How to Fake a Salon Manicure

Here's a way to save on a DIY french manicure:

You'll need:

- nail file
- paper towels (just in case!)
- a clear base coat
- sheer pink polish (sometimes you can get a set of pink & white together for this purpose)
- white polish

- a clear top coat
- nail polish remover
- 1 small, soft bristle brush
- several Post-it sticky notes (yes, just humor me) (optional)
- a cuticle stick or wooden skewer (optional)
- hand lotion (optional)

1. Start by filing down clean, dry nails. Now would be a good time to slather a little lotion on your cuticles and gently nudge them back.

2. Apply the clear base coat and allow to dry. I tend to stick with Sally Henson, but I also use Revlon all the time. It depends what's on sale!

3. Now... I'm going to go 2 different ways with this, "A" would be an easier version, and "B" is for those of you who feel a tad more adventurous!

Here's "A":

3. Apply the white polish to the tips of your nails. It does NOT have to be even remotely perfect, because we're going to clean them up in a minute. I like the white to look thick on the tips, but it is completely up to you. At the very least, the white should be close to the white on your natural nails. Start in the middle of the nail with 1 stroke, and then work on the outsides. Allow to dry.

4. After you've allowed the white to dry, dip the end of the small, soft bristled brush into the nail polish remover. Use the brush to edge and clean up the white polish. This is why it didn't have to be perfect!

5. Fill in the pink space on your nails with the pink polish. You can try to keep it off of the white, but if the polish is sheer enough, coating the entire nail (including the white) should be okay. Allow to dry.

6. Go over the entire nail with a top coat. Try to slip a little on the under side of your nails to essentially seal the polish. Allow to dry.

7. You can saturate your cuticle stick (assuming it's wooden) or saturate a wooden skewer (be careful with the pointy end!) in nail polish remover and carefully clean up an extra polish that may have gotten on your fingers. I typically let nature take it's course and it will loosen up and come off on it's own the next day. It's up to you if you're pressed for time.

8. Admire your handiwork!

Now... plan "B" for those of you how love a DIY challenge!

3. Apply the pink polish first to the entire nail and allow to dry COMPLETELY.

4. Tear off some pieces of the Post-it note (you want the sticky end). Carefully align the sticky end of the piece of paper on top of your nail so that you can still see the whites of your nail (or where you would like for the white polish to go). While the paper is adhered, paint the tip of the nail white. It's alright if you go onto the paper. Slowly pull the paper off (it may leave a slight indentation, but you shouldn't notice it once you apply a top coat.

Do this for each nail, removing the paper as you go.

5. After the white polish has had a chance to dry, apply a clear top coat. Slip just a little polish on the underside of the nail to seal the deal.

6. Feel free to saturate your cuticle stick (or a wooden skewer) in nail polish remover and clean up any stray polish.

7. Admire your handiwork!

Last step... treat yourself to staying out of the kitchen or doing any manual labor for a little while because you wouldn't want to compromise your beautiful manicure!