Nail polish, how do you get it to dry without mistakes?
Asked by
cak (
15863
)
August 13th, 2008
Either in a salon or at home, whenever one of my best friends has or paints her nails, she always ruins a nail or two. How in the world…espeically at home…do you get it to dry, quickly without a ton of mistakes or smudges?
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33 Answers
Open your fingers and do not move, for 2–3 minutes, there’s also a spray to dry it available…
try a quick dry polish over the top and/or don’t move at all until it’s dry..
stick your hands in a bowl of ice cold water
flameboi, you’re funny. 2–3 minutes. hahahhahahahaa. how about try 30.
this works for me everytime: about 5 minutes before a good show is going to come on, i get my nailpolish stuff, turn the tv to that channel, and start painting. i finish about the time it comes on. i sit and watch it without moving my hands at all the whole time. even after 30 min be careful not to scratch you nails really hard against anything because it’s still just a teeny bit wet.
@LcG
2–3 minutes work for me but 30? you have lots of free time right? I envy you
I’m not sure quickly is possible, cak. Although I’ve seen polish drying stuff in the store. Don’t know if it works. Can she sit still for 30 minutes? I couldn’t but it’s the only thing I can think of…
@flameboi…she’s tried the spray, it sets the top, but the bottom is still pretty wet. I believe she sent the last can flying!
@poofandmonk – I’ve heard of the ice water thing before, now…it’s just a matter of whether she can do that without messing things up. I love her, but she is such a spazz.
@ la chica…sounds like the safe bet, but getting her to sit and not move her hands is the trick. She’ll sit, but her hands are always moving!
I used to ALWAYS ruin a nail or two (or three or four) because I’m always moving around and doing stuff, and I’m a huge klutz, but I have a couple shows I get really enthralled in, the only problem is commercials. I usually try to watch a show on DVD if I’m going to paint my nails (which, honestly I do like once a month at the most).
seriously, go to sallys and get the quick dry polish in the round bottle, Ill try to find a picture but it works the best…
Before you apply the polish, clean your nails w/ rubbing alcohol. It makes the polish last for 6 weeks (at least on my toes…..).
As to the quick drying…..I use only nail polishes that promote that as a feature….Most brands have a quick drying line. A minute or less. I also apply the flash dry stuff. It is some kind of oil. that you put on after the polish has dried for a few seconds. I also put a coat of clear on to finish it off and to make it look really professional.
I agree with Cheeb, I used to have some paint on quick dry polish, and it was better than the sprays, but still not perfect. the paint underneath is still wet, and i often still mess them up if i’m not careful.
@cheebdragon…I found it! :) I’m adding that to the list for her! I think that and the sitting will be the solution for her.
@snoopy…I’ve wondered what it was to use before polishing! thanks!
The rubbing alcohol gets rid of all the body oils, lotions and junk that might be on your nails and prevent the polish from adhering very well….
One other thing….if you are talking about toes…I always use those little toe spreader things. They kinda hurt. But….beauty is painful, I suppose.
Snoopy, maybe you can explain what the point of those is. I’ve tried them, but i really don’t have any more or less trouble painting my toenails either way. What’s the deal?
LOL. I have to admit I didn’t really know how the oil thing works…...so I researched a bit. Apparently the point of the oil…..is not so much to get it to dry quicker, but to provide a barrier against light bumps/brushes….i.e. to decrease the smudging.
I didn’t know how it worked myself…..
:)
chica, the toe seperator helps so your toes don’t mash against each other… I know my pinky toe will smudge every time if I don’t use it. Also, it’s easier to get to a toe without smudging the others.
Ooops. Sorry chica. I didn’t know you meant the toe thingies. My little toes would smudge each other if I didn’t use them.
@LcG
I watch the news when I’m not thaaat tired, or maybe over the weekend, I try to watch tv (I really do!) but, I tend to fall sleep :s
And, to my own surprise, I never ruin my nails :)
Um…for some reason I thought because your name had “boy” in it, I thought you were a “boy”. Am I right or wrong? If I was right, what color do you paint your nails? If I was wrong, so sorry.
Don’t put it on too thick, let it dry between coats and do nothing that means brushing against your nails until it’s fully dried. Also, don’t use old varnish, it doesn’t dry. Keep nail varnish (and make-up in general) for max 6 months.
I find sitting around smoking a cigarette or two does the trick and the best way to check if it’s dried is by brushing it ever so lightly down over your top lip.
Thank you everyone!! I appreciate the help…I’m sending her a list, now!
(she just ruined another manicure…yikes!)
Wildflower. 6 months?! Wow! I think I actually have some that is 20 years old…..now THAT stuff probably does need to be thrown out…..
Another way to tell if it’s dry is to lightly touch it with your tongue…..I know…I know it sounds weird but if your nail is totally dry, you won’t taste anything and if the nail is tacky still you will taste the difference….
Sounds stupid but try it next time and you will see what I mean.
That sounds like it could be a cander risk or something, cheeb :)
@Snoopy!!! That’s funny…I remember my mother had a bottle of nail polish, that somehow I took over and eventually tossed it out. It was an old bottle I think, Cutex of some frosted pink color…70’s, here we come!
@LcG
Flame-boy if I were a girl, I’d be flame-girl lol
I keep my firngernails in the best shape possible, hands for a gentleman are like a business card, gives a very good impression, I kept that from my long gone modeling days my manicurist visits me once a week to help me with my nails and my eyebrows
okay, it’s all clear now. (heehee, i made a pun)
well no wonder 2–3 minutes is enough for you! smudges don’t show nearly as much in clear polish (from my experience)
:-)
yep, I guess you are right, I mean, you are the experienced girl :)
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