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Odds are, if you’re going to the salon and shelling out money on an expensive manicure, you want it to last. There’s nothing worse than leaving the salon with a fresh color on your nails, only to look down several days or even hours later and notice a significant chip ruining your perfect mani. While getting gel polish can help draw out the wear, sometimes even this isn’t enough to maintain longevity in your manicure, which is where it could be useful to have some tricks for keeping your nail art intact for even longer. We asked professional manicurists for their little known top tips for keeping your nails looking great long after you’ve left the salon, and this is what they had to say.
Reapply Top Coat
It may never have crossed your mind to apply your own top coat of polish, but Rachel Apfel Glass, founder of GLOSSLAB notes that this may be one of the best ways to keep your tips looking their best. “Keep your nails at fingertip length (also best for hygiene!) and apply a top coat every 3/4 days as needed to extend the life of your mani,” she says. Painting additional layers of top coat can help to lock the existing polish into place while creating an overall glossier finish so your mani looks fresh for days to come.
Go Waterless
If you’re simply asking for a gel or regular manicure, Glass warns that you may be shortening the length of time that the color will last on your nails already. “One of the most important aspects of having a manicure last the longest, whether it be regular polish or gel, is by getting a waterless manicure,” she explains. Not quite sure what this means? Not to worry. “Nails are porous, therefore you’re actually polishing a wet nail,” says celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec. “After the nail contracts back to its natural state (after about an hour), the polish doesn’t contract with it, causing it to chip fast.” Simply requesting a waterless manicure at your salon will automatically ensure your polish lasts for days longer, evading chipping and lifting for a more even color.
Hydrate the Cuticles
When getting your nails done the focus is often on the nail beds more than anything. However, cuticle health is just as important when it comes to maintaining the longevity of your manicure. “Apply an exfoliating cuticle treatment and massage into the cuticles, pushing back gently,” suggests celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann if you’re looking to preserve your nails throughout the length of your manicure. If your cuticles are looking dry, Lippmann also suggests using a cuticle oil to hydrate that area in order to limit polish lifting at the cuticle for a clean finish.
Don’t Pick
This may seem like common sense, but one of the best ways to ensure your manicure lasts for weeks on end is not picking the polish off your nails yourself, whether it be gel or regular. “If you remove the polish yourself by peeling it, it is really damaging so your next manicure will not last as long,” warns Glass. Fortunately, GLOSSLAB created the Gel Eraser Kit to help remove gel manicures at home without the help of a salon so you can avoid the picking and peeling that so many of us turn to anyways. By avoiding picking the polish off, you’re creating the healthiest base for your next manicure so it can last longer without settling on a dry or flaky surface.
