Fashion
11 Things Lazy Girls Should Know About Nail Polish
Nothing is as easy and fun as a fresh coat of nail polish for a quick beauty pick-me-up, but so many things can go wrong if you're not paying attention. For those of you out there that are a little on the careless side, I've rounded up the top things lazy girls should know about nail polish. These hacks will save you serious time, spills, and struggles.
By the way, if you're really, really, really lazy when it comes to your nails, but still want them to look good 24/7, you might want to consider gel or shellac. As you might already know, both gel and Shellac polish don't chip for up to two or three weeks, thanks to its formulation and the UV light that is used to dry them between coats. As long as you can sit in a chair while someone does your nails, that's really all the effort required for these long-lasting polish strategies. #LazyGirlsLoveGel
If, however, you prefer the DIY life like me but also can't handle the idea of spending over fifteen minutes tops on your nails, the tips below are for you. Read on to learn how to get the perfect manicure, no matter how lazy you're feeling.
1. Base Coat Is Worth It
Polishield, $10, Orly
It might seem like an extra step, but a proper base coat will give you smoother nails so your colored polish goes on faster and sticks better.
2. Pick Chip-Resistant Polish
Nail Polish, $18, tenoverton
Extend the time between touch-ups as long as possible by opting for chip-resistant polish.
3. Stick Your Hands In The Freezer
A slightly wacky hack to dry your nails fast is by sticking your hands in the freezer so the polish will set.
4. Dip Them In Ice Water
Similar to the freezer method, dipping your hands in ice cold water will also "freeze" the polish on.
5. Blow Dry Them
Ionic Ceramic Dryer, $36, Allure
If being cold isn't your thing, you can also blow-dry your nails. Just make sure it's set to the lowest setting and keep the dryer at least six inches away from your hands.
6. Buy Some Fast Dry Top Coat
45 Second Top Coat, $15, NAILS INC
My personal favorite way to get my nails dry fast is simply swiping on a clear top coat.
7. Remove Cuticle Stains With Q-Tips
Dip a Q-tip into polish remover to scrub off annoying cuticle stains without wrecking the rest of your mani.
8. Create Easy Polka Dots With Bobby Pins
Bobby Pins, $7.95, Goody
If you want a simple design fast, you can dip the tip of a bobby pin into polish and then add dots to your nails.
9. Buy Built-In Design Coats
Nail Polish Effect, 12.50, Formula X
If you want fun nail art, but are too lazy to do them yourselves, you can purchase top coats that make it look like you spent forever creative a cute and intricate design.
10. Make Your Own Polish
Silk Shadow, $35, Giorgio Armani
Lazy to the extent you forgot to check if you even had nail polish? You can make your own super fast by mixing a little eye shadow pigment into clear polish!
11. Remove Old Polish Fast With A Cotton Ball
Don't waste your time dipping in and out of own of those sponge polish remover tubs. Armed with a bottle of remover and a cotton ball for scrubbing, your old polish will come off in no time.
Want more style tips? Check out the video below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle’s YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!
Images: devmarya/Fotolia, Piman Khrutmuang/Fotolia, 5ph/Fotolia, milosz_g/Fotolia, vladimirfloyd/Fotolia; Courtesy of Brands
