How To Apply Acrylic Nails

Nails have often been a part of a woman’s beauty ensemble all the while; in fact, they are also an indicator of a woman’s internal health – nails that chip easily will mean that a woman’s diet is at fault. Women do a lot to make their nails look good – they get a manicure every month, apply different nail paints and even, at times, apply acrylic nails to make them look more appealing. Acrylic nails have their own pros and cons and come in various sizes and designs. All one needs to do is exercise caution while using the adhesive chemicals, so that they do not harm the nails or the skin around them. Here’s how to apply acrylic nails all by yourself at home.

Image: quinn.anya@flickr

• To begin with, prepare the nails by filing down the natural nail so they are very short and then push the cuticles back. You may make your cuticles more malleable by soaking them in water for a few minutes.
• Remove all previous traces of polish and acrylic with a non-acetone nail polish remover.
• Take the white filing block and buff over the entire nail so that it’s a bit rough. Not too much though.

Apply
After you have cleaned and prepared your nails, you should be able to apply the acrylic nails to them. Here’s what to do:

• Open up your clear acrylic powder and dip your application brush into the acrylic liquid first and then the white acrylic powder and trail the product ball along the powder after the ball has formed.
• Apply the ball of product onto the middle part of the nail carefully so as not to touch the cuticle area as the chemicals may weaken the nail.
• Repeat the above procedure again on all the other nails, being very careful not to touch the cuticles as this may weaken the nail and it will start to lift. 

• The acrylic fixing chemical takes about 10 minutes to set and dry. So, by the time you have finished both hands you will be ready to go back to the first finger nail you applied and finish it better. File the acrylic so that you take any bumps out with a grit nail file and shape them to look natural. Smooth the nail with a white buffing block and then wash your hands to remove any dust and filings. It is worth taking time over this part for the perfect finish.
• To finish, apply cuticle oil and use your three-way buffer to shine.