How to keep your nail polish on longer

I love nicely manicured nails, but for years now I have not been able to keep nail polish on for any longer than three days before it chips or strips. This technique will help you keep your nails beautiful longer, without the dangers of acrylic.{{more}}

What you need:

Toothbrush or nailbrush

Hand soap

Cotton balls

Nail polish remover

Nail file

Base coat

Top coat

Cuticle oil

Clean your nails with a clean toothbrush or nail brush, water and hand soap. Brush underneath and over the nails to remove any oil and product residue. Swipe a cotton ball saturated with an acetone-based nail polish remover over your nails. The remover eliminates all moisture from the nails. Shape your nails with a nail file. Move the file in one direction over the edge of the nail. Avoid making a back-and-forth motion because this may split the nails and cause your nail polish to chip. Apply one layer of base coat to your nails. Apply the coat over your entire nail surface and edges. Wait at least three minutes, so the base coat can dry. Base coat adheres better to your nails than nail polish does, and it creates a base for your nail polish to adhere to.

Polish your nails with one layer of colour and wait five minutes to allow to dry. Apply a second coat of nail polish in a similar fashion. Seal your nail polish with a layer of top coat, over and under the nail and along the edge of the nail. Wait half an hour, to allow your polish to dry. Avoid heat from hot water, saunas or from blowing on your nails for 12 hours, because heat softens your polish and causes it to smudge. Apply a second layer of top coat 24 hours later for extra protection of your nail polish. Moisturize your cuticles with cuticle oil every other day. Massage the oil into your cuticles to keep them soft and to prevent drying. Dry cuticles can cause your nail polish to chip prematurely.

Tips – Avoid soaking your fingernails before filing them. The water swells up your nails and when they shrink back to their normal size, your polish may split, peel or chip in the process.

For any questions or comments contact me at onfleekthisweek@gmail.com or address letters to On Fleek This Week C/o Searchlight Newspaper, Lower Kings­town Park, PO Box 152, Kingstown.