Make Your Manicure Last

There is nothing more frustrating than admiring your newly manicured nails and finding a chip or break in your nail. Here are some tips, courtesy of manicurists and Ladies Home Journal, to making your manicure last: 1. Keep nails short. Long nails are more prone to chipping and breaking than short, professional-length ones. 2. Take good care of your cuticles by applying a drop of oil daily to the cuticle and pushing the cuticles back with a Q-Tip, wooden tool or washcloth and warm water. 3. Keep your nails clean. Putting polish on nails that aren't cleaned will prevent the polish from bonding to the nail. This will result in peeling or chipping of the nail polish. 4. Use a base coat. Base coats help keep the nail bed strong and help keep nail color from peeling or chipping. 5. Don't overuse nail color. Apply nail polish in thin coats over your nail. Thick coats of polish bubble and peel. 6. Manicure experts suggest leaving time for the first coat of polish to dry before applying a second coat. That way, the second coat will bond better to the first coat of polish. 7. Throw away old nail polish. Nail polish will change consistency over time and become thick and heavy. If you can't bear to part with your favorite bottle of nail polish, invest in some nail polish thinner to even out the thickness of the color. 8. Apply a topcoat of nail polish daily. According to manicurists, it's the number-one way to ensure your manicure lasts.