9 Ways to Make Your Mani-Pedi Last Longer by Gabby Stryu

What person doesn’t love getting their hands and feet pampered? From the massage, to the moisturizing and buffing, to the nail painting, a manicure and pedicure is a great way to relax and unwind, as well as to make your nails look fabulous. And with the holidays around the corner, getting your mani-pedi ready for the festive parties and get-togethers is a must. If you’re going somewhere tropical, that’s an even bigger reason to get your feet and toes flip-flop ready.

But getting your nails painted is one thing - keeping them looking their best is quite another. Let’s face it - manis and pedis don’t last forever, which means revisits to the nail salon are inevitable. But you don’t necessarily have to make these trips more frequent than they need to be. In fact, there are plenty of ways to keep your nails looking great without needing frequent touch-ups at the nail salon. Here are a few tips to make your mani-pedi last as long as possible.

1. Don’t Soak Your Nails before Applying Polish

Lots of manicurists do this at salons in order to soften the cuticles to push them back more easily. But the problem with soaking before polishing is that the nail beds will expand, and then contract back to their normal size after they dry - usually after the polish has been applied. That means the nail polish won’t adhere to your nail bed properly. Skip this step to make sure this doesn’t happen.

2. Buff Your Nails before Applying Polish

Nail beds are typically quite smooth, which can prevent nail polish from adhering to your nails as well as you’d like. Gently buff your nails so they’re slightly rough before applying your favorite color polish to make sure it sticks well and lasts as long as possible.

3. Get Rid of Oils Using Rubbing Alcohol or White Vinegar

If there is any body oil, grime, dirt or dust on your nail bed before you apply nail polish, it will act as a barrier to your polish, which will cause it to flake off prematurely. So make sure to apply one of these products to your nail bed to make sure they’re free and clear of any things that will compromise the longevity of your manicure or pedicure.

4. Apply Cuticle Oil Regularly

Once a day (usually at night before bed), be sure to apply some cuticle oil to your cuticles to prevent them from drying out. Applying this product will also help avoid any hangnails that can also cause nail polish to chip and peel.

5. Moisturize Your Nails and Skin Every Day

If you’re wearing open-toe shoes every day, your feet will be more prone to getting dirty and dry. And nothing will ruin a pedicure faster than dry nails. For this reason, you’d be well-advised to moisturize your nails every day in order to achieve a long-lasting pedicure. Be sure to do this right after a shower when the nails and skin are still moist - you’ll provide your feet with hydration right on the spot, and protection from the elements that you’ll come in contact with in the hours ahead.

6. Don’t Get Any Nail Polish on Your Cuticles

It can be tough to get so close to the cuticle with polish and not get any on them. But it’s important that you have a steady hand when you’re polishing your nails - if you get any paint on the cuticles, it’ll lift the polish and contribute to premature chipping. This goes for the skin on the sides of your nails as well - make sure to get as close to it with the paint as possible without touching it, or the same fate will occur as with the cuticles.

7. Apply Two Coats of Basecoat Your Nail Tips

Usually the first place for nails to start chipping is at the tips. One of the best ways to avoid this is by apply not one, but two coats of basecoat to add more protection.

8. Reapply Clear Topcoat

Every couple of days, reapply a layer of clear topcoat on your nails to prevent chipping of the paint and make your manicure and pedicure last as long as possible. It’ll also help keep the shine up!

9. Hide Growth of a Gel Manicure or Pedicure with Glitter

There’s only so much you can do to prevent your nail polish from chipping. Eventually, as your nails grow, the paint will start to grow out. Rather than head straight over to the nail salon, you can hide the regrowth by covering it with glitter polish to create an ‘ombrè’ effect! It’s smart, and looks really pretty too!

About the Author: Gabby Stryu is a freelance beauty writer who’s always looking for hacks to enhance the daily makeup and beauty routine while saving time and money. If you’re looking for a convenient way to do your pedicure, be sure to visit Blusand Beauty to get your hands on the latest PediStil Foot Rest!

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