This is the most common issue most people have with regular nail polish. So what are some of the causes of nail polish chipping and peeling?
PROPER NAIL PREP- This is the most important step to prevent polish peeling. If there is any natural oils on your nails, the polish will peel up, usually in sheets. To effectively remove oils from your nails without thinning them (ie, buffing), wash your hands with soap and water and use a nail brush to clean around the cuticle and under the nail. After washing your hands, cleanse the nail surface with a nail prep or rubbing alcohol. After prepping your nails, immediately apply your base coat of polish. Note: Do not let the nail surface you want to polish touch your skin or hair before you apply your polish. If you do, you put oil right back on the surface and your polish might peel.
USE BASE COAT - Base coat nail polish is usually more "rubberized" than other nail polishes and can cling to the natural nail better than applying polish without it.
USE A TOP COAT- A top coat will not only protect your polish color and add shine but it also adds durability and hardness. After your manicure, if you apply a top coat every 2-3 days after your manicure and cap around the tip of your nail where you file, your polish will last longer than if you do not.
WATER - Washing your hands before you polish is a good idea but too much water after you polish your nails, especially the first 4-6 hours afterward, can be detrimental to your manicure. In the first 4-6 hours, your polish is still not completely dry, your nails will swell and expand the polish with the nail. When the nail drys and shrinks back to it's normal size, your polish won't and increase the chance of it chipping when it finally does finish drying.
OLD OR CONTAMINATED POLISH - Old nail polish is thick and hard to work with. It also takes forever to dry! Some people decide that they need to thin out their polish with polish remover but this breaks down the polish in a manner that reduces it's adhesion properties. Thin your polish with Nail Polish Thinner. This can be found in your local beauty supply.
PROPER NAIL PREP- This is the most important step to prevent polish peeling. If there is any natural oils on your nails, the polish will peel up, usually in sheets. To effectively remove oils from your nails without thinning them (ie, buffing), wash your hands with soap and water and use a nail brush to clean around the cuticle and under the nail. After washing your hands, cleanse the nail surface with a nail prep or rubbing alcohol. After prepping your nails, immediately apply your base coat of polish. Note: Do not let the nail surface you want to polish touch your skin or hair before you apply your polish. If you do, you put oil right back on the surface and your polish might peel.
USE BASE COAT - Base coat nail polish is usually more "rubberized" than other nail polishes and can cling to the natural nail better than applying polish without it.USE A TOP COAT- A top coat will not only protect your polish color and add shine but it also adds durability and hardness. After your manicure, if you apply a top coat every 2-3 days after your manicure and cap around the tip of your nail where you file, your polish will last longer than if you do not.
WATER - Washing your hands before you polish is a good idea but too much water after you polish your nails, especially the first 4-6 hours afterward, can be detrimental to your manicure. In the first 4-6 hours, your polish is still not completely dry, your nails will swell and expand the polish with the nail. When the nail drys and shrinks back to it's normal size, your polish won't and increase the chance of it chipping when it finally does finish drying.
OLD OR CONTAMINATED POLISH - Old nail polish is thick and hard to work with. It also takes forever to dry! Some people decide that they need to thin out their polish with polish remover but this breaks down the polish in a manner that reduces it's adhesion properties. Thin your polish with Nail Polish Thinner. This can be found in your local beauty supply.
For more information on how to properly thin out and care for your polish,
