Enter the Nail Files Giveaway
It’s giveaway time Fanatics!
To celebrate the premiere of Nail Files starring Katie Cazorla, owner of The Painted Nail salon, TV Guide Network is offering up five prize packs just for ALU readers. Each prize pack contains: A bottle of The Painted Nail nail polish, a manicure set and TV Guide Network items including a T-shirt, poster, and a hand-held fan with the Nail Files logo to keep you cool in the summer heat. To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite nail tip or trick. Remember to leave your email address in the comment form, not the body of the comment, for privacy reasons. If you are one of the eight winners your tip will be shared on ALU with a link back to your blog, if you have one. ***EDITED TO ADD – There will now be EIGHT winners.*** You will receive one additional entry if you tweet the following phrase, “I want to win @AllLacqueredUp’s #NailFiles giveaway featuring nail polish from @thepaintednail.” The Rules: Winners must be US residents or have a US mailing address (sorry International Fanatics) and can only enter via comment one time and via Twitter one time. Giveaway open until Sunday June 26th at 11:59pm EST. Winners will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. Make sure you watch Nail Files, Tuesdays at 10pm EST on TV Guide Network. And here is a bonus video of Katie sharing her must-have colors for the summer. |
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
Cuticle oil to keep my cuticles moisturized and to keep me from picking at them.
1)using a 4-way buffer
2)putting base coat & then a top coat before applying my coats of polish
3)nail wrapping
4)2 coats of top coat & applying a new coat every few days
Unrelated to the contest, you should have an iPhone app. I always check your site before I buy a polish (you have saved me many mistakes) and an app would be so easy to use in the store.
My favorite nail tip is to wear whatever colors make you happy!
Using a sharp implement to cut cuticles prevents future hangnails.
Learning how to wrap the tip on my manis was a total gamechanger!
My favorite tip isn’t uncommon. Cleaning up with acetone/polish remover and a make up brush is a game changer for me. Everyone has those says where they feel like a spaz and inevitably you end up looking like a 3 year old did your nails. The makeup brush saves a botched mani most times for me. I am also a big fan of Orly Smudge Fixer.
http://twitter.com/#!/Legal_Lacquer/status/82879947856805888
Favorite nail tip is taking some cotton from a cottonball to wrap around cuticle scissors and dipped in nail polish remover in order to really clean under fingernails and/or touch up polish around fingernail and cuticle.
My tip is pretty well known, but to get a nice line for a french mani I like to use regular tape. Painters tape will probably stick less, but I never have that around to test it out lol
My favorite nail tip is layering colors! Sometimes, putting down a white base coat under any color will completely change the shade and the way your mani looks!! Or even layering different shades of a color (like OPI Strawberry Margarita under OPI DS Extravagance) gives you a different look.
Here is my Twitter as well. http://twitter.com/#!/emilycorriveau
My favorite nail tip is to use Burt’s Bees cuticle cream the morning and noon before I know I am going to do my nails. Makes it extra easy to remove my cuticles that night.
I can’t think of just one nail tip that is my favorite but this blog has revived my love for nails and polish. I think some of the most beneficial and helpful/ my faves were.
The gel mani article. Very informative and helped to push me to try a gel mani.
the sally hansen nail strips post and our FB discussion on helping them last longer with a top coat.
Finally, your 365 posts which inspire my nail art on a weekly basis.
ALU, you’ve inspired me
My favorite nail tip: Even if my nails have no polish on them, I always apply a layer of Seche Retain to keep them strong and protected. This has helped them grow longer and stronger and prevents peeling on the edges.
My favorite nail tip is for polish removal: the foil method. Because I have not published it in any way myself, this is a link to another np blog I follow: http://www.all-you-desire.com/2010/08/removing-glitter-polish-foil-method.html
My favorite nail tips…
Go dry
A trick that I came up with on my own: if you’re not ambidextrous, I paint the last three nails on my dominant hand first. Then I do the last three on my other hand. Then I finish the remaining two on my dominant hand. Then, Since I do my left hand best, I can trust myself not to mess up on the remaining two on my left hand. It helps out a lot so i’m able to clean up better. A favorite nail tip is definitely putting a white base underneath for those sheer colors!!
I use Seche Vite top coat which can cause shrinkage at the nail tips. To prevent this I paint the very top edge of my nail and a little underneath with the SV before painting my whole nail. Wrapping the tips completely alleviated shrinkage for me!
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a nail dryer, pick up one of those little battery powered fans at the local dollar store. It actually will dry your nails faster than the $30 & $40.00 ones as it seems to have more power. And it only takes one double A battery. Try it. It work’s very well. I haven’t tried it on acrylics as I stopped wearing those years ago.
I like to use glitter polishes when I know my nails will be under strain — spring cleaning time, yardwork, helping my friends move. The glitter gives my nails added durability while protecting my manicure and adding some glamour to an exhausting, repetitive chore.
My favorite nail trick is using OPI Bond Aid before applying a base coat. It’s PH balancer and my mani’s last a week!
I also wrap my nails with the color and top coat to seal all of the edges
I use glitter top coats or crackle polishes to cover up any chips or imperfections or if I’m just tired of the shade but too lazy to take it off.
i wash my hands before filing. After that, i file at a 30 degree angle under the nail and also skim the nail horizontally. After i use a buffer to seal in the edges. i use dr. bronner’s naked balm to soothe cuticles and hands. then i apply handlotion. this is for a nail polish free way. if you want you can apply nail strengthener too! but before i always use orly’s nail prep (in the spray bottle) to clean the nails before applying strengthener. if you use strengthener, you can skip the dr. bronner’s balm until after it all dries.~
My secret to long-lasting manis is my top coat! My friends and coworkers are always amazed at the level of shine I still have after a week– and nary a chip to be found! What brand do I prefer? (drumroll please…) REVLON! I’ve tried more expensive brands, but no top coat can hold a candle to Revlon Extra Life No Chip Top Coat! It totally lives up to its name!
My favorite nail trick (and it’s a popular one!) is using a small paintbrush dipped in acetone to make the neat smooth edges at the cuticle edge of my manicure.
As a very active horseback rider, my favorite tip to keeping my nails looking nice is to always keep a pair of clippers or cuticle nippers handy. This way, when I get one of my inevitable breaks or hangnails, I clip it even right then and there. As a reformed nail biter, it keeps me from chewing, and prevents further damage from happening between the time of the break and the time I get home to fix my mani!
Also, for us outdoorsy types, darker NP is a must – keeps the dirt from showing untill we get near a nail brush!!
My favorite trick is that I always polish my nails in the evening (it gives me something to do with my hands while I catch up on my favorite TV shows & keeps me from snacking!). I use a good quick-drying topcoat so I can go to bed without worrying about smudges. Here’s the trick: since I polished the night before, my nails are good and dry and the polish is hard. In the shower in the morning I apply some conditioner to my hands and use a washcloth to remove any polish that got on my fingers or cuticles. Walla–a perfect manicure to show off all day!
My favorite nail tip (even though it isn’t very exciting, lol) is to clear coat EVERYTHING! I never used to, but ever since I started using crackle polishes I’m obsessed with it.. I love the extra shine and protection that I get from just a couple extra coats, totally worth my time
Favorite tip? Wrapping the nail tips. When I can remember to do it, it really extends my polish wear by a couple days.
I have used Orly Bonder for years and think it really helps my nail polish wear better and last longer.
My favorite tip (although it isn’t really groundbreaking), is to use a glass/crystal file to prevent peeling. My peeling situation has greatly decreased since I put down the nail clippers and picked up the glass file.
As someone who has very weak, thin nails no matter what I do, I’d always had trouble with my manicures chipping after a couple days. When nailtiques first came out, I jumped on the bandwagon. It immediately strengthened my nails, but after a while my nails became brittle. I stopped using it for years. My nail tech convinced me to try it again. While it doesn’t really make my nails much stronger, it gives me seriously long-lasting manicures! I use it as a base and top coat and I swear my manicures last me a full 6 days no matter what brand of polish I use. My first chip usually comes on day 7, when I’m ready to switch it up anyway. It is my secret weapon.
Wow…great tip! Not a lover of nailtiques but for a long lasting mani….ok!
I absolutely LOVE scotch tape manicures! They have all of the accuracy of airbrushed lines and edging, without the price.
This sounds like a great show! Thanks for the contest.
Favorite nail trick has to be using the cotton ball/foil method to get rid of the pesky glitter polishes!
My favorite tip is the foil method for removing glitter polish. I cut a cotton round into fourths, and each one is the perfect size to cover my nails. Then wrap a piece of foil around my finger and leave for 15 min. If I apply pressure while removing, it works best.
My favorite thing to do to extend the life of my manicure is to prep my nail beds with a swipe of rubbing alcohol before putting on my base coat. Just a little bit helps clean the excess oils (natural or from cuticle treatments) off of my nails and provides a nice, clean surface for my base coat to adhere to!
I’m so excited to see this show! My favorite tip is wrapping the free edge of you nail when polishing. I use the method you had a tutorial on and I think it really makes my mani look better for longer.
Wrapping the nail tip when applying the top coat – avoid the dreaded shrinkage!
My favorite nail tip is using circle stickers (ones usually seen at garage sales marking item prices) to give me clean lines when I do half moon manicures. They’re much cheaper to buy then smile guides!
Using crackle over an old paint job helps create a new look when in a rush. And a four-way buffer before doing your manicure definitely helps the manicure last longer!
My favorite nail trick is to clean up my manicure with a small brush and some nail polish remover. It looks like you went to go get your nails at a salon! Just a little step to make your manicure look even better.
