Is there actually a correct way to apply nail polish?

[Nephil Thief]

(Because I've got to post about something other than my messed up family life...)

 

...

 

Okay, I sometimes wear colored nail polish. But I have no idea how to actually get the stuff on properly.

 

Just apply it with the brush it comes with -> results in a hideously thick layer that never dries completely, and comes right off the next time I scrub my hands. Also gets all over my fingers, irritating my skin. (It doesn't help that my hands have a slight tremor, due to medical stuff outside my control.)

 

Apply it on top of clear nail polish -> looks better, but comes right off *after* it's dried.

 

Apply it on top of clear polish, then apply more clear stuff on top -> still comes right off.

 

The only halfway sensible approach I've found is to dip a Q-tip in the colored polish and dab it onto my nails very lightly. This results in a... rather interesting mottled look. But I'd prefer smooth and shiny.

 

Is there, like, any way whatsoever to do this one's self?

 

(No, search engines haven't turned up much. And I don't think I'll ask on Stack Overflow, thanks.)

[Sudanna]

It sounds like you're just leaving way too much on the brush? As you take the brush out of the bottle, press the it against the inside lip of the bottle, squeezing out much of the excess. There's no right answer for base coat or top coat, people do all kinds of different things, I guess it depends on your particular materials.

 

If you're really unable to apply it in smooth, neat, even strokes, there's probably no way for you to get it to look smooth, neat, or even.

[Goldengirl]

I'm not a nail technician or anything, but I've had mild success when it comes to doing my nails (until it comes to painting my dominant hand...)

 

I always do a base coat before anything else, and usually a top coat at the end for good measure. In my experience, the base coat is more important.

 

Make sure to wipe the excess off on the lip of the bottle, yes. Press the brush fat and wide on the base of the nail, right over the crescents. It should be wide enough to cover most of your nail. With each coat, try your best to evenly apply it to all parts of the nail. And do two or three coats, letting each one dry on that nail before moving to the next one.

 

Other than that, I suppose just try to avoid doing too much with your hands, which is easier said than done.

[Nephil Thief]

I'm not a nail technician or anything, but I've had mild success when it comes to doing my nails (until it comes to painting my dominant hand...)

 

I always do a base coat before anything else, and usually a top coat at the end for good measure. In my experience, the base coat is more important.

 

Make sure to wipe the excess off on the lip of the bottle, yes. Press the brush fat and wide on the base of the nail, right over the crescents. It should be wide enough to cover most of your nail. With each coat, try your best to evenly apply it to all parts of the nail. And do two or three coats, letting each one dry on that nail before moving to the next one.

 

Thank you! I'll give that a try next time.

 

(Though the Q-tip strategy I mentioned earlier, actually wound up looking surprisingly good...)

 

Other than that, I suppose just try to avoid doing too much with your hands, which is easier said than done.

 

Well yes. Especially for a computer person who likes to read a lot... :|

[Nephil Thief]

@Goldengirl, thank you for your advice - it worked beautifully.