Keep Your Manicure Looking Great for Days on End

There are a lot of beauty incidents that can be frustrating, like raccoon eyes, smudged lipstick, and concealer that won't stay put. However, one of the most annoying beauty incidents is a manicure gone wrong. The kind of manicure that took a while to achieve perfection and within minutes has chipped or faded. We have all had that happen, and it's not something that we want to repeat. Well, worry not, because with some simple tricks you can keep your manicure as fresh as the minute you left the salon or applied your nail color yourself.

Whether you choose to go to a salon or you prefer to do an at-home mani, it is very important that your hands are washed thoroughly and dried before starting the nail color application. If your nails have any lotion, oil, or dirt residue left on them it will be harder for the base coat and polish to stay on your nail. Make sure that you do use a base coat, as the base will help make your color last longer. Most salons do this as part of their routine, but at-home manis can sometimes be rushed and the base coat forgotten. In order to keep your nail polish longer and stronger, it is worth taking the few extra minutes to apply a base coat.

Make sure that you apply a thinner layer of nail polish rather then a thick one. If you are at a salon, do not hesitate to ask your manicurist to watch how much polish she is applying. A coat of polish that is too thick can smudge easily as well as peel in large chunks leaving your nails looking unkempt within hours of your mani. A thin layer of color applied to the nails, allowed to dry and then repeated is the best way to ensure that your color will stay intact and fresh for days.

To seal the deal on a perfect manicure that lasts and will not easily chip and fade is to use a clear top coat. The top coat will protect your nails and nail color from chipping, fading and splitting.

Having a beautiful set of nails does not have to be difficult. A good base and top coat, thin layers of color, and clean nails are what you need to keep your nails looking great for days on end. Whether you go to the salon for your manicure or you do it yourself in the comfort of your own home, you can ensure that your nails maintain their glamour with just those few simple steps.