Tips for putting on nail varnish

[meepmoop]

Hi!

I've been biting my nails for years and years so I'm now trying to break the habit as I want nice nails.

The way I've found that works is to keep them painted however I'm not very good at it. I can't seem to get it on smooth and they always looks like it's got bits in it even though I clean them before applying. I've bought brand new ones as my old ones were old and gloppy but still the same.

Does anyone have any tips please

It's taken me about 30 years to be able to do my nails (fairly) well, so I'm happy to share my tips with you...

• Use varnish that has a wide brush so you need fewer strokes (I like Sally Hansen)
• Be decisive, you only need two or three strokes, each starting at the base & going all the way to the tip (one in the middle & one each side), though you don't need to do this particularly fast
• But make the first coat a thin coverage of varnish and focus on getting it right - it looks neater with a small gap around the edges of your nails than right up to the skin with the varnish potentially pooling there
• Have one of those pre soaked nail varnish remover pads ready and use the edge of it to wipe any varnish from your fingertips after doing each hand (I often leave any side mistakes until I have a shower, as I find it much easier to get those bits off then)
• I only wait a minute before applying the 2nd coat, and I make that a thicker coat
• I finish with a speed drying top coat as I'm not only impatient but also crap at not knocking things with my nails when they're wet (I currently rate Essie)

Also I keep my varnish in the fridge in summer, much to my husband's delight

I was in the same boat. I'm truest terrible. I cheat and only paint my nails with The Sally Henson hard as nails. I can keep it for a lot longer as it dries clear so you don't notice any of it coming off anyway. Don't have to worry about damage from using coloured nail vanish. Everyone comments on how "polished" my nails look all the time. Hope that helps

Decent nail varnish with a fat brush - I'm using Essie - so you can do one stroke down the middle and one either side

Don't faff! Load the brush with polish and swipe - if you're too stingey or slow the polish will dry and drag

Good quick drying top coat - i use seche vite, never understood top coats before this, it dries, gives a super glossy finish snd prevents chips

I used to get my nails done at a salon, then switched to home gel but the removal annoyed me and now I'm building up my Essie collection

Don’t try to go too close to the cuticle or edge of nail. They look better and neater with a slight gap between nail colour and edge of the nail.

You can buy nail polish thinner to make floppy polish easier to apply op. That said some polishes are just crap to apply!

My big tip is to paint with your non dominant hand first. That way you're not using your bad hand with wet polish on it which just makes it more difficult.

Also, use a small make up brush dipped in acetone to clean up if you go over the edges.

Don't forget also , to use a good base coat, and to prepare your nail before you paint -Push your cuticle back gently after applying oil or cuticle remover.

Gloopy not floppy!

Ooh yes, agree with using non-dominant hand first.

Thanks everyone! I'll be putting these in action for my next attempt.

I'm currently doing them every other day so hopefully I'll get there soon

These are good tips! Mine is to start up a little of the cuticle & push down before going to the tip with the brush for the first stroke. This also helps stop pooling