I'm a nail expert – how to make your manicure last longer and why you should NEVER shake the polish bottle

GETTING the perfect home manicure can be hard work, but what's even trickier is stopping it from chipping.

After you've gone through the process of filing them down, painting with several coats and sitting patiently waiting for them to dry, the last thing you want is flaky talons.

Many of us know that, while toe polish seems to stick around for weeks, you can often only get two or three good days from a manicure.

But there are some simple tricks of the trade that will help lengthen the life of your polish, according to Saffron Hughes, the nail expert at false lash and nail site FalseEyelashes.co.uk.

Savvy Saffron shared her six tips to make sure you don't need to redo your mani too often.

Prep with white vinegar 

That's right, it may sounds weird but white vinegar isn't just your granny's hack for cleaning the washing machine – it's also for your nails.

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Saffron said: "Before you use a base coat, add some white vinegar to a cotton swab and wipe each nail.

"Surprisingly, this serves as a natural cleanser and helps remove excess oils, making your manicure last longer."

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Dry nails only

Don't dive straight in to paint your nails while your hands are still wet.

The mail expert said: "Most importantly, you should make sure that your hands are dry when painting them.

"When nail polish is applied to wet nails, moisture is trapped. Once the nails begin to try, the trapped moisture needs to escape so it begins to separate the polish from the nail, making them more susceptible to chips."

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Keep them out the bath

We all love a nice long soak in the bath, but sadly you'll have to keep your mitts out of the water while you're in the tub.

Saffron said: "You should make sure your nails aren’t submerged in warm water for long periods at a time as this also allows moisture to seep beneath the surface of the polish.

"This makes them more much likely to chip once you’re out of the bath."

Never shake your nail polish bottle 

We all give our polishes a good shake before we start slapping on the lacquer, but according to the pro, we are wrong.

She said: "One of the most common misconceptions is that you should bang the bottom of the nail polish bottle on your palm to get the last bit out of the bottle, however, this is an absolute no-no.

"In doing so, you create air bubbles which won’t be seen on the surface but will still make your nails more susceptible to chipping.

"Instead, you should roll the bottle between your hands at a smooth pace to get the last of your polish."

Use gloves when cleaning

This is probably the most obvious of all the tips but: show your nails some love and use a glove.

Saffron said: "You should wear rubber gloves every time you carry out housework with strong cleaners, or when you need to clean the dishes.

"Doing this will not only protect your polish but your hands too as they shouldn’t interact with such harsh chemicals."

Seal off the edges of your manicure

Finally the expert advised that we've been using our top-coat all wrong and really we should be using it to seal off the edges of our maincure.

She said: "Whilst a clear topcoat is a must for long-lasting polish, people commonly misuse it.

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"When you finish painting your nails, you should add a topcoat all over your nail before swiping along the side of your tips, as well as the bottom edge of your nails.

"This acts as a protective layer to the two areas that are most prone to chipping."

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