The “foil method” for removing stubborn glitters is my absolute FAVE nail tip. Soak a cotton ball in acetone, place it on your nail and wrap your finger in aluminum foil. In 10 minutes your nails are naked and happy. I usually do this while watching TV and it takes no time at all
My favorite is to use cuticle oil as often as I can remember to keep my cuticles nice so I don’t pick at them. I have also discovered that Revlon’s Crazy Shine nail buffer is awesome and super gentle and inexpensive.Oh and of course using Zoya’s Remove+ instead of pure acetone. Remove+ works just as well and is way more gentle.
I love wearing glitter polish, but I always hated removal. Learning the foil method changed my life.
Some other valuable tips I learned were the art of frankening, layering, and scotch tape manis.
Use the angled side of an orange stick dipped in acetone to clean up around your nail after polishing.
http://twitter.com/#!/blkvelveteen20/status/82887199498055680
Wear gloves when washing to prevent wear on polish!
This tip isn’t a big secret, but its amazing how many people don’t do it- Moisturize your cuticles!! I always have cuticle cream with me, and it has become a habit for me to moisturize several times a day. My nails have never been healthier!
using an old makeup concealer brush to clean up cuticles after polishing.
and no matter how old you are glitter polishes are for everyone
My favorite nail trick is to use two coats of a strengthening base coat to prevent staining and keep my nails strong!
When I’m heading to the beach and I know my toes will take a beating, I layer a fun bright color with crackle on top and quit worrying about possible chips or smudges.
My favorite nail trick is to put Sally Hansen No bit under my manicure — just the smell of it is a deterrent for nail biting, and my nails look SO much better.
Favorite manicure tip is using a four step buffer before applying polish, it makes your polish last for up to a week!
My favorite nail tip is to never listen to my mother, re: colors! She hates the ones I love, and I’m always happier when I ignore her advice (but only when it comes to nail polish).
My favorite trick is to use a square of felt instead of cotton balls to remove nail polish. It does a great job with dark colors and glitter and doesn’t leave pieces of cotton behind on your nails!
My favorite thing, especially since I inevitably touch my nails while waiting for them to dry, is to top any messed up nails with a matching glitter.
My favorite nail trick is to tape the edges of your nail to prevent getting nail polish on your skin or the rest of your nail for a french mani
I believe that using cuticle dissolvers to remove cuticles are essential. Just buff your nails later, use a cuticle cream, and follow up with swiping nails with alcohol. Then paint your nails–it all leads up to a long, fabulous looking manicure.
My fave tip is to wrap the nail tips and Seche Vite top coat!!!
Since I’ve been using Gelous (found at Sally’s- frost/clear bottle w/a green top) my manis have been bulletproof and my nails have been super strong. The under-the-quick split I used to get on two of them hasn’t happened in a long time!
Love reading these nail tips!
My only tip is a four way buffer… my nails have looked so much better since I implemented mine!
I start the polishing part of my manicure by putting Orly Nail Envy on the entire underside of my nail. This saves me from having to remember to wrap tips. I’ve been able to really grow my nails longer since I started doing that. Also the edges of my nails are porous and sometimes get stained if I wrap with a dark color.
I mean OPI Nail Envy..duh
Ever since I switched to a dry manicure my polish lasts so much longer. No more soaking for me. After my topcoat I put a dab of cuticle oil on each nail and I am good to go.
Using a fast dry top coat like Seche Vite or Sally Hansen Insta Dri (red bottle) has changed my world!
Although it has already been mentioned, I use a brush dipped in acetone to clean up my manicures. Thanks!
My favorite tip is cleaning my nail bed with vinegar before applying my base coat! It takes all the dust from filing and oil off and makes my manicures last longer!
My favorite nail tip is to apply a very thin layer of petroleum jelly with a cuticle pusher to the skin around the nail before polishing. After my mani or pedi is done, I can just use the cuticle pusher to gently wipe off any stray polish marks. It’s especially useful with toes and when doing water marbling!
My favorite nail tip is to file and shape your nails while you’re still wearing polish. It really lets you shape evenly without being influenced by any irregularities in the coloring of the white tip of your nail.
My tip is to also wear what makes you happy, not what everyone else is doing. To apply topcoat every day to keep the mani fresh and shiny
My favorite nail tip is using the underedge of the bottle cap/brush to clean up the edges of the nail the second a mistake is made. It works great to wipe off any polish that got out of the lines.
My favorite tip is making sure I have enough time to dry my nails, even with seche vite or what have you, to make sure I don’t bump the nails while doing stuff around the house.
My favorite nail tip is the foil method (wrapping each nail in in foil with a cotton ball soaked in nail polish remover on the nail) for removing glitter nail polish.
I dip a q-tip in nail polish remover and clean off my nails before applying basecoat or anything. My nails are very moist, so it helps the polish to stick to my nails better. Not something I’d suggest for -everyone-. It helps me though(and I do a lot of work with my hands).
My favorite tip is to extend a mani with a glitter or crackle topcoat. That way you get a few extra days out of a color you love if you don’t have the time to change!
My favorite tip is to rub all your nails down with rubbing alcohol prior to using base coat/color. I swear it helps my manicures last by removing all moisture from the nail bed and it isn’t as drying as using 100% acetone!
I wear UV gel overlays (I have super fragile nails that also won’t take polish, so the gel keeps them protected and allows polish to last more than a day on my nails), and my biggest tip was inspired by a nail tech who used to do my nails: put a bit of nail glue on the underside of your nails when you wear gels or acrylics. It guarantees the ends will never lift as it creates a waterproof seal at the tip of the nail. It also helps to keep the overlay looking thin and natural – if you wrap the tip with gel or acrylic to protect the end, it’ll be thick and fake-looking. The glue spreads and dries paper thin!
My favorite tip for peeling/brittle nails is to use a glass file instead of the usual ones. It really does help.
My favorite tips are the gap-looks so much nicer and easier to clean up, and to brush some lotion around my cuticles before I polish, I take off any lotion that got on my nails with remover, and after my polish is dry I can just peel any excess polish off! It’s fun, plus I think it helped my cuticles to look way better this winter.
My favorite nail tip is to always reach back for those untried colors! I’ve taken a leaf from the 365 days of untrieds and I’m using colours I forgot I bought and then I fall in love with them! I’m always willing to take a risk with nail polish cause its fun!
https://twitter.com/#!/SeaShellyBob
My favorite tip is using scotch tape for straight lines in manicures!
My favorite nail tip definitely has to be the foil method of removing glitters. Before i learned that trick, i hardly ever wore glitter polishes because removal was impossible! Now, it’s a breeze!
Make sure each layer of nail polish is dry before putting a new coat.
My favorite tip is coupons & promo’s. I very rarely pay full price for polish. I always wait until there’s a promo or it’s on clearance, and most times coupons or sales (like the ones Ulta, Sally’s or drugstores have). Also, having a Sally’s card always takes a decent amount of the price even without a coupon or sale. If I can get multiple polishes for the price of one, I’m totally in!
Invest in a glass nail file. Throw out those yucky cardboard emery boards. The glass nail file is totally worth the money.
My favorite tip for cleaning up cuticles is to paint my nails at night, before I go to bed, and I don’t bother with extensive clean-up work. I give them enough time to dry (about ten minutes with a quick-dry top coat) and then hit the hay.
The next morning when I take a bath or shower, the water softens up my skin and the polish from my cuticles flakes away pretty easily! I use a cuticle pusher to help take it off. A little oil and I’m ready to go!
Works better for me anyway, since I usually have trouble trying to clean up polish with a q-tip or with other methods without inadvertently removing the polish on my nails as well as my cuticles…
My favorite tip is to use a small, stiff brush dipped in acetone to neaten up the nails for a perfect look.
My favorite tip has to do with nail art – for a quick, clear-edge style on your nails, you can use scotch tape. By cutting a small piece of tape and placing it on your nail and painting in the open space, then peeling off the tape, you can create a clear edge on the tip of your nail, or stripes all across it!
My favorite tip is to also apply top coat at the tip of my nails to help nail polish/manis last longer (longest wear time has been 10 days with no chipping!)
My favorite tip is using a E.L.F. brand concealer brush for cleanup after painting my nails. It works like a charm!
My nail tip is Essie’s Good to Go top coat. It’s my favorite quick dry. And of course, reading ALU; so glad I found you (and so is my polish wish list!)
For Holographic polishes like Nfu Oh, if you don’t have the aqua base, use a matte top coat as a base before applying the polish and it really helps to even out the application.
Nail tip: Always use a base coat and a quick dry top coat. Not the most innovative tip but something I always always do. And something I didn’t know about before I really got into polish.
My favorite tip is one that’s been mentioned before – that proves it’s a great tip & trick!!
It’s using a paint brush dipped in acetone to clean up polish around the cuticle area after polishing. I love creating a perfect gap between the polish and my cuticle and find it so satisfying to do so!
my fav trick is to use two layers of topcoat for extra strength and staying power!
Something that I’ve learned over and over again is never get too close to the cuticle with your polish, it makes it chip a lot faster. Thanks!
My favorite nail tip is to always use a base coat and top coat. Especially Seche Vite. This helped me out so much! I no longer have to sit forever waiting for my nails to dry or worry about them getting badly stained and damaged. If I wear a good base and seche vite my nails turn out smooth and mirror shiny. AHHHMAZNG!
My favorite nail tip is using the combinatin of foil & cotton round pads to remove glitter polishes.
I see I’m not the first to say it, but I also love tape manicures–especially with a matte topcoat so you get a tone on tone effect. I also love using felt to remove polish, makes it go so fast!
Running my nails under cold water – it helps the dryness set in.
Filing my nails in only one direction (on each side) towards the center(not back and forth) has saved them. Way back, before I learned this was the “right” way to file, I would just haphazardly go to town with my nail file. Being more conscious of where the file goes makes all the difference! Hahah kind of a boring “tip”, but necessary!
