How to: The perfect manicure

It's something we should all know how to do, so if you aren't quite sure, now's the time to learn. You might also save yourself a few pennies in 2014 skipping your nail salon!

1. Trim to nails if needed. Then, file your nails in the same direction to shape. Don't see-saw back-and-forth, as this can cause splits and weaked the tip of your nail.

2. Gently push back your cuticles with an orange stick. You may not need to do thi everytime, depending on how often you DIY-mani (for me, it's every 5 days, so I only look at my cuticles every 2nd time).

3. Gently buff your nails. Again, you may not need to do this everytime if you love a frequent mani.

4. Give you nails a slick of base coat. I like the Sally Hansen Complete Care 4-1 Treatment.

5. Pick your nail colour. I chose the Butter LONDON Tea With the Queen. Choosing a colour similar to your skintone might seem strange, but I find it makes my fingers look longer and thinner - score!

6. Brush on in the center of your nail from the base to the tip, then fill in the rest. Two coats is often ideal for most polishes. You can also gently swipe the tip of the brush along the tip of your nail to seal the colour and prevent chipping.

7. Apply your top coat - very important! This will give you that glossy finish and keep your mani from cracking up after only a couple of days. I'm using the INM Out the Door Top Coat.

8. Again, paint on as normal, and then swipe horizontally over the edge or tip of nail to seal it all in for a longer lasting mani.

DONE!

Do you do at home manis on the reg? Which colour is your current favourite? Do you use a nude tone to make your fingers look slimmer? Ps. Sorry about the veins - it's reallllllly hot right now! - Lauren