My secret to a great manicure

 As a mom it is near impossible to give yourself a great manicure. As soon as you get that last coat of polish your instantly regreting this decision. You remember the laundry needs to be folded, dishes need to be put away, "Why isn't this drying faster!". You can still give yourself a salon manicure without the cost and the smudges by taking a 30 minute break and focusing on yourself (it's ok, the laundry can wait).

First get your tools ready. You will need:

Nail Polish Remover and Cotton Balls

Nail Clippers

Nail File

Cuticle Remover

Orange Stick (Cuticle Pusher)

Cuticle Clippers

Nail Buffer

Polish of your choice

Hand Moisturizer

Cuticle Cream

1. Using Nail Polish Remover, remove all previous nail polish and oils.

2. Clip nails to desired length then file edges. I prefer short nails.

3. Using Cuticle Remover, apply along cuticle and let set for 1 minute. Then using an orange stick, push cuticles back. Any extra cuticle can be removed using clippers. Wash Hands.

4. Using the Nail Buffer buff nails until they are nice and smooth. I think this is the secret weapon to a fake gel manicure!

5. Now paint your nails. You may ask, "Where's the base coat?"...and my answer is, "Aint nobody got time for that!" I used two coats of Sinful Colors in Tempest, one coat of Sally Hansen Crackle in Fractured Foil, then two coats of Wet n Wild matte top coat. I still don't know how I feel about the matte top coat, but I'm really trying to like it.

6. Finish your manicure by applying cuticle cream and moisturizer. I reapply cuticle cream every morning and night. Now sit back, enjoy a glass of wine, and try to resist the urge to touch anything for 10 minutes. Let the countdown begin!