My favorite nail tip is always file your nails in one direction. This way you avoid microscopic tears in the nail that can cause weak brittle nails from moisture exposure.
Using an eyebrow brush with pure acetone is a cheap and awesome way to clean up your manicure and make it look like you’re a pro at application!
My tweet: http://twitter.com/alibee_public/status/82914104603443201
If your boss is female, or a comfortable-with-it-male, you should have at least ONE meeting while getting pedicures. My last performance review was with my boss while getting pedicures. Now we have a different connection than other co-workers and I have someone who gets excited by what is on my nails!
Now, this tip may not work for everyone. But if you can, I say do it.
Wrap. the. tip.
haha changed my life!
My favorite tip is to do my nails in stages. I put my base coat on both hands, let it semi-dry. Then I put a coat of polish on both hands, let it semi-dry. Then repeat with a 2nd polish coat. I always put 2 coats of polish and then my top coat. Yes. . . it takes a while but I always look forward to that all important “Me” time by doing my nails and reading my favorite ALU blog! My polish stays on forever. I guess this is not really a tip but it works for me.
I use a slanted eye shadow brushed dipped in pure acetone to clean up my polish. Works super easy and then just moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.
Yay, I can’t wait to watch the show!
My favorite nail tip is simple: practice makes perfect. I always have people asking me how I do my own nails so neatly, and the answer is just that I’ve done it so much, it’s a piece of cake!
I like to paint the underside of my nails with a contrasting color. It may be an old trend but I get tons of compliments on it. Especially from men! LOL I wear black polish a lot and something really bright or shimmery looks amazing underneath.
I also always keep a matchbook in my purse for those really rare times when I can’t find my nail file. You can’t do a lot with it, but it can really smooth out a rough edge until you can get home.
I love to wear glitter polish, and I use the foil method to remove it. I tear a cotton ball in half, soak it with remover, and wrap foil around my nails to soak the polish off. About 10 minutes of that and it wipes right off! Love it!
I
My favorite tip for keeping organized are nail wheels. Now it seems like a no-brainer, but before I thought it was a bit obsessive, but it really helps me keep track of what colors I have and what they look like.
Wrapping my tips!!! This saved me from the terrible 1-2 day tip wear I used to get from working in a lab everyday!!! Latex gloves have nothing on me now:)
my favorite tip is foil to remove glitter and recently, flakie nail polishes. I put an acetone soaked cotton pad around my finger and then wrap the foil around and seal it well. Then 5 minutes (10 is ideal but it’s hard!) I twist the foil around and take them off and then clean up!
tweeted!
http://twitter.com/#!/OliviaFrescura/statuses/82918031948390400
My favorite has to do with cuticle oil. I keep a bottle of it right next to my computer so I’m reminded to use it. I rub it in while I watch a video or 2 on YouTube or while catching up on my blog reading.
if my nails start breaking easy- i start painting them with clear coats for a week or so to get them hard again
I have two tips, well tools really. The first one is using a glass nail file instead of clippers or a sandpaper-like file. It really helps my nails not peel and break so often. The second is Burt’s Bees cuticle balm -I keep one in my purse and one at home to keep my cuticles moisturized.
Getting a glass file was the best tip I ever got! It really made a difference right away.
one of my favorite nail tip is the moisturizing pack, while I wear gel polishes, I rub everyday a small amount of cuticle eraser mix with cuticle oil,works wonders!!
I think my favorite nail care tip has to be wrapping your tips. Doing this has lengthened the life on my manis so much!
My favorite tip is making sure everyone uses a base coat and a top coat to help their manicures last longer. Also while using a nail hardener to apply a coat everyday and after 7 days take it off and then start over.
Wrapping my tips with each layer of basecoat, polish, and topcoat has completely transformed the look and longevity of my manis! Before I started doing that, I would be in Chip City a few hours after my nails were dry.
My favorite tip is using household items for my manicure needs such as olive oil for cuticles and scotch tape or painters tape for cool nail patterns!
I used an angled brush & nail polish remover to clean up my cuticles get those perfect edges!
I learned this tip from All Lacquered up here, using thin coats of polish instead of one thick coat to prevent any chipping. I definitely think this is the reason why I rarely have any chips nowadays on my manicures, they last long
I like to layer neons over a coat of white polish to make them more opaque and make the color pop even more!!
1) Foil + cotton ball soaked in remover trick to remove glitters
2) I’m inherently lazy and prefer to paint my nails at night. I take a nice hot shower the next day and gently rub off any messes I made on my skin. I’m too impatient to use swabs and orange sticks dipped in remover immediately after painting.
Wrapping your tips makes your manicure last so so so much longer!
My favorite tip is what someone told me a while ago to keep my manicures nice and clean. If I happen to go over the skin a bit when I’m doing my nail, I use an old makeup brush I had soaked in acetone to clean it up. My manicures have been so much better since doing that.
http://twitter.com/#!/utpian/status/82927053875326976
My favorite tip is a no brainer but one many people don’t do. I keep my favorite and most used polishes in my fridge. My polishes never gloop or thicken up any more, and I hardly get bubbles whenever I do my nails. It’s a money and time saver because I use to toss out or destroy my polishes by adding polish remover. Plus those pesky bubbles are gone, the lord knows how many times i’ve had to redo a nail because of a little annoying bubble.
my favorite tip is using scotch tape to make fun manicures!
My favorite tip is how to easily take off glitter nailpolish! They are so pretty but the glitter is everywhere when you take it off. What I do is rip up pieces of cotton and put nail polish remover on it, then put it on my nail then wrap it with foil! I do this with each nail and although is tedious after a few minutes of soaking when you pull off the foil everything is gone!
My favorite tip is to create bold color combinations, such as orange and red or teal and purple!
I just now learned about the cotton/foil method for removing glitter polishes (thanks to all previous posts) so that now has to definitely be my favorite nail trick. Awesome, thanks!
the best tip i now know is wrapping my nail tips.I cannot wait to watch a reality show about nails.
I love my Orly Bonder. It really helps the nail polish adhere. Also, I put on Burt’s Bees lemon butter cuticle cream every night before bed.
My favorite nail tip is to use loose leaf paper reinforcement stickers to paint half-moon manicures. Reinforcement stickers are cheap, come in large packages at all office supply stores, and are the perfect way to create prefect half-moons without all the practice it must take to paint them on freehand.
My tip is just called “I was completely ignorant until I started reading nail blogs”, but finding Seche Vite literally changed my life. I could never get a manicure to last more then 2 days, and even then I usually ended up denting the polish anyway. Doing my nails wasn’t fun until Seche Vite!
It seems to be everyone’s favourite tip, but painting the tips and slightly on the underside of my nails is absolutely the most useful nail-related advice ever. Stops shrinkage and helps slow tipwear, which is always where my chips start. If I fail to wrap my tips, my manis last about half as long.
I apply extra virgin olive oil to my cuticles daily with a q-tip. Super cheap and does the job.
The best tip I ever learned was how to use wrap the free edge of a nail to prolong a mani and reduce tipwear. This technique is also great for filling tipwear and/or chips after you’ve worn the mani for a few days!
Here’s my tweet as well: http://tinyurl.com/3ztkmke
I’m excited about this show, I already have it set to tape on my DVR! My nail tips aren’t groundbreaking. The first one is to use a glass nail file, I keep one in my nail polish kit and my purse, and I love them! My second tip is to paint your nails what makes you happy! And of course, once your nails are chipped, take your polish off!
my favorite tip is to buff your nails before applying polish. It stops the color from chipping and makes the polish go on so much smoother!
my favorite tip is wrapping the tips of my nails. it really extends my manicure. also using a really high quality base and top coat matters a lot for me!
My favorite nail tip is to use masking tape for crisp lines for French tips.
Best tips I’ve learned are to wrap tips and use a crystal file.
My favorite tip is to file my nails while I am wearing an old manicure. This helps me determine if my nails will look straight of crooked at the tips. If I file with no polish on I can never tail and then I have to correct it later.
Enjoy!
My favorite tip is to cut up cotton pads into quads, soak them in polish remover, and stick them onto nails for 5 minutes to remove any polish without scrubbing and without a mess!
Use the hook tool you get in a cap highlighting kit for small polka dots and the rubbery end of a bobby pin for larger dots. also put a drop or two on the polish on a piece of foil and let it sit for a minute for a thicker consistency which makes for better dots.
My new favorite tip comes from learning how to master crackle polish and it totally goes against how I do my normal manicures – don’t wrap the nail tips!
If you wrap your tips with crackle, you’ll get a horizontal crack right across the nail tip. To prevent that funky look and improve tipwear, wrap with the top coat, not the crackle.
My favorite nail tip is for the colder months. Warm an olive oil and hand moisturizer combination for about 10 seconds in the microwave and soak your nails in it for about 15 minutes. This will keep hands and cuticles soft and moist when the weather outside is frightful.
My current favorite nail tip is one I (think) I discovered. If your crackle polish isn’t crackling as much as you’d like, lightly go over it with a brush dampened in acetone. It will re-wet the crackle polish, and as it dries it will crack more. Keep re-wetting it until you get the effect you desire.
I can’t wait for Nail Files!
My favorite tip is wrapping your nails, which definitely makes an awesome difference!
favorite nail tip- painting the edge! it really does make your home-mani last longer
Once, my nail polish started peeling really easily only a day or so after I did my nails. The whole layer of polish just came off when I picked at a loose corner of it. I was using a base coat, top coat, everything I usually do! Then I realized what I did differently. I think it was due to the hand lotion I used right before applying all my polish.
I’m not quite sure if this will hold true for everyone else, but I think that’s what ruined my manicure! Now, I wash my hands before but I try not to put on any greasy or oily lotion! I do that after the polish has dried.
