Manicure hacks for the best painted nails of your life

If you’ve ever painted your nails, chances are it seemed pretty straightforward. Pull the brush out of the bottle and get painting. They make it so foolproof that the brush is even attached to the lid so you can usually pull just the right amount of polish out. But there are several manicure hacks below that you can have in your arsenal to take your nail painting to the next level. Check out these savvy manicure hacks for the best painted nails of your life!

Master The Three-Strokes Move

Use the brush to apply a generous-sized bead of polish on your nail. Then, brush in an outward motion to the left, the right and then down the center. That will give the easiest, most even coverage.

Do A Gel Topcoat

To add dimension and shine to your nail polish, remember the gel topcoat.

Line Your Nails

Using Vaseline, wipe the skin around the edges of your nails. That way any stray polish will go on the Vaseline instead of your skin, and you can simply wipe the Vaseline away.

Try Two Basecoats

Want extra staying power? Try two basecoats instead of one for double the hold.

Swirl Nail Polish In Water

If you want a fun swirled pattern, add several drops of nail polish to water in alternating colors, like a drop of blue and then a drop of white, and so on. Then, dip your nail into the water so it’s parallel to the water.

Set Nails With Cooking Spray

Right after you paint your nails, spray them with a light layer of cooking spray to help them set smoother and dry faster.

Put Nail Remover On A Small Lip Brush

Have some stray polish despite your best efforts? Get a narrow lip color brush and dip it in some nail polish remover. Then paint your stains away with precision.

Know How To Use Nail Polish Thinner

You’ve probably heard of nail polish remover, but nail polish thinner is a product you add to old nail polish that is getting thick and chunky. It’s a great way to extend the life of your polish and get more even coverage.

Remember The Cuticle Oil

Nail polish can be drying, so remember to apply cuticle oil to keep cuticles healthy and moisturized, and to avoid hangnails. No need for those unsightly cuticles while people are looking at your sweet nail polish!

Apply Thin Coats Of Polish

Rather than doing a couple coats that take forever to dry, do more layers (up to three or even four) of thin coats. They’re easier to brush evenly, too.

Remember the Elmer’s

A popular hack is to use some Elmer’s white craft glue as a basecoat. That will make more stubborn polishes, like glittery colors, peel off with ease.

Choose Long-Lasting Options

On the other hand, if you want a polish that will last a very long time, remember to go for the glitter shades applied straight to the nail. These stick.