Make your mani last

 

How frustrating is it to spend money on a gorgeous manicure with the hottest color or nail art just to have it chip off in two days? So money is tight and a lot of us are doing our own nails. We kind of expect chipping to happen, but it's frustrating none the less. Here are a few tips that I swear by, for keeping your nails chip-free longer.

Add some shape and keep them short
Do you like the square nail? How about the rounded? Or maybe the soft square? Whatever your nail style is embrace it. Shape is key when it comes to helping a manicure last. You want a shape that is not going to get caught on anything which would result in breakage.

Sure long nails can be absolutely gorgeous, however I am one that doesn't let mine go beyond my fingertip. Why? For one my nails do not hit keys while I am typing which is a big cause of chippage for many people.  Also this allows my nails to stay out of the way if I go to reach something or am using harmful products such as bleach.

 Coat them daily!
When you get your nails done, the manicurist will apply a clear top coat to your nails after color. There is  an important reason this is done. The clear top coat is a barrier which protects your nails from chipping as well as cracking. In order to keep or create that gorgeous salon look, be sure to add a clear top coat to your nails every day during the duration of your manicure.

So here is the big secret....
Your nails chip first at the top... correct? When applying your extra top clear coats daily you should do one swipe across the tips of your nails and then do this rest. It's just a little extra protection for your nails.

 The Base of it all
 I have said before that sometimes I wear a base coat and sometimes I do not. Since November I have not worn a base coat once. You might say... well you sure do change your polish a lot. To be honest I take it off when I get bored of the color or buy a new polish hue. Trust me, you'll never see me with chipped nails. I can get my nails to last over a week without chippage, and my Mum goes over two weeks with NO chippage - and she wears rubber gloves daily!

Just a little extra tid bit.....
You may have been always told to put 2-3 coats on your nails. Sometimes I do this and sometimes I have upwards of seven coats on my nails. It all depends on the look I am going for, and how long I want it to last.

The KISS manicure kit is my go to manicure kit. It has everything that you need in it to create gorgeous nails!

Do you have any tips for longer polish wear?