Every girl likes to flash a freshly preened, gleamed & buffed pair of knockout flashers but finding the time to sit back, chillax & let the nails do the talkin’ is as successful as your habitual weekend rummage down the sofa for some covetable golden treasure that’s playing hide & seek. Not likely.

As Spring has officially sprung from her sleepy slumber & the sun pokes her lazy face from behind the meddling clouds, the beauty closets on the high street are awash with an array of stunning tones, textures & designs we can’t wait to get our hungry hands on! Treating yourself to a pretty manicure is a fabulously therapeutic way of rousing us from a sweaty walking stress mess to a booty-shaking sass machine strutting her swag all in the space of an hour. The teeny tiny minx of an issue standing in the way? The professional salon goods cost “a whole lotta dough”. Shucks.

We’ve nailed the perfect mani at-home essentials which will hands down (pun fully intended) have you gazing in star-struck love at your hands, marvelling in delight at the salon-quality finish & make you a lacquer expert with extra time to shake it off à la Taylor.

Get your tools lined up ladies!

Step 1: Out with the old, in with the new

Whilst an acetone based nail polish remover may be less than an angel for the general wellbeing of your beds it gets the job done quick n’easy! Since we’re busy career girls slogging away in the big smoke, plump for the strong stuff but keep the nail contact minimal with quick & rapid swipes.

Step 2: Prep, prep, prep!

If you have some extra time hiding in your pocket, now’s the time to get clipping, snipping & buffing away like a mad woman to leave yourself with smooth shiny beds begging for some colour lovin’!

Step 3: It’s all about that base

Nails get a bit under-the weather & chilled too if they’re not wrapped up snug in a coat so grab yourself a quick-drying base coat & swipe it across the beds to prevent any colour lacquer from staining your hands. A base coat will also provide a helping hand at preventing the notorious chipping game from driving you up the wall!

Step 4: Pick your colour victim & apply in layers

Next up, nab yourself a pretty paint pot that’s bang on trend in the Spring beauty cupboard & apply in layers, allowing some time between each coating. Roughly two layers should do the trick & if you find yourself with some extra minutes tick-tocking then throw on a top coat to prevent further chipping & nailing a gleaming lustre shine to match the Spring sunshine!

Plan of action now? Don’t. Touch. A. Damn. Thing. We know the 3pm biscuit tin munchies are grumbling calling, but the double stuffed Oreos will still be stuffed & ready in 30 minutes. Master the art of control girls – your nails won’t be the only ones sighing in sheer relief, alas so will your thighs.

Voilá! Your gorgeous at-home speedy manicure is now finito! A top tip here at Career Girls is to plop on a few drops of a secret product called ‘Drip dry’. You drop it on after you’ve applied your polish, wait a minute or so & your beds are then fresh, aired & good to go! Perfect for us busy bees needing a coffee fix at Starbucks pronto!

Trust us, never underestimate the power of a good mani session girls…it’s like therapy without the leather couch & Freud! Don’t bottle up your secrets, sharing is caring so let us know any of your trusty top tips below!