Do-it-yourself manicure in the comforts of your own home

by Nejla Matam-Finn

If one of your intentions for 2020 was to be more disciplined about your beauty appointments, then you were just like me - we’ve been thrown up for a loop this year. The silver lining is that we all went back to the trusted DIY method and that clearly helped us re-evaluate what was ME TIME.

In my case, it even took me down memory lane when, as a teenager in boarding school, we would spend hours in each others rooms painting our nails - full clay mask on and music blasting, of course.

The luxury of being pampered by a professional came years later to the point where I became rather complacent at being disciplined with my eyebrows and my nails, among other things. I always leave the beauty routine at the bottom of my priority list.

This might sound trivial to some but with a professional and personal world shifting to endless video calls that are extremely taxing to start with, feeling confident in your appearance has never been more important. 

I am a strong believer that hands, just like good shoes and accessories, can finish off your look and being someone who has a tendency of talking with my hands, I know the feeling of hiding them because they are not done.

So, with no further ado, here is a super easy and quick 5 to 15 minutes routine to keep your nails on point. 

Things you will need. 

• 1/2 lemon 

• Oil (it can be olive oil or any of your favourite oils such as Almond oil) 

• Nail File 

The Routine 

I usually start by cutting/filing my nails first. I keep them short and au naturel as it suits my personal lifestyle better. Plus, this way ensures that I never be caught off-guard nails un-done.

Once done with the shaping, I jump under the shower so my cuticle are soft and easier to push back with less risk of hurting my nail beds. I then gently push back my cuticles. After which, I proceed to drying my nails before I take half of lemon and rub it directly on my nails. Lemons have a natural property of being able to whiten your nails. Then, I rinse my hands, dry them and move on to applying a good amount of oil and massaging it in. 

If your nails need more care then I recommend doing this routine at night so you can really slater a copious amount of oil. Trust me, you will wake up to healthy nails. 

For me, I try to do this routine every Sunday while applying my clay mask 😉 and I have to say that my nails and my cuticle have never looked healthier. 

Bonus point this routine can be done to your feet as well. 

PS: If you need pointers on how to file your nails in different shape this IG live is for you: How to get the perfect nail shape for you