Good news: According to the experts, there are a few nail care tweaks to help make your nail polish last longer. Here, their tips and tricks to give the mani some staying power: That said, you’ll want to avoid soaking your fingertips after the mani, too (with warm baths, washing dishes, and the like). Not only can the water cause your nails to expand and contract, which can lift the pigment, but it can also make them brittle and dry over time. You can also use a glass nail file to simultaneously smooth out the edges while you shape: “Due to the fine grit of a glass/crystal file, it also closes and seals the keratin layers of the free edge of the nail,” says Evelyn Lim, chief educator of Paintbox. If you use a standard emery board, though, chances are you’ll need a quick buff. But mastering an error-free mani is, you know, pretty difficult. Try this fail-safe tip for a smudge-free manicure: Before applying your base coat, trace the perimeter of your nails with an oily balm, especially working it into those cuticles. The jelly substance acts as a barrier between your skin and the nail, so if you smudge a little polish into your cuticles while you paint, it’ll wipe off afterward with ease. (See here for the full tutorial.) “Make sure you clean any residue oil from the cuticle serum after you’re done cleaning up your cuticles,” Lin notes, adding, “Wash your hands or use a polish remover to clean the nail plate.” “The most important being your base coat because that is what is touching your nail and seeping into the skin,” says Nadine Abramcyk, co-founder of clean salon tenoverten. So if you’re going to invest in one top-quality polish, perhaps it should be your base. But we suggest making the full swap to clean nail care if you can; today’s options are so luxe and silky. Better yet, you might want to touch up the top coat after a few days—the polish can start to wear off after some time, which leaves the pigment vulnerable to chips and dings. “This is an important hack for keeping your nails intact in between manicures,” Lin adds. Let your polish fully set to keep it from denting during the wait time. And if you just can’t bear the 10-minute window, try these hacks to help your nails dry faster. Plus, as Lin tells us about drying nails fast, cold air actually works faster, and it won’t dry out the surrounding skin. “[Heat] can dry out your cuticle area, which you spent a lot of time nourishing during a manicure,” she notes.
