Even though gel manicures are becoming the new norm, many of us girls still prefer the basic manicure with all its flexibility. I like to be able to change my polish color more often than once every two to three weeks. Chips are inevitable. But with a basic non gel manicure, together with these tips, chips are more manageable.
We all know a manicure often won’t last a full week with our daily routines. Here are a few of my favorite ways to extend the life of my manicure and keep my polish looking fresh.
- Keep nails short—by keeping a shorter nail length, you can prevent snags and tears from occurring. Even if you don’t have beautiful hands, a clean polished short nail can make all the difference.
- Prep the nail—using a product to remove any oils from the nail bed is an essential step before applying polish. Removing all the oils from the nail bed will allow your polish to best adhere and helps ensure your polish doesn’t chip.
- Apply a base coat—sometimes we think we can skip this step, but if you want to keep your nails from discoloring while also keeping the polish in place, a base coat is key. The product I favor is Sticky from CND.
- Apply a top coat—a good and fast drying topcoat should always be the final step. This effort will create a sleek and shiny seal for your polish and keep your manicure from chipping. My go to product is Sech Vite.
Always remember that it is important to keep your hands and cuticles hydrated throughout the week. Solar Oil is my favorite all around great oil.
