You’ve just finished painting your nails, everything looks perfect, and you suddenly have the urge to go to the bathroom or eat a snack. Maybe you have somewhere to be, but didn’t realize how long it would take you to do your nails, and now you need to get dressed and out the door! But wait! Those gorgeous nails you just painted, the awesome designs you just tried out… What’s a girl to do?
I always hear my girlfriends complaining about how they wish their nails would dry faster, so that they wouldn’t end up smudging on clothes, bedding, or against walls/drawers/zippers. I’m here to give you a few of my tricks!
1. Quick Drying Topcoat
Out The Door is my favorite product and my topcoat of choice. I never run out because every time I go to pick some up at my local drugstore, I buy two. This is the best quick drying topcoat that I have ever tried. In about two minutes after applying the topcoat to your *wet nails, they will be dry and ready for you to go ahead and cook, get dressed, or whatever you have left to do with your day/night. This topcoat has saved me in so many situations, and I love it!
*Side note: If you applied some fancy designs to your nails, you may want to wait a few seconds before applying any kind of topcoat. You don’t want any smudging or dragging! Designing polishes have a slightly different formula from regular polish.
2. Light
Setting your hands under a light makes your nails dry faster! However, don’t place your hands too close to the light, because you don’t want to burn yourself or melt the polish off of your nails. We definitely don’t want any bubbles on those pretty nails either! My little cousin, who was eight or nine years old at the time, came home from school and said that her art teacher told her about this trick. Imagine that! I’ve tried it out, and it works pretty well.
3. Oil(s) or Cooking Spray
Grab some paper towels to place under your nails for this trick! If you dip your nails in oil (I’ve tried it with Olive Oil), your nails will be protected and will dry faster. You can also use cooking spray. Oils will also moisturize and nourish your cuticles, for a healthy look!
4. Cold Water
Yes, you’re reading correctly. Dipping your nails into a bowl of cold water can aid in the drying process. This is similar to the effect of dipping your nails into a bowl of oil. I’ve even heard of people sticking their hands in the freezer for a few moments! I wouldn’t recommend exposing yourself to such an intensely cold temperature, but to each her own.
These are the tricks that I have tried over the years. I love painting my nails, and appreciate them being dried as quickly as possible, and looking healthy. These methods can even promote the length of time that your nail polish will last. Give them a try and see how they work out for you. You may end up finding that one of them becomes your favorite!
Also, check out this video from cutepolish on YouTube!