How to avoid chipped nail polish

There’s nothing more annoying than chipped polish. Especially on freshly manicured nails, but a little care will help them go further. That feeling you get stepping out the salon? Yep, I’d like to maintain that as long as possible. Tapping my Oyster card, holding drinks in my Insta shots, high-fiving anyone who’ll take it, I’m that person. So to keep my fingertips preened and fully polished, here’s what to do.

By Rachel Spedding

• 1 Bye to the bubbles

  Manicures before chores honey. The chemicals in cleaning products are bad news for your fingertips as they can overdry or strip them (especially where bleach is involved), some even contain nail polish removing acetone. Prolonged exposure to water can weaken your nails too. In short: crack out the Marigolds. Or leave the dishes to someone else – you can blame your mani, or me.
• 2 Stay cool-er

  We all love a bath. A hot shower. A sauna. Sweating out toxins, and melting the day away. But steam can take down your manicure, as it encourages polish to peel.  So can hot water if it soaks beneath the nail plate (causing polish to ‘lift’). A quick fix is to turn down that water temperature, and choose showers over baths now and then. Or just keep those tips over the edge of the tub.
• 3 Soothe the cuticles

  There’s a reason your nail technician always completes a mani with a rub of cuticle oil – because it’s truly a nail saver. It penetrates deeper than coconut oil (though that will keep your skin super soft), and contains a dreamy combo of ingredients for toughening up nails. Those rich in vitamins (like A, E, B1 and B2), are the ultimate hydrators, and your skin will soak them up quickly. Apply it every single evening for preened fingertips. Naked nails love this stuff too, FYI.
• 4 Resist your urges

  Trimming is not allowed. Nuh-uh. It will break the manicure seal. This makes it easy for water to get between the varnish and nail. Filing could do the same. Anything that interferes with that polish layer can encourage chips and peels. So put in the hard work before your nail appointment, and leave those scissors in their pot. Your other urge, to crack open a can of pop, leave it to someone else. No hard tapping, can-opening, or package-slicing allowed.
• 5 Choose polish wisely

  My secret tip – and not just because I’m a neutral lover – pick a polish that blends with your natural nail colour. Chips are far more noticeable on a bright red polish, as the eye will be drawn straight to ‘em, so choose natural instead. Or go all out with glitter. You’d need 20/20 vision to spot a chip through that polish. If your mani does start peeling, don’t you dare succumb to it. Grab your nail glue, stat, and press down that cheeky peel.
• 6 Book a gel mani

  AKA The Rock of all manicures. This one’s tough. It won’t chip easily, and if peels do start, refer to our glue trick above. How’s that? A special gel polish is used that ‘cures’ under a UV lamp. An appointment will take a little longer, but your mani will stay fresh for up to three weeks (swings and roundabouts). If you’re a serial chipper, this one’s for you.

  With Treatwell, you can book beauty online at all your favourite salons – simple, hassle-free, and you can do it on the go. Discover amazing spas in your area.