We're all in love with the new textured finishes available now in the world of nail polish. We’re especially loving the edgy look of a matte nail. Yet, we have issues trying to make matte nail polish last longer when doing it ourselves, at-home. To solve our woes, we've enlisted the help of a pro Amanda Chui, owner of Beauty Room, to give us some tips for making our matte nails last. The key to a long lasting matte mani comes down to three parts, says Chui. “It’s part prep work, part quality of polish and part application technique”.
Prep Nails for Polish
- Clean, tidy cuticles are extremely important for long-lasting polish. You don’t want nail polish to set on dry skin because when that dead skin flakes off, it’ll usually take the polish with it. Chui suggests pushing back cuticles gently, trimming away the dead skin and taking care of your nail beds.
- To best care for nail beds, clean them with soap and water and dry well. Follow with a nail surface cleanser to prep the nail beds before polishing. Washing your nails gets rid of excess oils and dirt, which, if left on the nail, won't allow the polish to adhere properly. Using a product like CND's Scrub Fresh will not only eliminate oil and dirt but also sanitizes the nail surface.
Pick the Proper Polish
- The quality of your polish is integral to the whole process as some have better longevity in the long haul. One's that claim long-wear generally do last longer than a regular polish. However, if you're going for matte nails, you may not be able to find those in that particular finish but there are matte top coats! Applying a matte top coat like Sally Hansen's Big Matte Top Coat (and reapplying every few days) will keep your matte polished tips in check and help them last much longer.
Use the Proper Technique
- When applying polish, always start from the base of nails and move towards the tips. Be sure you apply in thin, light layers and not thick ones. Otherwise you'll end up with a big mess on your hands. Literally. The key is to follow this technique with every coat, from your base all the way to the top coat. This helps keep your polish stronger and longer lasting.
- If you want even longer wear time than just a few days to a week, OPI's Matte GelColor Top Coat can be used to mattify any Shellac or OPI Gelcolors and that way you’ll have two full weeks of awesome matte nails.
