10 ways to make your manicure last longer

Chipped nail polish is such an eye sore and there is no excuse to keep your nails looking untidy when one can purchase nail polish for as low as Ksh 50. To make it worse, you can pay Ksh 300 for a manicure or do it yourself for free.

Well-manicured nails are quite an attractive sight and ideally, you want them to remain that way for as long as possible. To do that, here are 10 tips on how you can make sure your well-done manicure lasts longer.  1. Use white vinegar and a cotton swab to wipe down your nails before you apply the base coat. This process helps remove excess oil on the nails that could prevent the polish from sticking. You can also use nail polish remover as an alternative to white vinegar. 2. Do not soak your nails in water before painting them. A lot of manicurists do this to make the cuticles soft but the water retained causes the nail to expand. The nails then shrink when painted which causes the polish to no longer fit the nail. Use cuticle oil instead. 3. Lightly buff your nails to even them out before painting them. Small dents and bumps on the nail can cause the polish to warp which will lead to the polish cracking.  4. Rather than constantly shaking the polish bottle, roll it between your hands. This warms up the polish making it easy to spread when applying.  5. Apply two layers of basecoat. One to the entire nail and the second coat to the top half of your nail. The tips need the extra layer of basecoat as they are more prone to chipping due to habits such as washing, texting and typing.  6. Avoid applying any of the polish on your cuticles. Push your cuticles back using a pushing tool so at to prevent this. Having polish on your cuticles lifts the polish from your nail which leads to chipping. 7. Make sure to seal the edges of your nails too as you apply the polish. Do this by running your basecoat, paint and the topcoat around the entire edge of your nail.  8. Every two to three days, make sure you apply a thin layer of topcoat to add to the protection. This will make your colour last longer.  9. Harsh products and warm water will easily ruin your manicure. Make sure you wear gloves when doing the dishes. 10. If your tips are already beginning to chip, you can update your look by adding a thin layer of French tips or even glitter.