Afternoon beauty fix: Repair a busted mani with this trick–or try a foolproof lacquer instead!
How can I fix a botched manicure? If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s accidentally smudging, chipping, and or tearing a nail.
Waiting for nail polish to dry is like, well, watching paint dry! A pristine paint job stands practically no chance against a phone beeping with text messages and, unless you’ve got time aplenty, impatience will likely run its course and ruin a paint job before it’s even been admired. Lucky for nail enthusiasts, there’s a new tough guy in town. Whereas press-ons and acrylics used to be the only hard-surface alternative to softer polish, full-gel lacquers like OPI GelColor ($35–$55 for a manicure in salons) are new to the scene and can set manicures in a flash. Unless you do something extraordinary with your hands in the meantime, gel polish should stay solid until you’re ready to change shades. Since stranger things have happened, we’d recommend adding nail glue to your arsenal against chips. Kiss Brush-on-Gel nail wraps ($20, at ebeauty.ca) prevent tears from getting worse and the kit they come in includes clear glue to fill any gouges your mani endured while doing the dishes or, ahem, biting your nails. And if that’s your vice, make sure to have plenty of fine-grain emery boards at the ready.
In need of an afternoon beauty pick-me-up? Email us at [email protected].
 are new to the scene and can set manicures in a flash. Unless you do something extraordinary with your hands in the meantime, gel polish should stay solid until you're ready to change shades. Since stranger things have happened, we'd recommend adding nail glue to your arsenal against chips. Kiss Brush-on-Gel nail wraps ($20, at ebeauty.ca) prevent tears from getting worse and the kit they come in includes clear glue to fill any gouges your mani endured while doing the dishes or, ahem, biting your nails. And if that's your vice, make sure to have plenty of fine-grain emery boards at the ready.
In need of an afternoon beauty pick-me-up? Email us at beautyfix@fashionmagazine.com.){kind=link}