Q&A for How to Manicure Short Nails

Push back your cuticles before you start applying polish to help your nails look longer and prevent polish from getting on your skin.

Before you paint your nails, apply a base coat and let it dry. Then, use a top coat once your nail polish dries. This will give your manicure some hold.

Try putting some bad-tasting nail polish on them. Alternatively, you could also get a beautiful manicure; you might be reluctant to ruin all that pretty work and stop biting your nails. Read How to Stop Biting Your Nails for more helpful tips and ideas.

Cuticle oil is used to moisturize the cuticle, skin, and nail area. It can protect the cuticle and nail against damage and improve the health and appearance of the cuticles and nails. Of course it's optional, but if you want healthy nails and cuticles, it's a good idea.

Yes, that will work. You really don't need to buy two separate coats.

You can make your cuticles bleed and leave them open to infection if you cut too deeply. Use a cuticle pusher instead.

Try a stress ball or twiddle cube. Anything to distract you from your fingernails.

You should use nail polish on your nails rather than paint.

You can buy a special polish to paint on your nails. This will strengthen them, but also taste horrible, therefore discouraging you from biting them.

You'll need the following: * Peel off base coat (simple peel or latex barrier) * 2 or more colors, preferably similar tones such as pink and purple or orange and yellow * Top and base coat (optional, but preferred) * Makeup sponge 1) Add a base coat to your nail. 2) Paint a layer of peel-off around your nail and on your cuticle. Try not to get it on the nail bed, as it will mess up the manicure, but cover all the areas you don't want to get polish. 3) Add horizontal stripes of polish across that slightly overlap. 4) Sponge polish onto nail to create ombre. 5) Let dry, then peel off the latex and add a top coat.

Use jojoba oil 3-6 times a day, moisturize often and file in one direction. Don't do things that could break your nails. Wear nail polish to add an extra layer of protection.

You can (if you're right handed and vice versa) take the hand you don't write with and then use the hand you do write with to paint your nails. If your nails are too big, then cut them. And then the follow the steps above and you're done!