Fashion and Beauty 22nd October 2015 by Online editors

6 Reasons Your Nail Polish Always Chips Right After You Apply It

There's nothing that ruins our mani mojo more than having it chip an hour after we've put on the last coat. So we found out how to extend the life of your nail polish & be nailtastic for as long as possible.

1. You’re getting water on the nail

So water is great for your skin, but terrible for polish on your nails. Your nails should be completely dry when you apply your basecoat. If your nail bed is even slightly wet, it prevents your polish from properly sticking to your talons.

2. Oils are getting in the way

Getting oils, lotions and other types of potions on your nails will also cause chips. (sigh) So we suggest you steer clear of cuticle creams, hand lotions, or even those sweet smelling moisturising soaps right before a manicure.

3. You’re shaking the bottle

So y’know those little mixing balls in the polish? Shaking them creates air bubbles, which prevents an even application and in turn leads to chipping. You gotta roll the bottle instead, k?

4. You’re painting it on too thick

Basically two to three thin layers are better than one thick layer. A thick layer can leave tiny air bubbles in the application which can (again) compromise any polish actually sticking to the nail.

5. You’re not using your top coat properly

Surprising fact: Did you know that top coat is most effective when applied to wet polish? Yup, applying a top coat to wet nail polish allows the polish to penetrate through the nail helping everything bond to the nail bed. #yay

6. You’re not leaving enough dry time

Allowing polish to dry is key in preserving your mani. This is because nicking your polish before it’s fully dry will lead to faster chips later on. And since polish takes up to 12 hours (yep, you read that right) to fully set, you should avoid any hot water for half a day following your mani.

By Jennifer Conway.

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