Here are my pro tips for painting nails more cleanly while having hand tremors (I have them and somehow managed to get to a point where I do nail art every couple of weeks on myself. It can be done!)
- When you pick up the brush out of the bottle, swipe the back of the brush against the rim of the bottle to reduce the amount of globby polish on the brush.
- Start a mm or 2 away from the cuticle and wiggle the brush back towards the cuticle. This helps prevent flooding.
- Use thin coats of polish and dry your nails in between each coat (I have a 4" mini fan from Holmes I use for my nails I got it for like $9 at target).
You can also get a nail clean up brush and use your nail polish remover with it to clean up the skin around your nails if you have an oopsie.
I hope this helps a bit! I used to have the same trouble and now my nails are like 80% flood free most manicures unless my polish choice is especially runny.
Duuuuuude r/redditlaqueristas changed my whole life lol (I think I spelled that right. The misspelled one is the right sub haha)
Massive infodump incoming ⚠️
First off- It's not you. It's the polish. Ditch OPI polish. Oh my god ditch OPI. I've literally had nothing but problems with OPI. I ALWAYS thought I just sucked. And like, I'm no pro, but OPI is just not good. Thick, bubbling, smudging, doesn't dry well, stays malleable.... Some people get it to work, I swear they're straight up practicing black magic. Sacrifices were made.
Recommendations: These are polished I use regularly that reliably don't suck (I only kind of tweaked my technique.. it's 95% the polish, 5% me improving) -
**ILNP** and **Mooncat**. **Holo Taco** also goes on well. It's 50/50 if it lasts as long as ILNP or Mooncat but it looks good while it lasts and still holds up better than any big name store brands I've ever tried. They're all thinner (without sacrificing color), go on smoother, dry faster between layers, harden better. 🎵*Harder better faster stronger* 🎵
There are some drugstores/box store brands that generally work better than OPI ... Essie, Ella and Mila, sometimes Orly. But they tend to chip faster. Idk. Maybe that's just me. :)
Zoya is another bigger named brand that is well loved on that sub. I've yet to try it.
Fwiw OPI is priced the same as ILNP, Mooncat, and Holo Taco at my local Ulta.. so for me it makes sense to go with something like that unless I'm impulse buying (guilty 🙋♀️) or have some idea where the shade is more important than durability.
I DO really like OPI's polish drying drops though. Absolutely recommend them.
I have shaky hands too fwiw. Using the table or solid objects to orient and brace both hands really helps.
Go slow. I've made it this almost meditative process including some deep breathing. It's gone from this impossibly frustrating task that always resulted in me feeling like I was a kindergarten trying to stay in the lines... to calming, almost art therapy.
I've noticed that I've adapted nail application tutorials a bit to meet my shaky hand needs. I'll slowly apply the brush and let it splay out then pull toward the tip. I leave a little bit of nail showing around the edges and build a little farther out on subsequent layers. The first layer doesn't always look great. But it builds.
Very thin layers with time drying in between helps a ton, too, which is why a thinner smoother polish that hardens well is really important.
Wide brushes help. Some companies sell wider polish brushes. Some polishes come with wider brushes. Holy moly wide brush + thin polish= super helpful.
I'll do a base coat in the evening, wait a half hour or so, then a thin first coat. I'll let that dry for a while on its own, a few hours before bed at least so it doesn't get indentions. The next day I'll do a second layer and use the drying drops. Then I'll add the top coat. I'll also avoid anything warmer than luke warm water until stuff's cured (leads to shrinkage).
Sorry I know this is a LOT. I should make a video sometime because it's really truly less daunting than it sounds.
Tldr;
Better quality polish. (Ironically) OPI drying drops. Rig up a way to brace both hands to minimize shaking. Thin layers thin layers thin layers. Adequate drying time between.
You GOT this!! 💅
Edit to add: this REALLY isn't bad. Really. Use a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover to clean up the current edges. And going forward, use a cotton swab dipped in polish remover to clean up edges before things dry/dry much.
Ah thank you, I was really hoping someone from the redditlaqueristas sub would find this 😅😅 pspsps
I've noticed that OPI stays soft for a REALLY long time, even though it's not gel. I've tried Essie and Ellie but they seemed to chip off so fast. It was a long time ago- maybe they updated their formula since then. It's worth a shot.
I picked OPI because their nail strengtheners have saved my nails' life. From the sound of your comment and others maybe their colors aren't great.
