, add some thinner and you’re saved!
Seche Restore Restoration Thinner, $5, walgreens.com
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Prime and seal
Always use a base and topcoat for a professional manicure at home. Psst: There’s also such thing as a 2-in-1 base and topcoat you can use for both. If you’re a mani-fanatic, invest in a nice topcoat and base, it makes your paint job look smooth, shiny and last way longer.
Left: Ridge Filling Base Coat, $8, ulta.com
Right: Revlon Quick Dry Top Coat, $6, drugstore.com
POSTED IN Beauty, how to, tips, nails, best products, diy mani, pamper perfection
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