How to prep for the perfect manicure
An amazing manicure doesn’t start and stop with the perfect colour. To get the most flawless fingers, it all comes down to the prep and finish. Sally Hansen is the #1 Nail Treatment Brand in Australia* and has products for creating the perfect mani. To see exactly how it’s done, watch the video above or check out the step-by-step below.
Step #1 Strengthen your nails
Before you even begin to think about colour, you need to make sure your nails are strong and healthy – and you can do this by applying Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Instant Nail Hardener.
bh tip: Do your nails tend to break easily? Use this product five to seven days beforehand to strengthen them right up and prevent splitting and peeling.
Step #2 Repair your cuticles
There’s nothing like unkempt cuticles to bring down a perfect manicure. To ensure your cuticles are hydrated and smooth, dab a little Sally Hansen Cuticle Rehab onto the tip of each finger, massaging it in as you go. Allow it to absorb completely before moving on to coloured polish. If your cuticles are already quite dry and ragged, you can restore them by applying this daily in the week before your mani and every day afterwards for the best results.
Step #3 Paint on your colour
Now it’s time for the fun part: the paint! We used Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in All Fired Up.
Step #4 Gel finish
On top, we brushed on Sally Hansen 3D Gel Shine Top Coat to make the nail colour look really shiny - just like a gel manicure.
Step #5 Prevent smudging
To finish off, apply a drop or two of the Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Dry & Go Drops to each nail. This will prevent them from smudging and after just 60 seconds, you can touch things and admire your finished mani.
*Aztec scan data – Grocery & Pharmacy combined, $ value sales, MAT 1/1/15
Have you tried any of the Sally Hansen nail products mentioned? Did you know nail prep was so important?
38 Member Comments
My nails keeps splitting horizontally.
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Oh I never knew there was a quick dry coat available!
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I ran out of nail polish remover yesterday and thought I can't do my manicure, I will have always hands, so I cut my nails, filed and scrubbed and pushed cuticles back. It actually made the world of differece as most of the chips are on the edge of the nails.
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Main thing I find is to make sure you remember and then put 20 minutes aside to do everything
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Make sure I get everything I need to do done,then i can just sit and paint and relax,
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Sally Hansen nail products are great. I need those quick dry drops!
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I do a weekly manicure, but don't always paint them, I must as it stops me picking at them so much
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This sounds nice, i haven't done my nails for a long time :( I sometimes use a lovely sugar and oil scrub on them though.
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I like to buff my nails to add smoothness to the nail before I do a proper colour. It seems to make the colour last longer too.
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Such good tips on how to prep for the perfect manicure and get a great look, love it, thank you.
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I used try get manicures quite often, now it's few and far between. Which reminds me: I definitely need one
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A manicure is one of my favourite things
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I feel like this is something I should certainly do but it's a lot of steps
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I've started using Burt's Bees cuticle cream & I love the smell. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails with Iron is brilliant. I use it as a base coat & it makes my nail polish last much longer. I usually skip top coat. My nails bend & peel easily, I need something else.
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I think preparation & allowing plenty of time both help get a great mani result
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I cut and filed last night and will do my cuticles today
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What i do is: paint polish on (some reqire 2 layers) and go :D
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I always love reading nail care tips, they are very handy hehe!
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I might add the Dry & Go Drop on my shopping list.
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Sounds like a great product, on my list for tomorrow.
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I just use nail hardener (with no nail polish) as to strengthen them.
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I'm going to buy Dry & Go Drops. I've just spent ages waiting for my manicure to dry and I was so careful to not touch anything, but I still ended up with smudges.
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Thanks for the tips! Getting a manicure and pedicure is one of the few moments where my mind completely relaxes and I actually chill the hell out for a change. Since I have tried manicure done by a master (while resting in Ibiza http://nail-it-europe.com/blog/bodycare/essential-you-time-nails-spa/ )That`s why I prefer to trust nails issues to a master.
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