How to create a professional manicure/pedicure

It's all about your cuticles. Rough, thick, dry cuticles make manis/pedis look unprofessional.

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Have you ever noticed how much nicer a salon manicure is compared to when you do it yourself? What is the difference? Cuticles. Seriously.

I have taken a nail course and I didn't even learn how to do this well. I have paid for a gazillion manis/pedis and haven't figured out the secret. Here's *a* secret (there are probably more).

Photos to come, I promise. I have used cuticle nippers, slicers, and wooden sticks and still the salons do a better job. And, finally! here's what works. You will need..

Liquid cuticle remover. It's not very expensive.  I bought a 16 oz. bottle at Sally's a long time ago. I just didn't know how to make it work well.

Liquid cuticle remover. It's not very expensive. I bought a 16 oz. bottle at Sally's a long time ago. I just didn't know how to make it work well.

A pumice stone stick. This was the magic thing I didn't know I needed. Very inexpensive at Sally's beauty supply. It's like a super refined piece of cement, I guess. It will last forever.

A pumice stone stick. This was the magic thing I didn't know I needed. Very inexpensive at Sally's beauty supply. It's like a super refined piece of cement, I guess. It will last forever.

The cuticle remover is liquid and messy. Soak a cotton ball (use real cotton-it's most absorbant) and let it sit on a nail for a couple of seconds. It's the easiest way to manage the product.

No nipping with nippers or slicing with a cuticle razor. I have usually cut myself. I actually cheated and did my nails before I made this tutorial, but you can kind of see what I did.

The result is a nicely primed nail bed that is ready for painting.

Bonus: If you are a nail biter (I used to be), having nice cuticles will lessen your desire to bite because there is nothing ragged to bother you.

Tip: Once your polish has dried, make it a habit to rub in either a cuticle oil or some other good cream now and again to keep your cuticles smooth between treatments. I happen to use China Glaze oil.

I'm not the most steady nail painter and red is a challenge, but I think this turned out all right (maybe a tiny cleanup needed). Notice no paint on top of thick skin at the cuticle. Looks more pro.

I'm updating this guide with a step. Notice how the stone got a little scungy with cuticle in my last video? The stone becomes dull if you don't clean it. The next video shows a solution for this.

Easy. Now my nails are all primed to try another nail art! Ranger, the background dog, says hi!

  • 1.0 Pumice Stone Stick
  • 1.0 Cuticle Remover
  • 1.0 Cotton Ball
  • 1.0 Bottle of liquid cuticle remover
  • 1.0 Emory board (or sand paper)