I used to hate painting my nails because my polish would always chip after a day or two – sometimes in just a few hours! ‘DIY-ing’ a manicure is time-consuming (especially when you’re a working mom), and I hated to see all my hard work go to waste when my polish chipped and peeled.
So, I decided to take matters into my own hands (no pun intended). After doing a lot of research (and developing a new product or two), I’m finally able to extend my manicure for up to nine days of wear without chipping.
Keep reading to find out my tips to achieve your own long lasting manicure!
Extending Your Manicure: How to Keep Nail Polish from Chipping
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File & Shape
Before applying polish, I gently file my nails with an emery board to create and even nail bed. Pro tip: I find that keeping my nail shape rounded helps me to extend the life of my manicure. While I love the look of square nails, the sharp edges always seem to catch on to things and lead to splitting and chipping! Also, to avoid damage to your nail try not to file down to the sides of your nail bed. The more you can stick to the top, the better off you'll be.
2. Clean Up Nicely
I always start my manicure by washing my hands. As obvious as it may seem, so many people skip this essential step. Making sure your nails are 100% clean is key to a long-lasting manicure. Natural oils and debris can prevent nail polish from adhering properly to your nail. Next, I follow up with our IMMACULATE Nail Cleanse Prep. This miracle treatment removes excess oils from the nails and balances the pH levels to make it easier for nail polish to cling to your nails. Think of it as ‘toner for fingernails’. Just like you prepare your skin before putting on makeup, you want to make sure your nails are in tip-top shape before you start your manicure.
3. Lay the Foundation
Using a base coat is another manicure-extending step that many people skip.
A high-quality base coat does more than just prevent chipping. Base coats conserve other functions including filling in ridges and protecting your nails from dark polish staining and yellowing. Our LAUNCHPAD Nail Strengthener works to improve the overall strength and flexibility of your nails with a unique anti-aging formulation that is the very first to utilize protein-peptide technology to encourage stubborn nails to grow while improving their strength.
4. Assemble Your Manicure Team
I find that using the same brand of nail polish for your base coat, top coat, and color helps your manicure to last much, much longer. After all, I know our formulas are specially developed to work cohesively together! So, it's a no-brainer to use our ‘ME’ Peptide-Infused Nail Lacquer with my Dermelect base coat and top coat for the longest lasting manicure possible. Our color lacquers feature good-for-you ingredients and anti-aging benefits to resist chipping and improve brittleness, all while providing a fast-drying, high gloss shine. With over 70 shades, I have a new color to match my every mood.
5. Be Patient!
The way in which you paint your nails will also make a huge difference to the longevity of your manicure. Apply thin coats, and use the least amount of coats possible to gain full coverage. Having too much polish on the nail can lead to chipping and peeling. Be careful to avoid touching your cuticle with your polish, as this can also encourage peeling. Not the best at painting? Practice really does make perfect. I truly believe anyone can learn to paint well if you do it often enough!
6. "Wrap the Tips"
Every pro knows about wrapping tips, but not every average nail enthusiast knows about this crucial step. Basically this term refers to painting a horizontal layer across the top edge of your nail in order to seal in your lacquer. You can do this, by extending your stroke around the front edge of your nail. Do this with your base coat, nail color, and topcoat and you will be AMAZED at how much longer your polish lasts.
Short nails? No worries. If the free edge of your nail is shorter than your finger, simply make sure your polish coat covers your whole nail! Then clean any polish off of your skin by using a brush dipped in acetone-free nail polish remover while the polish is still wet.
7. Outlast Chips
Choosing a high-quality top coat is essential for a long-lasting manicure. I never do my nails with anything other than our MEMENTO Manicure Extender. This must-have performs like a gel top coat but without the harmful UV light and curing and protects polish from chipping for up to nine days. Not to mention, it’s one of the fastest drying top coats that I’ve ever tried, at 8 minutes flat - yes we've timed it! For all the mothers out there, you know there’s no such thing as ‘waiting around’.
My suggestion when using MEMENTO would be to apply 2 coats over any color lacquer for a long lasting manicure with a high gloss shine. Don't forget to 'wrap your tips' as an extra defense again chipping.
8. ...And Reapply
As you use your hands during your day to day activities, the top coat can eventually fade, leaving your nail polish underneath exposed. That’s why I recommend reapplying MEMENTO Manicure Extender every few days, especially if you work with your hands a lot.
These simples steps have changed my manicure forever and I know that they will for you too!
Do you have any tips for a long-lasting manicure? Let me know in the comments!
