Manicure at home between appointments: a step-by-step guide without cutting your cuticles

A proper manicure at home between appointments takes only a few tools but a fixed order of steps, and this guide follows that order. First the old nail polish comes off, then you trim and file your nails and care for your cuticles without cutting them, after that your nails and skin get cream or oil, and only at the very end do you apply new polish, if you want to. Gel, on the other hand, is something to have taken off at a salon, and a nail that hurts, swells or lifts off the nail bed needs to be seen by a dermatologist.

What you need for a manicure at home

If you are doing your own manicure for the first time, a small kit is enough. For trimming fingernails, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the professional association of dermatologists in the US, names nail clippers or nail scissors, and a nail file or emery board for smoothing the edges (the AAD on trimming nails). Add nail polish remover and cotton pads, a hand cream and, if you like, nail oil or a little petroleum jelly, and if you want to paint your nails you will also need a base coat, a coloured polish and a top coat.

You do not need cuticle scissors, cuticle nippers or an electric drill for this. In an AAD news release, a dermatologist warns against manicures in which a drill like this is used to remove the cuticle and the skin around the nail, because the cuticle is a protective barrier and removing it puts you at risk of infection with bacteria and fungi (the AAD's news release).

According to the AAD, you should disinfect your clippers and scissors once a month by scrubbing them with a small brush soaked in 70 to 90 per cent isopropyl alcohol, then rinsing them with hot water and letting them dry completely.

First, remove the old nail polish

Soak a cotton pad in nail polish remover, hold it on the nail for a moment so the polish starts to dissolve, and then wipe from the base of the nail towards the tip rather than rubbing hard. Because most removers contain ingredients that dry out the nails, the AAD advises moisturising your nails right after removing polish (the AAD on manicure and pedicure safety). In the order used here, that comes at the end, together with the cream you apply after trimming.

Softening, trimming and filing your nails

According to the AAD, the best time to trim your nails is right after a shower or bath, and if that does not suit you, soak your fingertips in lukewarm water for a few minutes so that the nails soften. Cut almost straight across and round the corners slightly with the file, which according to the AAD helps keep the nails strong and stops them catching on clothes. If only a little needs to come off, the file alone is enough, and always file in the same direction, because filing back and forth can weaken the nails. Which file and which shape suit short natural nails is covered in the article How to file short nails.

Caring for your cuticles at home without cutting them

At home it is best to do very little to your cuticles, because the AAD advises leaving them alone: the cuticle protects the nail root, and if it is trimmed or cut, bacteria and other germs can get into the body more easily and cause an infection. Do not push them back forcefully either, and if you really want to, the AAD says to do it only gently and after a shower or bath. Why this protective rim at the base of the nail should stay is explained in the article Cutting your cuticles or not.

To soften rough, dry cuticles, the AAD names a little petroleum jelly before bed as an inexpensive option and cuticle oil as another one that works well (the AAD on dip powder manicures).

A hangnail, the small piece of skin that sticks out at the edge of the nail, should not be bitten or torn off, because according to the AAD this can lead to an infection, so wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water instead and cut off only the loose piece with clippers or nail scissors (the AAD on nail care). There is more on this in the article Torn cuticles and hangnails.

Cream and oil for nails and skin

Nail care at home ends with moisture, because the AAD advises moisturising your nails after trimming them so that they stay flexible. According to the AAD this is especially important when the air is dry, because dry nails split more easily. Massage the cream into your cuticles as well, or put a drop of nail oil on the base of each nail.

For the days between appointments, the AAD also advises applying hand cream after washing and wearing gloves for cleaning and washing up, because too much water can weaken the nails so that they split, peel or break (the AAD's tips for healthy nails).

Nail polish last, if you want it

If you want to paint your nails, wash your hands with soap after moisturising and dry them well, because according to Doug Schoon on the specialist site NailKnowledge, oil and moisture on the nail plate can stop a coating from adhering to the nail (NailKnowledge on oil and adhesion). The oil only goes back on your cuticles once the polish is dry. For strong reds or oranges the AAD recommends an extra layer of base coat so that your nails do not become discoloured, and you can read what is behind polish that chips quickly in the article Nail polish chipping.

If your nails are brittle and splitting, feel free to leave the polish off for a while, because the Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA), the professional association of dermatologists in Canada, advises a break from manicures, nail polish and nail polish remover for brittle nails (the CDA on brittle nails).

What to leave to a nail salon or a dermatologist

Do not pick or file off gel polish at home, because according to the AAD this can do considerable damage to your nails (the AAD on removing gel polish). If the colour starts to come off, the AAD also advises against helping it along with other nails or tools and recommends making an appointment at a nail salon to have the polish removed there (the AAD on gel manicures). The article Gel nail removal goes into more detail.

If you notice any of the following on a nail, stop filing and painting it and have it looked at by a dermatologist:

• The skin around the nail is red and swollen, which according to the AAD can be a sign of infection (the AAD on nail changes).
• The nail or the skin next to it hurts, or pus comes out.
• The nail is lifting off the nail bed.
• The nail changes colour, or a dark streak appears in it that is new or changing.

If you have diabetes or poor circulation, the AAD says it is especially important to have any nail problem treated.

Manicure and nail polish at Anni Nails in Meidling

At Anni Nails, Schönbrunner Straße 253, 1120 Vienna, "Manicure (File / Classic)" is a classic manicure with files and nail care that takes about 50 minutes and costs €40. The cuticle is not cut but gently smoothed and shaped, and a small, natural rim is left in place because it protects the nails and skin. For colour there is "Nail Polish", in which classic nail polish is applied in the colour of your choice, taking about 20 minutes and costing €10. "Gel Removal" is gentle removal of gel without a manicure afterwards, which takes about an hour and costs €25.

Anastasia has been doing manicures for more than ten years and works with short nails and without aggressive techniques. Every treatment includes a personal consultation on caring for your nails and hands, where you can also ask how to look after your nails at home until your next appointment. The instruments are sterilised, and disposable materials are used in every treatment.

The studio is open Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 8 pm, and on Sundays on request. You will find all treatments with prices under Services and prices, and you can make an appointment online under Book an appointment.