10 Tips to Make Your Manicure Last Longer

If you’re like me, the last thing you want to do after spending 20 minutes doing your manicure one day is having to repair a chipped nail the next day. Does the concept of a 7 day manicure make you giddy? Me too!

Here are some tips to help your manicure go the distance!

1. Bring your own bottle of nail polish to the salon. Some salons add a thinner to their bottles to be able to use the polish on more customers… the consequence? shorter polish duration on each customer! Skip the salon bottles and bring your own.
2. Use nail polish remover on the nail bed before applying polish to remove any debris or oils.
3. Apply a high-quality base coat on the nail, such as Borghese Brilliante Base & Top Coat.
4. When applying polish, drag it over the edge of the nail to coat the free tips. This quick tip alone will help reduce the likelihood of chips.
5. If you slightly dent barely-dry nail polish, apply a drop of cuticle oil on top of the dent to help smooth it out. By fixing the blunder right away, you reduce the chances that it will result in a major chip later on.
6. Keep nails away from heat for the next 6 hours at least. Even though the polish may seem dry, it will take another several hours for the polish to fully cure, so stay away from hot showers and saunas for at least six hours.
7. Moisturize the nails and cuticles daily with specially formulated oil, such as Opi Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Oil.
8. Avoid thick coats. It is far better to apply three thin coats than two thick coats. Thicker coats are more likely to cause bubbling and smudging.
9. Consider a shimmery color, since colors with shiny particles are notorious for lasting much longer than matte colors. The particles help the polish stick to the nail.
10. Use a high-quality top coat. And re-apply it every other day to ensure the nails are well protected from the elements.

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