Doing a Manicure at Home? 10 Easy Steps for Perfect DIY Nails

Whether you’re trying to save money or just not in the mood to go to the salon, there’s never a bad time to master doing your own manicure at home. Not only is there a real satisfaction to painting your own nails (and saving a little cash), but it can also have therapeutic benefits—and possibly even help you manifest.

That said, there’s a lot that can go wrong with a DIY mani. Zipping up your pants, changing the channel, or answering a text suddenly becomes a tricky situation—and don’t even get us started on the risk of getting nail polish all over your couch. From prepping your nails to choosing the right shade, there’s plenty of room for error. The stakes are even higher if you’re attempting something fancy like a gel manicure, experimenting with fun nail art, or learning how to do a French manicure (here’s our guide, by the way).

But it’s not impossible to get Insta-worthy nails by yourself; in fact, it’s pretty simple to figure out how to do a manicure at home. A little practice, patience, and the right nail tools will take you far. To help ease your DIY manicure worries, we had celebrity nail artists and manicurists spill their best self-manicuring nail tips for how to paint your nails like a pro. Turns out, it’s easier than we thought. All it takes is 10 simple steps.

Follow along for a perfect manicure that’s good you’ll have people asking where you got your nails done. Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us!

What you’ll need for the perfect manicure at home:

• Nail polish remover
• Nail clipper
• Nail file
• Nail buffer
• Cuticle pusher or stick
• Cuticle oil or lotion
• Base coat
• Nail polish
• Top coat
• Cotton balls