How to Make Your Manicure Last

We all wish we could make our freshly manicured nails remain looking good past a few shampoos, meal preps and key strokes. And according to Jo Cleary of Good Housekeeping magazine, there are several things we can do to make our manicure last longer. Try some of my favorite manicure extending tips so you can keep your nails looking good for a couple extra days. Redbook 's Krista Bennett DeMaio suggests a manicure can even last for ten days by using these tips.

Prepare the Nail Surface

Remove all traces of old nail polish with an acetone nail polish remover and cotton cloth. The combination of acetone polish remover and cotton cloth will not only remove old polish, but it will also remove lotion or other grooming aids which may be on the nail. It is essential to start a manicure with clean, dry nails so the new polish can adhere properly. If acetone nail polish remover is too drying for your nails, use a non-acetone polish remover.

Use a Base Coat

It's tempting to skip this step for a home manicure, but a base coat provides the literal base for the nail polish. A good base coat supplies the soft, sticky surface for nail polish to grab on to. Base coat will also expand and contract with the fingernail and help prevent polish from cracking. Top coat is a poor substitute for a base coat, so don't short change your manicure by trying to make a top coat serve double duty.

Pearly Polish Has Staying Power

Shimmery, pearly nail polished will last longer than a matte color polish. Pearly polishes contain mica particles , which is a tough, flexible and transparent mineral and will, according to topnailstyle , make polish last longer. Always apply two light coats of pearly polish for long lasting results.

Top It Off

Now apply a shiny top coat, but avoid the quick drying types. A quick drying top coat is thin and offer little protection to nail polish. A good quality top coat is thick, slow to dry and gives a shinier finish. If you have a quick drying top coat product, don't toss it out, just save it for use during manicure touch-ups.

Add A Touch of Oil

Painted nails are as brittle as glass, that's why nail polish chips so easily. Add a touch of oil every day to the nails and massage in to keep the nails, cuticles and polish supple. I like to use ordinary olive oil for this step each night before going to bed, it keeps nails and skin soft and supple.

Sources:

Good Housekeeping

Redbook

Micamafco

topnailstyle

LiveStrong

My Own Experience