Hate to wait for nail polish to dry? These expert tips can help reduce that precarious wait time.
Waiting for your nail polish to dry can be a grueling experience. That's inevitably when you get an important call or have an itch in a particularly hard-to-reach area. Rest assured, we have hacks that can help dry nails faster. Professional Uv Nail Lamp
We tapped professional nail artists to share their tips and tricks—from quick-drying topcoats for your glazed donut nails to cooking spray—to help your nail polish dry more quickly. Granted, it won't make your manicure completely dry in seconds (unless you're getting a gel manicure), but these tips can cut down that wait time so you can show off your manicure sooner.
You can help speed up your nail polish drying process by submerging your nails in an ice bath. The ice-cold water sets the stage to harden polish quickly and dry faster. Here’s how to do it:
Applying thin, even layers is the best way to ensure your nails dry faster when doing a DIY manicure, according to Brittney Boyce, celebrity nail artist and founder of NAILS OF LA.
"Thick layers will always take longer to dry, plus the finish can look uneven and goopy," she says. Regardless of whether you're using traditional or breathable nail polish, she recommends applying polish in three strokes: one down the center and then one on each side.
Dry your nails after each layer of polish, recommends Syreeta Aaron, professional nail artist and LeChat Nails educator. This step is especially important when you're going after a more in-depth nail look, like velvet nails. Here's how:
Many nail experts say blasting your nails with a blow-dryer on the cool setting can dry your manicure faster, but Boyce says this can reduce shine and even move the polish, leaving it uneven. Instead, she recommends using a fan on a low setting to help polish firm up and dry faster.
"A gentle fan can help the solvents in nail polish evaporate faster without moving the polish," she says. Just be sure not to position the fan too close because that can lead to bubbles.
A fast-drying topcoat is a game changer for any manicure, says Boyce. Try Orly Sec N' Dry ($13, ulta.com) for its formula made with a special resin that seals the top and helps dry nails faster.
One type of drying drops to try is OPI Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops ($14, ulta.com). "These are typically formulated with some sort of oil and silicone blend that absorb the solvents in nail polish to speed up the drying process," says Boyce. "Some do have added conditioning benefits as well."
Can't get your hands on drying drops? Boyce recommends applying a cooking spray, which helps absorb the solvent faster, leading to a dry manicure more quickly. Other oils (coconut, olive, or even baby oil) work the same way.
Enamel or nail-drying sprays are options for drying nails quickly, says Aaron. She recommends Demert's Nail Enamel Dryer ($9, amazon.com) because it helps dry nails faster while also hydrating cuticles.
Similar to an ice bath, running your nails under cold water helps thickeners in polish settle faster, says Boyce. Use caution if you're choosing this method because it may not be the best solution for drying the bottom layers of polish.
Also, this method may cause your manicure to look uneven or chip faster later on. Nevertheless, if you're in a pinch, this hack may serve as a quick-and-easy solution.
"Base coats and top coats are extra layers, meaning extra dry time," says Boyce. "If you're short on time, a one-step polish, like Orly Breathable Treatment + Color ($11, ulta.com), can help as you don't need a base or top coat for those."
Fact: Some nail polish colors dry faster than others. If you're in a rush, reach for a sheer or metallic shade, which generally contains more solvents. It's the evaporation of those solvents that causes nail polish to dry, so the more a particular shade has, the quicker it sets.
Hairspray is not just for hair: It can also help dry polished nails faster. The caveat is that it only works on the top layer of polish, not the base layers. Hairspray may help, but don't get too aggressive with your nails for at least 30 minutes after spraying.
Yes, we're talking about that can next to your computer that blows crumbs off your keyboard. You can also point it at your partially dried nails to help them finish drying more quickly.
For this trick, let your nails air-dry for at least 10 minutes. (Spraying compressed air at just-polished nails may put dents or smudges in your manicure.) Next, holding the can about 1 to 2 feet away from your hand, spray each nail for about 3 seconds.
You're right, watching TV doesn't really make your nail polish dry faster, but it makes it seem like it. Settling in with a mood-boosting TV show or movie helps keep you from participating in other hand-focused, manicure-busting activities. It also serves as a timer: After one movie or two or three TV shows, you're nails are completely dry and normal life can resume!
Yes, practically anything cold can help your nails solidify and dry faster, including air conditioners and freezers. Hold your hands in front of the air conditioner or stick them in the freezer for about 2 minutes. Yes, it's cold; take a break if you have to. Who says beauty doesn't require a little hardship?
Drying time depends on a lot of factors, such as the formula and shade of the polish, the number and thickness of layers, and how old your polish is. (Older polish goes on thicker and takes longer to dry.) In general, it takes nail polish up to 2 hours to fully cure, but you can usually resume using your hands—cautiously—as soon as 15 minutes after the last application.
Here's a quick way to tell if your polish is dry, without ruining your whole manicure. Wait for at least 15 minutes, and then try one of these tests:
Realistic Fake Hand If your polish passes either of these tests, your topcoat is dry and you can start using your hands, keeping in mind that your nails aren't quite fully set yet.