To dry thick nail polish quickly, use cool air from a hairdryer or try quick-drying products and techniques.
When applying thick nail polish, drying can be a real challenge. Here's a breakdown of methods to speed up the process:
1. Cool Air
- Hair Dryer (Cool Setting): Polymers in nail polish dry faster in cold air. Use a hair dryer on the cool setting and blast each hand separately. Keep the dryer moving to avoid concentrating heat in one spot and causing bubbles.
2. Quick-Drying Products
- Quick-Dry Top Coat: These specialized top coats are designed to speed up the drying process significantly. Apply a thin layer after your last coat of color.
- Drying Drops: These drops contain solvents that help evaporate the nail polish more quickly. Apply one or two drops to each nail after painting.
3. Application Techniques
- Thin Coats: Apply several thin coats rather than one or two thick ones. Thin layers dry much faster and more evenly. Allow each coat to dry partially before applying the next.
- Wait Between Coats: Give each coat sufficient time to dry before applying the next. This prevents the polish from remaining tacky underneath and taking forever to dry.
4. Other Methods
- Ice Water: Some people swear by dipping their nails in ice water for a few minutes after painting to harden the polish.
- Cooking Spray: While unconventional, some users suggest a very light spritz of cooking spray to help set the polish (test this first!).
Summary
Drying thick nail polish requires patience and the right techniques. Using cool air, quick-drying products, and applying thin coats are all effective strategies.
