How to Apply Nail Polish the Right Way

Did you know that nail polish is the best-selling cosmetic product in the world? And among all its infinite shades, reds and pinks reign supreme? I honestly didn’t. I had no idea, but I can confirm it by looking at my own personal “collection.”
The most popular nail polishes are those from Chanel, Dior, Essie, OPI, Pupa, and Deborah Milano, or so it seems. That said, let’s discover together how to apply nail polish correctly and how to get the perfect manicure yourself.

10 essential steps for a perfect manicure and applying nail polish correctly

Applying nail polish is an art, just like a perfect manicure. However, following these 10 practical steps can make it child’s play. Let’s find out how.

1. Cut and file your nails. Shape your nails according to your personal taste with scissors and nail files.
2. Remove excess cuticles. With clean and dry nails, push back the cuticles with an orange stick and specific products.
3. Apply a base coat. Depending on your needs, apply a thin layer of strengthening, hardening, growth, or whitening base coat, waiting until it dries completely before continuing.
4. Apply the first coat of polish. By thoroughly removing excess color from the brush and applying a thin layer, it dries faster and spreads more evenly.
5. Wait until the polish is dry before applying the second coat. We always recommend at least two, or three, depending on the color.
6. Proceed with the second coat of nail polish, always without overdoing it.
7. Clean up any smudges. If you make mistakes, use a nail polish correction pen or a cotton swab dipped in acetone.
8. Wait for the second coat to dry completely.
9. Use a top coat. This protects, helps, and maintains the polish’s color and durability, making it last longer.
10. Apply a moisturizing hand cream. For a truly perfect manicure, you need to pamper your entire hand.

How to Apply Nail Polish Correctly

The correct way to apply nail polish is to start from the center of the nail, making sure to leave at least 1 or 2 mm of space between the cuticle and the nail plate. Then work your way to the sides, again staying at least 1 or 2 mm away from the edges. This helps make the nail appear longer and more tapered. Don’t panic, it’s harder said than done, so below you’ll find a helpful infographic to help you understand all the steps. Finally, a little extra tip: apply a top coat whenever you feel the need to restore shine to your nail polish, even in the following days.

A woman can only be vulnerable in the 10 minutes she puts on her nail polish.

Nail polishes come in many different types. Base, clear, colored, matte, pearl, metallic, glitter, shimmer, frost, semi-permanent… But regardless of which we use most, there are some things, for some unknown reason, that only happen during those 10 minutes when we’re vulnerable. That is, while and as soon as we finish applying the polish.

• We apply our left hand flawlessly, without smudges, with a uniform color and a bold line. Our right hand, however, will be all shaky and smudged everywhere. The opposite is true for left-handed people.
• We apply our polish before going to bed, thinking that in the morning it will be perfect, pristine, and worthy of a salon manicure. Too bad that when we wake up, we’ll have fingerprints from blankets and pillows printed not only on our sleeping faces but also on our colored nails.
• We apply nail polish right before going out, and even though we put on our shoes with the moves of a surgeon, at least one toe will end up scratched and/or chipped.
• Despite the bold lettering on the package that says “dries in two minutes,” and we move around like zombies for at least five minutes, blowing on it, the inevitable will happen. Something urgent will force us to use our fingers, and a bit of paint will fall off.

My obsession is Chanel nail polishes. I know, it might seem obvious to some, but even though I own nail polish from every brand imaginable, I always end up using these. They’re not foolproof, they’re not perfect, they wear like all the others, and I’ve noticed their application varies depending on the color. Nonetheless, for my taste, the shine and color payoff remain unique and inimitable when I create my favorite simple nail art. But all that aside, long live nail polishes, and the more the merrier!