Nothing completes a fashionista’s look like a fresh coat of nail polish. Still, as you may know, air-drying your nails takes patience and time. And waving your hands around hoping that this would speed up the drying process hardly ever works. So, today, we will show you how to dry your nail polish faster.
Use a Blow Dryer
One of the best ways to quick-dry your nails after painting them is to use a blow dryer. Typically, with this method, you will get the desired results in just 2–3 minutes.
However, make sure you use the low cool-air setting so that you don’t melt the polish or burn your skin. Also, keep your blow dryer at least 6–7 inches (15–18 cm) away from your hands. Otherwise, the finish will appear bumpy.
Paint Smarter, Not Faster
Never apply thick layers of nail polish! Although that will help you paint your nails faster, you will have to wait for ages for all those coats of polish to dry. What’s worse, this manicure technique may lead to an uneven finish.
Usually, a much better way to do your nails is to use several thin layers of polish. It’s best if you wait for at least five minutes before applying the next layer. By doing so, you will reduce the risk of bubbles.
Try Cooling or Freezing Your Fingers
As a rule, low temperatures will help your manicure set in no time. If you are wondering how to dry your nail polish faster, simply cool your fingers.
For example, you could hold your hands under cold running water. Make sure to keep its flow steady and slow to prevent smudges.
Another cooling method you can try is putting your hands in the freezer for 1–2 minutes. While that may sound odd, we guarantee that it works like magic.
On the downside, the experience will not be pleasant because your fingers will feel quite cold afterward. Plus, keeping your freezer door open for a couple of minutes is bad both for the appliance’s compressor and your electricity bill.
Finally, you can cool your manicure with a quick ice bath. Here’s how to do that:
- Do your nails and let them air-dry for 1–2 minutes
- Dip your fingers in a bowl full of cold water for 2–5 minutes
- Air-dry the nails for another minute or so
- Stick your fingers in a half-full bowl of water with about 5–6 ice cubes for sixty seconds
All in all, the entire ice-bath cooling process should take you no more than ten minutes to complete. Although this is not the fastest nail polish drying method, it is always effective.
Invest in Quick-Dry Nail Products
Aside from DIY ways you can dry nail polish, there are also several ready-made solutions for the problem. Some of them include the following products:
- Quick-dry top coat
- Drying drops
- Nail-drying spray
Typically, you can find these items in any beauty store. For the most part, they are affordable and easy to use.
A Few Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you now know how to dry your nail polish faster. Still, whatever drying method you pick, always paint several thin layers rather than a single thick one. Otherwise, your quick-dry technique will fail to work properly. What’s more, it may even leave bubbles or smudges on your manicure.
