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We don’t know about you, but we can’t afford to get a manicure every other week (as much as we’d love to). So we deal and stick to painting our nails ourselves, which can be challenging, especially for those with an unsteady left hand (or right hand). But at least we can offer advice to prevent chipping nail polish, so your nails look freshly manicured.

Priming is an essential step to painting your nails because it prepares them for the polish. Skipping this step will speed up the chipping process. Rub a cotton ball lightly saturated in nail polish remover over your nails, even if you didn’t have any polish on before. It wipes off oils that make it difficult for the polish to stick. Apply a base coat. Base coats are formulated to dry quickly, but they too, allow polish to adhere better. Try out OPI’s base coat (it’s what they use in salons!)

Photo: Courtesy of OPI. OPI Natural Nail Base Coat, Amazon, $5. Applying can be tricky and there are a lot of rules to follow. If you don’t want others to notice your chipping as much, go with a lighter shade. The chips will be significantly less noticeable.

Photo: Courtesy of Essie. Absolutely Shore, ENail Supply, $7.
 
Photo: Courtesy of Zoya. Dharma, Zoya, $8. Don’t slather on polish. Thick coats take way more time to dry than thinner coats. While it may be tempting to load up the brush with as much color as possible, stick to minimal amounts. Avoid fast drying polishes, they’re said to chip easier. When you’re finished applying, swipe a horizontal line of polish at the top of your nail to keep chips away. Finishing the application process is pretty straightforward. Once nails are completely dry, swipe on a layer of top coat. To keep nails looking shiny, be sure to cover them daily in a fresh blanket of top coat.

Photo: Courtesy of Walgreens. Revlon Extra Life No Chip Top Coat, Walgreens, $6. And in case your nails do start to chip, there are a couple tricks you can use to fix the problem. Dab a bit of fingernail polish remover on your index finger and gently rub over the chip until it becomes smooth. Then reapply your color of choice. With the innovation of crackle nail polish, you may grab a bottle of your favorite brand and put a few strokes on top of your botched job. It’ll cover imperfections right up!

Photo: Courtesy of OPI. OPI White Shatter, Amazon, $6.