I've never been someone who goes to the salon weekly for a manicure or gel nails. I need shorter nails to do my job comfortably as I work with my hands poking people with needles and sticking lines in major blood vessels. Healthcare work, and now COVID, definitely prevent me from biting my nails! I know one thing that prevents people from doing at home manicures is the fear that it will chip or have to be redone in a couple days.
All my life (before the last couple years), I could not keep nail polish on longer than a day or two. It would start to peel and sometimes so much that it could come off in one layer. It didn't matter if it was OPI or Essie or another "high quality" polish. Thankfully, I've finally found the secret to keeping an at home manicure on for seven days.
Set aside about an hour for the whole process to ensure adequate dry time. In my experience if I'm patient and do it right the first time, I won't have to redo it later.
1. Prepping the nail before polishing is a major key!
Start with clean nails, remove the oil resting on them from your skin and lifestyle with some soap and water or a cleaner.
Push back the cuticles (or cut if you feel comfortable), and then shape them with a file.
2. Buff the entire nail and rough up the surface, it will help the polish stick to your nails.
While buffing be sure to be gentle, but do get the entire surface, especially the base near the nail bed and the tip where peeling and chipping occur. Be careful not to touch your nails after you buff them.
3. Start with a strong base coat and select a nice polish to follow.
This basecoat is really strong and it helps keep your nails from bending. Paint it on in a single layer.
Select your favorite nail polish, I have found the most success (in strength and in "no chipping" power) with Aila and Olive&June polishes.
I usually wait for a sale from Aila when I have purchased (they have one every other month it seems like, follow them on instagram!)
4. Paint the first layer of color thinly! Let completely dry.
You will do two layers of color coats total. The first layer should be thin and just swipe the paintbrush over the nail using the minimum number of swipes as possible. Don't worry if it doesn't look perfect! The second layer will cover it up.
The perfect technique to avoid painting on your cuticles can be found in this video at 1:36 (she starts above the cuticle and gently pushes the paint down before moving the brush up toward the nail tip). This is important to prevent peeling from the base!!
Let dry completely before the second coat, at minimum wait 5-6 minutes, however I usually watch TV or read and wait ten minutes in between layers.
5. Finish with a gel topcoat.
It's really important that each layer has enough time to dry before adding the topcoat.
A gel topcoat adds a nice thickness that protects from chipping, and it helps prevent from nails breaking by adding some strength.
My favorite gel topcoat is this one. This Essie product is fine too. I do not recommend the Olive&June one . Here's a good matte one.
6. Two to Three days later add another layer of topcoat.
Topcoat wears off, and so adding another layer a few days into your manicure will make it look brand new and extend the life of your paint.
7. Add some oil to the cuticles to keep things looking perfect there too!
I sometimes use coconut oil or apricot oil or any moisturizer with the ingredient lanolin, but there are plenty of products that will work.