10 Life-Changing Ways to Make Your Manicure Last Longer

1. Use a cotton swab to wipe down your nails with white vinegar before applying basecoat. This removes any product buildup or natural oils on your nail beds that could create a barrier between the polish. Once your nails dry, apply basecoat. 

2. Don't soak nails before painting them.
Manicurists do this to soften cuticles, but it causes nails to retain water and expand. Once they're painted they'll shrink, meaning your polish will no longer fit your nails. So ask your manicurist to use cuticle oil instead.

3. File your nails into a shape that mirrors your cuticle's, which makes them less likely to break.

4. Avoid getting any polish on your cuticles, which lifts the paint from the nail and leads to chipping.
Don't cut your cuticles, but you can push them back using cuticle oil and an orange stick or a pusher toolto prevent paint from getting on them.

5. Use a sticky basecoat to make the polish last longer.

6. Apply two coats of basecoat to the tips of your nails.
Nail tips are more prone to chipping (see: typing, texting, etc.). Apply another layer of basecoat to the top half of your nails for extra polish resilience.

7. Instead of shaking your polish up and down, roll it between your hands to eradicate and prevent air bubbles.
If you paint air bubbles onto your nails, they'll chip faster.

8. Don't skip the "free edge" of your nails.
Run the basecoat, paint, and topcoat around the edge to ensure your entire nail is sealed.

9. Dry nails with cool air.
Hot air keep the polish from drying so use your blow dryer on its cool setting or a fan. Dipping fingertips in ice water for a minute or two also aids drying.

10. Reapply a layer of clear topcoat every two to three days to prevent chipping and enhance shine.

How To Care For Your Nails

Have you ever wondered why some women seem to have such gorgeous nails? Could they possibly be real? Of course they can! All you have to do is remember that gorgeous nails need to be pampered and if you remember these simple tips, you could be in possession of gorgeous nails yourself.

1. Your nails are going to reflect what you eat. If you are living on burgers and fries, don't expect your nails to be strong and healthy. Sorry, it just doesn't work that way. Add a tub of yogurt and you are on your way!

2. Get into the habit of wearing rubber gloves as often as possible. You often forget the abuse your nails actually take. Consider how often they are in water... just for starters.

3. Gardening is another seemingly harmless activity that all the summer magazines suggest to you. While I agree that the exercise is a plus, it's not so great on your nails. I use gardening gloves and my nails still get dirty, but it's better than nothing and I have no broken nails at the end of the day.

4. While watching tv, moisturize your hands AND nails with your favorite hand lotion. It's not only relaxing, it helps strengthen the nails.

5. Cuticles can also use a little attention, but go gently. They need to be pampered and dry cuticles also contribute to hangnails, so be sure to spend a little time on them daily.

6. Luckily at the moment, nails are fashionably short. That means that there is less nail to snap off and that is a bonus. Keep them trimmed and your nails will last longer.

7. While some nails benefit from not using polish, mine seem to love the stuff. If they are polished, I seem to notice them more and devote a little more attention to them. They really seem to like that.

8. Keep emery boards everywhere. The worse thing that can happen to pretty nails is a snag and your teeth.