You’ve Been Painting Your Nails Wrong Your Entire Life…

We’ve all had the unfortunate experience of completely screwing up a manicure. But the truth is you don’t need to be a professional manicurist to do a great job painting your nails, but you do need to make sure to do them right! We all make these mistakes, so rest assured that you’re not alone!

1. Painting your nails when they’re dirty
Make sure that the surface of your nails are super clean. Any dust, moisture, or leftover polish will keep the new nail polish from sticking. A little tip: Drizzle an old toothbrush with hand soap and use it to get into the corners and under nail tips.

2. Not prepping the surface
After you’ve picked out the PERFECT paint color, you should wipe clean nails with a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover. The greasiness from lotion prevents polish from adhering. Polish remover that’s pure acetone will get rid of residue faster, but if that’s too drying, try a nonacetone remover.

3. Skipping the basics
It’s so important to paint a bottom layer first as it gives the polish something to latch onto. A base coat sticks to nails better than nail polish itself. A base coat should be soft and sticky, so that it can expand and help color adhere.

4. Practicing the wrong painting technique
This is the #1 mistake girls make! Make sure you polish in three narrow, even strokes, one down the middle and one down each side. Then wait two minutes before applying a second coat. Make sure not to apply more than two coats because the thicker the layer of polish, the likelier it is to peel.

5. Not sealing the deal with a topcoat
Once your manicure is on, seal it with a slow-setting topcoat. It’s tempting to quick-dry your hands, but a slower-acting topcoat leaves a harder and more protective finish. Save the quick-dry coat for a post-manicure touch-up a few days later

6. Forgoing maintenance
Many of us are in the kitchen doing things like scrubbing pots and pans with nail polish on. Easy fix? Wear some rubber gloves. Also, every other day apply a layer of quick-dry topcoat to prolong your mani and increase shine. To keep your nails hydrated, apply oil to nails and cuticles every other day.