Say Ciao to Chipping

I polished my nails this pretty taupe-y nude color last night about 40 minutes prior to going to bed, like usual.

I woke up this morning and PURPOSELY didn't wash my hair because of my awesome nail color. I did everything like I usually do, which consists of eating breakfast, getting ready, getting dressed, and then, as soon as I got into the car, I noticed that one of my nails had a huge chip in it. As I was driving to work, I realized that I missed a very important step in my home-manicure line-up....buffing. Because of my oddly chipped nails (and as a reminder to myself), here's how to prevent your nail polish from flaking away.....

1. Clean your nails and hands. Wash hands and dry thoroughly BEFORE removing old nail polish. Even if you are painting non-colored nails, wipe them with polish remover anyway. It removes all the yucky grime that builds during the day and gives you a clean canvas to paint.

2. Buff your nails. Buffing smoothes the nail and makes it easier for polish to adhere to. (Missing this step will give you more chips as well know now!)

3. Base Coat. Some people aren't as fussy about this step BUT the last thing you want to have is stained nails. (Trust me, dark colors will stain.) Plus, a base coat makes it easier to remove the polish at a later date.

4. Pick a high quality nail polish. I am really bad for this. Personally, I like cheap nail polish because constantly change my mind and nail color. I will say that higher-end polish contains superior ingredients and are less likely to chip.

5. Thin coats. Paint the nails with thinner coats and ensure that each coat dries fully before adding another one. Only add a max of three coats per nail. (I only do two.) If you add any more color, it makes it too difficult to dry.

6. Add a top coat. This is the bonding coat so pick a good stengthening polish. Make sure the nails are completely dry before doing any activities that involve your hands.

Following these salon tips will definitely help prevent flaking and chipping. Of course, it doesn't help me now as I'm already at work and forgot to bring my nail poilish. So much for my new nail polish...Oh by the way, this whole chipped nail polish is supposedly a trend. Either I'm old, or completely ignorant, but I don't get it....at all.

Are there any polish tips that you absolutely swear by? Let me know.....