What started as an investigation into great nail polishes to share with our bridal audience, took a turn while we all started working from home. We decided we needed to focus on how you get beautiful nails at home. Interestingly, we discovered Olive & June, a line of clean nail polishes that also has the tools you need to perfect an at-home mani. Ideal for these times, wouldn’t you say? And now they are launching products perfect for brides and their entire bridal party.
WHY MANIS MATTER
Sarah Gibson Tuttle, Founder/CEO of Olive & June, tells us, “For years I have been a polish consultant both in our salons and on DM to brides in our community. Your mani is photographed so much on your big day – it’s in every ring and bouquet shot!” Along with the launch of The Perfect Match (which we also think makes a great shower gift), Olive & June has great products to help you accomplish salon-looking nails at home.
One tool that helps make at-home manicures easier is called The Poppy, which Tuttle explains is, “our patented polish bottle handle that makes it easier to paint with your non-dominant and dominant hands.” You can check out their site for other tools like brushes and cuticle serum that will get your hands in tip top shape.
KEY STEPS IN GETTING BEAUTIFUL NAILS AT HOME
Tuttle shared with us her 5 steps to getting a great mani at home, and we had to pass on that info to you.
Step 1: Shape, clip + file
It’s all about the 90/10 rule: 90% of your shape comes from your nail clipper; 10% from filing. First, use flat edge clippers to cut your nail into your desired shape. Then, gently smooth out the edges. If you have polish on, all the better. Shaping with polish on helps you visualize the final shape without being distracted by the natural whites of the nails.
Step 2: Prep
Dip each nail in a polish remover pot to remove old polish and excess oils that can interfere with your polish adhering to your nail bed. Pro tip: once you’ve prepped your nails, avoid touching your face and hair which have natural oils.
Step 3: Trim hangnails + Buff Cuticles
Using your buffer, gently glide the buffer cube back and forth along the edge of the cuticle to erase dry skin and smooth things out.
Step 4: Polish
Pop on The Poppy and paint, dry; paint, dry; apply Top Coat: dry, dry, dry. If you’re just starting out, anchoring your non-dominant hand (or even the whole arm) on a flat work surface gives you a steady canvas. To apply your first coat of polish, start with a center swipe of polish, then swipe on either side. You should be able to cover the average nail plate in 2-3 strokes. Repeat on each nail.
And here’s a useful tip, “Waiting 5-10 minutes in between coats makes a world of difference. It will decrease the chance of bubbles and it dries faster, I swear! Then seal your nails with the top coat formulated with your polish to maximize shine and protect your polish.”
Step 5: Shine
Once your top coat has fully dried, apply cuticle serum to make your mani shine. According to Tuttle, “Cuticle serum is our must-have, can’t/won’t/don’t-leave-home-without-it product. You could have zero polish on and give your cuticles a dose of cuticle serum and it would add instant luster. Pro tip: If you’ve gotten any nail polish on your cuticles or fingertips, dip a clean-up brush in your nail polish remover, then use it to remove any unwanted color or to clean up polish lines.”
For even more tips, check out Olive & June’s Mani 101 tutorial.
And to see what you can give your guests as shower favors that includes some pretty Olive & June shades, click here.
All Images Courtesy of Olive & June
