Holiday Gift Idea: DIY Manicure Gift Basket

A few years ago, I went through a phase where I went to the salon to get my nails done regularly, but lately I haven’t had time so I’ve been working on mastering the DIY manicure at home. I’ve been slowly collecting all the necessary tools and a nice assortment of nail colors so I don’t have to spend time and money at the nail salon. I love being able to change out my colors more often, and I definitely appreciate the extra time and cash in my pocketbook . . . more to spend on shoes and handbags, yes!???

I usually shop at CVS for my nail products so I’m excited to partner with them on this post. I’m signed up for their Beauty Club so I get 10% off all beauty supplies, plus $5 ExtraBucks Rewards for every $50 I spend. I spend A LOT at CVS so I feel like I’m always getting ExtraBucks.

Since I’m always looking for clever gift ideas, I decided to create a DIY Manicure Gift Basket — perfect for holiday gift-giving, or for any occasion when you need a fun gift for the girly-girl in your life.

This is the kind of gift I love to give and get. It doesn’t break the bank, but it takes some time and thought to put together. You can personalize it to her tastes, and what woman doesn’t need a fresh set of manicure supplies every once in a while??

Nail Polish Storage Tip: You should always store your nail polishes upright so the lacquer doesn’t work its way into the neck of the bottle, causing the lid to get stuck.

Here’s a photo of everything I included in the gift basket.

I made sure to include nail polish remover and cotton rounds so she can take her nail polish off when the manicure wears off.

CVS has a great little nailcare kit with a nail file, toenail and fingernail clippers, cuticle slippers and the stick for pushing her cuticles back.

A nail brush is key for getting the nails nice and clean and ready to paint. Proper nail preparation is key to having a gorgeous long-lasting manicure.

Hint: Use rubbing alcohol to clean your nails before applying your base coat. It’s better than using nail polish remover; the alcohol allows the nail polish to adhere better to the nails. (I should have included rubbing alcohol in my gift basket, but I forgot. Ooops!)

I love Essie products so I chose a cuticle oil, base coat, top coat as well as several nail colors to choose from.

Hand cream and soap are little extras that you always need, right?

And then I threw in some nail art just for fun. My 11-year-old daughter has already applied those to her own nails, and they look adorable.

Put it all together in a cute basket, and voila! A DIY Manicure Gift Basket for the your favorite girly-girl!

Of course you can make up your basket with your favorite products. The cost of this entire basket was right around $50 because CVS always has great deals going on, so several of these products were buy one, get one 50% off. My Essie top coat was free with the purchase of the three nail colors. PLUS with my CVS Beauty Club membership, I got 10% off of just about everything in the basket, and I came home with $10 in ExtraBucks Rewards because I’d spent $100 on beauty products.

Next time you’re at CVS, don’t forget to sign up for the CVS Beauty Club so you can start saving on your beauty purchases. This membership is separate from your CVS ExtraCare Card, but you don’t have to carry an extra card around. Once you’re in the system, you’ll automatically earn ExtraCare Rewards for your Beauty Club purchases. That means MORE CVS ExtraBucks Rewards for you!!