Summer or winter, a beautiful manicure is an everyday affair. For those who like to keep beautiful soft hands, beautiful nails, filed and manicured for as long as possible, here are some good tips that should do the trick.

A good base ensures long-lasting hold

Just like makeup, manicures require a clean, healthy and well-prepared base. As you might expect, brittle, weakened and diseased nails will certainly not make our manicure last more than a few days, so it is important to take care of them before any manicure application.

Hand washing and care

It may seem silly, but we rarely think about washing our hands before applying our nail polish. Why is it so important? Washing our hands removes any oily residue, dust or micro-elements (like a hair for example), which could compromise the proper application of the nail polish. Then we move on to the treatment! Clearing the cuticles, softening cream for the skin, a little massage for pleasure and trimming the nails if necessary according to what we prefer: short nails or long nails!

Lightly sand the surface of the nail.

This is a step that is often skipped due to lack of time or simply because we don't think it's necessary. However, just as the skin must be hydrated to best support makeup, the nail must also be polished (very, very lightly) to adhere the polish as much as possible and ensure long-lasting hold. With a nail file or a nail sanding block, lightly sand the surface of the nail until it appears smooth. Be careful not to go too hard because extreme sanding of the nail is very bad and could lead to breakage or cracking (and that hurts!). Also think about filing the nails to give them the desired shape before applying the polish. Almond-shaped nails, square nails or rounded nails? It's up to you. Finally, finish by using a nail brush to remove any sanding residue and smooth the surface of the nails.

Step 3: Protect! Just like we protect our skin from UV rays, pollution and the cosmetics we use on it, our nails also deserve to be protected before applying nail polish. Why? In the long term, we quickly notice that the nail turns yellow due to permanent contact with the pigments in the nail polish (which, let's not forget, is still a chemical substance!). It can also split and break. To avoid as much inconvenience as possible, make sure to apply a transparent base coat before each home manicure. Note that the base also allows for a more uniform application of the nail polish, it also helps to harden the nail to prevent breakage, and allows for better hold over time. In short, it has it all.

You can also add a layer of nail serum to ensure double protection!

Applying your nail polish the right way

It's not about quickly applying a brushstroke and then stopping there. Applying nail polish is an art that must be respected and learned! Obviously, with a little practice, patience and desire, you can very easily master the perfect application, step by step.

Step 1: The varnish is applied in successive layers of varnish and not in a single stroke of the brush filled to the brim with texture... We avoid the mess! We do things properly. The best thing is to let each layer dry before applying the next one.

Step 2: Take your time. You don't want any poorly spread coats that could leave ugly streaks once they dry. It's important to apply each coat of polish carefully to make sure you fill in every area of ​​the nail.

Step 3: Don't forget to edge. What's that? This technique allows you to fill the entire nail optimally and, above all, make the varnish last a little longer. The excess will be removed with the head of a cotton swab soaked in nail polish remover or with a nail polish remover pen. For the last step, make sure to varnish the tip of the nail (horizontally) to thicken the nail and "close" the varnish application.

Leave to stand, without rushing

Applying nail polish for a perfect manicure takes time. It's best to avoid having to run an errand afterwards! You can free up an entire afternoon if necessary, to be sure not to ruin the application with the slightest snag... As we pointed out above, it is essential to let each coat dry before applying it again. This break time will allow the polish to spread and apply as well as possible.

• A little tip to speed up drying time? Run your nails under ice water and let your hands air dry.

Essential, finish with a touch of top coat

The top coat is the base… of the end! To complete a small home manicure session, we of course make sure to cover the colored nails with a final layer of top coat. This special varnish comes in several formulas, including one that speeds up drying! Others revive the color, the shine, ensure hold and even strengthen the nail. Like the base coat, the top coat is an essential that should not be forgotten if you want a manicure that lasts and a shiny nail, just like a professional manicure.

And what about the retouching?

In general, we can't escape it. The manicure touch-up is done (if the first steps above have been followed) after a week (for a standard manicure, obviously for semi-permanent we count three more!). Nothing too bad or too complicated. In general, we fold it in a few minutes but once again, it must be done well.

• To fix a small snag on a nail whose varnish has chipped, it is not necessary to remove everything (the nail polish remover stays in the cupboard). Simply apply a light dose of varnish on the affected part and spread it so that the previous layers also blend with the new application. Finish with a thin layer of top coat and that's it.

On vacation, to avoid disaster, we make sure to bring in our vanity case, a nail file, nail clippers, nail polish, nail serum and top coat! This way, it is impossible to be surprised by chipped nail polish, a scratched nail or any other snag that could harm our manicure, even though it was carefully prepared!