My nail tip is using scotch tape around my cuticle area and around the finger when doing water marbeling for easier cleanup
It sounds basic – so much so that I failed to heed my own advice until this year…file in one direction only. Doing this results in nails less likely to split.
One other tip that seasonal for me but that’s useful all year – I try to wear polish all winter to keep my nails from being directly exposed to the freezing cold temps and dry air. I wear very light colors (unless I want something more colorful for a specific event). Using light colors allows more time between home manicures because minor chips are less visible/obvious.
My tip: I keep cuticle cream in the car, right in the center console. This way, it’s handy all the time -when I’m shuffling kids, waiting for pick up, etc, I just rub a coat into my nails. They look healthier and feel strongser instantly!
Ooo great contest! My tip is to use the same brand base/top coat as your color – when I do that the color seems to last longer without chipping.
My favorite tip is an oldie but goodie – take a half clove of garlic, mince it, drop into a bottle of clear nail polish and let sit for a week. I then use this as a base coat and it helps harden my very weak nails.
The thing people ask me about the most is how to keep from experiencing tip wear, so my favorite suggestion is to wrap your tips! It has made a world of difference for the wear of my manis.
My tip is to use fast drying drops. I really love my zoya fast dry drops. I am always in a time crunch, and I love to polish my nails a few times a week. The dry drops considerably decrease drying time.
http://twitter.com/#!/steph_gem77/status/82949407552700416
I like to use “Nutra Nail bullet proof strength Kevlar Fiber formula” for a base coat. “Sally Hansen” made a better formula but dropped it 2-3 years & this is the closest I can find to it. 2 coats is best, then 1 coat “Rock” base coat. “Rock” top coat over any polish & can be used without a UV lamp but does need overnight to cure thoroughly. I did also recently invest in a UV nail lamp, what a difference! My nails are well cured with it in 5 minutes:)
My tip? The brushes I use to clean up the polish I inevitably slop all over my fingers come from Michaels and Joanns craft stores. I get small flat art brushes and with the weekly 40% off coupons, they’re really, really inexpensive. And I love the bristles – I find ones that I find easy to control.
I’m not entering but I wanted to mention that my cable network doesn’t have TV Guide Network channel, so I will be deprived of watching this wonderful new show!
Using nail polish remover before you put on your base coat, even if you have bare nails, really helps your base coat stick to your nails and makes your polish last longer!
My favorite nail tip is to wait 2 minutes between each coat. If each coat is completely dry before applying the next one the mani lasts way longer!
Using a brush (a cheapie paintbrush will do) to clean up polish accidents around the cuticles – it’s quick and easy, and doesn’t leave little fibers the way q-tips do!
I have to say the foil method of removing glitters. I love glitter.
My favorite tip is to use a good top coat like Seche Vite or Out the Door to maintain a long lasting manicure. Also, I love Sally Hansen’s instant cuticle remover. It really cleans up my cuticles and gives a clean and healthy look to my hands!
After applying my polish, I run a toothpick around my cuticles to clean them up. Less messy than using nail polish remover + makeup brushes, and doesn’t really require a precise hand at all!
Nail tip wrapping!! It solves so many problems.
Here’s my tip: In between manicures, I use Revlon’s CrazyShine nail buffer! It really does make my nails shine! I don’t know how, but it works.
P.S. I tweeted about the contest, too!
My most important tip: Use the restroom BEFORE you do your nails! You will either a) jack up your manicure trying to carefully shimmy out of your jeans, or b) have to hold it til your nails dry!
#1: Scotch tape to make straight lines for a mani
Other favorites are: layering different colors to create new colors and wrapping my tips:)
I don’t think I have anything special that has not already been mentioned. However, I will share some tips anyway. Here goes:
*Wear what makes you feel pretty…don’t worry about what you think is “in” wear what makes you feel good.
*Always take the time for base and top coat. They both make a huge difference with both look and durability.
*If a manicure is starting to get old, touch up with a glitter top coat or some shatter to make it last a little longer. At the very least…do a quick drying top coat to refresh the shine.
Thanks for reading!
My favorite tips is, I keep a pair of clippers and moisturizer in my purse in case something damaging happens to any of my nails while out, I can take care of it, and so I can also moisturize after washing my hands.
My favorite nail tip is to use chapstick on my cuticles and around my nails before I manicure them. That way if I accidently get polish on the sides I can wipe it right off and its also really mosturizing to prevent hang nails.
Keeping my nails polished and manicured is the best way to stop biting them! Also I love my salon style polish remover pump bottle – Ebay as ‘em and they are super inexpensive.
My favorite tip is taking a shower after painting my nails. It’s an easy way to clean up any polish that’s on the cuticle or my fingers.
My best tip is that if you can’t do it right yourself, hire an outstanding professional who can! Getting it done right the first time is worth every cent, and I’ve developed a cherish friendship in the process. It’s all good!
Wrapping your tips! Definitely the best advice I’ve heard for extending the life of your mani without chips
I love using base coat and top coat (CND Stickey and Seche Vite) to keep my nails chip-free!
My favorite trick (for me!) is to just keep my nails polished. Even though I (mostly) stopped biting my nails 20 years ago, no polish and a little bit of life-stress leads picking at my nails and then biting. I won’t do that if I’m wearing polish.
The best nail trick I’ve ever found is to add xanthan gum to a regular nail polish to make it thick enough to use with a stamping system!
I tweeted the phrase here: http://twitter.com/erinmacmahon/status/82978060642689024
my tip is to put chapstick on your cuticles before you go to sleep at night to keep them moisturized.
tweeted; http://twitter.com/collifornia/status/82978919069925376
Fun giveaway!
My tip/trick is to use small felt squares for removal. No lint leftovers! It’s cheap and fast and sort of exfoliates your cuticles as you remove
I’ll never go back to cotton!
Wrap the edges, use a small brush and acetone for a very easy way to clean up, and make sure to leave a gap by the cuticle.
My favorite tip is to use lemon juice to whiten your nails!! Also, using nail bonding glue (err, like for acrylics) when you’ve broken a nail.
My favorite tip is to use a small glass condiment bowl for my nail polish remover. It keeps me from picking the bottle up 15 times, and from using too much. No more remover dripping down my fingers as I tip the bottle too much. I can easily dip my cotton in the bowl and soak it completely to let it hang out on my nail and do the hard work for me.
My Favorite Tip For Doing My Nails Is Taking My Nail Polish Off At Night & Applying All My Cuticle Oil/Cream & In The Morning They Look Absolutely Healthy & I Apply Polish Using Seche Vite Afterward Of Course!!
& i Also Tweeted.!
http://Twitter.com/NailsMadeSimple
I ALWAYS use a base coat no matter what. And I am constantly applying lotion and cuticle cream to keep my hands nice and soft
Thanks to the Painted Nail & ALU for the giveaway, I watched the first episode the other day and now I’m hooked!!!
Glass files…the best thing ever. I have even gotten men addicted to them…
Best trick to prevent dark colors from staining your cuticles when removing them: one coat of cuticle oil before wiping with acetone.
My favorite trick is to put a layer of Gelous over glitter before applying the Seche Vite. This keeps the glitter from eating the topcoat. I get a glassy finish with this combo.
Thanks!
I can never get clean edges when I use a Qtip dipped in acetone to remove excess polish around my nail. I now use a glass nail file to buff away polish from hard to reach places like right underneath a corner of a tip.
Nail tip: wear fun colors !
Wrapping my tips helps prevent my polish from chipping!
Use a cuticle butter or oil to keep your cuticles moisturized.
Always use a base coat. The darker colors don’t stain that way
I use a washcloth to push back my cuticles when I get out of the shower, since they’re softer and it’s much easier to do.
My favorite nail tip is to refrain from cleaning too vigorously underneath your nail tips. It can make your nail beds detached, or stay detached if they already are. If you soak your nails in warm soapy water for a few minutes, you should be able to clean out all the dirt very gently with a soft nail brush instead of using something like a wooden cuticle stick. It takes time, but when your nail beds reattach they’ll look longer and healthier.
My favorite nail tip is creating a patch for bad breaks until the nail grows out enough! I do this whenever I get a bad break:
place a small strip of silk or a tea bag on the tear, place glue on top, file & give 2 base coats, then polish and done!
My favorite tip is to understand that your skin tone (especially mine, olive woohoo!) will not mesh with every color, and to savor the colors that do!
My favorite nail tip is to not paint my nails under a moving ceiling fan (I’m in the south so ceiling fans are somewhat ubiquitous). It doesn’t seem like it would make a difference but it really does.
Thanks for the fantastic giveaway opportunity! My favorite tip is to use a bit of cuticle oil or gel before bed. It helps moisturize my nails overnight and minimizes hangnails and dryness.
My nail tip is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS put at least 2 coats of nails polish on! It makes the color look more vibrant.
My favorite trick is to use binder hole reinforcers when doing a half moon manicure!
My favorite tip is drying between coats. I get so impatient sometimes and it can look.awful if I dont wait.
I really love Orly Bonder. But, the Zoya system works incredibly well for their polishes.
My favorite tip is to eat vitamins and well rounded meals; I always find my cuticles are in better shape when I’ve been eating right!
Don’t file or paint your nails after dipping in water because the nails will flatten out and lose their shape!
I love using the Burt’s Bee lemon cuticle balm. Since I’ve started using it on a regular basis, my cuticles are much healthier and I have fewer hangnails.
Wrap your nail tips is my fave tip. Last so much longer now!
My favorite tip is using those re-enforcement stickers (the kind for three-hole punched paper) to get the half-moon mani. I didn’t really like the look at first, but now whenever I do it I get sooo many compliments, plus I think it makes my fingers look long and slender
I usually use a bright fun color for the half moon and a metallic/chrome for the rest.
