Tips to make Your Manicure Last

Nothing makes a girl feel like a million bucks like a fresh manicure…or maybe a wardrobe full of Chanel. But since most of us won’t experience the latter, we want to make sure the manicures we spend our hard earned moolah on last as long as possible. Follow some of these guidelines to extend the life span of your colored nails regardless of what you have to do afterwards.

Pre-Condition
Before you paint your nails, make sure they’re ready for polish. In other words, keep them healthy—moisturize and clean cuticles. We really like Calvin Klein's Nail Treatment Splendid Condition Moisturizing Cuticle Cream Treatment, which is designed to strengthen your nails and soften your cuticles pre-manicure. Let is soak in about an hour or so for the full effect.

Get Rid of the Oils
The biggest hurdle between you and a long lasting mani is the natural, non-visible oil on your fingernails. These oils prevent the polish from sticking, so you want to make sure your fingernails are completely dehydrated before you manicure them. One way to do this is by using an old, dry toothbrush to scrub the oil off. Or you could use polish remover or even vodka to dry out our nails.

Use a Base Coat
You’ve heard it a hundred times before: use a base coat, but the reason why is less well known. Simply put, a base coat sticks better to the nail that lacquer does; it also prevents bright colors from staining your nails.

Let ‘Em Dry
The biggest manicure faux pas? Not giving your nails enough time to dry. Despite the special heat lamps and drying sprays many spas offer, the best way to truly dry your nails is with good old-fashioned time. Sure, it can be dry to the touch, but nail polish takes an hour to dry completely. If possible, avoid putting your nails under heat for 24 hours after your treatment—keep water temperatures cool and mild so not to melt the layers of your polish.

Have any great tricks for making your mani last? Tell us in the comments!