Here’s my technique. It gets me at least 5 days without chipping (more if I’m using a crème or jelly), and I’m rough on my nails.
Start with both hands:
- File and shape your nails
- Using cuticle oil and a cuticle pusher, gently push back your cuticles (don’t trim them!)
- Wash your hands thoroughly
- Use 100% acetone to clean and dehydrate your nails
Take a pee break now because you don’t want to mess with a fly or underwear with wet nails.
Now work on one hand at a time:
- If you have ridged nails, use a ridge filler to achieve a smooth surface to work with; otherwise, consider a coat of strengthener
- Apply a layer of base coat (not too thick or thin)
- Using a good quality self-leveling polish, apply one thin coat to each nail. Go slowly and be sure not to flood your cuticle (there should be about a 1mm gap of empty nail between your cuticle and the start of your polish). It’s OK if this coat is a little patchy because most polishes don’t give single-coat coverage, and self-leveling polish will automatically smooth out some unevenness, but do your best to get it even without making it too thick. Use an angled brush with 100% acetone to gently remove any excess around the edges of your nail.
- By the time you finish one coat on each nail on this hand, the first finger you painted should be dry. Apply a second thin coat to this hand (always starting with the same finger), being sure to also paint the free edge of the nail.
- Depending on the finish and color of the polish, as well as your nail length, you may need a third coat. Same instructions as 8 above.
- Apply a layer of good quality quick-dry topcoat, again painting the free edge of each nail. This layer can be generous but not tooooo thick.
- DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH ANYTHING for at least 10 minutes. Seriously. Listen to a podcast or watch the birds through your window, but you will fuck up your polish if you don’t let it set. (Do I ever follow my own advice? No I do not. If like me you end up mildly fucking up your polish, you can probably use your tongue to very gently massage it back into place. Yes it’s gross but it works!)
- Once your polish has sufficiently set, you can paint the next hand.
Some product recommendations:
- Germanikure nail file
- Germanikure cuticle pusher
- Cuccio cuticle oil
- OPI Nail Envy strengthening treatment
- Orly Bonder base coat
- Mooncat Speed Demon topcoat
High-quality brands which tend to have self-leveling polish:
gqt@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 weeks ago
they do look awesome!! but all credit goes to my mom, she offered to do them when i visited her, i usually mess up w the coating :< the key is to do light coats, wait for them to dry, then do 1-2 more light coats
snekmuffin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 weeks ago
Oh gotchu gotchu, your mom sounds like a gread person! And thanks for the tip <3