WATCH: How to get a salon-quality glitter manicure at home
Glitter nails are totally on trend right now – and with the holidays around the corner, this look is only going to get hotter.
With that in mind, we asked Shannon Nguyen and Amy Nguyen, owners of Poised Nail Lounge & Spa, to share their top tips on how to pull off this gorgeous look at home – and how to make it last. Watch the video above and show us your manicure by tweeting @YahooStyleCA.
What you need:
- Makeup brush (such as a concealer or eye shadow brush) -
- Q tips
- Cotton
- Professional nail lacquer remover/100% acetone - 70% and up alcohol
- High quality base coat (our favourites include OPI, Deborah Lippmann, Sally Hansen and Essie)
- A quick dry top coat
- Cuticle oil to prevent hang nails (alternatives: coconut oil or olive oil)
Top tips on how to keep your nails in tip-top shape:
- Seal the free edge of the nails with nail polish and a top coat
- Always wipe away excess oil with acetone/nail polish remover and alcohol
- Apply thin coats of polish
- Let the coats of polish dry in-between applications
- For the glitter application, you can use a good nail glue or even Krazy glue (be careful with these glues)
Best way to remove sparkles:
The best way to remove sparkles is to either buff off the top coat or remove with a polish remover (try acetone). Then soak a cotton ball with acetone/nail polish remover and apply the soaked cotton onto the nails. Wrap each nail up with aluminum foil for 5-10 minutes. Follow this by taking the edge of a metal spoon or butter knife to gently scrape off of the sparkles.
Other tips for perfect nails
Shannon and Amy recommend applying cuticle oil every night before going to bed. Try using a nail strengthener such as OPI Nail Envy while your nails are free of shellac, gel or regular nail lacquer. This will help build the strength back in your nails. It’s a good idea to give your nails a break every 3 months – and try to take a break for at least one month. During this month, do not put any polish, gels or shellac on your nails and allow your nails to grow and breathe. Go for more natural options other than hard gel, solar gel and acrylic gel. Instead, try bio sculpture gel, shellac or regular nail polish. Hard gels are tougher on your nails and require more buffing and filing down. Try having shorter nails, as opposed to long nails, which helps your polish last longer. A natural shape such as round or square-round nails will help prevent chipping. Always wear gloves when using harsh cleaning products, and don’t use your nails as a tool or try opening a can with your nails.
