by:SHANNON FARRELL APR 17, 2020 AT 2:10 PM EDT
1. Taking a hot shower right after applying polish
Never shower immediately after a manicure..
2. Going to bed right after applying polish
Although nails will appear dry within 20-30 minutes, it actually takes a full 24 hours for nail polish to fully dry
3. Skipping topcoat
“Skipping a topcoat not only cuts down on the shiny finish of the manicure but it also shortens the longevity of the manicure,” Candido says. She also recommends applying an additional layer of topcoat every other day for an even longer lifespan
4. Skipping base coat
Base coat smoothes the surface of the nail for a flawless finish, improves adhesion of the polish to the nail plate, and prevents the pigments in the nail polish from staining the natural nail
5. Applying thick coats of color
To compensate for the color looking lighter and sheerer on nails than in the bottle, we tend to paint on thick coats of color. In this case, though, patience really is key.
“When we apply color in thick layers, the polish takes much longer to dry, and the longer it takes to dry, the more likely we are to smudge the manicure
6. Using one stroke to apply polish
“Apply color to the nail in three or four strokes,” Candido advises. Her approach? “Start in the center near the cuticle, swipe down the nail to the right side, return to the starting point and swipe down the nail to the left, then return to the center and swipe down the middle. If there is any uncovered area, swipe down the whole nail one more time.”
7. Starting with greasy nails
“If there’s oil on the surface of the nail before the polish is applied, it’s much easier for polish to peel—nothing sticks to an oily surface,” Candido says.
8. Using old nail polish
There’s nothing more depressing than saying goodbye to a favorite nail polish that’s looking a little worse for the wear, but it’s gotta be done. As a rule of thumb, go through your polishes every year and replace anything you didn’t buy in the last 12 months.”
9. Avoiding the whole cuticle area
If you’re not super diligent about keeping your cuticles in check, your manicure will look messy.
10. Using acetone remover
Nail polish removers high in acetone dehydrate the nail and surrounding cuticle. “Repetitive use can cause white spots on the nail as well as splitting at the free edge and drying of the cuticle,” Candido warns. “Non-acetone remover is a much kinder and gentler choice.”
TRY DEMIblue SOY BASE-NON ACETONE REMOVER INSTEAD
demibluenaturalnails.com