I talk a lot about the importance of rituals here—morning rituals, the ritual of perfume, even the ritual of organizing your fridge. This week, I want to focus on the ritual of doing your nails.
For years, I went to the nail salon religiously. At first, it was every week for a fresh coat of polish. Then, I switched to gel and stretched it to every two weeks. As a professional makeup artist for over 20 years, having well-manicured nails has always felt like part of my job. There’s no way I would show up to set with chipped or messy nails. And don’t get me wrong—going to the salon is nice. It’s relaxing. But recently, I’ve found so much joy in doing my nails at home.
Funny enough, my daughter actually inspired me to make the switch. I think she inherited my obsession with always having perfect nails (lol), but as a college student, spending $50–$100 on manicures every week just wasn’t feasible. So she started doing them herself. And that got me thinking—how much was I really spending on my own nails each month?
So, I put together a little nail basket with all the proper tools and started doing them myself. And let me tell you, I love it. I can light a candle, make some tea, put on a podcast, and just enjoy the moment. It’s become such a soothing ritual, and this week, I want to share all my tips and tricks with you—along with links to everything you need for the perfect at-home manicure.
What's in my nail kit?
The steps before painting your nails are so important for achieving a clean, long-lasting manicure. I always start by clipping and shaping my nails with a file, then move on to my cuticles. I apply cuticle remover, gently push them back with a cuticle pusher, and clip any excess if needed. Once that’s done, I thoroughly clean my nails with soap and warm water to remove any residue.
While painting, I always keep a small brush on hand to clean up any mistakes with acetone—it makes such a difference in getting that polished, professional look. When it comes down to it, the essentials for a great at-home manicure are the right tools, acetone, cuticle remover, and, of course, your favorite nail colors.
My Tips & Tricks
Paint nails before you have to do computer work- ensures no chipping!
Find time, make it enjoyable. This is your time, feeling rushed is the worst.
Paint 2 thin coats. This makes your manicure last longer and dry faster.
Always use base coat.
The BEST top coat ever; non-negotiable
Use dish gloves so you don’t ruin manicure- lol
Dedicate a little towel to your nail kit. This makes sure you never get acetone or polish on your table!
Lots of love,
Xx Monika Blunder
Absolutely, Madmoiselle, Berry Naughty and Cajun Shrimp all by Esi are my absolute favorites!
I love this Monika! I haven’t really focused on doing my nails in a while and because of that it’s caused me to have more chipping than usual. Doing the 2 coats and adding on some protective nail polish really helps a lot! Plus, I’m getting more into playing with nail patterns.đŸ’ªđŸ’ªđŸ’ª