Nail buffing is the act of `polishing' the nail using buffers of successively finer grit. it can increase the blood circulation to the nail bed. Buffing off the ridges also gives a smoother surface for the polish to adhere to. Actually buffing leaves such an attractive sheen to the nails, that you might skip the polishing step. After all, buffed nails cannot chip.Buffing encourages the nails to grow thanks to the improved circulation.This procedure also helps to remove surface stains.

For buffing you can use a traditional buffer or a piece of chamois. You can find the traditional manicure kit from Big lot at very low price (just $1/$2) Apply a little buffing cream to the nails and then buff in one direction

Don't use tooth pick to push back cuticles, you might hurt yourself.

Following are the few website that tells you how to do manicure yourself and how to keep them beautiful.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2553_give-yourself-manicure.html
http://altmedangel.com/nails.htm
http://www.essortment.com/howtogivemani_pbl.htm

make sure you have everything you need before you start. i wouldn't worry about buffing...if you do the paint right, you won't need to.

don't use a toothpick. use something with a blunt edge to push back your cuticles. like the end of a tablefork handle.

cut your nails straight across (if you have clippers)

use your file to round off the corners. remember to file in one direction only, don't do that back-and-forth motion, it creates jagged edges.

go wash your hands with soap and water. dry them good.

you should dip the brush, pull one side along the bottle top as you bring it out to remove excess, and paint one line down the middle of the nail, then dip the brush the same way again and fill in either side. try to use the least amount of strokes possible to cover the nail. if you keep painting over and over the paint gets sticky. do all your nails. let dry a few minutes.

get some q-tips, dip them in polish remover, and clean up the edges of your fingers, and whatever other mistakes you made.

paint a second coat. let dry a few minutes.

then paint on a topcoat, with plain clear, or i like to use silver glitter in a clear coat...it jazzes up any color. with the top coat, you have to be quick! if you stroke too much, you will start pulling up the color. dip the brush, don't remove the excess this time, and get that topcoat on quick.

now you need to let dry thoroughly.


*btw you can manicure sets with everything you need supercheap, like less than 5 bucks. an orange stick is really just an orange stick and its cheap too

*do NOT apply moisterizer to your hands and nails before you paint as some people will tell you to do...that will only make the paint peel. all your work will be for nothing when your paint starts coming up the next day, or the first time you wash your hands.

you should use hand lotion on a regular basis, just not right before you do your nails. lotion should keep your cuticles and skin from drying out.

*do NOT soak your nails before you file them as some people will tell you to do...it will damage them. i find that soaking is unnecessary altogether, but if you want to do it, do it after you file, during the step where i say to wash your hands.

hope it comes out pretty!!!