To keep nails looking and feeling hydrated, after a dry manicure, use apricot cuticle oil to rehydrate the skin around the nails. When you finish your prep routine, be sure to thoroughly cleanse the nails—any oil remaining on the nail plate will prevent polish adhesion and shorten polish wear. One coat of polish takes about 30 to 60 seconds to dry. This is about the time it takes for the average person to paint all of their nails, so once you have painted all your nails, you should be ready to add the next coat. Once you have applied two coats of color, you can start again at the first nail with your top coat. Essie offers a range of nail care products – from base coats, top coats and cuticle care - each one a champion of a bene fit to help achiever the art of the manicure. For a full list of available care products, please visit our nail care section. Our LOVE by essie 80% plant-based formula was carefully created with the best ingredients to deliver the same salon-quality wear & shine our consumers know and expect from essie nail color. Soak off stubborn sparkle. For particularly stubborn glitter, try the same process you would use for removing gel. Wrap the nails tightly with removal wraps for 2-3 minutes, then remove the wraps. The glitter should be gone.

Matte top coats and polishes can become less matte during wear as natural oils from the skin transfer onto the nail. To refresh your matte look, cleanse with an alcohol wipe. Essie’s apricot cuticle oil is a cuticle hydrator that can be used before or after a manicure or a pedicure. If used before, be sure to thoroughly cleanse the nail before polish application. apricot cuticle oil should also be used to hydrate nails after polish or gel removal. We don’t recommend mixing different essie polishes together in one bottle—this may result in an uneven formula and bubbles during application. Instead, consider layering polishes to provide yourself with a one-of- a-kind shade. For example, layer sheer shades over opaque or glitter shades to create a customized manicure.

Adding a top coat is an important step, designed to seal, shine, and extend the wear of your manicure. However, some essie polishes have unique effects and finishes that do not require a top coat. Make sure to use the right base coat for your particular look! For example, the gel couture shades require a specially formulated gel-like top coat. Another exception to this is essie TREAT LOVE & COLOR which has a semi-gloss finish alone and has not been designed to be used with a top coat. These are stainless steel mixing balls to help mix the color and ensure it stays at the right consistency for a fluid, flawless application. Yes. Thoroughly cleanse the nails with polish remover and a lint free pad after your nail prep is complete. Be careful not to touch the nail plates with your fingers or oils will transfer to the nails, shortening color wear. Polish removers temporarily dehydrate the nail plate making nails appear drier than they actually are. Rehydrate with apricot cuticle oil at the end of any removal service. If your nails appear dry after repeated polish application, you might benefit from a more nourishing base coat like grow stronger or millionails primer.

Avoid Light. The pigments in nail polish—especially sheer and pastel colors—can shift over time when exposed to light. Be sure to keep your polish stored away from light (natural and artificial).It’s not all fun and games, though. With all the painting and subsequent removing of polishes, my nails go through a lot. Despite doing my best to keep them long, they’ve been chipping and peeling more than usual. The other day, in fact, I was reaching for my remote while watching TV and accidentally broke a nail. Yes, I broke a nail while watching TV. That’s how bad things had gotten. Gel setter is a gel-like top coat designed to top off any mani or pedi to create a high-shine finish. Learn more here.