
3 Tips to Prevent Polish Chips
A lot of people assume that base coats and top coats are a non-crucial part of an at-home manicure, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The natural nail is rarely ever perfectly smooth. This is especially true if you’re a frequent polish-wearer, where remover products containing acetone strip the nail of its natural keratin. This is why using a base coat is so important, because it fills in those ridges and creates a smooth surface for polish to stick to.
A top coat is just as important if you want a lasting manicure. Without sealing your polish color in place with a top coat, you have a greater chance of denting or smudging your polish, and it’s guaranteed that you’ll experience chips faster.
Tip #2: Wrap the Tip
Tip #3: Use Thin Coats
Sometimes polish can go on a little too thick if applied carelessly. When this happens, it takes longer to dry, it’s harder to control, and you’re likely to experience polish peeling. It’s better to use thin, layered coats of polish to build the color instead of using one thick coat. Wait enough time in between each thin layer to ensure it has dried properly. Also, these buildable thin coats will likely be more true to color than if you applied it thicker.
Products That Can Help
If you’re just starting to use top coats, Ultra Glossy Seal is perfect for beginners. It’s a dense formula that provides high shine and reflectivity, and dries faster than any other Zoya top coat. This means that it speeds up the dry time of your manicure and will keep the polish on for up to 7 days with no chips.
This process takes a bit more effort for you dedicated nail-polish-lovers out there, but it’s worth it if you want your manicure to last up to two weeks without chips.
Start by following the Gelie-Cure foundation tutorial, applying color as normal, and using Naked Gelie again as a topper for your polish. With your color sandwiched in-between two lush layers of Naked Gelie, you can forget about tip-wear.
Feature photo via @_k.s.nails_