Best Non Toxic Nail Salon in Houston

When getting your nails done or applying acrylic, it’s normal to spend a good portion of your day sealing the top layer to keep polish on, too. But, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, a base coat actually helps lower the risk of breakage while giving you a protective surface to which you can apply your polish.

“If you want a healthy, long-lasting manicure, you should use a top coat along with your base coat, to seal those layers of skin between your nail beds and the polish, and protect your manicure from the normal wear and tear of fingernails and toenails,” Dr. Gil C. Lopez, a clinical assistant professor of Dermatology at the NYU Langone Medical Center, told POPSUGAR. When applying the top coat, try to dry your nails as quickly as possible, even if it’s not good to have them get wet. If you’re worried about a chipped nail, dry it with a hot towel. After applying a base coat, dip the ends of your nails into water, then dry.

“When you dry your nails, you want to apply a repair top coat to restore your nails,” Dr. Lopez said. “You don’t want to dry them to a state where they show wear and tear.” You can choose to put your replacement top coat on after your base coat or after your top coat. (You don’t need a top coat to get your acrylics on; they’re already out of the way.) Whatever way you decide to apply it, always, always, always apply the top coat of the top coat.

“In most salons, my patients get their base coat out of the way, and then use the top coat only to coat their nails and seal them in the appropriate areas to keep the polish in place,” Lopez said. “Just like with an oil change, it is wise to return to the salon periodically to apply a top coat because oil is not lasting forever.”