Make your nail polish stay on longer with these tips and tricks!
If you’re like me, one of your biggest pet-peeves is when you paint your nails and the next day they begin chipping!! Here are some things I have learned from experience over the years as a licensed nail technician that will keep your polish looking better and lasting longer!
Before Polish Application:
1. Groom, Clip, File nails even and smooth
2. Get rid of all hangnails
3. Push cuticles back
4. Buff or gently file the top of nail
5. Clean nails with acetone or nail polish on cotton. This helps to dry out the nail of any excess oils that will prevent the polish from adhering at best.
Nail Polish Application:
Before I start, long-lasting polish isn’t only in the technique – it’s also in the quality of product you are using. Make sure the polish is a good brand!!
For base and top coats, my favorite has always been Creative brand.
I like a few different color brands, but OPI is my favorite!
1. Always use base coat. Using a base coat will (a) help polish go on smoother (b) help polish to last longer (c) prevent nail from yellowing from polish
2. Apply one thin layer of colored polish over base coat
3. Apply second thin layer of color (two layers of color total – always)
4. I always have an orange wood stick or tooth pick handy to clean out the cuticles if I get excess color in them!
5. Apply top coat – always! Helps protect the color, adds shine! Make sure to paint to the tip of nail to seal the end!
After Nail Polish Application:
1. Take a Q-tip dipped in nail polish remover or acetone (I don’t own remover, I always use acetone, it works soooo much better!) and clean off excess polish on skin around nail.
2. Let nails dry
Have you seen the Pam trick? Spraying Pam on your nails seriously helps them dry!
Have you seen the Pam trick? Spraying Pam on your nails seriously helps them dry!
3. Put cuticle oil (or olive oil, yes-it works) around the nail and into cuticles. Oil not only helps with dryness around the nail, but also helps nail polish to dry faster!
You can extend your color if you use cuticle oil often throughout the week, especially in the cold weather. Cold weather causes nails to dry and causes the polish on the nails to be dry too, and this will cause chipping.
If you follow these tips I am sure you will see a difference in how long your polish lasts. Just in time for Spring!
If any of you have any more tips you would like to add, leave me a comment and share your ideas!!
And I more recently discovered a favorite polish that is long lasting HERE.
