Only problem with this method is my shaky hand that got me a sloppy manicure is the same shaky hand that ruins the manicure by nudging my cleanup brush too far lol…
you can use toothpicks and cotton wool. a small piece of cotton wool is twisted with fingers at the end of the toothpick. you put this thing in a nail polish remover and clean the skin. for me, this is the most convenient way to remove nail polish from the skin😊
@@M23js I use q-tips too. You have to get really quality/specific ones that don't fluff. Those ones tend to be harder to the touch or more tightly wound and smaller in size.
Honestly might be worth a try! I find cleanup to be a lot easier than application tbh, because you can take as long as you need to swipe the brush across, and keep repeating until you're satisfied with how it looks (whereas with nail polish you do have to work relatively quickly or else it'll get lumpy haha!)
Another trick is to paint a thin coat of washable white glue on the skin around your nail. Paint your nails. When your nails are dry just wash the glue off.
The Brazilian way is to first use a toothpick or a larger pick that they sell here specifically for nails, go around the nail as soon as you finished applying the nail polish on that nail, do one by one. Then rap a small cotton piece around the toothpick until it is very tight, dip it in the nail polish remover, and clean it up around the nail.
I use a very thin dotting tool to scrape off the wet polish if I go over like that. I have a cleanup brush if I need it after but usually that works. I don’t like to wait for it to dry before cleaning
@@BlueRoseFaery When you do your nails in a salon here they won't wait either, is just that if I don't, I will end up messing it up. I always end up touching one of the nails while cleaning it up.
Just what I was going to say! That’s the brazilian way ❤ but I think you can’t do it with gel polish, only regular polish. It’s fantastic because the nails look really neat after cleaning the excess
The Wet n Wild thin liner brush from the makeup section at Dollar Tree is my MVP. They're $1.25 each, they last for ages, the bristles are soft but the brush overall is firm. I bought four of them over a year ago I think and I just threw out my first one.
I always have people ask me if I get my nails done professionally. I literally just try to go as steady as I can for the first couple passes, then I clean it up with an old flat paint brush and voila! I’ve been following your journey with nails since 2017 and I think this was one of the first tips you shared
my nail beds are so small that even a thin brush takes off a way too noticeable chunk of polish, so i usually run through it with a toothpick. the trick is just to get it cleaned off the nail plate and separate the bit that got on the skin from the flooding on the nail plate and remove that flooding, so when you put a top coat on it it anchors to the nail entirely
Haha trust me it's all smoke and mirrors 🤣 the only nail I can USUALLY apply well is my one swatching finger, but even then it takes a lot of concentration 😅🤪
@@KelliMarissa Oh no! I experienced that with the black handle concealer brushes. The white handle works best for me. I also like the KBShimmer brushes as well as your Orly collab brush ;)
Start off by placing the brush down the middle of your nail and carefully push it towards the cuticle while the finger is slightly tilted downward then brush towards the free edge. You can then go back and carefully sweep the sides with the brush using the polish that’s there already. The second coat doesn’t need to go as far back. This is a really neat trick if the brush is the larger kind or if the brush is very flimsy. Also, start with the pinky on your dominant hand and work your way towards the thumb, then move to the pinky on your non-dominant hand and work your way towards the thumb on that hand if you’re clumsy and bump your nails when applying.
I used to avoid doing my nails because I made such a mess. And then I learned this trick a few years ago and have been doing my nails whenever I can!!! That then opened the door for me to practice more, and now I rarely have to touch up any messy spots!! It's a great trick while you're learning better control. And especially if you don't have the best motor functions! Absolute game changer!
Imo, a hard tool like the other end of a cuticle pusher / toothpick does it better. You can somewhat “scoop” at the proximal nail fold to get the pooled polish out. Using a brush is great but you’d always remove more than you’d need to. If you don’t mind having some nail show, then it might be good enough for you.
I use an orange wood stick for pushing back cuticles dipped in either pure acetone or nail polish remover. I find it's easier to control and you always have just enough remover on it to correct mistakes without the possibility of excess you may get with a brush that could ruin your manicure.
A toothpick, tiny dotting tool, wooden cuticle pusher, all effective to make an even looking nail gap. I use brushes mostly for the skin around the nail (edit spelling)
this is so helpful thank you when i make that cuticle line after its dry it makes a spot where it starts to flake easily and its so annoying and thanks for reminding me to moisturize lol
Kelli you are the most precise nail painter I’ve ever seen! This tip is helpful for the rest of us though. I find it difficult cleaning up my right hand using my non-dominant left hand.
Yesss love that one! Although I do have to replace it pretty often because the bristles dissolve pretty quick 😅 that's why I switched to a nail polish specific one!
I used to apply nail polish super messy, I'm talking 2 year old with a colouring book😂 that was until I started watching your videos! Now I rarely even need to do clean up and I actually enjoy doing nails now❤
I use acetone with additive if I need additional cleaning up after top coat. I can't remember but I think I use straight acetone before, so the top coat adheres better? I don't paint my nails that often I can't remember lol
My dad bought some dotting tools with a silicone point on the opposite end for a project. He gave me one and the silicone side works like a freaking charm for this! It’s good at cleaning up along the cuticle before the polish dries.
I used to do nail stamping a lot - you can use scotch tape at a certain stage to tap the skin and pull of the semi-dried polish. Then go in with the cleanup brush if needed.
@KelliMarissa Showering and washing my hair DESTROYS my manicure, so I would never get in the shower right after I painted my nails! I WILL pick off the polish that gets on my cuticles and skin, but first I use a very soft nail brush with some warm water and gentle soap at the bathroom sink to loosen and dislodge my "goofs." Works like magic!
Girl, I've been doing this with q-tip since forever. You can use the cotton ends and cut it in half at a diagonal and soak it in acetone for more close-up precision...
This works well with regular nail polish so you can paint it on as sloppily as you want, but please try to be more careful with gels though. Obviously if you get gel polish on your skin clean it up, but try your best to not get in on your skin in the first place or else you can develop a gel allergy.
This ❤. Btw, if anyone has issues applying neat eyeliner, try medical or regular tape to crest the wing shape u want, and then just fill it in your miner ☺️
Btw I wanna add after you wipe the polish off with a brush n you let your polish dry... Please wash your hands shortly after. You wanna not have acetone stay on your nails any longer than you have to. I do this right after I take polish off anyway. Soap up the nails over n under rinse then use a paper towel to rub off any loose cuticles or skin particles that could make your polish lift.
Pro tip: if you don’t have a cuticle brush a lip brush or concealer brush will work, too, just keep in mind the acetone might dissolve the brush over time
I just wash out a used bottle of polish that I like with a good brush and refill with remover. Also brushing on anything greasy first as a mask around saves alot from having to be removed
Here in brazil we often use a sharp stick with a little cotton on the edge. Dip the cotton part on the nail polish remover and remove just like you did!
Especially on my toes, but I have really tiny nails and hands and I only can afford the cheapest nail polish and usually those brushes seem like they're bigger and I like to get down to the edges. But thank you. This is an excellent way to avoid having to shower after my
My best friend used to make fun of me for how messy I was when I did my nails lol. I only just starred using a clean up brush this year and wowww has it been a game changer!
I prefer to use toothpicks and cotton wool. a small piece of cotton wool is twisted with fingers at the end of the toothpick. you put this thing in a nail polish remover and clean the skin. for me, this is the most convenient way to remove nail polish from the skin
I finally feel normal (somewhat) reading through the comments and finding out that I'm not the only one that depends on the shower to clean up my mess 😂
