How Long Will Your Manicure Last?

An exquisite manicure is an enjoyable way to treat yourself and achieve a professional appearance, as well as providing an opportunity to experiment with nail colors and designs.

Maintaining the longevity of your manicure depends on a number of factors, including application technique and prepping procedures. You can extend its longevity further by following simple tips like moisturizing nails and cuticles regularly.

1. Choose the Right Manicure

Your choice of manicure depends on a number of considerations, such as its desired duration, current trends and your lifestyle. When making this decision, budget constraints and available salon time must also be taken into account.

Kandalec claims soft gel nails offer zero drying time and chip-free manicures lasting two weeks or longer with zero drying time and zero chipping issues.

Vinylux manicures (created by CND nail polish brand) feature self-adhering color that lasts up to one week before it can be easily removed with traditional nail polish remover. This option makes longwear without length easy, and switching up colors quickly.

2. Take Care of Your Nails

Manicures are more than just fashion statements; they’re also essential self-care rituals. By following proper care instructions for your nails, manicures will allow you to get more out of their polish than ever.

Simple nail care tips can make a significant impactful difference on how long your manicure lasts. First and foremost, avoid soaking your nails – this will cause their polish to chip faster.

One effective nail care tip is using manicure oil regularly. This will keep your nails moisturized and prevent them from cracking and breaking off prematurely, which could compromise any manicure.

Finally, be mindful not to pick at your nails – doing so will not only reduce the life span of your manicure but may also harm actual nails themselves. Picking can shorten its life significantly as well as damage actual nail beds themselves.

3. Don’t Forget the Base Coat

A manicure is a special moment that can bolster your confidence and leave you feeling beautiful, but if your nail polish chips or peels quickly it can be frustrating when it doesn’t last as long as desired. Luckily there are ways you can extend its lifespan!

One of the most crucial elements is a base coat. Like primer before painting a wall, it provides an adhesive surface for nail polish to adhere to, helping ensure yellowed and chipped nails do not appear much faster. Without it, your nails could yellow more quickly due to exposure.

Apply a thin coat of base coat, allow it to dry, and apply your colored polish using long, even strokes to avoid streaking. Finally, enjoy your beautiful manicure for as long as possible!

4. Use a Top Coat

Your choice of nail polish and daily activities can have an enormous effect on its longevity. Frequent hand washing or applying hand sanitizer can lead to dry nails that smudge and chip more easily; to combat this, wear gloves when performing household tasks and apply top coat every few days for optimal results.

Use of a top coat is key to creating a professional-looking manicure, as it seals in color and protects nails against fading and chipping. Quality top coats also come in various finishes and formulas so that you can find one to complement your preferred look – just remember to allow it to dry completely before touching your nails again!

5. Take Care of Your Cuticles

Cuticles may not be at the forefront of beauty discussions, but they play an essential role. According to nail expert Tina Wang, cuticles serve as a barrier against bacteria and other pathogens from entering into nail beds and matrixes – keeping bacteria, fungus and other harmful elements at bay from penetrating to cause infection or harm the nails themselves. Ratty or cut cuticles can damage nails as well as detract from even perfectly polished manicures.

Though a salon manicure will clean and polish the polish off your nail plate, it cannot sanitize everything on it, including the eponychium (the area of living skin that covers the base of a fingernail). Instead of aggressively cutting or pushing back cuticles with scissors or pushers, Elle Gerstein, celebrity manicurist and imPRESS partner recommends moisturizing nails and cuticles using CERAVE Healing Ointment or VASELINE products as effective moisturisers to both protect and nourish.