Primers are great multi-taskers; they can be applied alone for a natural look, in place of a base coat for a quicker manicure, or under a base coat for additional care benefits. They provide a little extra love for your nails—from resurfacing and concealing visible imperfections to protection from breaking and peeling.

Adding a top coat is an important step, designed to seal, shine, and extend the wear of your manicure. However, some essie polishes have unique effects and finishes that do not require a top coat. Make sure to use the right base coat for your particular look! For example, the gel couture shades require a specially formulated gel-like top coat.

After you’ve painted a base coat, two coats of polish, and a top coat, you should sit for about 15 minutes to dry your nails. The perfect drying time could vary based on environmental factors like temperature and humidity, so a fan may be helpful in warmer, wetter climates. Although your nails will feel dry after this time, note that your nails are not completely dry for 2-3 hours after painting, so refrain from activities that could smudge your manicure in that time.

One coat of polish takes about 30 to 60 seconds to dry. This is about the time it takes for the average person to paint all of their nails, so once you have painted all your nails, you should be ready to add the next coat. Once you have applied two coats of color, you can start again at the first nail with your top coat.

To help your manicure last longer try using one of our base coats to improve adhesion and our no chips ahead top coat. Make sure you use two coats of polish and wait 30 to 60 seconds before each application. You might also like to try gel couture, which has longwear for an at-home gel-like manicure. gel couture offers longwear perfection in an easy 2-step system.

You should always avoid soaking nails in water before a manicure. Nail plates are porous and absorb water, making them temporarily more flexible and less curved. Once the moisture leaves the nails after the manicure they go back to their original shape. This is why soaking nails can lead to shorter wear time—as the nail plate flexes back the polish can easily chip or peel. Additionally, water will also temporarily hydrate the cuticles, hiding imperfections and hangnails—this will prevent a meticulous manicure. Instead of soaking nails, give yourself a “dry manicure” using essie apricot cuticle oil.