5 Nail hacks you'll wish you'd always known

Is there anything nicer that leaving the salon with a fresh manicure? It’s an instant glam booster that puts an undeniable spring in your step. However, times are tight and most of us have those end-of-the-month moments when our self-care treats have to take the backburner in favour of super glamorous must-haves like prepaid electricity and toothpaste. That’s when you have to go DIY on the nails. 

Fortunately, there are all sorts of nail hacks that can make the process pretty simple. We recently checked in with Martie Olivier, beauty therapist, makeup artist and owner of The Beauty Room in Malmesbury, to find out which tricks she uses when she does her own nails at home. 

Use petroleum jelly for neat edges

“A jar of good old Vaseline goes a long way when you’re doing your nails,” says Martie. “If you want to keep the edges of your nails tidy when you’re doing a DIY manicure, simply rub some petroleum jelly onto your cuticles, paint away, and rub it off with a warm facecloth when you’re done.”

Make a reusable varnish removal jar

“When I do my nails at home I use a reusable varnish removal jar that I made using a small mason jar, a sponge and a bottle of nail polish remover,” says Martie. “You simply dip your fingers in there for a while and the polish slides right off with a gentle rub.” You can find online tutorials for making your own.

Whiten yellowing nails with toothpaste

“If your nails tend to look yellow when you remove your polish, you can try to correct the colour with whitening toothpaste,” says Martie. “Apply a small amount of the toothpaste to each nail using an old toothbrush, and leave it on for about five minutes. Wash it off with warm water and repeat it every other day until you have achieved the colour you want.”

Get some grip with a rubber band

Battling to open your nail polish bottles while painting? “Wrap a rubber band around the top of the application brush; it’s an old trick of the trade to open varnish bottles without any hassle,” says Martie. 

Go glittery like a pro

Glitter varnish is such a hot look at the moment, but it can be difficult to achieve if you don’t quite know what you’re doing. “Most people make the mistake of layering on too much glitter polish to get the effect that the varnish has in the bottle,” says Martie. “I recommend painting the nails a solid colour that matches the glitter polish first, and then dabbing on the glitter polish with a cosmetic sponge. Paint the glitter polish onto the sponge (this soaks up any excess varnish), and then use the sponge to layer it on your nail. This way you can add multiple layers to achieve a dense shimmer, without overloading on the varnish itself.”

IMAGE CREDIT: 123rf.com