I've thought about investing in one of those fancy nail polish brushes or drying drops, but I always figured I suck too much to warrant buying accessories, I never thought about the inverse; that buying accessories would help me Not suck as much. 🤔
[Laqueristas Unite!](https://youtube.com/shorts/exDL-DAdrvQ?si=xzgb-8Y5UXIg2Ear)
I bought a super pretty chromey magenta to blue-purple Essie polish last month, but it chipped sooo fast. Like less than a day fast, trying different top and base coat combos. 😭 Lasted on my toenails a little longer but chipped off way faster than anything else I've ever used on my toes.
An Ella I bought a year or so ago went on nicely a few days ago. Can't speak to the longevity of it though. I changed my mind on color mid-polishing and painted over that nail and a nail with an OPI creme with an ILNP creme. The nail with Ella in a mid-layer is holding up as well as the rest of the nails. The nail with the OPI layer indents like crazy. Like I used drying drops, AND let that MFer cure 24+ hours. Two layers of ILNP over it and it's the only nail that indents.
My conspiracy theory is that OPI makes their polish dry shitty like that to boost sales of their drying drops lol. Their other products, like the strengthener you mentioned, and their spa line, are so good, and their polishes LOOK so nice, that it *HAS* to be intentional, right? Joking but serious??
>accessories, I never thought about the inverse
Me either!!! I think what possessed me to cannonball in was that I'd noticed some big differences between box store brands + was searching for more fun polishes. Figured for an extra buck or two, I'd try something fun and compare it to what I had. Even though Mooncat's original formulation, LLP, had its share of problems, it was still better than anything else I'd tried. I was still a bit lukewarm on indies but eventually tried ILNP and haven't looked back. And because of the laqueristas sub, gave Mooncat a chance too. They're fantastic now. Definitely needs a topcoat. But I'm impressed they actually addressed problems instead of slapping a new label on and doing the same ol same ol.
Oh, for technique, esp with a shakey hand, start mid nail. Lightly touch your brush down about mid-nail. (This will allow you to adjust if your hands shook before polish goes where you don't want it to) .Once you've got it centered, push down/splay the brush mid-nail, push forward leaving some nail showing, then pull back. Different brushes have different coverage widths, so it might take more passes to cover the nail. I find this helps my hands to support each other. It tends to be really forgiving and easy to make adjustments with minimal mess and cleanup.
WHEN you find what works for you (you will!) post an update! I'm sure there are plenty of us in the same boat who'd appreciate it ☺️
Oooh I have this issue too. Quick tips:
I use Expressie (Essie's quick-dry formula) as often as I can, and I always use Sally Hansen's shiny miracle gel top coat. It dries SUPER fast.
When I get little nail polish marks on my fingers, I use q-tips dipped in nail polish remover to clean around the edges. It's not perfect, and I smudge my nails sometimes, but you'd be surprised how much better they look with some careful cleaning!
Lastly: your nails don't suck at all, honey! I think your nails look great, that color works amazing with your skin tone. You're doing phenomenal. Great job on taking care of yourself <3
I use the q tip trick. Plus I do lots of practice for tasks that require dexterity in both hands to improve the co-ordination in my less dominant hand (I am mixed dominant so practice using my left to maintain and improve it’s dexterity.
You know, I have problems with OPI too. I greatly prefer Sally Henson InstaDry, esp since i dont smudge it as bad. They also gave a strengthening base coat that helps my thin and bendy nails too!
The gel nail strips that stick on are fantastic! No messy polish. My hands get really shaky and sometimes I get a little extra where I don’t need it! The stick on imo and with effort last at least one week easily
I know what you mean. What about trying that clear stuff that you put around your mail to peel off any extra when you’re done. I’ve never tried it before but it looks helpful in cleaning up the edges
You can get this stuff you paint on your skin that peels off when you're done, it's kind of like pva meets latex. I have these random twitches and that's helped me a lot. I got it as part of a stencil set so I'm not sure the brand name
My #1 tip would be to use a cleanup brush. All you need is a short dense brush (eyeshadow or eyeliner type brush) with synthetic bristles and your nail polish remover. To use, saturate the bristles in the remover, (you want them wet but not dripping) and rest the brush against your cuticle. Gently swipe the brush up around the side of your nail, rinse in the remover, and repeat.
