Even though we all love being pampered, there may be times when we need to be responsible for our own self-care and pampering routine.  You never know when you may be required to do your own mani and pedi at home. In this event, don’t panic – get prepared instead, there’s never a bad time to master doing your own nails. Not only is there real satisfaction to doing a good job on your own nails (coupled with saving a little cash), but it also actually becomes somewhat therapeutic and gratifying. Trust us on this one!

Even if you have become devoted to DIY manicures over the past two years, it can be hard to achieve the same long-lasting results we’re use to at home. From chipping, warping, bubbles and clumps there are lots of things that can go wrong when attempting a DIY mani or pedi. If you want to do your nails at home, its important you have the right tools & equipment. Between nail prep, choosing the right shade and looking after your nail health there’s plenty of room for error. The stakes are even higher if you’re attempting something fancy like a gel manicure.

Interested in Mastering Gel Nails? Check out our detailed blog post:

(HOW TO: GEL NAIL EXTENSIONS FROM START TO FINISH – A STEP BY STEP GUIDE)

Nonetheless, its not impossible to do a good job from the comfort of your own home! A little patience and practice coupled with the essential tools will take you in the right direction. To help ease your DIY worries, we have compiled a list of tips and the best tools, for a mani/pedi so good you’ll have people asking you where you got your nails done!

Your only a few clicks away from having a home salon. Below are some note-worthy tips & items to add to your shopping list to achieve the perfect at home mani or pedi.

Don’t worry, your secret is safe with us!

If you’re looking for one simple kit containing everything you need for a DIY mani and pedi check out the Neo Nail Gel Polish Kit. It includes 3 Gel Polishes, 1 Eco LED Lamp, 1 Hard Base Hybrid Polish, 1 Hybrid Hard Nail Varnish, 1 Nail Cleanser, 1 Acetone Gel Polish Remover, File Polisher, Grey Boat Nail File, and Cotton Pads. We recommend using gel for longer lasting salon like results, it’s just as easy and quick!

NEONAILS GEL POLISH KIT - €99.00

Nail Cleaner/Polish Remover

Primarily, it is essential to have a good nail cleaner and nail polish remover depending on your chosen polish. This is to make sure you’re starting with a clean surface nail and enables you to clean up any mistakes throughout. We recommend using the NeoNail Nail Cleanser at the beginning of your pamper session, coupled with the NeoNail Acetone, which works effectively on normal nail polish as well as gel polish.

NEONAIL NAIL CLEANER - €4.50

NEONAIL GEL POLISH REMOVER - ACETONE - €4.50

Essential Nail Tools

Good nail preparation is essential to a successful and salon like manicure/pedicure, therefore it’s important to have a good set of nail tools in your arsenal. We recommend having a cuticle pusher, cuticle nippers, some clippers or scissors and a quality nail file and nail buffer. Using an effective professional file and buffer is important and the secret to achieving the smooth shape and finish like your nail tech!

Don’t worry we have all your nail tool needs covered below:

CUTICLE PUSHER - €13.00

RAINBOW CUTICLE NIPPERS - €10.49

STRITCLY PROFESSIONAL NAIL CLIPPERS - LARGE CHROME - €3.49

STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL STRAIGHT SCISSORS - €3.49

NEONAIL BOOMERANG FILE 100/180 - €3.50

We recommend using this file as it is universal and works perfectly with natural & artificial . 

NEONAIL BLOCK BUFFER ROSE - €1.50

Cuticle Oil/Cream

Healthy nails are imperative to successful manicure! Therefore, it’s important to keep your nails, and nails bed healthy and moisturized frequently. This can be done using a cuticle oil or cream. See below our best-selling cuticle oil & cuticle cream:

NEONAIL CUTICLE OIL WITH A PIPETTE 15ML - TEA TREE - €4.90

STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL CUTICLE MASSAGE CREAM 60ML - €3.99

Base Coat

Using a base coat when doing your at-home mani/pedi helps to protect your natural nail from staining, promotes longer lasting results and gives that smooth salon finish effect. We recommend using the popular NeoNail Hard Base, as its formula provides even better durability, grip and resistance to abrasion.

NEONAIL UV GEL POLISH 7.2 ML - HARD BASE - €11.00

Nail Polish

Next is the fun part, selecting your nail polish colour! If your new to DIY manis/pedis we recommend starting with some light/neutral shades. The colour you may want to use will probably depend on the occasion and the current season. The most important point is to ensure your using quality nail polishes. We recommend trying the brand NeoNails!

Neo Nails are one of the most successful nail brands across Europe, this is down to the quality and affordability of there products! As the sole supplier of NeoNails in Ireland we stock a large variety of their colour range, check it out today!

Check out some of our most popular colours below:**

Top Coat

To ensure you seal your hard work and make it lasts as long as possible it is vital to use a good high professional topcoat! Using a professional quality topcoat also gives your nails that high shine glow which can be hard to achieve at-home. We advise trying the Neo Nail range of topcoats.

NEONAIL UV GEL POLISH 7.2 ML - HARD TOP

Hand/Foot Cream

Finally, including the use of a quality hand cream into your mani/pedi routine will help take it to the next level! Overtime the regular use of a hand or foot cream will help to hydrate your hands and leave them more groomed and softer.

Check out the strictly professional natural manicure starter kit which includes a hand cream, and all the essentials for a natural manicure.

STRICTLY PROFESSIONAL NATURAL MANICURE STARTER KIT

Did you know proper Nail Maintenance has a big effect on the longevity of your mani/pedi?? Check out recent blog Tips & Tricks for Nail Maintenance. 

We hope you found this article useful, and pick up some tips & tricks for the perfect DIY manis & pedis! 

If you try any of our products, show use your results, by tagging @kmk_salon_supplies on instagram to feature on our page!

You can find all products and brands mentioned above on the KMK Salon Supplies website, along with a range of online beauty courses to help you become the pro!