Looks like a 5 year old gave me a manicure :(

[pratbc]

I love the look of painted nails, but I cannot afford to get them done. So, I have been relegated to doing them myself. There's only 1 problem- I am on a medication that makes my hands a bit unsteady. Hence, my nails currently look like my 5 year old niece painted them. I have tried sooo many times and just cannot get them to look right when I paint them.
Does anyone else have this problem or can anyone offer any suggestions or tips on how I can paint my nails like an adult?

TIA!

Patti <3

 

[florabundance]

Probably a stupid suggestion and not really convenient, but what about getting a friend or family member to do it? I rarely paint my nails, I normally get extensions, but on the few occasions I have painted them using colour i'll get either a cousin or a friend to apply...even though I have steady hands, IMO, unless you're a professional nail tech doing your own is tricky to varying degrees.

 

[glam8babe]

or why dont you get those nail sticker strips where you stick em on and paint the white tip and its all perfect and neat? they work great!

 

[Carlyx]

To do french manicure I use cellotape instead of the nail sticker things

To paint all my nails I can only use my right hand to paint, doing it with the left hand sucks!!

 

[lyttleravyn]

I've heard a couple tricks to doing your own nails. Start with your less dominant hand (left hand if you're a rightie) and paint the fingers, but leave the thumb unpainted for now. Then use your right hand to paint the left, but leave the thumb. Then go back and paint the left thumb and then the right thumb. I read when you have polish on your hands it makes them more unsteady. And even more so when your thumbs have wet polish (they are the easiest to paint yourself). Hope that wasn't too confusing

Also, Avon makes 'instant manicure' strips where you can use them to cover the whole nail with color. I tried samples and I liked them a lot! No mess, very easy, but you have to make sure you don't get any airbubbles underneath.
http://shop.avon.com/shopc/product.a...&pf_id=3096 9

Good luck!

 

[frocher]

Perhaps resting your elbow on a flat surface, and flattening the hand you are painting against the same surface will help steady them.

 

[janelovesyou]

I paint my nails as gross as possible. I just slap the color on and as long as the actual nail looks good, I'm fine with the fact that I have polish all over the rest of my finger. THEN I run my hands under hot water or get in the shower and peel the excess from around my nails off and it looks perfect! I find that with this, your hand is more steady b/c you're not trying to concentrate on one small area.

 

[SkylarV217]

how do you do a french with cellophane

 

[Carlyx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkylarV217 how do you do a french with cellophane

Cut the cellotape/cellophane just so that its long enough to fit over your fingers, place the tape under the tips of your finger if you know what I mean and then just paint the white tips.

 

[concertina]

Is there a beauty college in your general area? Normally they will do deeply discounted beauty services to gain practice. And its all done under the watchful eye of their instructor.

I've gotten a *great* manicure for around $8 and pedicures for $13.

 

[laneyyy]

I know that Sephora sells these little nail polish patches that you just stick on and tear away the excess... they are about $10 though, and I know you are looking for a less-pricey way to do nails yourself. If that is the case, I also suggest the beauty college, or even a vocational school for high school students studying for cosmetology... I did that when I was in HS, and we would charge like $6 for Manicures!