How to Make Your Nail Polish Last Longer: 9 Tips
Many women paint their nails. They either do them at home or get them done in a beauty salon, with the intention of showing off their manicured hands for one or more weeks.
5-Minute Crafts wants to share 9 tips with you that you can follow to make your polish last longer and also to keep your hands and nails healthier. Also, at the end of the article, we’ll reveal one more piece of information.
1. Try to keep your nails short.
❌ The longer your nails are, the more likely the polish will deteriorate as you go about your daily tasks.
✅ If you keep your nails short or medium, the polish will last longer. You will prevent them from wearing down, or the material from cracking or flaking.
2. Wash your hands before applying nail polish.
✅ Our nails accumulate impurities and natural oils on their surface, which could prevent a new coat of nail polish from adhering to them.
✅ Before painting your nails, it is necessary to remove all of the dirt and oil residue. This is accomplished by removing the previous polish and washing your hands thoroughly.
3. Before painting, your nails must be completely dry.
❌ Don’t soak your nails before applying polish. Nails expand when you wet them, and when they dry, they shrink again. This could loosen or crack the paint you apply on them.
✅ After removing the previous polish with acetone and washing your hands, dry them thoroughly with a clean towel.
4. Before using nail polish, turn the bottle between your hands.
❌ You may have seen or heard that you should shake the nail polish bottle to even out the color. However, doing so will create air bubbles and this will prevent the product from attaching well to your nails.
✅ Twist the bottle between your hands. This way, you’ll even out the color without creating air bubbles.
5. Apply a natural base first and finish with a top coat.
✅ When painting your nails, start by applying a natural clear coat. This allows the polish to adhere well.
✅ To finish, use a top coat to seal the product on your nails. This will protect the ends and prevent breakage.
6. Dry your freshly painted nails with cold air.
Once you have finished painting your nails, wait for the product to dry very well before performing any tasks.
✅ You can use cold air, which allows the paint to adhere firmly to your nails.
✅ If your hair dryer does not have a cold air option, place your nails near a portable fan.
7. Apply thin layers of polish to your nails.
Professional manicurists recommend applying at least 2 thin coats of polish on each nail.
✅ Wait for 3 to 5 minutes for the first coat to dry before applying the next coat. The longer you let the polish adhere to the nail, the better.
❌ A thick coat will take longer to dry and may only solidify superficially. Even if you add a quick-drying coat, your manicure will most likely be ruined after a little while.
8. Moisturize your cuticles daily.
After your manicure, it is recommended that you keep your cuticles healthy and moisturized.
✅ Use a cuticle moisturizing oil daily and apply it to the base of your nails following the product’s instructions. In this way, you prevent them from drying out and from accumulating dirt and cracking the paint on your nails as they grow.
✅ Also, remember to moisturize your skin with a moisturizing cream every time you wash your hands and at night before going to bed.
9. Use liquid soap.
❌ Constant use of hand sanitizing gel could deteriorate the top layer of the nail polish.
✅ For the constant cleaning of your hands, wash them with liquid soap. Make sure the product is organic or for delicate skin. This way, you avoid weakening your nails with chemicals or harsh components.
Bonus: Touch up your nails with polish every 3 days.
To keep your hands looking well-groomed, touch them up with the same polish every 3 days. In this manner, your nails will always look impeccable.