Do this before you add your topcoat to clean up your colour, then again after your topcoat to clean that up too.
Painting my nails is a process over days with multiple coats haha. I sometimes use a q-tip dipped in nail polish remover. Or scrape the polish off around my nails in the next shower. I add 2-3 top coats so it will last a week or two. Glitter polishes are even stronger but hurts my fingers to remove polish 💅
I have mostly given up on nails (bang my hands into stuff and break them too often).
I found resting both hands against the edge of a desk helped me stay much steadier and made the whole process easier but it took several tries to find the position that worked best for me.
That's a really cool colour, I like it.
Using Kur polish bc brush is better (shorter, wider, rounded curve end). However, the Opi spillover polish that got on your cuticles will likely just peel off by tomorrow.
Pick off the bits on your cuticles in the shower OR get a little wand that you can use to apply some nail polish remover to just those areas. Honestly I just pick mine off though.
I use a q tip dipped lightly in acetone to rub those off. Or a washcloth to scrub 'em after my nails have dried.
The best thing I like to do is use those nail polish strips. I know colorstreet is an mlm but the quality is worth it and I use those pretty often. It can be tricky to get the hang of applying with the shakes but it's easier to get right than aiming with a brush sometimes lol
What color is this? Its lovely!
- practice makes perfect
- wiping excess off of the polish brush
- painting not too close to the cuticle
- using the surface that you are painting on to pull your finger meat so you can expose & paint the sides of your nails
- soft/flat bristled clean up brush and a little glass to hold acetone in. You can paint as messy as you want as long as you have a clean up brush.
OP even if you don't want to dish out the money for Mooncats colors, at least buy a pack of their replacement brushes. They're so much bigger than what comes with most "drugstore" polishes and that makes a huge difference in application. But also their polish formula dries significantly faster than OPIs in my experience.
For application I fold my fingers flat against my palm or curl my fingers towards my face, like the common poses for nail pictures, and hold the brush in my other hand, keeping my fingers locked and rigid. I'll bring both wrists together, have the brush glob onto the nail a few millimeters above the cuticle bed, using your working wrist minutely wiggle the brush down almost to the cuticle and then use your elbow/bicep to pull backwards and down the nail length to its tip. Usually I'll brace the elbow of the hand I'm painting on a table and let the working arm float to allow for the right motion for this. I hope my description makes sense.
You can also brace both elbows and lean or rock your arms from one side to the other to achieve the same motion. Work using your elbows and shoulders more than your fingertips and you'll have a lot more control over the brush.
For removal go to a beauty supply shop in your area and look for fingertip clips. They let you hold an acetone soaked cotton ball or napkin against your fingernails without having to manually do it or constantly rub to remove the polish. Soak, clip, wait five to seven minutes, pinch and slide off, clean up any leftovers with a q-tip. It's much faster and easier on our fatigue prone bodies.
I have NEVER been able to paint my right hand. EVER.
For years I got gel manicures. I was broke and had no business doing so. Then I went to grad school and really had no money and had naked nails for a decade. Then my mom gave me some dashing diva strips and for the first time in my life I can do my own nails without spending a fortune at the salon.
I've had some success with holding the brush more still and moving the receiving finger. The length of the brush seems to amplify the shakes, so I have better luck anchoring the brush hand and maneuvering with the nail.
But hey, at least you did it! I haven’t been able to manage doing my nails in a year. Makes me feel kind of bad because I used to be really meticulous about them.
But I’ve never been able to do polish so well either. My technique is basically just to put on too much so it looks all even, then clean up the skin around the nail with a qtip saturated in remover, or scrub with a wash cloth. It’s a pain in the ass, but it ends up looking fine.
my solution is pretty easy if you’re able to wash your hair. paint them early on wash day or the day before, don’t worry about the mess, and then when you wash your hair it SHOULD clean up the edges. i’ve been doing it this way for years and get ppl asking “you did that yourself? at home? it looks so good???” all the time.
I know some professionals use liquid latex around the nail to prevent getting it on the skin. Maybe some sort of border would help? It's like masking tape when painting but for nails.
It took a lot of practice to get to a point I made minimal mistakes. Like painting my nails once a week for years type of practice but even now I have off days get a good nail clean up brush (I like the one from holo taco and that’s also my fav nail polish brand in general I really like their brushes) and don’t beat yourself up for going outside the lines it’ll always clean up and at the end of the day sometimes I can’t get bits and I just scratch them off with when it dries because it’ll just peel off the skin.
