IMAGE: Crisco/Corbis
Yes, we’ve all been there. You’ve painted your nails and your brain decides that it is the best time to pee. So what do you do? You can’t go to the toilet without washing your hands, right? When emergency situations like these happen, I’m glad that I relied on these few tips to ensure that my nail polish dries in the fastest time possible.
STEP ONE: THIN LAYERS
Without having to state the obvious, painting a thin layer of varnish will speed up the nail drying process. Instead of plonking a giant glob of polish on your nail, lightly pile on the varnish by layering it.
STEP TWO: WAIT IN BETWEEN
Yes, the waiting game is inevitable. Waiting for a minute or two for each layer to dry will make your overall nail painting process a breeze. Instead of painting the second coat once you’re done with the first round, wait for the first coat to dry before embarking on the second. This will indefinitely make the entire drying process a whole lot faster, trust me.
STEP THREE: PICK QUICK DRY
Sealing your nails with a quick dry top coat is the fastest way to dry your polish in minutes. The all-time winner in this area is Seche Vite’s Dry Fast Top Coat. The mini bottle of goodness dries your polish almost instantaneously, giving it an extremely glossy finish, too! And in the case of this top coat, you can generously afford to plonk on a thick layer over your manicure.
STEP FOUR: ICE IT
My favourite tip is to dip my nails into a bucket of ice-cold water. The cold temperature will freeze and harden your nail polish, so you don’t have to wait around in front of a fan. I normally fill half a bucket with ice, and pour the water in only when I need it.
But before you dunk your nails in, be sure that your polish is already dry to the touch. Soak your nails for a few minutes, and you’ll be good to go.
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat is available from Sephora stores. For more information, visit www.seche.com and follow the brand on Facebook.