Confession: I am a nail polish addict. I like changing my nail polish every couple of days, and sometimes, depending on my mood and occasion, even every other day. The look and smell of freshly painted nails makes me feel oddly satisfied. But even though I have been painting my own nails at home for years, barring an occasional self-indulgent trip to the nail bar, more often than not, I noticed that my nail polish application looked far from perfect. No matter how I hard I would try, textures, dents, and bubbles, (oh, those infuriating bubbles!) seemed to have made themselves a permanent part of my manicure. This was until I decided to do a little research, coupled with some trial-and-error to discover some fool-proof techniques that work like bliss to make my nail paint look like I have a full-time manicurist available at my beck and call. Read on as I spill these secrets for you... Why do bubbles appear? Bubbles typically form during the drying process. When your nail polish is drying, the air gets trapped between the layers of nail polish and your nails. As annoying as this problem is, it can be avoided with a few simple tricks listed below.
01Step 01:
**Clean your nails first ** This is an extremely important step that you must follow before applying anything on your nails. Even if your nails do not have any polish, it still tends to have accumulated dirt, dust, oil and debris, which is important to get rid of to prevent any gaps between your nails and polish. Therefore, always clean your nails using an acetone-free nail polish remover to ensure that the polish adheres to your nails seamlessly.
02Step 02:
Do not shake the bottle For as long as we can remember, we have seen people shake their bottle of nail enamel before they open it. But little do they know that this little habit can completely ruin your manicure. Shaking the bottle ends up trapping the air inside which then gives rise to a gazillion tiny bubbles that you can't see until they rise up on your nails, leaving behind holes and bumps. If you notice that your polish has separated, simply roll the bottle in between your palms instead of shaking it vigorously. But if you do end up shaking the bottle, leave it aside for at least an hour to let the polish settle down before you apply it.
03Step 03:
Close the lid shut between coats While it is a no-brainer that you must apply at least two coats of nail polish to make it look flawless and chip-resistant, we sometimes forget to close the bottle AND screw the lid. It is really important to completely close the bottle between coats because the longer the bottle stays open, the more amount of air will get in, thickening the polish and resulting in a bubble fest.
04Step 04:
Use a good quality base coat Just like most things in life, it is really important to lay a good foundation even when applying your nail polish. A base coat acts a primer for your nails, giving it a smoother finish as well as prevents early chipping. Additionally, applying a base coat before the actual polish is also a simple and effective way to avoid nail discolouration.
05Step 05:
Store your nail polish properly Lastly, the way in which you store your nail polish also makes a huge difference when it comes to avoiding bubbles. Ensure that you keep all your nail polishes upright in a cool, dark place that is free from humidity. This will definitely prolong the shelf-life of the nail polish and keep its consistency as good as new for a longer period of time.
