Manicures are a big part of every woman’s beauty routine. It’s an affordable way to get pampered and give yourself a fresh start at the beginning of each week. However, there are certain ways to prolong the life of your manicure.
Many women spend hours at the salon every week to get their nails done. Whether you’re looking to refresh a classic French tip or add some length to your pixie cut, nail polish can be an investment. And while there’s nothing wrong with spending a few extra dollars on a quality manicure, it’s also worth considering whether you want to invest in long-lasting nail polish.
Nail polish doesn’t last forever. In fact, it only has a shelf life of 2-6 months to a year before it begins to chip and peel. If you’re looking for a quick fix, you might want to consider investing in a set of acrylics instead. Acrylics are much less expensive than permanent nail polish and can last 2 years or more.
We all want long lasting nails, but sometimes the polish we use doesn’t last as long as we would like. So what makes nail polish last longer?
1. Here are some tips to keep your nails looking beautiful for longer:
- Keep them clean. When your hands are dirty, they absorb dirt from other parts of your body. This means that when you wash your hands, you will remove any debris that may have been sitting on your nails.
- Don’t file them. Fileting removes the natural oils and adds stress to the nail bed which can lead to breakage. Instead, gently buff away any rough edges using a buffer and then apply a top coat.
- Don’t apply too thickly. Too much paint means that the polish will dry quicker and become brittle. You should always apply one coat of polish. This ensures that no air bubbles remain under the top layer of polish. These tiny bubbles can cause the polish to crack when you try to remove them later.
- Use a good quality polish. Good quality polishes are formulated to be very durable. They usually come in small bottles so they don’t cost as much per bottle.
2. There are two main types of nail polish:
- Water based
Water-based polishes often don’t require a topcoat because they dry quickly.
- Oil-based:
Oil-based polishes need a topcoat to protect them from chipping, peeling, and fading. A good base coat is essential to make sure that your nail polish lasts for weeks, not days!