After walking around trying to hide my nail-bitten fingers for years I decided I'd had enough. I couldn't afford a salon manicure, and I tried the home acrylic nail tip kits (geez, what a lumpy, bumpy, stinky mess!), all to no avail. In a last-minute nail emergency one day I finally buckled down and bought a cheap pack of nails and glue, and have been doing them that way ever since. Think "store-bought" nails can't look good? Think again!

For our tutorial today I purchased a 24-pack of Fing'rs® brand ProFit nails (important: these are full nails, NOT tips!). I chose the Natural Curve Career Length. They cost $2.54 at K-Mart here in Eugene, Oregon and the glue is included, though I've found that this particular brand of glue doesn't hold up quite as well after a few days of washing dishes by hand as some other brands do.
(Click on an image to enlarge)

The first step, after you've done the usual prepping such as removing old polish, washing your hands thoroughly and pushing back your cuticles, is to choose a nail for each of your fingers that fits well. Lay them out in front of your hands in order, and choose nails that slightly overlap the sides of your natural nails.

After you've chosen a nail for each finger, gently file each nail with the semi-coarse side of the emery board. First, file the bottom edge of the nail so that it follows the natural line of your cuticle. Then, file the sides as shown here to fit your nails. File any burrs off the tip of the nail with the fine grit side of the board.

Next, apply glue to your nail. I usually begin with my left thumb. Squeeze the glue onto the center of your nail and use the tip of the applicator to spread it around on the entire nail. Don't get it on your skin: nail glue is similar to superglue and will glue your fingers together! If you stuck, apply ice or cold water to the bonded area and pull apart gently and slowly.

Attach each acrylic nail as you go. Press the nail and hold it down for 5-10 seconds, pressing the bubbles out from under the nail and securing it to your nail bed. Make sure each nail is straight before you press it down.

After all of the nails are attached, use the fine-grit side of the emery board to file off any rough areas. Start with Mary Kay's Perfect Surface Base Coat $6.00, then polish nails with Mary Kay Long Wearing Nail Enamel $6.00, top with Speed Set Top Coat $6.00 it dries fast and keeps nail color vibrant. When painting your nails, shake the polish bottle well, scrape the polish off one side of the brush as you pull it out of the bottle, then flip the brush over when you begin to paint so the polished side of the brush touches your nail. Start in the center of your nail, with the tip of the brush at the cuticle. Pull towards you in a sweeping motion to the tip of nail. Then repeat along each outer edge of the nail.

Your new nails should last about a week. If your hands get wet a lot, you may lose a nail here or there. I generally check the fastness of each nail every morning and I carry a bottle of nail glue with me to reattach one if it pops off. :) You can reattach them several times before the glue build-up beneath the nail begins to look unnatural. Believe it or not, I often have women asking me where I get my nails done. When I tell them I do them at home in 20 minutes for less than $15.00, they can hardly believe it!

Ready to go shopping with me!

www.marykay.com/tlundy