Make your nail polish last longer. Do you find that your nail polish chips or peels away too easily? The lifespan of a classic nail polish can be anything from 3 – 7 days, however if your polish is peeling sooner, you may be missing a key step that will improve durability and wear time. The key to nail polish that lasts is in your prep, application and after-care.
Start by ensuring your nails are completely clean and free from any debris or oils. Soak a cotton pad or lint-free wipe with an acetone-free nail polish remover and wipe away any remaining nail polish on the nail. Follow with an antibacterial nail cleansing spray such as OPI Nas 99. Once your nails are clean and dry, start shaping your nails. This is important for making your nail polish last for longer and you’ll be able to cap the free edge neatly. Ensure that the nail edge is smooth. Follow this by very lightly buffing the nail surface. This will create an adhesive surface for your base coat. Give your nails one final wipe to remove any dust and allow to dry.
Next, select a base coat such as Zoya Anchor Base Coat, OPI Natural Nail Base Coat or Nails Inc Nail Kale Base Coat. There are many types of base coat and some that combine the ingredients of treatments so that you can care for your nails while you wear your polish such as Jessica Rejuvenation Basecoat For Dry Nails. This is a base coat that increases the nail’s levels with the combination of Protein KSW and H20 with the healing benefits of jojoba, aloe vera and Vitamin E are absorbed into the nail plate. Wearing this under your nail polish (or alone) allows for conditioning and strengthening, while restoring natural flexibility.
Apply one thin layer of your chosen base coat to suit your nail type and make sure you cap the free edge. Allow this layer to dry fully before you take your next step.
Now it’s time to apply your polish. Select a nail colour that you love! Your nail polish should be applied in three strokes. One directly down the centre of the nail plate and two to cover each edge. Cap the free edge.
Once your polish layer has dried fully, apply another thin layer using the three stroke method. Applying your nail polish in thin even layers is important to ensure the product is distributed evenly and lasts for longer. You can apply a maximum of three layers of colour, however with most formulas, two layers of colour is plenty to achieve a true to colour finish.
Now choose a glossy top coat and apply a layer one thin even layer over each nail. Choose from our best selling formulas such as OPI Natural Nail Top Coat, CND vinylux Weekly Long Lasting Topcoat , Seche Vite Nail Treatment – Dry Fast Top Coat 3.6mL or Jessica Brilliance High Gloss Non Chip Topcoat .
Prevent chipping, lifting, smudging and yellowing with your top coat. Make sure you cap your edges upon application to seal all of your layers.
Allow to dry fully. You can speed this process up with fast dry drops such as China Glaze Fast Freeze Quick Dry.
Finish you manicure off with a drop of cuticle oil. This will condition the skin around your nails and keep them healthy and nourished. You can choose from our most loved oils including Cuccio NATURALÉ Professional Manicure – Cuticle Milk & Honey Revitalizing Oil (3467) 3.7ml and CND vinylux Solar Oil – Nail & Cuticle Care (015) .
By following these simple steps, your nail polish should last for longer until you are ready to remove with a nail polish remover. Please bare in mind that nail polish does generally last on the nail for around a week or less on average. For a longer lasting manicure, gel polish last for up to three weeks however it does require curing with an LED/UV lamp.
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