Basic tools and how to get the nails ready

There are some essential tools to do nails.  You don't need all of them, but without them, to do nails on your own will be unpleasantly inconvenient or simply, take a long long time.

The list I have is:

• Nail polish remover (Pure acetone or OPI expert touch lacquer remover) - OPI nail polish is so good that most cheap nail polish remover can not remove it at all.  I have OPI expert touch.  It works perfect, but from time to time it has a smell that can be annoying.
• Nail filer
• Nail buffer block - it doesn't need to have different type of sanding, a generic one will do.
• Cuticle Pusher - Get a stainless steel one. It's used to clean the surface too. The other end is often used to clean under the nail.
• Cuticle Remover (lotion) - It makes removing cuticle a lot less uncomfortable and time consuming.
• Cuticle Nipper
• Spray bottle of alcohol - It's used to disinfect.  

How to get the nails ready:

• Remove old nail polisher using nail remover
• Sometimes if the polish is hard to remove, nail filer can help or a strong nail buffer block.
• Wash nails with soap after - if using something as strong as OPI lacquer remover, it actually corrodes.  You definitely do not want it to stay on your nails!
• Soak the fingers/toes in warm water.  - I usually do nails right after a bath or shower to skip this step.
• Put Cuticle remover lotion around the cuticles and wait a minute.
• Use Cuticle pusher to  - push cuticle up and use cuticle nipper to cut off the edges.
• Wash hand with mild soap to clean out the cuticle remover.  Dry fingers and nails with a towel.
• Use nail filer to shape the nails to your like (round, square round, etc. - any shape you like) and use nail buffer to clean the surface of nails - Don't do it much or it might damage the nail.  Just lightly and run it a few times over.
• Use water to rinse the surface of the nails and dry with a towel.
•  Spray alcohol to disinfect the fingers/nail area.

Introduction - My story of why OPI, DIY and short?

Why do I love OPI?

• OPI has such great quality.   If applied properly with refresh of top coat every 3 to 4 days, the nail polish does stay on for two to three weeks.   Other brands nail polish fades or color cracks within a week.
• It is better for your natural nails (OPI vs acrylic powder vs gel) - I started with acrylic powder gel nails.  It looked great and beautiful, even though it was inconvenience with nails that long.  In a few months, my natural nails became paper thin and very fragile.  I made the salon to take it off, no matter what they've told me, and it took another month or two to grow back.  I started doing gel for next year or year and half.  Gel is more expensive to do, and it stays on longer without reapplying the top coat.  My natural nails were slightly better.  However, even with the best job done in gel polish, the nail grows out, and you have to go back to salon at most 3 weeks later.  Once I switched back to OPI, the nail quality has moved one step up.  (Also, if no one has ever told you, those UV lamps drying the nails make the skin looks older.  I could tell the skin damage visually. There are even gloves invented for the lamps that no salon ever uses.  If you do want to be pampered once a while, get those before hitting a nail salon.)
• Beautiful, breath-taking colors

There are many reasons to DIY nails:

• Minimum $20 USD for manicure or pedicure - That's at least 2 bottles OPI for you!
• 95% of the nail salons do not properly disinfect their tools nor use clean towels.
• Believe it or not, some workers in nail salon can be more sloppy than us!
• It does get quicker and better each time we practice how to do it.
• Even nail salon has OPI nail polish, it never ever uses OPI top and base coat.  I had to bring my own, or the salon ones will cause my nail coat goes off within a week.
• It's fun and feels sexy to have nice nails, especially when other people notice too.  It makes great conversation topic.
• .....................................<fill in the blanks here =) >

Why do I like my nails short?

•  Nails can be hard to maintain.  Once they grow past certain length, they chip very easily.
• CONTACTS!! I couldn't take out contacts when salon insisted having my nails long.
• Work - I am a working professional.  I need to be able to work and do chores.

Classic color with a twist

This is my first attempt on french manicure. 

I absolutely love a good rosy pink color like OPI Rose at Dawn.  Today I decide to have some fun to do it french style.  It still looks classy, clean and refreshing

The technique might be off, but the colors are simple and fantastic!

OPI -Rose at Dawn Broke By Moon (tip)

OPI - Passion (base)

Basic tools for french manicure

• A french manicure brush - It looks like a small paint brush.  I picked this one because it also has a small dotting tool on the other side for basic design needs.
• A glass dappen dish - It's not required, but extremely useful.  This particular design can be flipped over, the back side can be used conveniently to hold a few nail polish drops for nail design. There are other ones with cap on, don't have this feature.

Instruction

• Apply base coat to clean nail surface
• Apply OPI Rose at dawn at the tips of the nail so it covers 1/4 inch above the actual tip.  
• Pour acetone into glass dappen dish and dip brush.
• Use brush to clean the uneven line from applying the tip.  Make sure:
• The thickness of the tip is even on all.
•  The nature tip line does not show.
• If there's trouble to smooth the line, try to push it a little.
• Use a paper towel to clean the brush
• Apply OPI - Passion on the top portion.
• If it accidentally touches the tip portion, it can be ignored or it can be cleaned off by brush
• Apply top coat.
•  One golden item I came across in the store is OPI Drip Dry.  It dries nails in less than 1 minute for me.

Now you are done!  It took 1.5 hours for me from removing old polish coats, cut cuticles, buff nails and apply as a beginner.