How to Make Your Manicure Last

posted on May 29, 2013 | by Amanda Holstein

How to Make Your Manicure Last

manicure_last

I feel like every time I get a manicure, it chips within days. If I’m going to spend $25+ to get my nails done, they better last. So every time I do my nails myself, I’ve decided to experiment and figure out what makes them last. And I’ve discovered a few tricks. First of all, you don’t need all that crap like a hot towel or lotions to actually make the manicure last, that’s just part of the salon experience. You really only need 3 things: a nail buffer, the polish, and a quality top coat. The color I’m using is Covergirl’s Outlast Stay Brilliant Nail Gloss in Natural Blush. So let’s get started.

Step 1:

Start by purchasing a nail buffer at any drug store. The reason buffering your nails helps make your manicure last is because it smooths out the surface of the nail, preventing the polish from chipping and helping it go on nice and smoothly. Of course, you can cut, file, trim your cuticles, etc. That stuff is all great for keeping your nails cleaned up, but doesn’t have much to do with making the mani last.

step1_manicure

Step 2:

Next up is the polish. As you may notice, I haven’t used any bottom coat. From my experience, I’ve never seen the bottom coat make a difference, but it’s up to you. Now before you paint your nails, how you get the polish onto the brush is pretty important. You don’t want too much polish on the brush. As you take the brush out of the bottle, swipe one side along the rim so that there’s only polish on one side. Then dab the bottom of the other side of the brush on the rim as well, to remove that extra dollop that tends to form at the bottom.

step2_nail_polish

Step 3:

Now it’s time to paint! Be sure to paint in very thin layers. The first layer should be super thin, not dry or blotchy, but smooth and as thin as you can get it. Layering on thin layers on top of each other helps the polish stay put longer.

step3_manicure

Step 4:

Once you’ve finished the first layer, let it dry for about a minute. Then move on to your next layer. Keep this thin as well. If after 2 layers you feel you still need more, you can add one more but I wouldn’t do any more than that.

step4_manicure

Step 5:

Let the polish dry for about a minute and then put on a thin layer of top coat. I love this Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Ultra Wear Top Coat. It’s the best one I’ve tried so far!

step5_manicure

Step 6:

Let the manicure air dry for as long as you can. Once it feels just about dry, gently run your hands under a blast of cold water. This well help seal the manicure and allow it to last even longer.

final_manicure

How do you make your manicure last?