8 Elements Of The Perfect At-Home Manicure Station

But taking a little time to set up a manicure station will make dipping at home even better! Here are eight essential elements for the perfect at-home manicure station.

A large, flat surface

The first element you need is a clear, flat surface. Dining tables and desks work well. But if you’re working on a wood surface, consider putting down a washable, flat cover. You’ll want to overestimate the space you need so you can lay out all of your powders without risking bumping them while you’re working. You can also make it more official by purchasing a table specifically designed for doing nails.

Good lighting

Natural light is ideal, but sometimes you’ve gotta fit in a midnight mani, so make sure the space has decent light available one way or another. Flexible desk lamps give you good light for up-close details work. You can even get lights that clip on the edge of your table.

Away from pets and small children

Our manis are easy peazy, but you’ll still want to be relatively distraction free. And be sure to store your dip powders, liquids, and tools out of reach of children and pets.

Well ventilated, but not too breezy

A goldilocks mani setup is ventilated, meaning you’ll have fresh air. But being outdoors or near a vent can create a breeze that spreads your powders around. Not only is it messy, but it can aggravate allergies.

The same goes for fans. Although it’s tempting to try to accelerate drying time, you really don’t need one when you’re doing a dip mani.

Your Basic Supply Kit

Keeping your supplies within reach will speed things up and keep you from scrounging through the house for what you need.

- Nail Clipper

- Cuticle Stick

- Cuticle Serum Softener

- Files

- Buffers

- Dip Powders

- Dip Liquids (tip: store them in numerical order to avoid mix-ups)

- A soft brush for removing excess powder

- Foil squares

- Acetone

- Cotton balls

Smart Storage

Keeping your supplies organized will make your manis a more peaceful, zen experience. Plus it’ll help you keep your tools clean - an important part of nail hygiene.

You can get helpful supplies from places like The Container Store, or even your local dollar store. Storing you powders in a way so that you can see all of your colors at glance is ideal.

Space for a friend

DipWell manis are even more fun when you share them! Setting up a mani date is a great way to spend time with a friend, without spending a ton of money.

Powders are affordable, and won’t go bad like traditional nail polish. So you can build a collection of powders to suit every friend’s style with glitter shades, neons, and neutrals.

Cleaning supplies

Be prepared for the eventual mishap with a clean cloth and a supply of paper towels within reach. Be sure to take a few minutes to clean and re-set your station after each mani.

Check out our article on Happy, Healthy Nails for more on keeping your manicures safe and sanitary.

Time to get dipping! Show us your mani by sharing it with #doyoudipwell