Let your nails do the talking with these tips and tricks that’ll make your manicure go the extra mile.
Nothing says well put together like groomed nails with a splash of colour. The tricky part, however, is not the choice of colour, but how long your mani or pedi lasts. Knowing how to prep your nails, how many coats to apply and how to fix chips go a long way in making sure you stay looking good.
1. SET IN ICY WATER
Ice doesn’t necessarily dry your nails, but it sets the paint so that it dries quickly and doesn’t easily smudge before it dries completely. Wait a couple of seconds after applying the last coat to submerge your nails in icy water. Keep them in for as long as you can handle but not less than 30 seconds.
2. ALLOW YOUR POLISH TO DRY PROPERLY
Just because your paint has set, it doesn’t mean that it is dry. Avoid getting busy while your polish continues to dry. Once you have allowed your application to dry, do not apply more layers immediately after as this will loosen all the initial layers and it will take even longer to dry.
3. WEAR GLOVES
When going about your house chores, wear a pair of gloves. Warm, soapy water and dust will cause your nail polish to chip. The shorter your nails are, the better as the edges of your nails are unlikely to hit against surfaces and lift the paint.
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4. USE GOOD QUALITY PRODUCTS
Let’s be honest, you can always rely on a bottle of good quality nail polish to go the extra mile. Starting from the base to the topcoats, using reliable products means getting reliable results.
5. DO NOT SHAKE THE BOTTLE
Something that we’re all guilty of doing, is shaking the nail polish bottle to achieve colour consistency. This is wrong. Shaking the bottle creates air bubbles. These get trapped in each layer you apply and cause the polish to lift and chip. Instead, roll the bottle of polish between the palms of your hands to achieve consistency.
6. GLITTER TOPCOAT FIXES CHIPS AND MAKES MANIS LAST
It’s common knowledge that glitter polish is tough to remove. It’s the same reason why it's the perfect topcoat for lasting manicures. Got a chip? Apply a glittery topcoat to stop the chip from getting worse and for a little adornment. Another solution is nail art stickers; simply place the sticker over the chip and seal it in with a topcoat.
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BONUS CARE TIPS
- Apply a topcoat every few days to renew your manicure.
- Don’t fix chipped paint with a nail file because it will lift the colour. Instead, blob a little paint on the affected area.
- Keep your cuticles nourished with cuticle oil.
- Buff your nails lightly with a soft-grit nail file to increase adherence of the polish.
- Give your nails a break and let them breathe now and then.
Extra Sources: cosmopolitan.com, byrdie.com, lorealparisusa.com
BY NTHABISENG MAKHOKHA
6 NAIL TECH-APPROVED TIPS TO MAKE YOUR MANICURE LAST LONGER
Reviewed by Michelle Pienaar
on
February 08, 2022
Rating:
Reviewed by Michelle Pienaar
on
February 08, 2022
Rating:
