Whether you get your nails done regularly or you like to treat yourself on special occasions, manicures can be pricey; it’s probably safe to say you want them to last as long as possible. There’s probably nothing more frustrating than spending your hard earned cash on a mani, and it ends up chipping after only a couple of days. Or you leave the salon unhappy with the color you chose. Luckily there are simple hacks to ensure you leave the salon with flawless nails that last. From tips to follow at the salon to easy after care tricks you can try at home, here’s how to get the most out of your salon manicure.
Ask For High-Quality Brands
Not all nail products are created equal. You often get what you pay for. Cheap products can have poor color formulations resulting in dull muddy colors, are often formulated with toxic chemicals that can irritate your skin, and they also tend to chip or peel easily. To get the most out of your mani, it’s important to use high-quality products. Ask your nail tech for trusted brands like OPI for polish, or SNS for dip powder. Both gel and dip powder manicures are also a great manicure option as they require zero drying time and can last over 2 weeks.
Swatch The Color Ahead of Time
Have you ever gotten your nails done to realize you really hate the color after? The color in the bottle can be very misleading and can often look different on your nail. To ensure you’re always happy with the color make sure to always test the color on a nail before you commit. This will help you see the actual color against your skin tone.
Ask Nail Tech NOT to Cut Your Cuticles
You may find many nail techs prefer to cut your cuticles during a manicure and sometimes they don’t even ask first. While cutting ragged cuticles can seem like a good idea, you run the risk of them overdoing it. Cut cuticles also have the tendency to grow back rough and jagged. It’s best to ask your nail tech to push back your cuticles with a cuticle pusher and only trim any hangnails.
Don’t Touch Your Nails After Buffing
It may be super tempting to feel your nails after they’ve been buffed smooth but don’t. Buffing is the last step before painting and creates a smooth oil-free canvas for your polish to adhere to. Touching your nails after they’ve been buffed can transfer oils from your fingers onto your nails preventing your polish from effectively sticking, ultimately causing your manicure to chip or peel faster. If you do touch your nails, give them a quick swipe of alcohol or acetone to remove any oils.
Get Your Wallet Out Before You Paint
One of the worst things about getting your nails done is having to rummage through your bag to find your wallet when it comes time to pay and you smudge a nail. To prevent this from happening, make sure to take your wallet out before your nail tech paints your nails. If you do forget, you can also ask your nail tech to get it out for you.
Don’t Be Afraid to Speak Up
If you’re spending a pretty penny on a manicure, you probably want to leave happy and with flawless nails. Maybe you don’t like the shape of your nails, or you notice an uneven application of polish, but you chose not to say anything and left feeling annoyed. If you’re unhappy with something at any time during your service, don’t be afraid to speak up. As long as you say it nicely, you’re not going to hurt your nail tech’s feelings; they may be able to easily fix the concern.
Reapply Top Coat
Top coat shouldn’t be a one-and-done. A great hack to ensure your manicure stays looking its best for longer is reapplying a top coat every 2 to 3 days. This will keep your nails not only looking shiny like the day you got them done but it will also prevent future chips.