A home manicure can be not only economical but also stylish — the key is knowing a few tricks that help make the polish smooth and neat. Even if you’re a beginner and the brush feels tricky to handle, these 4 life hacks will definitely help you. 

If you have no experience at all, it’s not recommended to apply polish directly from the cuticle — this can easily cause it to spread onto the skin. It’s best to first place a dot in the center of the nail, then carefully drag the polish toward the cuticle. After that, you can cover the base of the nail and gently brush the polish to the tips. 

To ensure nail polish applies smoothly, without clumps or bubbles, warm the bottle in your hands before use. 

If you want the polish under your cuticles to look flawless, like in a salon, try this simple hack: instead of a clear base, use a milky-white one. When applying colored polish, you’ll immediately see any missed spots and can easily fix them. 

If you struggle to paint your nails without getting polish on the skin around them, there’s a simple solution. Before applying the polish, spread a thin layer of petroleum jelly around your nails. This way, you can paint your nails freely — any polish that gets on the skin won’t dry and can be easily wiped off with a regular tissue.

Important: make sure the petroleum jelly doesn’t get on the nail surface. Before applying polish, carefully degrease the nail plate by gently wiping it with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol.

Read also: How to Quickly Do a French Manicure on Short Nails at Home: A Simple Life Hack