Whether or not you have utilized this lockdown to work on your hobbies or enhance your skills, it has certainly made us do things that we are used to getting done at salons. Ever since the lockdown was imposed, we were made to do all our grooming and pampering on our own, which also made us realize that we are well-capable of doing certain things by ourselves. And one such thing is an at-home manicure. Since going out is not an option (even if it was, it’s best to stay home), you can take the charge to take care of your nails and manicure them to perfection. But not having the right and complete knowledge or the skills can cause some hindrance, which can make it difficult for your manicure to last longer. Gel nail polishes can be as tricky to apply as they are to remove, which leaves us with just one option and that is our regular nail paints. But the task doesn’t end here, making your freshly done manicure last for about two weeks can be a bit tricky but definitely doable.
We have put together a list of a few tips for you that will make your an at-home manicure last for two weeks.
Grow out strong and healthy nails
Nails that are weak and brittle are much susceptible to breakage and bending, which is why you should make sure that your nails are growing out to be strong and healthy to keep your nail paint from chipping. Use cuticle oil or strengthening base coat on your nails while they are growing to ensure that they are strong and healthy and not weak or brittle. This will automatically reduce the chances of your nail paint chipping off.
File your nails, instead of cutting them
One of the best ways to make your nail paint last longer is to file your nails rather than cutting them with a clipper. Painting round-edged nails is a lot easier than covering sharper edges that are formed using clippers. Therefore, it’s always best to shorten and shape your nails using a nail filer, rather than using a clipper to do the same.
Apply thin coats of nail paint
When it comes to applying nail paint, we are never really satisfied with the number of coats applied to the nails. While we understand that you want your manicure to last longer, applying too many coats at once won’t do much to help you. In fact, thicker coats take a lot longer to get dry completely and are more prone to getting smudged in the drying process. Therefore, you should always stick to applying no more than 2 thin coats of nail paint, which won’t only make the manicure last longer but will also make it look even. You can also choose to buy a chip-free nail paint to make things a lot easier.
Use wood sticks
Now that the trickiest part is done, it’s time to correct all the mistakes that might have happened while applying the nail paint. And before you pull those Q-tips out of your kit, hear us out. You might have noticed that all technicians use those tiny wooden sticks to clean the cuticles while giving you a manicure, that’s what you need too. And fret not, they can be easily purchased from the stores and are extremely affordable. Use these wood sticks to correct all the mistakes and make your manicure look as neat as possible.
Use clear nail paint
Before you apply any nail paint on your nails, make sure to apply a base coat on them. Follow it up by applying nail polish of your choice and top it off with clear nail paint. Make sure that you are giving enough time to each layer to get dry properly. And this clear nail paint hack is known to increase the life of your manicure, so you can try this method.
What do you think?