by Joani Schreiber

Created on: August 07, 2008   Last Updated: May 09, 2009

You're sitting in your favorite salon chatting away while your nail technician is working diligently on your nails. With accuracy beyond your imagination and what seems like lightening speed, your nails are painted and you're ready to get under the dryer. You slowly and carefully get up from your chair to move to the dryer and BANG! You smack your newly painted nail on something that jumped out in front of you! Dang! So, with your proverbial tail between your legs, you go back to the table to get your paint redone.

What went wrong between the last brush stroke and the dryer? Hmmm. Well, we know you banged your nail on something but why wasn't it "dry" enough to repel that ding? Several things come into play here. First and foremost, the average person believes that holding their nails under the light will dry them. Secondly, the top coat just doesn't work fast enough. Finally, the nail technician just didn't put enough of that "drying" stuff on your nails. Well, all of these things may be true. All of these may be false, as well. My point is that keeping the client informed is singularly the most important task of the nail technician.

Let's address each point; holding your nails under a light will not dry the paint. In fact, heat keeps the paint moist and prevents it from curing. Do you remember your Mom putting her hands in a bowl of ice cold water right after painting her nails? The reason is that cold, as opposed to heat, helps set the paint. When you sit under the nail dryer make sure the temperature is set to the coolest setting.

As for the top coat not working fast enough, most top coats are to add shine to the newly painted nail. While some professional top coats advertise quick drying, they do not guarantee against nicking or dinging. As a matter of fact, it takes about 2 hours for nail paint to set enough not to dent. This is why we get "sheet marks" when we paint our nails just before going to bed. If you want a little help in this department, ask your nail tech to put a drop of oil on each nail after the top coat is applied. This will not prevent dings or dents, but it will deflect most objects coming into contact with your newly painted nails. Kind of like a boxer applying Vaseline on his face to deflect oncoming punches!

Not enough "drying" stuff? Remember that more isn't always better. The more coats of paint, including base and tops coats, applied to your nail the longer the drying time. If you've got nail enhancements, skip the base coat! (This is not recommended for natural nails as the paint may stain).

So, have faith! There are a few things you can do to prevent that dreaded return to the table! One, cool air under the dryer; Two, ask your nail technician for a drop of oil on each nail before you leave the table. Three, skip the base coat on enhancements! These three tips will help you enjoy your trip to the Salon AND afford you the opportunity to show off your unscathed nails!

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