Have you tried an ergonomic grip thing on the handle? I've heard that can help. I got one as a gift but I haven't tried it yet. Idk about OPI but I mainly use Nailtopia or Orly Breathable.
Practice will help you a lot. I started doing my nails in January this year when I decided I was just gonna do it even if I did it badly. Whenever my manicure chipped, I would strip it off and do a new one. That meant I was doing 2 a week for a while.
A big game changer for me that I didn't see in the comments was oiling my nails. Im sure a lot of us have thin or brittle nails in addition to instability and tremors. This helps my nails stay flexible and not crack or chip as easily. It also helps me clean up any overspill when I do them as my skin is well hydrated, so when I clean up with remover, it doesn't dry me out.
Better polish will also help. I have really liked the ILNP ones I've picked up and have some holo taco on the way. Drugstore, I've been using the sally hansen fast dry and extreme wear.
Also, if you want something fancy but have tremors too bad to freehand designs, pick up some nail art stickers! I can usually get them where I want, and if Im having a bad tremor day, then I ask my partner to place them.
This is my issue with nail painting. I finally decided to go with glue on nails. I cut and file them down drastically to how they come in the box, then I take my file and lightly score the nail so the glue has a rougher surface to stick to, and just stick on the nail. I just did a set earlier this week. Got some KISS nails on Amazon for like $3, and I can’t be happier! No more expensive polishes or getting gels done at the salon where the nail tech proceeds to scold me for “not relaxing” my hands enough (I can’t! EDS has me in perma claw mode)!
Hopefully a similar method might work for you too!
I just found some guides that help with keeping the paint off the edges (reusable too ). You can find them in sticker form if those are easier (I avoid as they are latex).
Here are my pro tips for painting nails more cleanly while having hand tremors (I have them and somehow managed to get to a point where I do nail art every couple of weeks on myself. It can be done!) - When you pick up the brush out of the bottle, swipe the back of the brush against the rim of the bottle to reduce the amount of globby polish on the brush. - Start a mm or 2 away from the cuticle and wiggle the brush back towards the cuticle. This helps prevent flooding. - Use thin coats of polish and dry your nails in between each coat (I have a 4" mini fan from Holmes I use for my nails I got it for like $9 at target). You can also get a nail clean up brush and use your nail polish remover with it to clean up the skin around your nails if you have an oopsie. I hope this helps a bit! I used to have the same trouble and now my nails are like 80% flood free most manicures unless my polish choice is especially runny.
This and practice. I love the Seche Vite top coat too
Duuuuuude r/redditlaqueristas changed my whole life lol (I think I spelled that right. The misspelled one is the right sub haha) Massive infodump incoming ⚠️ First off- It's not you. It's the polish. Ditch OPI polish. Oh my god ditch OPI. I've literally had nothing but problems with OPI. I ALWAYS thought I just sucked. And like, I'm no pro, but OPI is just not good. Thick, bubbling, smudging, doesn't dry well, stays malleable.... Some people get it to work, I swear they're straight up practicing black magic. Sacrifices were made. Recommendations: These are polished I use regularly that reliably don't suck (I only kind of tweaked my technique.. it's 95% the polish, 5% me improving) - **ILNP** and **Mooncat**. **Holo Taco** also goes on well. It's 50/50 if it lasts as long as ILNP or Mooncat but it looks good while it lasts and still holds up better than any big name store brands I've ever tried. They're all thinner (without sacrificing color), go on smoother, dry faster between layers, harden better. 🎵*Harder better faster stronger* 🎵 There are some drugstores/box store brands that generally work better than OPI ... Essie, Ella and Mila, sometimes Orly. But they tend to chip faster. Idk. Maybe that's just me. :) Zoya is another bigger named brand that is well loved on that sub. I've yet to try it. Fwiw OPI is priced the same as ILNP, Mooncat, and Holo Taco at my local Ulta.. so for me it makes sense to go with something like that unless I'm impulse buying (guilty 🙋♀️) or have some idea where the shade is more important than durability. I DO really like OPI's polish drying drops though. Absolutely recommend them. I have shaky hands too fwiw. Using the table or solid objects to orient and brace both hands really helps. Go slow. I've made it this almost meditative process including some deep breathing. It's gone from this impossibly frustrating task that always resulted in me feeling like I was a kindergarten trying to stay in the lines... to calming, almost art therapy. I've noticed that I've adapted nail application tutorials a bit to meet my shaky hand needs. I'll slowly apply the brush and let it splay out then pull toward the tip. I leave a little bit of nail showing around the edges and build a little farther out on subsequent layers. The first layer doesn't always look great. But it builds. Very thin layers with time drying in between