Choose a nail polish that isn’t too old - older nail polishes will become thick and gloopy and you’ll find them harder to paint your nails with. If you’re not sure how long the nail polish you’re looking at has lived, flip the bottle upside down and if it seems thick and gloopy it’s old. Another way you can tell it’s old is if you open the bottle and lift the brush up and the nail polish seems like slime (slimy, goopy). If you really want to salvage an old nail polish that has become thick, add nail polish thinner to the old polish. [1] X Expert Source Lindsay YoshitomiNail Artist Expert Interview. 12 July 2019. Avoid storing nail polish in direct sunlight. [2] X Expert Source Lindsay YoshitomiNail Artist Expert Interview. 12 July 2019.
Even if you don’t have any nail polish on, you should still swipe some nail polish remover over your nails before you begin painting, to get rid of any natural oils on your nails. This will allow the polish to go on smoothly and help the color to last longer.
When filing your nails, rub the nail file from the outside of each nail to the center, doing each side of the nail separately. Each stroke should go in the same direction - you should never use a sawing motion when filing, as these may weaken and break the nails.
You don’t need to be too careful when applying the base coat – it’s okay if some of the clear polish gets on your skin as nobody will be able to tell since there’s no color! There are two different types of specialized base coat polishes available - one is a ridge filler, which smooths the nails and provides an even, matte surface for painting on, the other is a strengthener, which protects the nails and helps them to grow longer and stronger. If you like, you can apply a layer of each!
In terms of whether you paint with your good hand or bad hand first, it doesn’t really matter, do whatever you feel most comfortable with. Your bad hand is always going to be shakier to paint with than your good hand - but practice will help.
Also take a look at the brush to see what shape it is. Most nail polish brushes used to be rounds, but more and more brands are introducing flatter style brushes, which allow for easier application and less mess.
This is a technique used by professional manicurists, so it might take some practice, but eventually it will allow for the easiest and neatest polish application.
You should have enough polish to cover the whole nail in a thin layer of color without having to dip your brush back in the bottle. If you apply too thick of a layer of polish, your nails will take much longer to dry and you will be much more likely to smudge them. When painting the outer stripes, don’t take the polish all the way to the sides of your nails – leave a tiny gap between the nail and your fingers. The gap will barely be noticeable and you will avoid getting polish all over your hands.
Apply the second layer of polish using the exact same method you used to apply the first. Try to be equally careful – don’t become impatient and try to finish the job quickly, or you might ruin your good work. Allow the second layer of polish to dry completely, then decide if you need to apply a third. As you can see, painting your nails is time consuming, and you will need to allow yourself 30 minutes to an hour to do the job well. For this reason, it is a good idea to have prepared a snack/ gone to the bathroom/ turned on the TV before you begin painting your nails, so you won’t be bored while waiting for your nails to dry.
Make sure to do this slowly and carefully - if you try to do it too quickly the q-tip might slip and you’ll end up with a polish-free streak across your perfectly painted nails! Try to use a fresh q-tip for each nail - otherwise the excess polish on the end of the q-tip will just make more of a mess. Using a thin brush dipped in nail polish remover, is another way in which you can clean any unwanted nail polish from the edges of your nails.
It can be helpful to use a pair of tweezers to apply these stickers, as the tweezers will prevent you from dropping the sticker and prevent the sticker from attaching itself to your finger or to anything else and therefore not sticking to your nail. Nail stickers should only be applied once your nail polish has dried completely.
Contrary to what you might think, the white tip is actually painted on first, using a special white polish provided in most home manicure kits. These kits may also provide adhesive strips which you can apply to your nails in order to get a perfectly straight white line across the tips. Otherwise you will need a very steady hand! Once you have done the tips and they have completely dried, you can apply the natural colored polish over the white polish, before finishing your nails off with a clear top coat.
