This will be a quick blog post that will help you step up your at-home manicure! As soon as the warmer months come around, my schedule becomes packed! And since I’ve been on a nail polish kick lately, I’ve had to create my own at-home manicure process and find products that give salon-like results. After many trial and errors, and testing a ton of polish colors, I think I’ve found the perfect at-home manicure and nude nail.
I love having my nails done, but I really can’t afford going to the salon twice per month. I think that’s most of us, right? That being said, I can’t stand when the color chips. And unless it’s gel polish, it’s going to chip at least a little bit.
Like I said, I’ve been working on my at-home manicure, and I’m pretty happy with the results. I will paint my nails on Sunday evenings and get through most of the week. A trick I’ve found to getting the best results, is using neutral and nude color polishes. Neutrals and nude colors go with all my outfits, and chipping is less noticeable, which I appreciate.
In my search for the perfect nude nail, I learned about Sally Hansen’s Insta-Dri Buff and Tumble from Stephanie Marie’s recent favorites video. I was definitely skeptical of this polish because of the fast drying feature, but decided to grab it anyways since it’s so affordable.
I’m so glad I went for this polish.
This is one of the best nail polish formulas that I’ve used in a while. The color itself is worth the buy. It’s the perfect nude nail, even on my more medium complexion. The color goes on opaque, and I would say that in a pinch I could get away with one coat, which makes sense seeing as this a fast drying polish. With a base and top coat, this color lasts as long, if not a few more days more than my other polishes.
I put the dry time to the test by painting my nails 15 minutes before my regular bed time (yes, I have bed time). The first coat dried down quickly, within two minutes. The additional second coat added extra drying time, but was still faster than other polishes.
For a top coat, I use the CND Out The Door Top Coat, which is also fasting drying, about two or three minutes after the final color coat. Finally, I top everything with drying drops to cure the polish. I love the results and I keep painting my nails with this color over and over.
At-Home Manicures Essentials
- Metal cuticle pusher | LOVE this for that perfected salon look.
- Buffer | To add some texture and help the polish attach to the nail.
- Glass file | Much gentler on nails that emery boards.
- Sally Hansen Cuticle Remover Gel | I use this once per week (max otherwise it dries out the skin) with my cuticle pusher to push back my cuticle and remove excess skin on my nails.
- ACI Gelous Nail Gel Coat (base)
- CND Out the Door Top Coat
- Tenoverten Nail Dryer Drops | This is the first drying drops I’ve tried, and so far so good! Helps the polish dry and cure, and adds moisture back to the cuticles.
- Lotion | Moisturize your hands and cuticles for best results!
I will be picking up a few more colors from this line and I hope they all perform just a well as this color!
Let me know what you’re favorite nail polish color is so I can check it out.