Can’t wait to watch the show! Sounds like nail aficionados’ crack!
I have two favorite tips, is that okay?!
1. Paint the edge of your nails. Like, the part that you normally file. I find that when I do one coat, paint the edge, then do a second coat and topcoat, my manicure lasts SO much longer.
2. I use crackle to save a manicure when I’m short on time. I usually change my polish once a week, but like most people, I sometimes don’t have time, so the crackle is great for covering any chips and keeping a manicure looking fresh until I have time to change it.
Probably the oldest trick in the book, but for ages I would clean up my cuticles using cotton balls. One day I realized that Q-tips would be SO much easier and more precise; made my life waay easier!
Using a small brush to apply vaseline on cuticles before polishing nails. You can wipe off the mess afterwards!
Lazy trick: paint as sloppily as you pleae before taking a shower. Much of the excess on your skin will peel right off.
my favorite nail polish is Orly’s Space Cadet.
best tricks are: 1. clean up nails with polish remover immediately before your base coat 2. kinda tricky, but if you can, right after you apply your polish and it is still wet, use an orange stick in polish remover to clean up just the very edge of your nail (like a hair’s width) so that it will chip less
I love to put on a thick, gooopy layer of Mango Mend before bed each night! I wake up to soft, moisturized cuticles which helps me curb the urge to bite them.
my favorite tip is to cut as little as you can when it comes to the cuticles! I like to load my cuticles with lotion let it sit for 5-10 minutes then gently with a washcloth wipe and push back the cuticles. then trim anything that is to crazy:) Moisturizes and keeps them in line in one go:)
My favorite tip is the quick vintage manicure. I like to use half of those 3 hole punched paper fixing stickers on the moon of each nail after painting with a metallic, then continuing to paint with a bright color. It looks fantastic!
My favorite new product is called Liquid Diamond – I have been having issues with soft, peeling layers and nails that just wouldn’t grow. I found this and my nails are getting harder and not peeling as much. Seriously my best tip ever even though it sounds like an endorsement! Eep!
Using Vitamin E oil as cuticle oil. It’s cheaper and easily found at Vitamin World and organic markets.
My favorite tip is to paint my nails at night when I’m on the computer! I have taught myself to type and use the mouse without touching my nails against them and I hardly ever have to redo a nail. The best part is you can catch up on facebook, twitter or your favorite blog
and get your nails done at the same time. And if you use a fast drying top coat(I use Seche) you don’t have to worry about sheet marks!
When I paint my nails, I paint my thumbs the very last because I can clean up the polish that always finds it way on the skin around my nail with my thumb nail.
My favorite tip is if you want your nail polish to dry quick run your nail through cold water.
My favorite trick? Take a toothpick and twist a small amount of cotton from a cotton ball around it. Dip in remover and use to clean up messy paint jobs! Gets in and cleans them up without taking the polish off your nail! Works great!
Sally Hansen Triple Strong as a base coat. A staple product for me.
My favorite nail tip or trick is instead of shaking your nail polish bottle, roll it between your hands. This prevents air bubbles in the polish.
Always wear gloves when doing household chores, whether they be doing dishes or gardening, for prolonged polish wear, less chipping, and keeping nails, cuticles, and hands moisturized!
My favorite trick is the dip my wet nails in cold water to help them dry faster.
We’ve all put on fast-dry topcoats, patiently waited our five minutes, and then gone about our day thinking we were covered, only to encounter unexpected smudges later on despite the promised quick dry time. To ensure that my mani stays smudge-free, I put cuticle lotion on my just-painted nails five minutes after applying a top coat. Lush’s Lemony Flutter works the best for this. The layer of lotion protects your mani from smudges during that awkward “Can I activity x yet? Are my nails dry enough for Y or will they smudge?” time.
My favorite trick to growing nails longer is to file them whenever I change my polish. Sounds a little counter-intuitive, but filing nails exposes a thicker interior part of the nail that will be more resistant to breakage. So every time I change my polish, which is about every 5 days, I file my nails down a tiny bit, and my nails feel stronger and harder and grow out very nicely!
Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/cleverncolorful/status/83046005456646145
I love reading all these tips
A few that I swear by myself:
1) Clean up using acetone and a small, stiff paint brush. The big trick with this is to do cleanup BEFORE top coat!
2) The foil method is a must for removing any stubborn polishes. I find I rarely need to let it sit for more than 5 minutes and the polish slides right off.
3) Using felt to remove polish instead of cotton balls. I cut felt up into approx 1″ squares. My nails and cuticles seem to come out smoother, and the felt can be cleaned and reused.
Different brands need different top and basecoats
my nails do not like the same bases for everything.
Never touching my cuticles, doing most of my cleanup in the shower, and wrapping my tips! I’m usually too lazy for that last one, though I’ve done it enough to notice the difference it makes.
My new favorite new trick is the splatter manicure! Not exactly the most work appropriate but it’s great for a fun summer weekend manicure :)Paint a light colored bottom coat on my nails and then the fun begins! Put a small dab of polish on a paper plate and then dip a straw in the pool of color. Blow it on each nail, one by one, creating an awesome splatter pattern! Clean up around the nail is a little messy (i’ve heard taping around the nail also works, but i have yet to try it) but my trick for that is an small angled makeup brush dipped in acetone…cleans up the mess easily.
I love glitter polishes, so my favorite tip has to be wrapping foil around a acetone-filled cotton ball on my fingers! Easy removal means I can change up my glitter manicures more often!
i keep a little pot of the body shop’s satsuma body butter in my purse at all times (they were giving away free samples one day and i just keep refilling it from my large tub when it’s empty) and i use that on my cuticles instead of oil. no more greasy fingers, my cuticles are in GREAT shape, and my hands always smell good, too!
My fave tip is to regularly use a 4 way buffer for a smooth surface for polish. It really makes a difference!
I like the tip about wrapping tips that you gave. Really makes np last longer.
My fave trick is to use felt instead of cotton balls to remove glitter polish. It’s inexpensive and it works!
when i have a manicure that’s a few days old & not looking in top shape, i’ll add a crackle/shatter polish & shiny topcoat over it to spice it up
Some of my favorite nail tips have already been mentioned here: wrapping your tips, the foil method for removal of glitter polish and I could not exist without my Burt’s Bees cuticle cream.
But my favorite tip I’d like to share is saying goodbye to the nail clipper and hello to the glass file. I’ve noticed a HUGE decrease in my nails chipping and splitting since I’ve stopped clipping them. And glass files are so much better for your nails and less damaging than an emery board. It may take a little longer to file them down, but it’s better than losing the entire nail to a split caused by your clippers.
My favorite nail trick is to make sure I paint the free edge of my nails so that way my manicure lasts longer. I also keep my nails filed in a square with rounded corners to prevent my nails from breaking as often.
I layer glitter and flakie polishes over an existing manicure to give me a totally new look mid week.
Using pure acetone on my nails prior to using prep and basecoat– it makes the polsih last longer.
Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!!!
My favorite tip is for dry nails that looks as though they might break or split. I use hard as hoof nail strengthening cream I apply it 3x a day and right b4 i go to bed i’ll apply a thin layer and let it sit 4 about 15 mins b4 rubbing it in. in the morning my nail is flawless again.
My tip is OPIs Chip Skip. It changed my life
My favorite new tip has been the “matte sandwich” to prevent chipping of matte polishes. Apply base coat, polish, then Seche Vite. Then apply a matte finish topcoat, like Essie’s Matte About You. I’ve been able to wear mattes for up to four days w/o chips using this method.
My favorite nail tip is to always use a treatment (Sally Hansen 4-in-one or Nail Magic) under my basecoat. Might as well do something good for my nails while I polishing, rignt? Since starting this I have had much less breakage and no peeling, ever!
2 tips and neither are original …
1. use a glass nail file: it takes longer sometimes if you have a lot of nail to file down but it leaves smoother edges and since it takes longer most of the time you file less to make the same shape so your nails appear longer
2. wear whatever color youre feeling! don’t be afraid to play with crazy brights if you feel like glowing that day
If I know I am using a slow drying nail polish, I will do just one hand at a time. This way, I still have one free hand left to use in order to minimize any polish smudging.
My favorite tip is using an eyeliner brush dipped in acetone to clean up my manicure too. Completely changed things for me, now I always have polished nails.
My favorite tip, which I discovered myself (although after becoming addicted and going on nail polish websites, I saw a lot of people already knew the trick) is when you have a smudge, you lick a finger and stroke the smudged wet polish, it’s not a smudge anymore. You can just lick the polish too, but I think my finger works better because then you can see what you’re doing. I fixed like a hundred manis this way. When I do this to my friends, they’re always so surprised because you can’t even see the smudge was there anymore. I did find out this is harder to do when you’ve already put on seche vite, for some reason, with that top coat on, it doesnt really work.
I massage Argan oil into my cuticles nightly, they have never looked better!
I have been reading your blog for a couple of weeks, and I love it, it is the first thing I check every morning after my email.
Here are a few of my nail tricks:
I am right handed, but I start painting my right hand first. This is counter-intuitive because I am more comfortable using my right hand, so I want to first use it to paint my left hand.
But if I start painting my dominant hand first,this way when I am done, my right hand has had more time to dry and I am less likely to smudge my manicure.
Another tip is that taking Evening Primrose Oil daily significantly improves (among other things) the strength of your nails, you will see less peeling and breaking. (it also improves skin and hair). This supplement can be found in any health or vitamin store.
I like to paint my nails just before bed, I go to sleep with my hands above the blanket, so when I wake up my manicure is set and not smudged (but I do use a fast dry top coat).
My tip is that I had staining from a polish I wore and I used one of those body scrubs on my fingers/nails and it removed the stains pretty easily.
