How To Make Your Manicure Last

I'm very conscious of how I treat my nails because I love them to stay as nicely polished as day one, for the sake of the look and the cost. This begins with making sure they are treated well before I even put the paint on, and extends to dealing with them for the coming weeks. Here are some tips to keep your manicure lasting as long as possible.

1. Start with very clean nails and fingers. Any oils that may be lingering around will get your polish chipping. Clean with nail polish remover or a vinegar-soaked cotton balls.
   

2. When your fingers are clean, gently use a nail buffing tool to even out the surface of your nails. Push back any cuticles. The lack of dips and waves will help keep your polish in place.
   

3. Use a base coat before you apply your polish. It makes a great primer, holding your colour in place, and it also keeps your nails from staining in whatever colour you're using. If you'd like your manicure done in a vibrant colour, try a white polish underneath. This will really make your colour pop!
   

4. Warm up the bottle of nail polish in your hands then shake it well. This will make the polish consistent and spread evenly over your nails. No lumps, no bumps, no chipping.
   

5. Use a few very thin coats of nail polish with dry time between, rather than one or two thick ones. This will keep your nails from smudging. Make sure you paint the edges of the tips of your nails to really lock in the colour. If you skip this edge, it's more likely to start chipping. It also looks great not seeing unpainted areas from different angles.
   

6. Apply a top coat to lock it all in. Sometimes if I'm in a hurry, I will use a nail polish drying spray. I actually keep the $2 ones from Walmart and Target around because they work just as good as the $14 ones from the beauty supply store.
   

7. Avoid hot water around your fingers for the first full day. It's best you keep your hands way from hot water anyway, but sometimes it happens. Try to keep them cool as much as possible, and wear gloves when you wash dishes or work with something like paint.
   

8. If they chip or start growing out, use some glitter, jewels, or draw on some nail designs. Check out this ThriftyFun tip to hide the fact that your nails have grown even when your manicure still looks nice:
   
   • Nail Art to Extend a Manicure