Any manicurist worth her clippers recommends applying a new topcoat to nails every other day to prolong a manicure. Here are other suggestions.
Challenge: Chips
Likely Culprit: Polish Color Heavily pigmented browns and beiges tend to chip faster because their high levels of iron oxide and titanium dioxide crowd out the chip-preventing agents known as film formers.
Make It Last: “Sheer pearlescent shades deflect chips best because their flatter, more uniform particles provide fewer areas of vulnerability,” says Ernie Curtis, color cosmetics senior manager at Avon Products, in Suffern, New York. If you are wearing a brown or beige polish, you can help protect it by applying a long-wear topcoat.
Challenge: Dullness
Likely Culprit No. 1: Exposure to Solvents “Household cleansers, makeup remover, hair products, and sunscreen break down a polish’s finish,” says New Orleans dermatologist Patricia Farris.
Make It Last: Whether you’re cleaning the house or coloring your hair, wear protective gloves and use implements when possible to keep your nails far from shine-dissolving agents, Farris advises.
Likely Culprit No. 2: Expired Nail Polish “The original hue, drying time, shine, and length
of wear degrade over the life span of a polish,” says John McCook, a cosmetics chemist and the CEO of Discovery Partners, a product-development firm in Frisco, Texas.
Make It Last: “Purge polishes every six months,” says McCook. “Discoloration and color separation that can’t easily be fixed by shaking are cues that a lacquer has spoiled.”
Nail Defenders
These products all work to extend the life of a manicure.
Orly Smudge Fixer, $7.50Brushed over nicks, dents, and smudges, it instantly smooths them.
To Buy: www.orlybeauty.com for store locations.
Essie Shine-E, $16A high-gloss topcoat that brightens a dull manicure and makes it last a few more days.
To Buy: 800-232-1155 for store locations.
Sally Hansen Mega Shine Extended Wear Topcoat, $6Dries polish and keeps it intact
for eight days.
To Buy: At drugstores.
Opi Start to Finish Base & Top Coat, $10Fortifies nails and adds shine.
To Buy: www.opi.com for store locations.
