There is probably nothing more difficult to look at than chipped nails, especially a day or two after you got a manicure. One chip literally ruins the whole job…what’s a girl to do?
Whether you want to believe it or not, it’s common for nail polish to start chipping after several days — that doesn’t mean you can’t do everything you possibly can to prevent it. Whether professionally done or at home, here are a few ways to keep your manicure from the ‘chip and peel’ more easily:
1. Clean up
Your nails accumulate dirt and oils, all of which will bring on chipping and peeling. For a successful mani, your nails must be squeaky clean before polishing so it will stay clean after. Also, be sure to tend to any rough edges of your nails. This means using a file, and a buffer to create a smooth edge on the nail tip and a smooth surface on the nail itself.
2. No bubbles!
Many of us end up shaking the nail polish bottle when we see that it has “settled” after not being used. Doing so can leave extra bubbles, in both the bottle and on your nails. Bubbling is not only unattractive and annoying, but it can lead to major chipping and peeling. A simple trick: instead of shaking it, roll the bottle in between your palms to get the liquid moving.
3. Base coat must
Although it’s said by some that the base coat is unnecessary, think again. The job/s of the base coat is that it protects your natural nail from getting stained or grabbing color from your polish, it can potentially prevent bubbling, and it helps the polish stick to the nail. Make sure you cover the entire nail with the clear polish.
4. Thin layers
A lot of the time old nail polish can end up being clumpy and goopy. Not ideal for the perfect mani. When coating your nails, the polish needs to be done in thin layers. This is because it will take twice as long to dry if painted on in thick coats and you’ll see large air bubbles, which is not appealing. All layers should be applied thin and smooth.
5. Drying
Last but not least, drying your nails is super important to master the perfect mani. The polish needs sufficient time to dry fully so if you know you’re going to be in a rush, leave enough time to complete all of the steps with at least 45-60 minutes for drying. Use this trick to help your nails dry a bit faster.
