Proven ways to quickly dry nail polish. How to dry nail polish faster

A common problem for women when creating a manicure is long-term nail drying, so women use various life hacks that can significantly increase the drying speed of the polish.

Types of coating and drying speed

There are a huge number of nail coatings, but there are main types of varnishes that are especially popular.

  • Liquid nail polish. The most common coating, because the use of such varnish allows you to conduct various experiments when creating a manicure. The consistency of this product allows you to apply various designs and patterns at the moment of drying. The main advantage of liquid varnish is its affordability and a rich palette of shades. The disadvantages include the long drying process, which can last from 5 to 10 minutes, and also retains its original appearance for only 1-3 days.
  • Fast drying products. The complete drying period is 1-2 minutes, and does not harm the nail plate during the drying process. Externally, such varnishes are practically no different from liquid coatings. The advantage of using this product is that they dry quickly and have a rich palette of colors. But there are also negative aspects of using quick-drying coatings. During drying, manicure correction cannot be carried out, and after applying such varnish, the nail plate acquires a yellow tint.
  • Clear base coat, which is the base for colored varnish. Such products have the ability to protect the nail plate from the effects of colored elements contained in the decorative varnish. The base coat also allows for uniform application of subsequent layers.

There are special coatings on sale that moisturize, level or correct colored varnish.



  • Gel polish is considered the most convenient. After all, for 100% drying it will take 1-2 minutes in a specialized lamp, in which drying is carried out with ultraviolet light. It retains its original appearance for 3-4 weeks.
  • Durable coating. This type includes stickers, which are fixed to the decorative layer using heat. In this case, special tools and devices will not be required. To create a manicure using a durable coating, you do not need to have any skills, so it is often used at home.
  • Fixing special coating. This is a varnish used to improve the quality of a color finish. This product also helps to increase the shelf life of the manicure and gives the entire look a glossy tint. The advantages of such a coating include protection from ultraviolet rays and environmental influences on the nail plate.
  • Acrylic paints. This decorative special coating is a harmless product, because it does not harm the nail plate. And also, with the constant use of this product, the nails become stronger, they are less likely to split and break.

The only drawback is the drying speed. When applied in multiple layers, it will take quite a long time to dry (about an hour).


How to dry varnish quickly?

Modern fashionistas have come up with a huge number of life hacks to create an attractive look, thanks to which it will take a minimum amount of time to dry your manicure at home.

Cold liquid

Since the varnish dries faster at low degrees, you can use regular cold water. For this purpose, the liquid can be placed in the freezer for a while, or you can add a few ice cubes. It is enough to immerse your hands in the ice-cold liquid for 3-4 minutes. There is no need to hold your hands under running water, this way you will only ruin your manicure, because the varnish has not yet completely hardened.

Hair fixation spray

Experienced manicurists recommend using a reliable product for accelerated drying of varnish coatings, which is regular hairspray. It is necessary to spray the product onto the nail plates, and choose a special product with strong fixation. Thus, you will not only reduce the drying time, but also preserve the original appearance of the manicure for a long time.


Vegetable oil

A good effect can be achieved by using vegetable, olive or peach oil. To dry each nail plate, you need to apply a drop of the ingredient to each nail. For convenience, you can use a pipette. Plant products should be washed off with gentle movements 5 minutes after application. This method will not only fix the nail polish, but also strengthen the cuticle.

Freezer

To allow the varnish to dry quickly, place it in the freezer for five minutes. This cooling method will allow you to admire your manicure in 4-5 minutes. The condition is fulfilled if the varnish is applied immediately after removing the coating from the refrigerator, that is, it should not heat up.

Hairdryer

Female representatives come up with various tricks in order to become beautiful. Therefore, to dry the varnish as quickly as possible, many people use a regular hair dryer. Only in this case it is necessary to turn on the cold air flow mode. It is enough to hold the nails under the air stream of this dryer for about 7-10 minutes. By the way, you can replace the hair dryer with a regular fan; you need to dry your nails in the same way as using a hair dryer. Specialized fans designed for drying varnish are available for sale. They can be either for one hand or for both.

Most women purchase special, expensive lamps for drying manicures. But you can do without them by using the drying methods described above.



Applying varnish for faster drying

Every girl has experienced the fact that after a long time of creating a manicure, one awkward movement ruins the whole look. No one is immune from this problem, so it is worthwhile to correctly perform the varnish application technique, which will reduce the drying period of the varnish coating.

