Beginner Friendly, DIY Natural Nail Manicure
Who is this for?
Maybe you’re not ready to work with a nail tech yet, maybe you only get nails once or twice a year or special occasion, maybe you can’t have nail enhancements… whatever the reason is, if you want to be able to do a natural nail manicure at home well, then this is the guide for you.
I highly recommend starting to care for your own nails one way or the other, because having healthy nails allow you to have better retention and possibilities of having enhancements and wearing press-ons.
Disclaimer: this guide will contain affiliate links to recommended products. If there are any links that are broken, send me a message on Instagram and I can send you a new link. Purchasing through affiliate links really supports me as a small business and content creator!
Before you start…
Everyone’s nail condition is different. This is a general guide that has worked for me and other nails and it’s as gentle as it possibly be. However, this guide does contain use of products that you may or may not be allergic to - before you buy, please check the ingredients available to make sure it is safe for you to use, and follow manufacturer instructions where required.
Nails are a reflection of body conditions too. It can be affected by anything from hormonal changes, medication, long-term sickness etc. If you are ever in doubt, please consult your doctor before proceeding and get professional advice particular to your condition
Great nails is a journey, it’s a small investment in time and great nails come from care
Whether you are working with a nail tech or doing this at home, please remember that having great nails is a journey. You decide how long that journey is by how much time you’re willing to invest in it and how committed you are to your nail care habits. I would always recommend to see a nail tech for a more in-depth natural nail manicure where possible. Different nail techs will offer the treatment differently, so please have a chat with them to find what is best for you.
Tools you’ll need
All links open up a new window, some links are affiliate links (you don’t have to use them but it helps me out if you do!)
Cuticle Scissors - These are what I have in my kit, but you can find alternatives that are also decent. You will find that you might prefer one tool type than another - some days I like scissors, other days I like nippers. These are predominantly for hang nails - as a DIY-er I would not recommend nipping the full cuticle area
Staleks Cuticle Scissors | ZIZZON Cuticle Scissors | Staleks Nippers 4mm
Cuticle pusher - you will see me using the cuticle pusher from LP tools but if you’re a total beginner, then I highly recommend orange wood sticks first because they are softer, and I’ve also linked an alternative cuticle pusher from Amazon as well as a glass one
Orange Wood Sticks | Dual End Cuticle Pusher - the flatter end is great for the sidewalls and across the nail plate when scraping | Glass Cuticle Nail Pusher
Glass Nail File - these are great and softer for natural nails, have multiple in case you drop one. Can be rinsed/cleaned and re-used
3 pack glass nail files
Cuticle Remover
Blue Cross Cuticle Remover | Sally Hansen cuticle remover
Cuticle Oil - if you’re making your own, aim for pure jojoba oil and decant them into pens that you can fill them up and leave around everywhere and in bags etc. The is the simplest way.
I personally retail different ones in my nail room (different formulation and great scents) which if you are local to me you can also purchase, especially if you don’t want to keep a big bottle of it
Jojoba Oil | Pipettes | Empty oiling pens
Ready? Here we go
Disclaimer - my nails look a little rough/matte because I’ve just soaked off my builder gel to record these steps for this guide
Step one - push back your cuticle area gently with your cuticle pusher or orange wood stick
This reveals the cuticle on the nail plate, ready to be removed, and also giving you a little extra nail estate. As this is living skin and also very close to the nail matrix, be very gentle and patient, especially if this part of the nail is a little tougher or "stickier” - you might need more than 1 manicure to make this area looser.
Quick terminology - “cuticle” is actually the dead, sticky, skin on the nail plate. What you’re actually pushing back, is the Proximal Nail Fold & eponychium (that produces the cuticle under the nail fold) to reveal the cuticle underneath. The term cuticle is used just because it’s a much easier/well known term to refer to that area, but not technically correct.
What the pen is pointing to, the white “line” on the nail - that’s the cuticle
Step 2 - file nails to shape with glass file
You can do this before step 1 or at the end, but I like to do it as a step 2. This gives an initial sense of the length and shape. Go easy and leave some leeway if you’re just starting out - you can always take away but you can’t add the nail back on!
File nails to the shape you want - I always recommend a rounded shape as I find myself able to work and grow rounder shapes better than square that may catch on to more things.
I can’t stress how important it is to choose a length and shape that is suitable for your lifestyle. The best way to get used to having long nails is to not have them that long, foster healthy nail habits, and you will work better with longer nails later on.
When rounding nail shape, only align the nail file as far as the white free edge ends on the side (we refer this to “point of growth”). Any further will affect the structure of the natural nails and lead to lifting of the nail all the way down the side which is very difficult to fix (if at all!)
Step 3 - apply cuticle remover solution
In all my nail services, I do a dry manicure with an e-file and don’t use water-based cuticle removal products because it will affect the nail enhancement later on. If you’re not using nail enhancements, then water/chemical based solutions are good at getting rid of the dead skin so there is less mechanical (i.e. hard scraping by hand) impact on the nails.
Alternatively, if you have a glass cuticle pusher, you can gently use the frosted glass to scrape the cuticle away!
