Girls, do you want a salon quality manicure without the hassle and expense of going to a salon? Do you hate painting your nails and just a few days later they are already chipping? If you answered yes to either of these questions here are some helpful tips for you. With these quick and easy steps we will teach you how to prep your nails successfully, apply smooth coats, and save money all at the same time.

First, make sure you have all the necessary supplies to complete your glitter gradient tip manicure. You will need:

• clear polish for the base and top coat
• solid color polish of your choice
• two similarly colored sparkle polishes
  • one larger glitter texture
  • one fine texture
• makeup sponge to apply the fine glitter polish
• Q-tips for easy removal of excess polish on skin
• Nail polish remover

Once you’ve gathered these supplies start off by preparing your nails by making sure they are clean from any previous polish or oils. Clean with a cotton ball and nail polish remover, this will adhere the polish to the nail with less chance of damage over time. The next step is to apply a clear base coat to protect your natural nail from discoloration. Without the use of a base coat, your nails will turn yellow over time and the polish will chip easier. Make sure this coat is completely dry before applying the colored polish.

Most times when doing your own nails at home, we get in a hurry and get polish on the skin around the nail. Before applying the color polish take a Q-tip dipped in lotion, and dab on skin surrounding the nail but DON’T get any lotion on the nail itself. The polish won’t stick to the area of the nail with lotion on it.

You are now ready to begin applying color. Place a paper towel on the area you will be working at incase of any spills that could occur. Start with the solid color polish and apply one even coat to each nail, making sure you use enough to fully cover the nail without making it too thick. This will result in a slow drying time and will easily smudge. If any polish has gotten on the skin, simply wipe it off with your thumb; the polish will come off with ease because of the lotion. Allow this to dry for a few minutes.

Next take the large glitter polish and apply two coats. For best results, tip the glitter polish upside down and roll in between hands to allow the glitter to circulate so you won’t end up with an uneven spread of glitter. Allow each coat to partially dry before applying the next, again making sure to not apply too much.

Now grab your makeup sponge and apply approximately one coat’s worth of polish to the edge of it.

Dab this to the tip of your nail to create the gradient look. Once each nail has all the necessary color coats, you can apply a final clear coat to ensure a long lasting manicure without chipping. Now that the painting is done you may still find a bit excess polish that has gotten onto your skin. This can be removed easily with a Q-tip and polish remover.

The worst part about painting your nails at home is waiting for them to completely dry. A quick trick to speed up that dry time is to dunk your nails in a bowl of ice water for approximately 1 minute. You now have all the information to transform your boring everyday nails into beautiful works of art. With this low cost nail design you will be ready for any event with little hassle.