How to Get Nail Polish to Stay on Ends Longer

Tips of the nails are prone to chips.

An at-home manicure is an easy and inexpensive way to polish your look, but the ends of your nails may chip easily without proper application and care. Since the edges of the nail are the first to come in contact with pressure from everyday tasks and can collect manicure-destroying dirt and oil, polish at the edge of the nails often flakes and cracks. Several techniques help the polish stay on the ends longer for an enduring manicure.

Things You'll Need

• Nail file
• Tweezers
• Cotton ball
• Nail polish remover
• Base coat
• Nail polish
• Top coat
• Cuticle or nail oil
• Hand lotion

Instructions

1. Clean and file the tips of your nails thoroughly before applying any polish. The tips of nails are prone to gathering dirt and oils, both of which weaken the strength of polish at the ends of the nails. File nails with even strokes in the same direction across the entirety of the nail edge, and clean under nails with a pair of tweezers to remove any buildup. Wash hands thoroughly and rub a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover over clean, dry nails to remove any lingering lotion or soap.

2. Brush on a base coat, a polish and a top coat, applying an extra coat of each at the tips of the nails. Using all three products will give you the longest-lasting home manicure possible, especially if you work in multiple thin coats and allow each coat to dry thoroughly before applying the next one. Dab extra polish on the nail tips and under the tips of the nails if they extend past the finger's edge. This extra polish will buffer the nail against chipping and flaking.

3. Refresh your nails by hydrating them and performing minor maintenance on a daily basis. Apply cuticle or nail oil generously to your nails in the evening, rubbing it in thoroughly to hydrate the nails. Hand lotion can also be used if it is free of alcohol and fragrances, as these additives can dry out nails, which leads to flaking polish. Brush on a new coat of clear top coat daily to protect nails.

Tips & Warnings

• Choosing light or metallic nail polishes over dark, matte shades also helps keep edges chip-free longer. Light and metallic shades dry faster and stronger, and chips are less visible than those on dark, matte polishes.

References

• "Redbook"; Make Your Manicure Last 10 Days; Krista Bennett DeMaio
• "Good Housekeeping"; Make Your Manicure Last; Jo Cleary