Hi! 
(I'm not transfem. I'm a male exploring something I think feels like non-binarity maybe? Basically I long to convey more femininity in my appearance because it feels like shit keeping it bottled up, although I do feel in harmony with my body. I'd like some advice so much. If this is the wrong community please let me know I'll remove this thread.)
I've been craving to try nail polish but the more I watch "beginner" tutorials about it the more I feel intimidated. I would really appreciate some info about what is the actual bare minimum to dip my toes into it (my fingers actually although toes sound like fun now that I think about).
- Wiping excess oil from nails with alcohol. Is this a big deal?
- Base coat sounds pretty useful. Is this something you do personally?
- Nail polish. How much of a difference does it make to pick a reputable product? Can I drop at the local pharmacy and pick whichever color strikes my fancy, or will ordering from a good place online substantially improve my experience? Also do I put one or two layers?
- Acetone, how different are different brands? Should I get a little brush for corrections? Which sort?
- Top coat. How much of a difference does it make to the finish and durability? I'm not expecting a masterpiece at first try so is it fine to skip for now?
- Is nail polish something you can wear pretty much all the time, or do you need to let your nails breathe once in a while?
(I have already decided I will not fuck with my cuticles.)
Thank you so much for reading, and for any of your precious insights ^_^'
I'm not an expert but I have some experience now, from learning as a total beginner for about a year.
Nail polish that comes with a good brush helps a decent amount, I really like the ones from ILNP.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes and start over, you can use a fine tipped dry brush or just paper towel+acetone to fix mistakes. A toothpick or a small wooden dowel can be used to cleanup the edges. Practice practice practice.
And yeah like others have said, it's better to apply to 2 coats of color, and then maybe a top clear coat.