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Beauty

Tools and tips for a perfect at-home manicure

Save yourself a salon trip and get professional-looking digits at home.
Nail colour trend 2012: Bright nail polishes, Thakoon for NARS

At- Home Manicure Tools

Trim and proper

Power Grip Fingernail Clipper, $11,

Tweezerman

Tools and tips for a perfect at-home manicure

File fabulous

Emery Buffer Tool, $4, Quo

Tools and tips for a perfect at-home manicure

Bridge the ridge

Fill in the Gap, $10, Essie.

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Tools and tips for a perfect at-home manicure

All about the base

Natural Nail Base Coat, $11, OPI.

Tools and tips for a perfect at-home manicure

Flash dry

Top Coat, $13, Seche Vite

Tools and tips for a perfect at-home manicure

Care and repair

Solar Oil, $15, CND.

Tools and tips for a perfect at-home manicure

Magic eraser

Instant Nail Polish Remover, $12, Sephora.

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Tools and tips for a perfect at-home manicure


Our top tips for your top tips:

1. Pack your manicure tool kit with the following: nail clippers, nail files, ridge filler (or base coat), polish and a good topcoat.

2. Clip and file nails, and then apply a base coat or ridge filler to smooth nails and prevent staining.

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3. Swipe on two coats of polish. Make sure to allow a few minutes of drying time between coats.

4. Finish with a thin layer of clear topcoat and let your mani dry for at least 10 minutes.

PRO TIP: Protect hands from the sun by applying cuticle oil and a hand lotion with SPF daily.

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Related:
The 10 best microbead-free scrubs and exfoliants
Our favourite hand creams
The best body creams for glowing summer skin

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