RI Dolls Dancers: Invest Time Into Learning How to Give Yourself a Home Manicure

If you’re a dancer at Rhode Island Dolls in Woonsocket, RI, you already know that how your hands look matters a lot. Really – no man wants to be touched by hands that look rough or have bitten nails or chipped polish. It totally ruins the fantasy!

Getting a professional manicure can cost a lot of money and when you’re spending your money on weekly manicures, you’re decreasing income. So why not learn to do it yourself? It’s really not hard!

First, start with getting all the necessary supplies ready. You’ll need cotton swabs and cotton balls. You should also find a good hand lotion (or make your own if you want) and cuticle cream. Make sure you have a nail brush, nail file, and nail clippers. Of course, you’ll need nail polish remover to take off the old polish. After that, you can also make sure you have things like nail strengthening polish, the right size bowl, and a nice towel for drying. You likely already have things like warm water, salt/sugar for exfoliation, and a gentle soap for cleaning.

Add your favorite chick flick and you have a nice, relaxing afternoon ahead of you.

Step 1: Get prepared.

First, change into something comfortable and start your favorite chick flick. I recommend “16 Candles.” Then, gather all your manicure tools and supplies. Now it’s time to really get started. Use a cotton ball or cotton swab and nail polish remover to remove any nail polish currently on your fingernails.

Step 2: File your nails.

Take your nail file and use it to shape all your fingernails. There are 4 basic nail shapes: oval, square, round, and pointed. Oval-shaped nails look great on most people. Pointy nails are trendy right now. Oval and square nails are classic and never go out of style. Start filing from one side of your nail to the center. Then file the other side to the center. Make sure you don’t slide the file back and forth over the end of your nail because it will weaken it. Also, don’t over file the sides of your nails because it will lead to breaking.

Step 3: Soak your hands.

Fill up a small bowl with warm and soapy water, then place your hands into the water and let them soak for about 10 minutes.

Step 4: Exfoliate your hands.

Use a nail brush to remove any dirt and dead skin. Then, for a deeper exfoliation, pour a couple tablespoons of salt and/or sugar into the palm of your soapy hands and rub them together. Make sure you rub both sides of your hands and around your nails. Do this for about 2 or 3 minutes, and then rinse the soap and salt off. This will remove old and dry skin cells and leave your hands feeling soft and smooth.

Step 5: Dry your hands.

Take a clean, dry towel and dry off your hands thoroughly. Use the edge of the towel to rub the cuticle of each finger.

Step 6: Push back your cuticles.

Take an orangewood stick and gently push back the cuticle on your pointer finger. If the cuticle doesn’t easily move, apply a cuticle cream or lotion to soften the skin. Don’t cut your cuticles because it will hurt, and you can get an infection. If you have a hangnail, carefully trim it off with nail clippers or cuticle trimmers. Also clean underneath the fingernail with the orangewood stick. Repeat the process for each finger.

Step 7: Massage your hands with lotion.

Apply a generous amount of lotion onto your hands and massage it into your skin. You can use your thumb to massage your cuticle and nails, and your thumb and fingers to massage the palms of your hands. Next, grasp a finger and gently twist the grasping fingers to massage the tissue along the length of the finger being massaged. Do this for all your fingers. Then, continue rubbing your hands and work the lotion up one arm until you reach the elbow. Then massage the other arm.

Step 8: Remove any excess lotion.

Use a towel to wipe off any excess lotion on your hands and arms. Make sure you go over each cuticle softly so it doesn’t tear. The skin around your fingernails will be extra fragile since you’ve soaked them in water for a while and moisturized them with lotion.

Step 9: Apply a base-coat of polish.

There are many different types of base-coat nail polishes on the market. These polishes are made to strengthen your nails, provide a good foundation for your colored nail polish, and will prevent your fingernails from turning yellow from being continuously covered up by nail polish. Let the polish dry.

Step 10: Apply nail polish.

Now, take your colored nail polish and paint each fingernail. Try to cover the nail with only three brush strokes: one down the center of the nail, and one on each side of the nail. Thin, even coats are best. Let it dry, then apply a second coat of nail polish in the same manner. Use a cotton swab to remove any polish on the skin around your nails.

Step 11: Apply top coat.

The final step is to apply a top coat of clear polish to seal your nails and help your manicure last longer. Look for a top coat with a shiny finish that’s chip resistant. Let your nails dry completely before using your hands too much. You don’t want to ruin all your hard work! It could take about an or the polish to dry completely, depending on how thick you put it on.

Give yourself a manicure once a week to keep your hands silky smooth, soft, healthy, and young.