My favorite trick to removing glitter (and stubborn) polish is to use the tinfoil method. Instead of wrapping each finger with cotton pads and foil, I just lay a sheet over all of my nails at the same time. Less waste and works just as well!
My tip: when doing any water nail technique, after you prep the area, lightly shake the polishes and have the bottle tops open and ready -and- laid down a work surface w/ some papertowels nearby… dip a q-tip in vasceline and apply to fingertips, all around the nail, on the back of your fingers, all the way up to your 2nd knuckle. Do this to 1 hand only. That way afer you dip and finish 1 hand into the water nail technique, you use the other dry hand to gently wipe off the excess polish & vasceline w. the papertowel. Wait a few minutes for hand #1 to set then do the same prep on your other hand. Viola! No excess remover needed, LOTS of time saved in the clean up (ask anyone who has had to sit to get the polish off with remover) and 10 nails that are wonderfully color matched to an outfit or a mood!
P.S. a clear shimmer coat atop pulls all the colors together and almost looks as though your nail are underwater.
I love to use a cuticle cream with AHA in it to keep the hangnails away and my cuticles looking good.
Can’t wait to watch the show tonight!
CND ridge filler base coat and Poshe top coat are the best tips I have.
I Luv to put mosteriser to keep my nails healthy and my skin too! Sometime i dont wear polish just a clear coat! Its great! I also like to use buffers as that r natural and thay bring up oil from the nails to make them shine!
Swiping the nails with remover to get rid of any excess moisture or oils on the nail bed.
I like to clean up manicures with a simple emery board. When polish is dry, I take out those pesky bits of polish by the cuticle or sides of my nail with a few swift strokes from the coarse side of an emery board, and it works like a charm. A dab of cuticle oil, and you’re ready to go with perfect nails!
Cleaning up around my nails with remover and an old makeip brush after a manicure has really started making my manicures neater.
My favorite nail polish tip: The 4-way buffer! I have hundreds of polishes and I love the look of painted nails. But I work in a hospital and can’t always have nail polish on – in some areas, it’s not permitted. So I have perfected the “bare, shiny, perfect nail” look! Crystal file to shape, as well as to make the edges of the nail perfectly sealed — only file in one direction, then at the end, brush the file “down” the tips of the nails toward your finger tip — this will seal the nail edge and prevent peeling. Then go to town with your 4-way buffer — buff off yucky ridges & pock marks, then use the shinier sides in sequence until you get to the satin side, and use that side last. Then I apply a cuticle cream (any brand will do!). I use the satin side all the time to freshen up the shine on my nails! My nails are strong, peel-free, and look as if I have a shiny coat on them – but it never chips off
(A close second favorite tip is, as always, to take your vitamins — since I restarted taking a hair/nails vitamin my nails are so much stronger!)
The thing that turned me into a polish convert was learning to use quick drying top coat to offset my natural impatience with waiting for nails to dry.
My favorite tip is to apply a glitter and/or flakey topcoat to a few day old manicure to hide any tipwear or even small chips. This extends the manicure for a few more days. Or if you have the time, adding a half moon or diagonal tape mani on top also works well to extend the manicure.
The best nail tip I can offer is that when doing manis, paint the very tips of your nails, the part that actually touches surfaces. It keeps your manis from chipping for so much longer! Another tip is that when doing gradation, use a makeup sponge! It makes it so much easier!
My nail tip is that I never cut my cuticles! I just use almond oil to soften then then push them back gently with a stick.
My favorite tips are to paint citified and the skin surrounding your nails with clear nail polish prior to painting nails to help easily remove any polish that gets on the skin. That along with an angled eye shadow brush and I no longer look like I’ve dunked my fingertips in nail polish
My fav tip is the “shower clean up method.” rather than dealing with remover and a fine tipped brush, i wait until my polish is dry, and then take a shower (or my next regular shower). at the end, when my hand are all wrinkly and my cuticles soft, the polish scrapes right off any place it shouldn’t be. amazing! my nails always look fantastic.
My tip is to use an orange wood stick to clean up any nail polish between your nail and skin. If you are doing your own nails, you can’t use the thumbnail of the other finger without messing up your manicure. Sliding the wedged end of the stick under your nail works perfectly.
My favorite trick is garlic, garlic makes my nails grow so fast, so I eat a lot of it, and I chop it up and put it into cutical oil to make my nails stronger.
So excited for this giveaway!
The only tip I can offer (like so many others will have, I’m sure!) is to do your nails at night and clean up the next day in the shower. It’s fast and easy, and I’d rather not use the remover & brush method for cleanup as too much remover really dries out my skin and nails.
My favorite nail trick is to ALWAYS “wrap the tip” with polish, to make sure your manicure last longer
I love layering colors. It creates endless possibilities to your color palette and can bring out a great reflector hiding in the background.
My favorite nail tip is using lip balm around the cuticles. It moisturizes as well as keeping the polish of your skin when painting your nails. It even works when doing water marbling!!
To minimize staining, use 2 layers of base coat. I use one layer of treatment, then one layer of sticky base, then my color & top coat of choice.
Spend time and money finding the right base coat for you. So far I’ve found 2 that work and when I use them my nails are as good (aside from stains still working on that) or better than they are when I don’t wear polish at all.
My favorite nail tip is to exfoliate my hands and cuticles daily.
Every single day I use cuticle oil. It really helps with hangnails and keeping my hands looking acceptable.
my fave tip (which i don’t do enough) is to wrap the polish on your tips to avoid shrinkage and chipping.
I loved reading the comments to this post! I’ve gained so many good tips! It really got me in the mood/excited for the show to start… I wish it was on right… now…!!!
My new favorite trick is when my polish is chipping and showing wear but I don’t have time to re-do them before the night out I put on a shatter! It fills in where there is wear and chips. Transforms the mani to something to look at instead of something to hide! And since most the shatters are a matte it dries super quick.
The thing that I think keeps my nails looking the best is keeping my cuticles nice. I rub Burt’s Bees cuticle cream into my cuticles and nails a few times a week. I try to do it every day, but I don’t always get around to it. With as often as I switch colors, I need to keep them looking good. If the cuticles are a mess, it doesn’t matter how nice the polish looks, the manicure will look messy.
in the summer it seems i am always rushing
My favorite tip is the foil method. It is the best way to remove glitters and flakies!
I love wrapping the bottom of my nail with both the polish and then topping with Seche Vite. It keeps my manicure from chipping for and extra two or three days.
reading all the tips makes mines sound so petty! don’t pull back your cuticles! you will end up with bloody fingers, so not lady like
Always, always, always wear rubber gloves when washing dishes or doing any cleaning. Even better, slather on hand cream before putting on the gloves. The warm dishwater will help the lotion sink in and make your hands extra soft!
I use pure acetone to take off polish so my trick is what I use to keep the my nails moisturized while taking off the polish. I use a 2 parts acetone and one part Neutragena sesame body oil mixture to take off my polish.
My favorite nail tip is using Burt’s Bees cuticle cream!
My tip is using argan oil on my cuticles and nails. My nails used to be very brittle, but after I used argan oil on them they became a lot stronger! Also, my cuticles now look cute and proper.
always keep some sort of polish (even just clear) on my nails, other wise the DDS kicks in with a vengence. too-rich face creams make perfect hand creams.
I really can not say that i have a fancy secret trick that i use when painting my nails, but the one thing i do every time is if i mess up and get polish on my skin, instead of re-do i just wait until i get in the shower and scrap off the polish and smooth out the cuticle line, make me appear to have a professionally done manicure
use a glass file and push back your cuticles….don’t cut.
my favorite tip is using burts bees cuticle cream every night before bed. it is such an amazing product…it totally transformed my cuticles!!
My favorite nail tip would be using Paula’s Choice Cuticle & Nail Treatment (or Beautiful Body Butter works, too)!
Instead of peeling polish when I’m bored and fidgety, I invested in a cuticle oil pen. That satisfies my need to fuss with something WITHOUT destroying my nails and as a bonus I get better cuticles and pretty-smelling mitts.
My favorite nail tip is using Sally Hansen’s Miracle Nail Thickener, it has made my nails so strong! I can feel the difference.
I like to use a drop of olive oil on my cuticles after removing old glitter polish and before a new colour to make up for the harsh acetone!
Make sure to wash it off well though!
I finally started getting longer lasting manis/pedis after reading some tips from your blog – prep the nail by removing all oils, lotions, etc first (I used RBL’s Base Coat Prep), and *thin* coats. Thanks for doing the giveaway!
My tip is to always use a base coat. Either a ridge filler or a hardener, whichever you need. I find that the manicures always last longer if I use a good base coat for the color to grip on to.
I love using the Dior Apricot cuticle cream in the evenings – it makes my nails super strong and keeps my cuticles at bay. I also use Orly Nail Bonder for dark polishes so my nail beds don’t get stained with all the deep reds and blues I love.
1. Paint your thumbnails last. Most people tend to be clumsier while their thumbs are still wet, so if you wait till the end, you’ll be less likely to fumble and smudge while putting on your polish.
2. As a ‘sandals all the time’ kind of gal, I’ve learned the merits of moisturizing my feet as well as my hands. I want people to be looking at my cute pedi, not nasty dry feet — so once a week or so I’ll slather my feet with body butter and pull on socks to sleep in. My feet feel wonderfully soft, and I never have problems with scaly patches or callouses.
black as a base coat brings out the shine. i like wet n wild black cream.
I’m a relatively new polish fanatic and have *just* learned to do my own nails about a year ago. (
My favorite tip would have to be NOT biting my nails!
I also tweeted about this but my twitter profile is private.
This is a link to it, but I’m not sure if it will come up.
http://twitter.com/#!/sarita_chiquita/status/83324941612756993
My fav tip is when removing nail polish glitter or any kind is to hold the cotton on the nail for a few seconds then swipe. Most of the polish will come off in one go.
