@ Jul 24, 2024

How to Make Nail Polish Last Longer

There’s nothing like putting the finishing coat of non-chip polish on your nails, letting them dry, and then showing them off to the world. Whether bold and brilliant or classic and timeless, a beautiful manicure can boost your confidence and give your style that little extra flare.

If you’ve been wondering how to make nail polish last longer, we’re here to help. In this guide, we’ll go over why traditional nail polish might chip and how to keep your nail color looking as incredible as the first day you put it on.

Understanding Nail Polish Longevity

Before unpacking how to make your nail polish last longer, it helps to understand more about nail polish itself.

The basic nail polish formula includes a solvent, a polymer, and a combination of pigments and dyes.¹ The solvent dissolves another component to create a solution, while the polymer—in most cases, a resin—is a bulky molecule made up of many smaller chains of molecules. When you brush the polish on your nail, the solvent evaporates and leaves behind the polymer and pigment mix, which forms a firm, colorful shell on your nail plate.

In addition, regular nail polish formulas include ingredients called plasticizers to keep the polish flexible as it dries.²

Choose Long-lasting Lacquer

Chipping nail polish often has to do with the kind of polish you’re using.³ That’s why maintaining your manicure starts with selecting a high-performance nail color like Dazzle Dry. Nail lacquer, which has a thicker, glossier consistency, tends to resist chipping and scratches more easily than standard nail polish.

DIY Manicure Vs Salon

Pampering yourself with a professional salon manicure is a lovely form of self-care, whether you go every week or once a year. An experienced nail technician with top-quality products knows how to prepare your nails to receive polish and seal their work so that your manicure stays in tip-top shape for as long as possible.

But you don’t have to go to the salon to get a nice-looking manicure (unless you want to). Dazzle Dry offers the best of both worlds, as our nail products are located in nail salons nationwide, but you can also use our nail polish at home!Let’s talk about how you can give yourself a quality, DIY manicure that’ll last.

How to Make Nail Polish Last Two Weeks: It’s All About the Prep

Making your manicure last starts with careful preparation of your nails. With a high-quality nail lacquer, a step-by-step process for prepping and painting your nails, and a commitment to upkeep afterward, your manicure will last up to two weeks. Here’s how to do it with regular polish⁴:

Cleaning and shaping nails – Before you start painting, you must prepare your nails for the polish: clean your nail beds, use a nail file to trim and shape the nail to the desired shape, push back the cuticles, and moisturize. It can also be helpful to buff the top of the entire nail to give the polish a slightly coarse surface to adhere to.⁵
Don’t skip the Base Coat – Base coat is critical to the manicure process. Not only can a high-performance and long lasting base coat help maintain healthy nails, but it also smooths out the surface of the nail plate so the polish has an even surface to bond to.
Apply polish in thin, even coats – Polish application is everything. Though lacquers like those from Dazzle Dry provide a thick, highly saturated polish, it’s important not to lay it too thick. Dazzle Dry’s Four-Step System recommends applying two even coats of polish to each nail and allowing each layer to dry to matte between coats. When using regular nail polish, focus on thin coats to speed up the drying process!
Use a high-quality Top Coat – Top Coat is like the protective layer atop the nail lacquer. It adds gloss and seals the edges of your manicure. A high-performance, long-lasting top coat will protect your nails from chips and scratches, like a tiny, transparent suit of armor.

How to Keep Nail Polish from Chipping

You’ve completed your mani, and your nails look amazing. It may be tempting to hold your hands above your head and out of harm’s way for the next two weeks to keep the color looking great. But that’s simply not practical (and with Dazzle Dry’s long-lasting nail polish, there’s no need to)!

Thankfully, you can make a few simple adjustments to daily life to keep your traditional manicure looking great for as long as possible.

Right after your manicure:

Let your nails dry completely – Patience is a virtue, especially in manicures. Give your nails ample time to fully set before using your hands.⁶ While Dazzle Dry’s lacquer only takes five minutes to dry, consider giving your regular polish at least 10 minutes per coat.
Apply fresh Top Coat every few days – Sadly, top coat is not something you can normally “set and forget.” It wears thin and will require reapplication every few days to seal your lacquer.⁶ However, our top coat will last two weeks!
Fix that chip – Chips aren’t just annoying and unsightly. They can cause the polish around them to weaken, causing more chips and, eventually, peeling. So rather than picking at it or ignoring it, get out your polish and touch up the chips.⁶

When using regular polish, for the next few days:

Avoid soaking nails in water – Soaking your nails in water, whether in a bath or while doing dishes or laundry, can cause your nails to naturally expand and contract, which may cause the polish to peel.⁹
Wearing rubber gloves during chores – Protect your nails by wearing fabric or rubber gloves when working with your hands, like weeding the garden or changing the oil in your car.⁴
Avoid harsh chemicals – Now isn’t the time to become an amateur chemist. All jokes aside, keep gloves handy if you’re working with cleaning products or paint so as not to weaken the nail polish, and don’t overdo it on hand sanitizer, either.
Don’t use your nails as tools – Who hasn’t used their nails as an extension of our fingers, whether to open a particularly sticky bag or pick a piece of gunk on our countertop? Unfortunately, it’s also a great way to chip your nails.

Common Mistakes That Cause Chipping

No matter how careful you are, your manicure will eventually chip. But there are a few reasons your nails may be chipping more easily or faster than you’d like, and it’s usually related to your prep work before applying polish.

Over-moisturizing – There is such a thing as going overboard with moisturizer, hand cream, or cuticle oil. Too much can prevent your polish from adhering properly to the nail bed. After cleansing and caring for your cuticles, dry your hands well and remove any excess oil.⁵
Leaving nails too long – Long nails can be harder to maintain because of their propensity to break and chip. For color that lasts, opt for short nails.⁴
Painting the cuticle – Painting nails takes precision, not just because it looks nicer when you paint “in the lines.” Accidentally painting your cuticles and allowing them to dry creates a weak spot in the seal of your polish.⁵

Yes, You Can Make Your Nail Polish Last Longer

If you’ve ever looked at your beautifully painted nails and wondered how to make nail polish last longer, don’t fret. With some prep work, maintenance, and protecting your nails from specific household tasks, your manicure will look stunning for weeks to come.

If you’re looking to make your nails stronger or want to explore the world of natural nail care, check out our other guides!

Long-lasting Results With Dazzle Dry

Dazzle Dry is nail lacquer reimagined. Our quality polish boasts a high-performance formula of non-toxic, vegan ingredients to promote nail health and beauty all in one bottle. Our four-step system provides long-lasting wear for two weeks of stunning color and durability—with a dry time as fast as five minutes. Experience a new level of nail care with Dazzle Dry.

Sources:

Cosmo. Nail Polish: Everything You Need to Know. https://www.cosmo.ph/beauty/nail-polish-how-it-works-types-tips-a5157-20240327
Nail Pro. 7 Main Ingredients in Nail Polish. https://www.nailpro.com/health/article/21156262/7-main-ingredients-in-nail-polish
Reader’s Digest. How to Make Your Manicure Last Longer. https://www.rd.com/article/how-to-make-nail-polish-last/
Byrdie. How to Make Nail Polish Last Longer, According to Manicurists. https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-make-nail-polish-last-longer-4770229
Vampy Varnish. How to Make My Nail Polish Last Longer. https://www.vampy-varnish.com/how-to-make-my-nail-polish-last-longer/
Mind Body Green. How to Make Nail Polish Last Longer. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/how-to-make-nail-polish-last-longer