Frolicking at the beach or spending hours in the pool definitely amounts to our idea of a good spring break. However, ruining a freshly painted manicure is not. Keep reading for a few tips on how to keep your nails looking good all week long, without having to worry about taking the time to completely repaint them.
1. Use gel polish
Sally Hansen's Miracle Gel ($7.99) polish only takes two steps—the color and a topcoat—and doesn't require a light! It's extremely durable for up to 14 days of color and shine. The best part is that removal is simple—just soak your nails and it comes right off!
2. Keep nails short
This doesn't mean you have to cut your nails to nubs, but cutting them a bit shorter than usual may help with chipping. The longer they are, the bigger the chance that the tips get hit, scraped or bumped.
3. Prep with a base coat
If you decide not to use gel polish then be sure to apply a base coat to your nails before applying color. Base coats help with chipping, eliminates streaking and ridges, and prevents dark polishes from staining your nails.
4. Seal with a top coat
Another way to prevent chipping is to apply a clear top coat after your colored polish has dried. It also makes the nail shiny and smooth, and protects the polish from fading. This will definitely be a problem when you're out in the sun all day during spring break, so be proactive and protect your mani! Seche Vite ($4.40) is the best topcoat I've ever used and dries in seconds.
5. Fix chipped nail polish
If the chips have jagged edges, take a nail buffer and smooth them out. Using a toothpick, lightly fill in the areas where the polish has come off. After the spots dry, paint a thin layer of polish over the whole nail and then apply a topcoat.
6. Prevent chipping daily
In order to prevent chipping, apply a thick line of top coat to the very tips of your nails. Be sure to pack top coat when you leave for spring break so you can take this preventative measure every day!
With all the activity that comes with spring break—beach volleyball, making sand castles and tons of other outdoor activities, your nails are going to be exposed to even more things that'll cause them to chip. Fortunately, with these tips, you can both prevent that from happening and fix the problem when it does! Here's to a chip-free spring break this year, collegiettes!