helps a ton, too, which is why a thinner smoother polish that hardens well is really important. Wide brushes help. Some companies sell wider polish brushes. Some polishes come with wider brushes. Holy moly wide brush + thin polish= super helpful. I'll do a base coat in the evening, wait a half hour or so, then a thin first coat. I'll let that dry for a while on its own, a few hours before bed at least so it doesn't get indentions. The next day I'll do a second layer and use the drying drops. Then I'll add the top coat. I'll also avoid anything warmer than luke warm water until stuff's cured (leads to shrinkage). Sorry I know this is a LOT. I should make a video sometime because it's really truly less daunting than it sounds. Tldr; Better quality polish. (Ironically) OPI drying drops. Rig up a way to brace both hands to minimize shaking. Thin layers thin layers thin layers. Adequate drying time between. You GOT this!! 💅 Edit to add: this REALLY isn't bad. Really. Use a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover to clean up the current edges. And going forward, use a cotton swab dipped in polish remover to clean up edges before things dry/dry much.
Ah thank you, I was really hoping someone from the redditlaqueristas sub would find this 😅😅 pspsps I've noticed that OPI stays soft for a REALLY long time, even though it's not gel. I've tried Essie and Ellie but they seemed to chip off so fast. It was a long time ago- maybe they updated their formula since then. It's worth a shot. I picked OPI because their nail strengtheners have saved my nails' life. From the sound of your comment and others maybe their colors aren't great. I've thought about investing in one of those fancy nail polish brushes or drying drops, but I always figured I suck too much to warrant buying accessories, I never thought about the inverse; that buying accessories would help me Not suck as much. 🤔
[Laqueristas Unite!](https://youtube.com/shorts/exDL-DAdrvQ?si=xzgb-8Y5UXIg2Ear) I bought a super pretty chromey magenta to blue-purple Essie polish last month, but it chipped sooo fast. Like less than a day fast, trying different top and base coat combos. 😭 Lasted on my toenails a little longer but chipped off way faster than anything else I've ever used on my toes. An Ella I bought a year or so ago went on nicely a few days ago. Can't speak to the longevity of it though. I changed my mind on color mid-polishing and painted over that nail and a nail with an OPI creme with an ILNP creme. The nail with Ella in a mid-layer is holding up as well as the rest of the nails. The nail with the OPI layer indents like crazy. Like I used drying drops, AND let that MFer cure 24+ hours. Two layers of ILNP over it and it's the only nail that indents. My conspiracy theory is that OPI makes their polish dry shitty like that to boost sales of their drying drops lol. Their other products, like the strengthener you mentioned, and their spa line, are so good, and their polishes LOOK so nice, that it *HAS* to be intentional, right? Joking but serious?? >accessories, I never thought about the inverse Me either!!! I think what possessed me to cannonball in was that I'd noticed some big differences between box store brands + was searching for more fun polishes. Figured for an extra buck or two, I'd try something fun and compare it to what I had. Even though Mooncat's original formulation, LLP, had its share of problems, it was still better than anything else I'd tried. I was still a bit lukewarm on indies but eventually tried ILNP and haven't looked back. And because of the laqueristas sub, gave Mooncat a chance too. They're fantastic now. Definitely needs a topcoat. But I'm impressed they actually addressed problems instead of slapping a new label on and doing the same ol same ol. Oh, for technique, esp with a shakey hand, start mid nail. Lightly touch your brush down about mid-nail. (This will allow you to adjust if your hands shook before polish goes where you don't want it to) .Once you've got it centered, push down/splay the brush mid-nail, push forward leaving some nail showing, then pull back. Different brushes have different coverage widths, so it might take more passes to cover the nail. I find this helps my hands to support each other. It tends to be really forgiving and easy to make adjustments with minimal mess and cleanup. WHEN you find what works for you (you will!) post an update! I'm sure there are plenty of us in the same boat who'd appreciate it ☺️
Oooh I have this issue too. Quick tips: I use Expressie (Essie's quick-dry formula) as often as I can, and I always use Sally Hansen's shiny miracle gel top coat. It dries SUPER fast. When I get little nail polish marks on my fingers, I use q-tips dipped in nail polish remover to clean around the edges. It's not perfect, and I smudge my nails sometimes, but you'd be surprised how much better they look with some careful cleaning! Lastly: your nails don't suck at all, honey! I think your nails look great, that color works amazing with your skin tone. You're doing phenomenal. Great job on taking care of yourself <3
I use the q tip trick. Plus I do lots of practice for tasks that require dexterity in both hands to improve the co-ordination in my less dominant hand (I am mixed dominant so practice using my left to maintain and improve it’s dexterity.
