5 Manicure Mistakes You Didn't Know You Were Making

Apparently, you've been trimming your nails all wrong (oops!).

Just when you thought you'd gotten painting with your nondominant hand down to a somewhat reliable science, here we are to inform you that actually, you're doing it all wrong. Fine, maybe not all wrong—but there's most likely room for improvement. We asked nail artist to spill the biggest mistakes people make when they do their own nails.

1. You're cutting your nails.

You'll probably cut too much and then file your nails down into a shape that's different from what you intended. "A lot of times people cut, and they cut too much and then they try to shape the nails later," says nail artist. "Always just use the file. If you have extremely long nails, cut only half of what you want and then file the rest down."

2. You're trimming your cuticles.

Don't trim them; push them. "If you have excess cuticle skin, one thing to do is to push them back every day in the shower," says nail artist. "Your skin is already softened in the shower, so you can take your washcloth and just push your cuticles back. You don't need all those fancy tools or a cuticle pusher."

3. You're filing your nails in a back-and-forth motion.

Stick to one direction only. "When you go back and forth with the file, it's going to fray out your nail and give you those little peelies that you get at the tip," says nail artist. "It's best to file in one direction. Start from one corner and work the file to the other corner."

4. Your nails aren't completely clean.

You especially want to be sure that there's no lingering hand cream on the surface. "It's OK if the lotion is on the skin, but the nail itself needs to be fully free of the oils so that the polish will stick," says nail artist. "A good way to get it off is to take a lint-free wipe, put acetone polish remover over it, and swipe it over the nail until your nail turns a chalky white. If it doesn't, that means there's still some oil on there."

5. You're forgetting something.

A lot of DIY manicurists forget to paint the tip of the nail. "Then the manicure will start to chip because it's not properly sealed," says nail artist. "You actually have to turn your finger up so you can see the edge of your nail, and then once you've done your coat, take the very tip of the brush, and go over it. This helps to encapsulate the polish underneath, and that's what really keeps the polish from chipping."