How to apply nail polish perfectly: everything you should know!
Applying neat, even layers of nail polish could be extremely tricky. Getting a clean and crisp nail polish line takes a lot of practice, patience, and a steady hand. But not all hopes are lost if you do happen to paint outside the lines as you can always clean up your mistakes.
How to master this art? Let us have a look in details at how to apply nail polish just like a pro!
Steps for applying nail polish like a pro
To do so, you will need a few essential tools:
• Nail Polish remover
• Fingernails nipper or nail scissors
• Nail file
• Cuticle trimmer
• Cotton pads
• A clear topcoat
• Any nail polish of your choice
Once you are sure you have all you need, you can start.
1. Prepping the nails
Just like you prep your face before putting on makeup, it is equally crucial to prep your nails before applying nail polish.
If you still have paint on your nails, you should use the nail polish remover and gently remove it. Be sure to be gentle and not vigorously remove nail paint or else it can damage the health of your nails.
At this point, you will need to trim or push back any excess cuticle with the help of cuticle trimmers. This process can be a little difficult on dry nails so you can do this after a shower or you can dip your fingernails in lukewarm water for 5-10 minutes and then do this.
Before applying the polish, make sure you clip your nails as per your desired size and also file them. Before doing this step dry your nails entirely or else your nails can chip and break.
The last and final step would be to retake some nail polish remover on a cotton ball and wipe your nails to clean and prep them for nail painting.
2. Base coat
The next step revolves around putting on a base coat. This is step is essential as it will make your nail polish pop and it is advised to use a white base coat to make your pigment look better. However, it is important to only apply thin coats as they will dry a lot faster. The base coat allows your nail paint to adhere to something, and it also prevents your actual nails from getting stained due to pigmented nail paints.
A little tip? To prevent the tips of your painted nails from prematurely chipping, paint two base coat layers: one on the top half of your nail and the second coat over the entire nail. Start with the first layer of your base coat polish on the top-half portion of your nails. After the polish has dried, paint a second coat of polish, but this time cover the entire nail as you normally would. This technique will help the polish on the tips of your nails, which are more prone to chipping, stay on even longer.
3. Apply the polish
Now, here comes the fun (but tricky) part.
How much nail polish should be used and how long should you wait for it to dry? Technically, 3 strokes should suffice, to leave it to the nail artists. Meaning, the process works best if you only use three strokes to paint your nails.
All you need to do is dip the brush into the polish, take out a generous amount of nail polish and place it as a dot on your nails.
Then you would want to spread it out by striking it once on the left then to the right and lastly on the centre. You will be surprised to see how beautifully the nail polish spreads without being messy or gloppy.
4. Additional coats
And here comes the temptation: another coat! And another one again. But bear in mind that albeit they may be tempting, additional coats are not always required.
Technically two to three coats are sufficient, but if you are using a lighter colour nail polish then you might need a few more coats until you get the desired one.
The most important thing is that you keep your coats thin and light so that the polish dries up quickly and does not smudge. Also, allow your previous coat to dry before you put on the other one so that there are no dents and bumps in between.
5. The topcoat
Another hack to apply nail polish perfectly and to make is shiny is to apply a clear topcoat on the top of your nail polish can make it last longer.
If you find your nail polish sliding off too quickly or chipping of soon, then you might want to try to add a topcoat to make your nail polish stay on your nails for quite a while.
You should only need one coat (ideally, three strokes) making sure to spread it entirely on your nails, especially on the side and the tip. This will seal everything in and will make your nails appear more beautiful for a more extended time.
6. The final step
Once you are done painting your nails, use a Q-tip to clean to edges for a more polished and mess-free look. Dip the Q-tip in nail polish remover and very gently swipe across the sides.
You will want to be very careful while you are doing this because smudging your nail polish is the last thing you would want. So, take your time when doing this.
The drying process
Who has time to wait for the nail polish to dry? The answer seems to be no one. However, this is an essential part of the process if we want to achieve the desired result.
The idea is to wait a couple of minutes from the application of one coat to another, while you may want to wait from 20 minutes to 1 full hour for the topcoat and all the others below to have dried completely.
However, a great solution would be investing in a good drying spray or drying drops as this will significantly reduce your waiting time and will also nourish and condition your nails and your cuticles. These products not only dry up your nails a lot faster, but they also make your nails super glossy and shiny.
What do you think? Is it doable? Will you manage to get salon-like nails after following these small hacks? We believe so, but now it is the time to try them out and see what works best for you!
