How to Know When Nail Polish Is Dry

It’s important to make sure your nail polish is thoroughly dry before you put on another coat of polish or do anything with your hands. Working with wet nail polish will quickly ruin your manicure, and putting another coat of polish over wet polish will cause the polish to chip and peel after it dries. Here are some tips for a perfect manicure every time.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Nail dryer bed or fan
• Nail polish

1. Paint your nails in thin coats so they dry faster.

2. Allow your nail polish to dry for 15 minutes after each coat. This will ensure that the polish is dried and set thoroughly.

3. When the paint looks dull, it is dry.

4. Use a nail-dryer bed or a small fan to help dry your nail polish quicker. Leave your nails in the dryer bed or on the fan for at least six minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• Allow extra time if you aren’t sure that your nail polish is dry.
• Allow your polish to dry all the way before adding more coats of polish.
• Don’t touch your nail polish to see if it is dry—if it isn’t dry then you will probably smudge the polish or leave a fingerprint in it and ruin your manicure.
• If you put another coat of polish on top of a coat that isn’t dry, the nail polish will chip and peel quicker.