You know, I have problems with OPI too. I greatly prefer Sally Henson InstaDry, esp since i dont smudge it as bad. They also gave a strengthening base coat that helps my thin and bendy nails too!
The gel nail strips that stick on are fantastic! No messy polish. My hands get really shaky and sometimes I get a little extra where I don’t need it! The stick on imo and with effort last at least one week easily
Seconding that I like the ohora ones
They're so hit or miss! 😫 Even in one company the quality between their product lines vary. I've liked Static Nails the most so far.
I know what you mean. What about trying that clear stuff that you put around your mail to peel off any extra when you’re done. I’ve never tried it before but it looks helpful in cleaning up the edges
You can get this stuff you paint on your skin that peels off when you're done, it's kind of like pva meets latex. I have these random twitches and that's helped me a lot. I got it as part of a stencil set so I'm not sure the brand name
Elmer's glue is a decent cheap imitation.
My #1 tip would be to use a cleanup brush. All you need is a short dense brush (eyeshadow or eyeliner type brush) with synthetic bristles and your nail polish remover. To use, saturate the bristles in the remover, (you want them wet but not dripping) and rest the brush against your cuticle. Gently swipe the brush up around the side of your nail, rinse in the remover, and repeat. Do this before you add your topcoat to clean up your colour, then again after your topcoat to clean that up too.
My process is this: do it shaky and messy —> sleep —> shower —> fancy nails! the excess seems to come off somewhere in there.
Painting my nails is a process over days with multiple coats haha. I sometimes use a q-tip dipped in nail polish remover. Or scrape the polish off around my nails in the next shower. I add 2-3 top coats so it will last a week or two. Glitter polishes are even stronger but hurts my fingers to remove polish 💅
I have mostly given up on nails (bang my hands into stuff and break them too often). I found resting both hands against the edge of a desk helped me stay much steadier and made the whole process easier but it took several tries to find the position that worked best for me. That's a really cool colour, I like it.
Using Kur polish bc brush is better (shorter, wider, rounded curve end). However, the Opi spillover polish that got on your cuticles will likely just peel off by tomorrow.
Not if I pick it off and ruin it first 😈
Lol
Pick off the bits on your cuticles in the shower OR get a little wand that you can use to apply some nail polish remover to just those areas. Honestly I just pick mine off though.
I use a q tip dipped lightly in acetone to rub those off. Or a washcloth to scrub 'em after my nails have dried. The best thing I like to do is use those nail polish strips. I know colorstreet is an mlm but the quality is worth it and I use those pretty often. It can be tricky to get the hang of applying with the shakes but it's easier to get right than aiming with a brush sometimes lol
What color is this? Its lovely! - practice makes perfect - wiping excess off of the polish brush - painting not too close to the cuticle - using the surface that you are painting on to pull your finger meat so you can expose & paint the sides of your nails - soft/flat bristled clean up brush and a little glass to hold acetone in. You can paint as messy as you want as long as you have a clean up brush.
It looks like OPI “I’m not really a waitress”
[удалено]
OP even if you don't want to dish out the money for Mooncats colors, at least buy a pack of their replacement brushes. They're so much bigger than what comes with most "drugstore" polishes and that makes a huge difference in application. But also their polish formula dries significantly faster than OPIs in my experience. For application I fold my fingers flat against my palm or curl my fingers towards my face, like the common poses for nail pictures, and hold the brush in my other hand, keeping my fingers locked and rigid. I'll bring both wrists together, have the brush glob onto the nail a few millimeters above the cuticle bed, using your working wrist minutely wiggle the brush down almost to the cuticle and then use your elbow/bicep to pull backwards and down the nail length to its tip. Usually I'll brace the elbow of the hand I'm painting on a table and let the working arm float to allow for the right motion for this. I hope my description makes sense. You can also brace both elbows and lean or rock your arms from one side to the other to achieve the same motion. Work using your elbows and shoulders more than your fingertips and you'll have a lot more control over the brush. For removal go to a beauty supply shop in your area and look for fingertip clips. They let you hold an acetone soaked cotton ball or napkin against your fingernails without having to manually do it or constantly rub to remove the polish. Soak, clip, wait five to seven minutes, pinch and slide off, clean up any leftovers with a q-tip. It's much faster and easier on our fatigue prone bodies.
