A manicure is a cosmetic beauty treatment for the fingernails and hands, performed at home or in a nail salon. A manicure consists of filing and shaping of the free edge, pushing (with a cuticle pusher) and clipping (with cuticle nippers) any nonliving tissue (limited to cuticle and hangnails), treatments, massage of the hand, and the application of fingernail polish. When applied to the toenails and feet, this treatment is referred to as a pedicure.

Example of an acrylic French manicure

Give Yourself a Manicure at Home

There is something about a beautiful manicure that just looks and feels elegant, but the cost of salon manicures can really add up over the course of a year! If you want to save time and money on manicures, you’ll need our essential steps for a DIY manicure at home—for a fraction of the cost!

The Perfect Manicure at Home

Step 1: Essential tools. Be sure to have the following in a tote you always have assembled and ready.

• Nail-polish remover and cotton swabs or pads
• Nail clippers
• Emery board and nail buffer
• Cuticle pusher and nippers
• Callous/cuticle remover
• Hand/nail moisturizer
• Base coat
• Nail polish
• Clear topcoat

Step 2: Remove any previously applied nail polish. To acetone or not to acetone, that is the question.

When you are at the drugstore and wondering which type of polish remover to buy, keep this in mind: Non-acetone nail polish removers are gentler than acetone-based ones BUT the acetone-based remover will work far faster and be in contact with the skin for a shorter period of time than the non-acetone based removers. It’s a trade-off because even the gentler non-acetone based polish removers are still not kind to skin.

Step 3: Shape nails. Clip your nails, if necessary, then gently file them into shape. A slightly rounded nail shape or square-rounded edge is generally the best way to go but you can be as creative as you want.

Avoid metal or extremely coarse nail files to minimize splintering. Instead, choose a gently abrasive emery board or crystal nail file. Smooth the tops and sides of the nails with a slightly abrasive buffer to ensure an even surface, but don't forget, if you buff the nails too smooth, the polish won't adhere as well and can literally slip right off.

We like the nail buffers from Revlon, Tweezerman, and Ulta’s store brand.

Step 4: Soak away. Ahh … the relaxing part. Place your hands in a bowl of warm (not too hot) water and add a bit of your gentle face cleanser or shampoo to the water. Soaking the cuticle before trimming is crucial, but over-soaking actually damages skin and nails, so limit this step to three minutes or less.

Step 5: Apply callous/cuticle remover. When cutting away the thickened skin around the nail, applying a bit of cuticle remover will be a big help! One of our all-time favorites is Be Natural Cuticle Eliminator. Despite the name, it's powerful stuff, so don't let it sit on the cuticle area for more than a few seconds.

Step 6: Remove excess cuticle and callouses around the nail. Using the cuticle pusher from your kit, gently push the cuticle back away from the nail, but don't push it too far because it can damage nail growth or fray the cuticle.

Be careful NOT to pull, lift, tear, rip, force, or cut into the cuticle in any way. Do NOT clip into the cuticle; merely nip off the free edge with a pair of metal cuticle nippers. It's better to under-do this step than to overdo it because the cuticle helps protect the nail bed from all sorts of problems.

Now’s also the time to also remove hangnails around the sides of the nail, but again, be careful not to cut into the nail itself or to cut into the skin too deeply.

Step 7: Moisturize. Massage a rich cream or silky oil into the cuticles and all over the hands to hydrate and replenish skin. Try Paula's Choice brush-on Cuticle & Nail Treatment for a spa-like finish, or massage Paula's Choice Clinical Ultra-Rich Soothing Body Butter over hands and nails.

Step 8: Prep for polish. Moisturizing ingredients left on the nail will prevent polish from adhering properly. Using a cotton swab or pad, apply nail-polish remover over the nail's surface to remove any residue. Although it helps to avoid getting remover on the cuticle because you want to keep that area moisturized, don't worry if you do because you're going to apply moisturizer on your nails again once the polish is dry. The most important part of this step is to be sure the nail has absolutely nothing oily or emollient left on it.

Step 9: Paint nails in layers. If you have weak or brittle nails, use a base coat of ridge-filling nail polish to shore up the nail. A base coat also protects nails from staining (especially important if you prefer red nail polish) and prevents chipping. Next, apply your color polish in layers, allowing each layer to dry between coats. Two coats of color polish followed by a top coat to add gloss should do the trick.

If you're new at painting nails, use a lighter shade of polish; any mistakes will be less noticeable!

Tip: Take a few minutes to touch up your manicure every other day with a single layer of top coat. This can make all the difference in keeping up that "from the salon" appearance and durability.

Check for and clean up any mistakes—and you're almost done! It takes time for nails to fully dry, so be patient. A fan helps, but don’t use heat (like from your blow dryer) or the polish will chip and peel. Also, don’t put your nails too close to the fan’s airflow or you’ll end up with bubbles in your polish.

Step 10: Reapply moisturizer! Keeping your hands and the nail area healthy-looking requires moisturizer. You can't have great nails and hands without this essential product.

If you have the right tools lined up and you use the right techniques, you can definitely give yourself a beautiful manicure. Of course, there's nothing wrong with getting a professional manicure for special occasions or just to be pampered, but knowing how to do it yourself can save you a lot of time and money!

The Best Skin of Your Life Starts Here: The same type of research used to create this article is also used to formulate Paula’s Choice Skincare products. You’ll find products for all skin types and a range of concerns, from acne and sensitive skin to wrinkles, pores, and sun damage. With Paula’s Choice Skincare, you can get (and keep) the best skin of your life!