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    27 Nail Hacks For The Perfect DIY Manicure

    If you do your nails at home, here's every tip you could possibly need to ensure a salon-quality manicure.

    1. Use ice water to dry your nails in three minutes.

    2. Fix a broken nail using a teabag and nail glue.

    3. Take off your nail polish in less than 5 minutes using only 1 cotton ball.

    4. Give yourself a gel manicure.

    5. Take apart a loofah and use the netting to get a fishnet manicure look.

    6. Make a dotter for your nails.

    7. Spray nails with oil spray to set your manicure and prevent smudges.

    8. When applying a top coat, run the brush along the top edge (non-cuticle side) of the nail.

    9. Whiten your nails after removing a dark polish.

    10. Erase mistakes by dipping a tiny brush into nail polish remover.

    11. Follow this diagram to imitate how professional manicurists apply nail polish.

    12. The first coat of chunky glitter polishes should be dabbed, not brushed on.

    View this video on YouTube

    youtube.com

    Watch this video for a demonstration.

    13. Apply multiple thin coats instead of one thick coat.

    14. Apply Aquaphor or Vaseline to cuticles to protect your skin from errant nail polish strokes.

    15. Here's how you remove a gel manicure at home:

    16. Easily paint a heart with a toothpick.

    17. Use Band-Aids (the sheer kind) to get perfect French tips.

    18. Use nail polish thinner (NOT nail polish remover!) to revive thick, goopy bottles of nail polish.

    19. The smart way to store your nail polish:

    20. Fix a smudge by licking it.

    21. Soak nails in a solution of water and white vinegar before applying nail polish.

    22. Use VapoRub for nail infections.

    23. Apply thick hand cream before removing polish if you have pale skin.

    24. Try a rubberized base coat to make your polish last longer.

    25. If your nail polish is B3F, make sure your base coat and top coat are, too.

    26. If the air is humid, wait extra long for your nails to dry.

    27. Don't sit near a fan.

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