A girl’s guide to perfect nails
Thought a splash of nail polish was all you needed? Time to think again! With talk of nail polish top coats, nail polish base coats, ridge fillers, nail lacquers and more, manicures can be a complicated business. While beautiful nails are always the end goal, you don’t want to settle for nails that won’t last. Techniques such as using a priming base coat can be effective, but many beginners aren’t aware of these tricks of the trade. Whether you have questions about fast-drying nail polish, or how to protect your nails from chips, we’ve strived to answer them in this girl’s guide to perfect nails…
What is nail polish base coat?
Think of nail polish base coat as the bottom layer of a sandwich - it protects the important middle part from damage and primes the nail for you to spread on your pretty polish of choice. The chip-resistant formulas of the Sephora priming base coats are designed to fight daily elements and prevent against nail damage.
Where does nail lacquer go?
Once you’ve applied a hardy layer of nail polish base coat, we’d recommend a solid lashing of nail lacquer. There are plenty of options in the Sephora range from pastel shades to glitter polishes and many more. Opt for a fast-drying nail polish if you’re in a rush - no more waiting for nails to dry!
When to apply nail polish top coat?
An ultra-glossy nail polish top coat will extend the life of your manicure and lock-in the look of your nails. If you want a smudge and chip-free finish, you should apply a top coat after your nail lacquer or polish. The Sephora collection contains plenty of nail polish top coats with high shine factor for nails that are not just well-protected but ultra glossy and gorgeous to look at.
Do you need nail strengthener?
If you want to protect your nails, you should absolutely apply a shield of nail strengthener. This fibre-rich nail treatment knows how to best care for your nails and helps them to grow stronger and longer without splitting or breaking. Bottom line - when your nails are healthy, you’ll have a better base for applying polish. Not only that, your nail and cuticle health will be boosted. What else could you want from a nail product?
Ridge filler - say what?
Have you noticed that your nails aren’t a totally flat surface? Many of us have ridges within our nails that can decrease the chance of a smooth layer of polish. Never fair - add a ridge filler to your nail polish collection and see fantastic results. It will level-out rough textures to ensure a smooth, bump-free surface which is ideal for nail polish application. Lovely stuff!