It’s definitely not “my” tip (can’t take credit), but I love the slimline technique.
My favorite nail trick is wooden sticks to help swirl or clean up your nails.
My favorite nail tip is to use a fast dry top coat! I don’t know how many hours of my life have been saved by fast dry topcoats~
Wrapping my tips for no shrinkage from SV!
My only tip is that I put on my nail polish a bit before bed – when I’m done with housework but not as I’m just about to sleep. Then, I do my cleanup after my shower the next morning – the hot water makes it a snap!
My favorite tip is using a brush on repair gel instead of nail glue to hold cracks until they grow out. It makes for a much smoother texture and it’s not quite as drying.
My best tip: cuticle oil! Can’t have cute polish with busted fingers! Lol!!! I totally live this show! Have a tuned in viewer every teusday!
My Tip is: I’m a big fan of doing nail art and sometimes I just don’t have the correct tools available. But like every creative nail addict, you find ways around it. So you don’t have a nail dotter, just grab an old bobby pin or a toothpick or even the ends of those disposable floss spoons thing. You want to make paint splatters but have no idea what to use to achieve the effect? Sure you can achieve it with a brush, but I don’t have one. So I improvise. I make a blob on my nail. Grab one of those coffee stir sticks that’s also conveniently a really small straw and start blowing, distributing the colors. Anything is possible. Just let your creativity flow.
Cuticle oil!
Like so many people here, there are so many things I do to keep my nails in great shape it is hard to pick just one. But my best tip is to where gloves when cleaning to keep chemicals and water away from my nails.
A few of my favorite tips are using toothpicks for easy quick clean ups when your nail polish runs over. it helps so when you’re done with your manicure it gives you less polish to clean up. another tip i do if prepping your nails with nail polish remover to get all the extra oils off so your polish won’t bubble.
Moving your nail rather than the brush makes creating a french tip much easier! Love me some french manicures.
The best and most basic tip I’ve picked up is to use a base coat and fast-drying top coat. My nails are healthier and my manicures last much longer!
My tip has already been mentioned, but I’ll say it again – I always shower to help remove polish left around my nails from my manicures and pedicures! It’s a lot easier on the skin of my hands than scraping the polish off or using remover!
My favorite tip is that you should pee before you start painting your nails! Haha
Email: ***removed for privacy****
If I’m in a hurry while doing my nails and need them to dry quickly, in addition to using Seche Vite top coat, I stick my nails in ice water for a minute. This helps the polish to contract and dry even more quickly, and feels especially nice during the summer!
I love a good cuticle oil to clean up the cuticles (of course) and keep nail polish from getting all over the skin. Oh, and wrapping the tips of my nails with polish!
My tip would be to use argan oil on your cuticles – my nails have never been so strong!
My favorite trick is learning to wrap your tips with polish and topcoat to help them last longer! Also the different formulas available in basecoats. Great to find one specifically targeting your problem.
I’m in love with the “nail files” already! DVR is on high alert to record them all!
I don’t think this the kind of tip you’re looking for, but for me, always take the dog out right before you’re going to paint your nails so you don’t muck up your manicure when he starts asking to go out mid-painting!
When applying top coat, I also put a little under the tips of my nails. It helps my nails stay strong and helps the manicure last.
So many great suggestions and tricks!
People always ask me is how I manage to have such a neat and clean mani, even on my right hand (I’m right-handed). I have two tricks to avoid the ‘Jackson Pollock’ mani and having to use remover or the “shower method” after a manicure, reducing the chances of smudging all the hard work!
First: light, speed, repetition. Get a good light to work under if you can’t use the sun, go slowly at first, take a small break between coats, and swatch a lot!
Second:I know it sounds weird, but do things with your opposite hand more often. I sometimes practice writing and ACTUALLY coloring “in the lines” with my left hand while I have free time at work. Brain training!
Lastly, I take Palladio vitamins for nails everyday! It’s at Sally’s, works like gangbusters.
Good luck everyone, LOVE THE SHOW SO FAR!
*Always use gloves when doing housework.
*Swipe the surface of each nail with an alcohol wipe or an alcohol soaked cotton ball before polishing to remove oils.
*Wrap the tips when polishing.
*Poloish nails at night before bed to allow more dry time.
*Keep cuticle oil or butter on your nightstand and use it just before falling asleep every night.
Massage moisturizing lotion into your cuticles as well as your hands each time you wash your hands.
My favorite tip (even though I’ve only had to use it once) is to soak your fingernails in denture cleaning mixture to remove stains! It really works!
I don’t go through nail polish quickly. Bottles last me forever. Hence, nail polish thinner is one of my favorite nail products. It thins out the consistency of aged lacquers to their original viscousity.
best tip.. when water marbling use at least three colors and keep water room temp….
I use paper reinforcers to give myself a perfectly curved tip shape when painting my nails with any kind of french manicure.
I always wrap my tips! It makes such a difference.
My favorite nail tip: If you’re applying at least 2 coats of polish (which everyone should be) to apply the first coat thin then the 2nd coat thicker. For me, this cuts down on dry time but still yields an opaque finish.
the more glitter, the better.
My favorite tip is ALWAYS use a glass file! It will not tear or rip your nails and keeps peeing to a minimum…
I always apply base coat and my nail polish rarely chips before a full five days
If my nails get yellowed or stained I apply a drop of lemon or lavender oil onto my nails and then use a buffer to buff off the stains. I have also found that I can buff my nails with a peroxide toothpaste such as Arm & Hammer Peroxicare and that will also get rid of the stains.
my favorite nail tip has to be to use a quick dry top coat!! it has saved my life in so many occasions
My fave tips I have learned are: never use nails as tools, use felt instead of cotton to remove polish (much quicker & efficient) and when polishing get as close to the cuticle without touching, leaving a “gap”. I am a excessive hand washer so a few times a week before bed I slather on a thick hand cream and sleep with cotton gloves on for extra moisture. I have more but will stop now =)
My tip is to put your hands in cold water to dry them and then make the nails press each other to see if they’re fully dry
Always wrap the tip of your nails with your polish to lessen tipwear. I type a lot so this totally helps me keep my nails looking nice for a while longer.
When I give my self a pedicure, I take off all polish then do a sugar scrub all over my feet , even on my toes. This helps get them smooth and shiny and also removes that little extra skin by nails and everywhere else. Makes your feel look fresh and polished before you even apply the nail color.
Also, if you are working with thinner nail polish, like some of China Glaze, use white or silver as a base coat to get a more vibrant bright color without applying too much polish!
I always bring my own polish when I go for a professional manicure so I can do touch ups and make it last just a little bit longer.
One nail tip I am loving right now: For an easy half-moon manicure put white hole reinforcement stickers over the half-moon of your nail, and paint from the top edge of the sticker to the top edge of your nail. Remove the sticker and voila!
My favorite nail tip is to store your nail polishes in the refrigerator. It helps keep them from getting gummy.
Favorite trick: Not painting the entire nail and leaving a small gap on the edges to give an illusion of longer, skinnier fingers
Thanks for doing this giveaway!
I like to apply shampoo on the cuticles around the nail before painting. After I’m done painting i wipe the shampoo off and it takes off any unwanted polish on my cuticles.
If your polish is thick and you store them somewhere cold, put the bottles in a mug of hot to boiling water and soak for a couple of minutes.
Clear polish can also be a substitute for mail polish thinner.
To remove glitter polish effectively take a facial wipe & really soak it in polish remover (prefiably one with actone) then swipe polish off nails with wipe. It takes a few minutes but the more saturated the wipe is the easier the glitter will remove.
To get the polish even, get a blob at the end of the brush and put it at the top middle of the nail, then work from there. That way depending on what you like you don’t always need a second coat!
Also showering after you paint your nails helps get the extra polish on your cuticles off much easier.
My tip for extended wear manis is to apply a coat of a fast speed top coat, like DL Addicted To Speed, after each coat of polish. Here’s my tried and tested combo: Ridge filler + polish + top coat + polish + top coat = 5 to 7 day coverage with little to no chipping.
I have too many to just choose one! I think buffing is important–I use one of those three way buffers about once a month. It really helps the polish adhere to the nail better, and additionally keeps the nail looking a little nicer than it would otherwise (if you have ridgy nails like me).
My fave tip is to wrap my tips, but I also always make sure to reapply my SH megashine top coat almost every day. My nails always look great until I wanna change the color!
I have two… using an angled brush dipped in acetone for flawless cleanup is probably my FAVORITE. My second favorite is wrapping my tips so I get longer wear and no shrinkage from SV :D!
My fave tip is wraping fingertips with remover-soaked cotton balls, and another layer of foil on top of that to get rid of glittery chunky polishes. Thanks for the giveaway!
My tip: Whenever I have a bright polish that doesn’t quite go on as bright or as opaque as I want it to, I just layer on a coat or two of a white polish and that makes the bright polish more vibrant
Another tip, try using your left hand to do more of the things your right hand do. I used to be a shaky painter but then I started to use my left hand more and now I’ve gotten it steady.
My favorite nail tip would be that nail polish thinner in a girls best friend! Don’t throw away slightly thick nail polish, thin it!
Use cuticle remover! I’m always amazed at how much better my nails look, polished or not, when I do this!
Apply your glitter polishes backwards to get a glitter heavy coat. I use the edge of the nail to scrape the polish and glitter off of the brush and onto the nail, then brush towards the base. In doing so, the glitter doesn’t get stuck on the brush and I end up with a glitter heavy nail.
My favorite nail tip is to use the OPI drip dry oil drops. I use to paint my nails, go to bed an hour later, boom, I have sheet imprints on them. A good friend told me about the drip dry drops and I have been using them ever since. My nails dry almost completely and not just surface, within 5 minutes.
