# Nail it // 5 tips for the perfect DIY manicure..

1/ Quick and easy clean..

When I was in NY for the photo shoot pictured above, the manicurist started by having me soak the tips of my nails for five minutes in tepid water with an effervescent tablet, made with hydrogen peroxide, mixed in. It turned out to be a cleansing and antibacterial product for dentures (strange I know… but it works ^^). Then, she cleaned my nails with a wooden stick, before gently drying them. The result? My nails were clean, whitened and in great shape. I bought the capsules, which are called Efferdent. What’s great about them is that they come in little individual sachets which don’t take up much space, so I always have a few in my makeup bag so I’m prepared for castings or photo shooting. (In the US you can find them pretty much everywhere like in CVS, big supermarkets etc .. and in France, you can check online, on Amazon for example => here . Otherwise, lemon is great for cleansing and strengthening nails, though we don’t always have it on us. 😉

2/ One-minute treatment

I just tried out something great from Sephora : the instant nail & cuticle care. It’s just like the Sephora express nail polish remover in which you insert your nails to take off nail varnish, except instead of nail polish remover, the pot contains hydrating oil. The results are just amazing. I used it quite a lot for all my last photo shoot – it’s perfect for nourishing cuticles.

3/ Touch up On-the-go

I think I already shared this with you, but if there’s one manicure essential that I can’t live without, it’s the pomegranate nail care pens by Weleda. The first one is a cuticle softener, which pushes the cuticles back and gently cleans them, a second one which contains a rich cuticle gel to really take care of them, and a third which hydrates the cuticle more discreetly. Three must-haves which I always have in my handbag.

>> I had issues finding the products online but I found some links to share with you : the cuticle softener, nail care pen, moisturizing pen

4/ Hydration in 30 seconds

I’m a real hand cream addict but I also love using products with hyaluronic acid, which are just as great for your hands as they are for your face! So, I use the super hydrating capsules from la Bioesthétique (which are amazing!) on both my face and my hands. I always keep a few of them in my bag as well. They plump the skin and leave it looking hydrated, smooth, and slightly matte – so pretty!

5/ Express repair

Last but not least, another nail essential I can’t live without is nail glue, which allows you to repair nails and keep their length, I always have some in my makeup bag. To read more about the quick nail repair plasters, check out this post : SOS broken nails. 😉

Voilà! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions!

Ps: All these tips are for men too ^^

xoxo