I have one simple tip for keeping your nails looking great even when the color starts to chip: Use a neutral polish as a base coat.

Start by painting your nails with a neutral color like OPI’s Samoan Sand or Essie’s Allure. These polishes are perfect because they go with everything and they complement all skin types.

Next, paint on the colored polish of your choice. For this manicure, I used OPI’s Lincoln Park after Dark, a dark purple color that really makes the pink pop! Let it dry for about 5 minutes and finish off with a top coat.

The benefit of using a neutral base is that when the color starts to chip you can easily touch it up by just applying another layer of neutral polish. This way you won’t be stuck with ugly chipped nails until you have time to go get them done again!

Chipped nail polish can be a major annoyance. It seems like as soon as you leave the salon, your manicure is already ruined. You could try painting over the chip, but that won’t last long and will only make it look worse. Follow these tips to keep your nails looking great even after the color has chipped.

1. Use a base coat. This will help protect your nails from getting stained by the color of your nail polish. If you have problems with staining, you may want to choose a clear base coat instead of an opaque one. The clear base coat will also allow you to see if there are any chips in your nail polish so that you can fix them before they get worse.

2. Make sure your nails are completely dry before putting on nail polish. If you’re in a hurry, use a quick-dry topcoat to speed up the process. Letting your nails air dry can take hours, and using a blow dryer could actually make them take longer to dry because of the heat.

3. Keep your hands moisturized to prevent nails from drying out and chipping even more easily than they already do when painted with nail polish. Using hand lotion throughout the day helps keep your hands soft and prevents them from

It’s the worst, when you spend all that time and energy on a manicure, only to see your polish chipping off after a day or two. These tips should help you keep your nail color from chipping and peeling so quickly, so you can enjoy your pretty nails for longer.

1. Use a base coat every single time you put on nail polish. This will protect your nails from damage and staining.

2. Apply thin coats of nail polish instead of thick layers. You might need more coats to get an opaque color, but the layers will dry faster than one thick layer would.

3. Apply a top coat after every single layer of polish dries, including the base coat and the color coats. This prevents your layers of polish from smudging or wrinkling up as they dry, which can cause chips and peeling later on.

4. Invest in a quality top coat like Seche Vite or OPI’s RapiDry Top Coat, both are excellent for preventing chipping and peeling, plus they make your nails shiny!

Since I have a tendency to be rough on my nails, I’ve had to make it a point to keep up with my manicures. While it’s nice to get them professionally done, it can get expensive so I do my own at home. The problem with doing your own is that the polish doesn’t last as long as when you get them done at the salon.

I’ve tried a few different tricks over the years and this is what I’ve found works best:

Don’t skip out on basecoat. This is the most important step in making sure your color stays put. A basecoat helps protect your nails from staining and makes sure the color has something to stick to.

Trim and file your nails regularly. Nothing makes polish chip faster than long, uneven nails that snag on things or dig into your skin while typing or writing. Keep them short and filed regularly to keep from breaking or chipping them (which leads to even more chipping).

Use a top coat every other day. After you’ve applied all of your coats of color, use a top coat every other day for extra staying power (I like Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat). This also helps prevent smudges and scratches that can ruin your fresh manicure.

Your manicure can last for weeks with the right techniques. Check out the following tips to get more mileage out of your polish job.

1. Base Coat: Always use base coat before applying nail polish. The base coat will protect your nails from staining and keep them strong and healthy.

2. Color Choice: Lighter colors are easier to cover up than darker colors because they mask chips better. If you want a dark color, use colored nail polish as a base coat to prevent discoloration from setting in.

3. Two Thin Coats: One thick coat of polish is not ideal because it will cause the polish to crack faster when dry. Try two thin coats instead for longer lasting results.

4. Top Coat: A clear top coat will give your nails a glossy shine and help seal in the color so that it lasts longer between manicures.

This was the first time I saw pink and blue nails on a male. I was fascinated by his nails. Not because they were pink and blue, but because they looked so polished. The polish on his nails appeared as if it had just been applied. How could that be? I thought to myself, “I paint my nails, and within an hour they have already chipped.” I was determined to find out how he did it.

As a man who paints his nails, I receive many questions about my manicure routine. The most common question is usually about chipping. I tell them it is all about preparation and using the right products. These products can be purchased at any beauty supply store or online from stores like Amazon or EBay.

Prepare your nails for polishing by washing your hands with soap and water, then wiping them dry with a lint-free towel such as a paper towel or nail wipe. Remove any old polish from nails with polish remover and cotton balls or pads. Then shape your nails with a nail file before you start painting your nails with polish**

1. Always let your nails dry for a full 5 minutes before doing anything, especially opening doors or typing on the computer.

2. Apply a second coat of your favorite nail polish. This is important to cover any spots that might have been missed with the first coat and also to create a stronger base that will last longer.

3. Use a clear top coat to seal in the color and prevent chipping.

4. If you do chip a nail, and you don’t want to take off all the polish, touch it up with just some clear polish over the chip.