Do you have a few minutes to spare this week? If so, then you can easily give yourself a manicure that lasts for a full 7 days. Follow these 5 simple steps for a long lasting manicure.
1. Nail Prep
Apply polish remover to a cotton ball and wipe the nail surface clean. This should remove any oils from your nails and prepare them for the next step.
2. Cuticle Care
I am embarrassed to admit that I often skip this step, but it really makes a difference in how long my nail polish lasts. Use cuticle oil or cream on your fingernails and rub it in thoroughly at the base of each nail and into your cuticles. This will make your nails look healthier and keep them moisturized so they won’t crack or break as easily. It also helps to prevent the polish from chipping or peeling off as quickly. You may continue to use cuticle oil or cream throughout the week to keep your nails looking their best.
3. Base Coat
Using a base coat is one of the most important steps when giving yourself a manicure that lasts all week long. Apply one thin layer of base coat before applying your color coat, which will help your nail polish last longer by preventing discol
The nail polish wears from the inside of the bottle, so shaking it up helps to mix up all that pigment that settles at the bottom. This is going to make your color look more even and less streaky.
Use a ridge-filling base coat.
“This will help fill in any uneven spots on your nail to create a smooth surface for polish to adhere to,” says Dunne. “It will also help prevent staining.”
Don’t shake the polish.
“Shaking mixes air bubbles into the formula, which means those bubbles end up on your nails and make your manicure look messy,” says Dunne. Instead, roll the bottle between your hands to warm it up (this makes it easier to apply) and mix up any pigment that has settled at the bottom.
Use three strokes of polish.
“Always start in the center of your nail and brush out toward each side,” says Dunne. “You’ll avoid getting polish near your cuticle, which can cause chipping.” Then, when you put on your topcoat, do two coats over the color: one down the center and one on each side. This helps protect against chips too.
Put on a shiny topcoat every other day.
A layer of top
If you ask any manicurist about the secret to a long-lasting manicure, the word “moisturize” is bound to come up. Moisturizing and massaging the cuticles before you start painting will help soften them. This makes it easier to push them back, so they don’t get in the way of your color. Use cuticle oil or even olive oil to soften your cuticles beforehand; then, use a cuticle cream or balm afterward to keep them moisturized. Skip this step and your polish is more likely to chip.
Nail polish goes on smoother over a primed nail surface and holds better than if you were painting directly on your nails. Once you’ve filed and buffed your nails, swipe each one with a cotton pad soaked in polish remover (even if you don’t have any polish on). This cleans off any leftover oils from your skin so that the nail polish adheres better.
Instead of painting three thick coats of polish onto your nails, paint several thin ones. Thin layers dry faster than thick ones, which helps prevent smudges. After each coat dries, paint another, always starting with a swipe down the middle of your nail followed by one on either side (just like
1. Use a base coat. A base coat acts like a primer for your nails, making them smooth and even, and helping the polish adhere better to your nails.
2. Apply two coats of nail polish. One coat of nail polish may not be enough to allow the color to really pop, especially if the color is dark. Applying two coats of polish will ensure that the color is opaque.
3. Use a quick dry top coat. A quick dry top coat will help your manicure last longer, and it’s less likely to chip if you use a top coat.
4. Give yourself some time for your nails to fully dry before going about your day. It’s tempting to run out the door after you’re done with your manicure, but try not to do this! Give your nails 20 minutes or so to fully dry before doing anything else or you risk smudging them, which can ruin your manicure and make it look sloppy. Also avoid getting your nails wet for at least an hour after painting them – the moisture can affect how well it dries, which means more chipping!
5. Use cuticle oil daily (not just while doing nail art). Cuticle oil helps moisturize and strengthen nails, as well as prevent
“If you have a bottle of polish that’s dried out, try this trick: Place the bottle in a cup or bowl of hot water to warm it up and make it easier to apply,” says Karla Duarte, creative director at Nail Culture. “You can also use acetone to thin out thicker polishes.”
It may seem counterintuitive, but if you want your nail polish to last longer, don’t use a base coat. “A base coat is meant to be absorbent so that your nail beds and cuticles have something to drink up before applying polish,” explains Sarah Gibson Tuttle, founder and CEO of Olive & June. “If the nails are hydrated, they will expand and contract with the weather, causing cracks and chips in the polish. Removing the base coat allows for moisture transfer from the air or lotions so that your nails will stay strong and healthy.”
To keep your manicure looking flawless for as long as possible, use two coats of topcoat every two days after you paint them. “The first coat helps protect against chipping, while the second gives extra shine and brightness to your color,” Duarte says. Gibson Tuttle recommends using a gel-like topcoat formula that contains UV filters, which will prevent
If you do your nails at home, this is a must have! Its also great for removing glitter polish if you dont want to put a lot of work into it. Try to use it as often as you can, I find that my manicures last longer and the color stays vibrant for a long time.
If your bottle of nail polish is getting old, try adding a few drops of nail polish remover. This will thin out the polish and make it easier to apply. If you add too much, just add more polish until it becomes the right consistency.
If you get a little bit of nail polish on your skin or nails when painting, don’t immediately reach for the polish remover to clean it off. Instead, clean up the edges with a cotton swab with a little bit of Vaseline on it. This will remove any excess polish without affecting your manicure.
Apply a thin layer of Vaseline over your nails before painting them with your chosen polish colour. This creates a protective barrier between the actual nail and the paint so that when you go to remove it (which we all know can be really damaging), only the top layer comes off, leaving your nails in better shape than they were before!