I recently developed an addiction for Avon nail polish (surprise, surprise) and they have a simple and straightforward tip list for making the most of your manicure: 
1. Clean your nails before applying polish, with polish remover (even if they were not polished) or with a fresh lemon. This will remove any oils and debris and produce a clean canvas for painting.
2. Add a basecoat. It will protect your nails and even out the ridges.
3. Polish a bit over the tip of the nail.
4. Two thin layers of polish are better than one thick layer.
5. Don’t forget your topcoat!
6. Add a fresh layer of topcoat 2-3 days after to add shine and further protect your polish.
I know with nail strips you are supposed to give your nails a quick once over with polish remover but I never considered it for nail polish but it makes sense.
I can’t live without a basecoat so that should be a given for everyone — especially with neon and deep colors.
I can’t seem to brush over the tip of the nail without making a mess. My nails are pretty short. I do try to do it with the base coat though.
I have to agree that two thin coats is way better than one thick one. It gives you more control of where to polish goes, you get less on the skin around the nails, and I find the manicure lasts longer. Especially if you let them dry for at least five minutes between coats.
I almost never go without a top coat but some polishes have a super gloss sheen that just cannot be copied by a top coat, a blue Jin Soon polish I have comes to mind.
I have to admit that my polishes are usually not on long enough for me to do a fresh topcoat every few days but it makes sense if you are trying to make it last seven to ten days; especially if you use your hands a lot.
How many of these tips from Avon do you already use and do you have any other suggestions for making a mani last?
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