Sure, shellac is great; it lasts forever and has a thick, beautifully glossy finish. But guess what? You can achieve that fresh-from-the-salon look at home with these awesome tricks and tools. That extra twenty you’ll save weekly? Go ahead, order another round with your girls this Saturday night ” your nails will look perfectly polished when clinking glasses.
Look Beauty Hand Treat Mani Moisture & Nourishing Hand Mask, approximately $10, Shoppers Drug Mart
Pamper paws for a truly indulgent at-home-spa experience and result by starting your DIY manicure with a hand mask. Yes, you read that right. Like a face mask but in the form of gloves, this high performance hand treat exfoliates and detoxifies skin and nails. Restoring moisture, hands are left supple, soft and deeply nourished.
Sally Hansen 18K Gold Cuticle Pen, $7.97, Walmart
This feel good two-tier, two-step pen gently and effectively removes all traces of cuticles and leaves nail beds perfectly shaped and groomed. The flexible rubber tip squirts out just the right amount of the Quartz-granulated and real gold-spiked exfoliating formula, which is then massaged into nails. Smoothing the cuticle and trapping moisture, the slanted, nubby pen head can then easily push back any stragglers and beautifully shape nail beds.
Radical Skincare Hand and Nail Multi-Repair Creme, $55 USD, Radical Skincare
Now’s the time to massage in a high quality, high performance hand and nail cream. We love Radical Skincare’s version, thanks to its myriad of benefits. Enriched with myrrh to strengthen nails and condition cuticles, this dream cream also provides extreme moisture, reduces wrinkles and dark spots and has anti-sweat properties to keep hands soft and comfortable.
Formula X Prime Base Coat, $13, Sephora
This is the stuff two-week-plus manicure dreams are made of. The combination of a super strong adhesive and its ability to fuse with the polish applied on top means this stuff makes your mani last way longer than the hemline of your favourite summer cutoffs.
Sally Hansen Miracle Gel, $9.97, Walmart and Gel Shine 3D Topcoat, $9.99 USD, Ulta
Achieving a gel manicure at home has never been easier or safer since Sally Hansen graced our tips with a genius two-step system that requires absolutely no UV light to cure the polish and still lasts 14 days. Simply swipe on one of the brilliant 45 shades to choose from, slick on the specifically-formulated topcoat, and enjoy a natural-light developed, shiny, chip free manicure for half the month. Bonus: the soak-free removal. You just need regular old polish remover!
If you’re a diehard classic Chanel Pirate kind of girl but crave the longevity and shininess of a gel manicure, simply reach for Sally Hansen’s 3D Topcoat. Transforming any manicure into a voluminous, plumped-up version, the ultra-glossy finish and extended wear will ensure you never skipping a topcoat again.
Essence Nail Art Express Dry Drops, $3 USD, Ulta
Get out the door with dry nails in two minutes flat with Essence’s Dry Drops. Conveniently packaged into a little bottle with an eyedropper applicator, one or two drops per nail instantly dries polish while conditioning nails and cuticles with Vitamin E and almond oil.