IMPORTANT: no matter what solution you use, make sure you read the instructions on the bottle, or look up other techs/users for the product. Because of acidity/alkali properties, they shouldn’t be on the nails for longer than intended.
Here I am using blue cross remover, applied either directly from the spout, or I prefer to decant it into the cap and apply with cotton bud, or decanted into empty nail polish bottle and apply with a brush.
Apply the solution on the nail plate (and less on the skin) - remember, the cuticle is the dead cells that are on the nail plate and this is why we push back the skin to reveal this.
After about 2 minutes, I would wash off the product.
If you are using Sally Hansen, then the recommendation from the bottle is to apply and leave for 60 seconds, scrape and rinse, or rinse and scrape like you do with blue cross as the solution can be quite alkali.
note: products may reformulate over time, please always, always check product information before use
Step 5 - start GENTLY scraping the cuticle and rinse off solution (if you haven’t yet)
Take your cuticle remover or orange wood stick and start scraping the nail, especially around the side walls and the proximal nail fold area. You may start to see gunk/milky bits scraped out, which is the solution + dead skin.
Please make sure you are GENTLE for this. There is no reason why you need to scrape so hard - that’s why a solution is used!
Step 6 - only nip hang nails
I know it’s tempting to take your scissors or nippers to start snipping the proximal nail fold because it’s “dry, dead skin”. You should be trained if you are doing this and even as trained as I am, I don’t actually nip all the time and only as and when needed. I will always recommend to treat it as dry skin that it is.
After the scraping, you may find that you have hang nails - you can nip these off to avoid them getting caught in things or if you have a picking habit, pick at and rip the skin off.
Step 7 - wash hands again if needed and oil the “cuticles” and use some hand cream
Check out this post to see how to refill your oil pens
If you have time, add in a hand scrub before the final oiling! It’s a lovely experience - bringing a luxury nail service in your own home.
When it comes to oiling, you’re effectively oiling the skin around the nail, and also under the nail so the oil is delivered into the nail bed on both ends.
Jojoba oil is the closest to what we produce, so this type of oil is highly recommended. Not all oils are made equal, some oil particles are too big to penetrate through and benefit the skin/nail, and not all formulas are the same. It may take you a while to find one you like so pure jojoba oil is a great alternative.
Your manicure is fundamentally done and if you don’t go to a nail tech, I recommend for this to be done once a week, or once every 2 weeks depending on your nail condition and growth.
Here are the things you should also do on a daily basis to maintain the condition of your fingers/nails
make oiling your cuticles a habit
minimum twice a day - if you have damaged nails, do it more often, and if you tend to bite your nails/skin, try replacing the biting with an oiling action instead. You need to have healthy skin to have healthy nails
Oiling also means your nails can become more flexible and flexible nails = strong nails. When you hit them, they will flex instead of break/snap (but not bendy!)
use an orange wood stick to push back your proximal nail fold everyday after shower
your skin tends to be softer after you shower or taken a bath, this is the prime time to take an orange wood stick to gently push back your proximal nail fold. This is a great way to help keep the nail fold back, released from the nail and therefore not grow with your nail and leave you with what looks like a patch of skin. It’ll also make your next manicure easier with less of a “stickiness” to the proximal nail fold.
Over time it will shrink back and with good oiling habits, it will be maintained like that in the long run. If you are wearing nail polish, or even enhancements, you can still do this
3. resist chewing or nipping dry skin unless it’s a hang nail
I know, it’s so, SO tempting. I’ve chewed out dead skin on my nails before too and trust me when I say it’s not worth it and will undo all the efforts you’ve put in. When you use certain fingers more often, you may find the skin around that area more calloused or dry and that’s totally normal. But you should treat this as dry skin and instead of cutting, chewing, or picking, apply cuticle oil to them.
If you have a glass pusher, the sharper end you can reach the edges too to gently exfoliate
Or, opt to visit a nail tech who does e-file manicures - that allows them to get into more precise area to remove this mechanically but safely.
Final Remarks & a plug
I hope this has been a useful guide for you to start your natural nail care routine! Before I qualified in nails, I did this once a week and saw a lot of improvement in the quality of nails and how my nails look.
There is always a huge merit to visiting a nail tech even if it’s just for a natural nail manicure. Each nail tech will differ, however, so make sure you check out what’s included in their natural nail manicures. Going every 3-4 weeks for one of these would still do a lot of good for your nails and instant gratification when you come out of the appointment.
Whilst I’m predominantly a gel nail tech, I still love and have clients come in for my natural nails only service, which includes:
an in-depth e-file manicure
exfoliation if there are very rough areas around the nails
nail shaping
warm oil soak OR nail polish
Optional nail serum treatment add on (IBX)
Optional skin polishing, scrub and hand balm massage add on
I am based in Bracknell, Berkshire, so do drop a follow or message for a commitment-free consultation and see how I can help you on your nail care journey
My DMs are opened, if you’ve read all this and have questions, please feel free to reach out on my business socials or my business email
Email: gelitwithjaye@outlook.com