23. Prevent chipped polish with nail polish remover.
One thing that doesn’t get enough attention in home nail care is adhesion. Yes, stickiness. This is why many people don’t bother with nail salons, or give up on painting their nails at home. The polish just chips after a day or two! And this is common even with pricier gel manicures.
If you want a lasting manicure at home, the surface of your nail needs to be prepped properly. Slapping a few coats onto bare nails isn’t good enough, because what you can’t see or feel are the natural oils from your hands.
The oil creates a barrier directly between your polish – even a base coat – and fingernail, and it’s responsible for chipping and peeling. Instead, swipe each nail with polish remover to strip away oils right before applying your first coat. For even more staying power, carefully paint the tips of your nails horizontally before going vertically; this prevents tip wear.