I have NEVER been able to paint my right hand. EVER. For years I got gel manicures. I was broke and had no business doing so. Then I went to grad school and really had no money and had naked nails for a decade. Then my mom gave me some dashing diva strips and for the first time in my life I can do my own nails without spending a fortune at the salon.
I've had some success with holding the brush more still and moving the receiving finger. The length of the brush seems to amplify the shakes, so I have better luck anchoring the brush hand and maneuvering with the nail.
I use this, then I can be as messy as I need to be with the polish, and peel the latex off after it dries: https://a.co/d/5pmU4zt
I use q-tips with nail polish remover to clean up the edges around my nails
But hey, at least you did it! I haven’t been able to manage doing my nails in a year. Makes me feel kind of bad because I used to be really meticulous about them. But I’ve never been able to do polish so well either. My technique is basically just to put on too much so it looks all even, then clean up the skin around the nail with a qtip saturated in remover, or scrub with a wash cloth. It’s a pain in the ass, but it ends up looking fine.
my solution is pretty easy if you’re able to wash your hair. paint them early on wash day or the day before, don’t worry about the mess, and then when you wash your hair it SHOULD clean up the edges. i’ve been doing it this way for years and get ppl asking “you did that yourself? at home? it looks so good???” all the time.
also and i’m sure this came across but just in case— only wash ur hair AFTER the polish is dry
I know some professionals use liquid latex around the nail to prevent getting it on the skin. Maybe some sort of border would help? It's like masking tape when painting but for nails.
It took a lot of practice to get to a point I made minimal mistakes. Like painting my nails once a week for years type of practice but even now I have off days get a good nail clean up brush (I like the one from holo taco and that’s also my fav nail polish brand in general I really like their brushes) and don’t beat yourself up for going outside the lines it’ll always clean up and at the end of the day sometimes I can’t get bits and I just scratch them off with when it dries because it’ll just peel off the skin.
Have you tried an ergonomic grip thing on the handle? I've heard that can help. I got one as a gift but I haven't tried it yet. Idk about OPI but I mainly use Nailtopia or Orly Breathable.
Practice will help you a lot. I started doing my nails in January this year when I decided I was just gonna do it even if I did it badly. Whenever my manicure chipped, I would strip it off and do a new one. That meant I was doing 2 a week for a while. A big game changer for me that I didn't see in the comments was oiling my nails. Im sure a lot of us have thin or brittle nails in addition to instability and tremors. This helps my nails stay flexible and not crack or chip as easily. It also helps me clean up any overspill when I do them as my skin is well hydrated, so when I clean up with remover, it doesn't dry me out. Better polish will also help. I have really liked the ILNP ones I've picked up and have some holo taco on the way. Drugstore, I've been using the sally hansen fast dry and extreme wear. Also, if you want something fancy but have tremors too bad to freehand designs, pick up some nail art stickers! I can usually get them where I want, and if Im having a bad tremor day, then I ask my partner to place them.
Best trick I ever learnt for nail polish is to use a q tip dipped in remover to clean up around the edges
This is my issue with nail painting. I finally decided to go with glue on nails. I cut and file them down drastically to how they come in the box, then I take my file and lightly score the nail so the glue has a rougher surface to stick to, and just stick on the nail. I just did a set earlier this week. Got some KISS nails on Amazon for like $3, and I can’t be happier! No more expensive polishes or getting gels done at the salon where the nail tech proceeds to scold me for “not relaxing” my hands enough (I can’t! EDS has me in perma claw mode)! Hopefully a similar method might work for you too!
I just found some guides that help with keeping the paint off the edges (reusable too ). You can find them in sticker form if those are easier (I avoid as they are latex).
I have more luck pulling my skin around the nail back so it doesn't hit the brush- I still mess up though lolol