5. GET FANCY
And now you have beautiful nails! What's that, you overachiever? That's not good enough? You want your nails to stand up and yell, "Hey, look at me!" Well, we're still here for you. If you're looking for something a little different in nail grooming, you can try these two techniques: the backflip (it's not as dirty as it sounds) or a french manicure (it's not as dirty as it sounds, either).
Backflip
The backflip is almost as easy as a regular manicure. Groom your nails as you normally would, but when it comes time to apply the base coat, apply it to the top of the nail as well as to the underside of the free edge. Next, you will choose TWO colors. One will be your main color, which is applied to the nail plate as described in step 4. When your thin layers are dry, turn your hands over and apply the accent color to the underside of the free edge. You don't just get to choose one nail color, but two! Apply the same number of coats as you did for the top of your nail. When everything is dry, apply the sealant on both sides of the nail.
French manicure
The french manicure is a slightly more difficult technique, but gives your nails very classic look. Groom your nails as described in step 4 to the point where you apply the base coat. Once this coat is dry, you can start your french manicure. Because this is a very natural look, most manicurists choose to use white nail polish, or slightly off-whites with a golden or pink tinge. Take the loaded brush and place it on the side of the nail's free edge (the part closest to your finger). "Swoop" it down across the one side of the free edge, being careful to preserve the nail's smile line (the shape of the white of the free edge against the rest of the nail). Repeat this on the other side of the nail. You should do only one "swoop" per side, but you can touch up the middle of the nail as the two "swoops" will meet there, and you will have excess polish. Remember the golden rule of manicuring, and don't overwork your brushstrokes, instead allowing the polish to settle itself. Repeat the smile line swoop (don't forget to swing your partner!) on your other nine nails (lest you look unbalanced). When this coat is dry, apply a second thin layer. When the second layer is dry, apply the topcoat (the topcoats are coming! The topcoats are coming!) to the whole nail as you normally would, giving it enough time to dry. As this topcoat is now the main coat of your manicure, make sure that you renew your topcoat every other day to maintain your pristine french manicure.
