The whole manicure in five nails
The strip below follows one nail from base coat to top coat. Notice that the first color coat looks streaky. That is normal, and the second coat fixes it. A small spill onto the skin is normal too, and it comes off in the cleanup step.
A clean one-color manicure
Base coatOne thin layer on a clean, dry nail.
First coatThin and a little streaky is normal.
Second coatEvens out the color. A little ran onto the skin.
Clean upA small brush dipped in remover lifts the spill.
Top coatSeal the color and run it along the tip.
You need: Base coat, one color, top coat, a small brush and remover for cleanup.
Set up first
- Work at a table in good light, with a towel or paper under your hands.
- Open a window or work in a room with fresh air. Polish and remover give off strong fumes and both are flammable, so keep them away from flames and heat.
- Roll the bottle gently between your palms to mix the color. Shaking adds air bubbles.
- Rest your painting hand on the table. A steady wrist makes a steadier line.
The three-stroke method
- Wipe one side of the brush on the bottle neck so a small bead of polish stays on the other side.
- Set the brush down a little above the cuticle, in the middle of the nail. Press lightly so the bristles fan out, then nudge the brush toward the cuticle without touching it.
- Pull the brush straight up to the tip in one stroke.
- Go back to the base and pull up along the left side, then along the right side.
- Run the brush lightly across the very edge of the tip. This is called capping, and it helps stop chips at the edge.
Leave a hair-thin gap between the polish and the skin. Polish that touches the cuticle tends to lift from there.
Why thin coats work better
A thick coat dries on the surface first and stays soft underneath, so it dents and smudges for a long time. Two thin coats dry faster and more evenly than one thick one. Give each coat a few minutes before the next. Light shades and sheer colors may need a third thin coat to look even.
Clean up the edges
Dip a small, flat brush in remover, blot it on a towel and trace around the nail to lift polish off the skin. A cotton swab works too, but a brush gives a sharper line. Clean up after the color coats and before the top coat, so the top coat seals a neat edge.
Top coat and drying
Float the top coat on with a well-loaded brush, touching the color as little as possible so it does not drag. Cap the edge again. Polish can feel dry to the touch while still soft underneath, so keep your hands away from hot water, tight pockets and fiddly tasks for a while afterward. Thinner layers shorten the wait. A cool, airy room helps more than blowing on your nails.
Making it last
- Add a thin layer of top coat every two or three days, capping the edge each time.
- Wear gloves for washing up and cleaning.
- Use the pads of your fingers, not your nails, to open cans and peel labels.
If something goes wrong, the fixing mistakes guide covers dents, smudges, bubbles and chips. When you are ready for patterns, try the simple designs.