Nail polish virgin needs help!

[dontcryitsonlyajoke]

I'm 39 and am a recovering nail biter of 30 years standing. I'm still a bit prone to a nibble when they split at the edges (they're still quite weak) but am getting better at having nail files lying around so that I fix it instead.

I've only ever used coloured polish on my toes and clear varnish on my fingers. But this holiday they are nice enough to try something and I went with hot pink! DH thinks they look great, and I'd like to wear colour more. But they look rubbish close up and I have so many questions which the internet isn't answering in enough detail so I thought I'd ask you all!

Here goes:

1. what should my basic nail care regime be? They are weak and split, and not quite as long as they probably should be to look their best given in overcoming decades of biting. Do I need special products? Can I wear polish all the time or do they need a breather?
2. how do I choose what colours to wear? I mainly wear navy, grey, cream, orange and mustard colours (another of my many preparing for my 49th projects is my wardrobe!)
3. how do I put varnish on? The Internet just says "paint on the varnish starting in the middle". But I have so many more questions - how close to the nail bed do I go? How do I avoid getting it on the sides or tip of my fingers? How do I get it even rather than streaky or blotchy? How do I get it to dry quickly? How do I clear off the bits I get on my skin - when it's still wet or when it's dried? How do I remove polish without smearing it all over my fingers as I then spend ages and loads of cotton wool pads getting it off my fingers??
4. what tools do I need? I have cotton pads, cotton buds and a bottle of varnish remover. Do i need fancier stuff?

So many questions! Any help, or links to good blogs/webpages gratefully received

This is all such very helpful advice! Thank you everybody

I love the diagram Annarose2014 - helps me see what I need to do.

This is irrationally exciting Practising my manicure techniques is going to be my new telly watching habit (prettier, and better for my waistline, than eating which is my current favourite tv activity!)

The colour suggestions are very helpful too. I think coral will look nice with my current holiday tan so that's going to be my first purchase alongside the corrector pen and a quick dry topcoat.

Ok, I'm home from hols and just made my first proper attempt. They look good! The Sally Hansen Instadry stuff is awesome - DD (4 and impatient) started pestering me to teach her how to make bread while I was painting my nails. I had to go straight from nails to kneading, and my nails still look perfect (well as perfect as they were at the start anyway!)

The corrector pen is also brilliant. And it turns out the Rimmel salon pro brush is much easier for me to use, and the polish less gloopy than the Revlon I had on hols.

Thank you all!

Another vote for Rimmel 60 seconds. I don't use nail varnish v often and its easy to put on, dries before you mangle it, last ages is cheap enough that you can experiment with shades.