9 Pro Tips to be Perennially Polished

1. CUTICLE OIL. CUTICLE OIL. CUTICLE OIL.

Keep it next to your toothbrush for a twice-daily reminder to hydrate, nourish and strengthen the nails. CND SolarOil absorbs well with a little massage and includes jojoba and vitamin E for strong, healthy nails.

2. TRAIN YOUR CUTICLES

Pushing back the cuticle every couple of days can train it to stay put, creating a longer and neater nail plate. This will become easier when the cuticle has absorbed the oil and avoids the messy business of cuticle snipping (which should be avoided or in an emergency left to the professionals).

3. File with a flourish

Back and forth filing shapes the nail, but always end in the same direction to get a smooth, strong edge. Shorter nails should be a soft square shape, but the longer the nail the more round it should be to elongate the finger.

4. RESIST THE HIGH SHINE

Stop buffing when nails reach a slight shine, this will prevent the nail plate from becoming thin and weak. Polish will adhere best to a strong surface.

5. CLEAN SLATE

Use a good wipe to clean and dry the nail plate. Butter London 2-in-1 wipeswill remove last traces of polish while cleaning and prepping nails before fresh application. They are also “3-free” so contain no chemi-nasties (formaldehyde, toluene or DPB).

6. BASE IS BEST

Always apply a good quality base coat to anchor the polish and prevent discolouration (even lighter colours can discolour the nail). OPI Natural Nail Base Coat protects from staining and primes nails for polish application.

7. GET THINNER

Layer fine coats of colour to allow polish to dry quickly and to built opacity – it’s the secret to a uniform colour and avoiding streaks.

8. TOP IT OFF

Miss Betty recommends applying a good quality top coat every couple of days to maintain shine and protect the polish. “When painting down the nail, sweep across the top edge to ‘cap’ it so it won’t peel off. I swear by Seche Vite’s Top Coat.”

9. RINSE AND REPEAT

When the prep has paid off and a little regrowth starts flashing at the world, use a non-acetone polish remover such as Cutex – gentle on sensitive skin types. Soak a cotton pad, hold firmly on the nail for 5-10 seconds and lightly rub forward to prevent polish from smearing onto the skin. Once removed, massage cuticle oil into naked nails to re-hydrate then prep the way to freshly dressed fingers and toes.