Tip 1: Step Away From The Water!

Apply polish BEFORE showering for best results! Water flattens the curve of your nail and as they dry, polish can chip off your nails as they revert back to their natural shape.

Tip 2 Easy As 1, 2, 3, 4!

For that perfect salon look, apply polish on clean nails prepped with base coat in a few easy steps. First, near your cuticle, but not touching it, drop a small bead of polish and pull the bead down towards the edge of your nail. Second, go back to the bead near the cuticle, and sweep down towards the left and then the right side of the nail. Third, sweep the brush on the very edge of the nail. This helps prevents chips and gives your nails the finished look you get from the salon. Repeat if a second coat is needed. Last, always follow with a quick dry top coat for durability and shine.

Tip 3: Clean Up!

For a crisp clean look, use a small paint brush dipped in acetone to clean up any polish on your skin. For larger clean up jobs, prep your skin with glue. You can paint around your nails with white school glue. Let dry before polishing, then just peel away the glue and any mistakes with it!

Tip 4: Put Down Those Clippers!

Nail clippers are great for babies with soft nails, but as an adult, using a clipper can cause splits and flakes to form leading to chipped polish. Instead, use a crystal nail file or emery board, filing in one direction to remove length.

Tip 5: Stain Stain, Go Away!

If you wear polish, come in contact with chemicals or smoke, your nails can become stained and dingy, and can even change the color of your polish. For light stains or yellowing, simple products you have at home can whiten and brighten your nails. Use whitening toothpaste on your nails by using an old tooth brush and “brushing” your nails. Denture cleaning tablets can be used as a nail soak. If your lacquer leaves your nails looking like you never took the polish off, use 1 part peroxide to 5 parts baking soda and a few drops of lemon juice. Mix into a paste, and using an old tooth brush, brush your nails with the paste. For severe stains, let sit on the nails for 10-15 minutes before removing. As a last resort, you can use a buffer to lightly remove the top, stained layer of the nail. Use this as a last resort, as too much buffing can weaken the nail. The best bet for beautiful white nails is prevention. Always use 1-2 coats of a quality base coat to prevent stains.

Images courtesy of Babble.com, KBSshimmer on Instagram