Also, I have a problem with filing my nails evenly. I line each finger up with its opposite.Make sure the cuticles match together and then I can tell if they are the same size and shape.
If your fingers are stained from like a red polish, you can use a whitening toothpaste to help brush the stains away. My friend told me about this. I thought she was CR-aaaa-zy, but it really worked. Haha!
I always paint with my non-dominate hand first, that way it’s my dominate hand that has wet nail polish on while I am painting the other hand.
Hmm…. Glass files… And a cheapo concealer brush dipped in remover for cleanup.
Glass files! Regular nail files never do it for me, and whenever I see a friend with one, I recommend glass files.
My MUST DO trick before painting my nail is too wipe the nail with pure acetone so that the base coat and polish can adhere better. I do it right after I moisturize my hands and before I begin to polish.
My tip for perfect cuticles is to smear Vicks Vapo Rub on my cuticles at night before bed. I live in the hot and dry Southwest, so this is a complete cuticle saver. (*I learned this from the completely awesome NouveauCheap.)
my tip is to put a coat of clear polish over glitter a few minutes before removing, it softens the gltter and makes removal a lot easier
my favorite trick is to extend a mani with tip wear by adding another layer just to the tips so i use less polish and then covering with a topcoat to get a different look that i had the day before
I have several tips! I paint with my non-dominate hand first to avoid making a mess. I also don’t worry too much about application because I go around my cuticles with acetone and a make up brush to clean it all up! To mix it up I also try to make all my new manicures be in an opposite color group than the one before it! Thanks for the awesome giveaway!!
My tip is a simple one. But always, always wear basecoat. It will prevent staining of the nails. And will keep the mani/pedi looking new longer.
I’m a DIY Shellac fanatic, so I own a UV light. I picked up some Seche Ultra-V at Sally’s on a whim one day and began using it for my pedicures. One coat of Ultra-V, and in 3 minutes, my toes are dry to the touch and stay shiny and chip-free for at least 3 weeks!
I like to use those little wooden sticks to remove nail polish that I got on my skin
I’m a messy applier sometimes. hehe.
My favourite tip- cuticle cream! Even my ridiculously fast, poorly done out-the-door manicures are going to look better if my cuticles aren’t all ragged.
I love to use a white base when I use a opaque color especially if its on the brighter side, it makes the color look more saturated or vibrant
My tip is using a fast speed dry top coat,my toes stay chip free for 3-4 weeks and my cant do without color would be reds
Do not cut your cuticles. Moisturize them with cuticle cream/lotion.
2… Ladies, please remember when wearing dark colors use a base coat. You will reduce the dark stains on your nail! Next, please if you have polish that is fading or missing on more then one finger, take the time to remove all your polish. Add some clear polish till your next mani/pedi visit!!
Before I paint my nails, I have a q-tip that has been soaked in polish remover, ready to go incase of any small mishaps. It is a great way to have a clean mani and always good to be prepared!
I LOVE glitter polish, but hate the removal process–so my tip is–when you want to remove it–paint a couple extra layers of glitter polish on top followed by another coat of topcoat. Let dry. Then the next day or so, your nail polish will be so thick that you’ll be easily able to peel it off each nail. Not the best for your nails–but sure beats the hours removing glitter polish!
My tip is to have a small fan blowing over your nails while you paint them. Not only does it help dry them faster but on hot days it also cools you down.
I always use a base coat and top coat. I use a 4-way buffer every few manicures along with cuticle remover. I use glass nail files. I try to wrap my tips when my nails are long enough. I use an orange wood stick to clean up, but I might start using acetone nail polish remover and a brush. I’m hard on my nails at work, so I’m gonna try out these great tips.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Some of my favorite tips are actually quite basic. I apply cuticle oil every night and gently rub it in. It really helps keep my nails healthy and keeps the cuticle moisturized. Next, I LOVE the ORLY Rubberized Bonder!! It makes such a difference when chipping is an issue. Lastly, before polishing my nails I always run a cotton ball with acetone over them just to remove any oil or dirt.
My best tip is to use the three-way file and buffer every two weeks or so, and especially in between polishes. It keeps my nails from getting yellow from polish and seems to strengthen them too!
Clean the nail before applying base coat. Getting all the extra oils off the nail really help your polish last!
budget friendly tip-love to have pro mani pedi, but follow with home mani as soon as the chips start in. helps extend the fine care of the pro treatment and builds my confidence in how i look between professional services.
My first tip is to trim your nails after taking a bath or shower. This helps to prevent breaking or tearing of the nails. Also, after trimming the nails, use moisturizing cream and/or vitamin e oil on them.
I have so many tips that I use, but my most unique tip is for extending the life of a matte or suede. After using a matte or suede polish, I do one coat of a regular top coat, and then I use a matte finish top coat (CG Matte Magic or Essie Matte About You) on my mattes and suedes to extend wear without changing the finish. The bottles say not to use a top coat, but using a matte top coat doesn’t change the effect and makes them wear just as long as any other lacquer!
I have never had long nails except when I was pregnant. So now my daughter is 23 and she turned me onto a product that I always have it with me. It’s a cream that your massage on your fingertips, even over polish. Now, I have great looking nails but still can’t paint them well myself. These tips by other women will help me. Thanks to all the women!!
i use the rounded end of a bobby pin for dotted nail art
My best trick is probably using a good, nutrient-rich base coat, like Sally Hansen 4 in 1 base and top coat. I also apply a top coat every other day to keep my nails shiny, pretty and chip free!!!
Always use basecoat, it will save you from icky yellow staining and extend the life of your manicure/pedicure!
Always clean your nails thoroughly before applying nail polish. The polish adheres better. Always use a base coat. This prevents staining of the nails. And my nails tend to grow long. When trimming extra-long nails, trim a little bit of nail at a time. It will be easier to get the length you want this way, rather than taking a big chunk of nail off.
My favorite nail tip is buy a bottle of Borghesse Perfecto, and have it out while you are painting your nails. I am awful about smudging my wet nails and Perfecto fixes that.
My tip is have a q tip and the nail remover slightly open( losse enough in case the top needs to cone off) close by in case it needs a quick dip in to remove any polish on the skin. I usually need it when doing my toes.
My tip is to use cuticle oil EVERY day, your nails and your manicurist will thank you dearly! FYI i love your blog and i’m uber excited about the show.
My favorite tip is to dip my freshly painted nails in micronized glitter at the tips of my manicure (using a similar color as my polish, or if you are really daring a contrasting color) and then add a top coat to add a hint of double color sparkle.
I’ve been on a glitter trip recently, so my favorite (and just-learned) tip is glitter polish removal using the foil method! Soak cotton pads in nail polish remove, apply to the nails, and then wrap your finger with foil. After waiting for 10 minutes or so, remove the foil and cotton pad, and voila! The polish has miraculously come off without the normal scrubbing and sandpaper-y feeling.
Never forget base coat and top coat!!
I only have time to do my nails in the evening after the kids are in bed so always have sheet marks. My tip is to invest in s UV light and a UV top coat if you need to have your nails dry fast.
I use basecoat to prevent staining and wrap my tips most of the time so that I’ll have less chipping!
My favorite nail tip is prepping with nail polish remover before applying. I didn’t do that until recently, and it has made a huge difference in my polish application.
After my nail polish is dry, I take a hot shower and all of the nail polish I have mistakenly gotten on my skin rubs off easily. This makes for fast and easy clean up on your manicure without using more nail polish remover, q-tips or buying a angled brush!
Keep clean strong nails, and no biting!! I am a nurse but wanted to enter because I LOVE the show!!!
My super secret tip? *whisper* come closer….. When painting your nails after applying your last coat of nail polish wait till your nails are kind of dry (well enough to lightly apply a coat of top coat), then apply Seche Vite’s “Dry Fast Top Coat”. Wait 1-3 minutes and BAM they’re dry. But, just for precaution, don’t do anything to rough that’ll mess up your nails. Now take this secret to the grave.
To break the nail biting habit, use acrylic nails until you stop putting them in your mouth. Then grow them out and apply ‘the painted nail’ polish to strengthen. It might take a while to quit biting them, but stopping the habit of putting them in your mouth with acrylic nails was my solution and I have long nails now after years of this annoying unsightly and unhealthy habit!
Ok so I know alot of people think u need a fill in every 2 weeks with regular acrylic & seem to think u need to pay for the more expensive solar nail etc to make your nails last or look like they just left the shop (wrong) I have using this secret for 10yrs I use Dollar General l.a. colors nail hardener 1 a week I prefer fridays & I have made my fills last @ least a month or more doesnt matter if full set or overlays & It does wonderssss On Pedicure!:) I would truly be blessed to win this prize!!! I luvv 2 try different tricks & styles have even thought about going to school for it… It would b esoo AWESOME 3WIN!!!
I love decals, but don’t them sticking to my index finger instead of my nail, so I use tweezers to transfer them. Then I cover the decals with clear polish to make them stay longer. =)
First tip, don’t paint your nails on a canoe. Been there, done that. It was fun but my nails looked awful. If you swim a lot, take nail polish with you and re-apply when you see chipping. Once you want your nails to be a different color, then take nail polish remover to take off all of the polish and apply a new color!
I love to add crackle polish to a over due pedicure.. Fresh clear coat and crackle polish, dazzling doll after that.. In this economy I gotta stitch my me dollars very far :(. I’ll paint my nails every color of the rainbow till I die.
after painting on my mani or pedi i jump in the shower and the hot water takes off all the polish on my skin, when i slightly rub on it with a wash cloth, but you have to wait until its completly dry or the polish will peel when you attempt to clean it up. believe me, its very upsetting when that happens.
I always use China Glaze nail polish! They have wild colors and their top coat shines like a new car – oh and it dries super fast!