  • The first step is to prepare all the necessary tools and equipment so that you don’t have to do this later with painted nails.
  • Nail plates and cuticles are carefully processed. The old decorative layer is removed from the nail, and the cuticles are also removed.
  • Ten minutes before applying nail polish, put the product in the refrigerator. After all, the special coating in a cold state will harden much faster at positive degrees.
  • Before painting, you should degrease your nails; for this you can use nail polish remover or alcohol, they can dry out the nail plate.
  • It is not recommended to apply more than two layers of varnish. This manicure will look sloppy.
  • If you decide to do several layers, then you should maintain a time interval of 3 minutes before each application.
  • When finished, use a quick-drying special product.



These manipulations are necessary so that the manicure is ready in the near future. But there are also prohibited actions that you should not do:

  • Before manicure, apply rich hand cream;
  • do a manicure without removing the old decorative layer;
  • paint nails that have not been previously degreased.

By following all the above rules, you can not only get a beautiful manicure, but also speed up the drying process without resorting to additional tricks.


To speed up the drying process of the varnish, It is necessary to follow the useful recommendations of specialists.

  • Apply the varnish in as thin a layer as possible. The thicker the coating, the longer it will take to dry. If you want to apply varnish in several layers, then the subsequent application is carried out only after the previous one has completely dried.
  • The varnish coating will dry much faster on a smooth surface. Therefore, before painting, you should get rid of the old layer and also sand the nail.
  • Buy only high quality products. Most manufacturers produce coatings for accelerated drying. In this case, it is necessary to have skill, because the application must be carried out as quickly as possible.
  • The fewer color elements a varnish special coating contains, the faster it will dry. These include transparent and translucent coatings.
  • It is not recommended to use varnishes with a fairly thick consistency, otherwise the drying time will be long.
  • The use of special means for drying varnish will significantly speed up the drying procedure of the manicure from 2 to 5 minutes.

Tired of waiting for your nail polish to dry completely? There are many methods to speed up this process. A neat manicure at home will be an achievable goal if you know the secrets of how to quickly dry your nail polish.

Professional products

The modern cosmetics market offers a wide range of special products that significantly speed up the drying of nail polish. The most popular forms of release of such compositions are spray, oil and drops.

Drying spray varnish is considered the most practical means of this kind. Immediately after applying the last coat of polish, spray the spray on your nails and wait for the time indicated on the package. The only drawback of the spray is that it gets not only on the nails, but also on the skin. Of course, this does not entail anything terrible, just minor inconveniences.

Special oil with a brush will not only speed up the drying process of the polish, but will also give your nails extra shine. After covering the nail plates with varnish, you need to wait a couple of minutes and then apply the oil. There is no need to rush in this matter - if you do not wait some time, the brush can smear the fresh varnish.

Drops Applying them to your nails is as easy as shelling pears – they come in a jar with a small dropper. But be careful and careful - thick oil tends to spread over your palms.

Another popular means for drying varnish is quick-drying clear topcoat. It is very similar to ordinary colorless nail polish, but it also has a fixing effect. Apply the coating after painting as you would a regular varnish.

Traditional methods

You can quickly dry varnish at home without professional products. There are many popular methods for accelerated drying of varnish. For these purposes, you can use cold water, a hair dryer, a hand gun for cleaning small parts, vegetable oil, and even a freezer.

  • To dry nail polish, you can use cold water, a hair dryer, a hand gun for cleaning small parts, or vegetable oil.
  • After applying the polish, place your hands in a container of cold water. To achieve the best effect, you can add a few ice cubes there. 2-3 minutes of cold bath will be enough for the varnish to set properly.
  • Cold air currents will naturally dry the varnish. Set the hairdryer to the lowest temperature and dry one hand, then the other, one at a time. It is not recommended to use warm and hot air: high temperatures will soften the varnish and only slow down the drying process.
  • A hand-held gun for blowing and cleaning small parts, such as a computer keyboard, will help dry the polish quickly. At a distance of approximately 15–20 cm, direct a stream of air onto your nails. After a few minutes the varnish will dry.
  • Any vegetable oil that you have at home will work for faster drying of nails. Pour some oil into a clean container and dip your painted nails into it. After 3-5 minutes, rinse off any remaining product with cold water.
  • The bravest ones can try drying nail polish in the freezer. Just keep your fingers in the open freezer for a few minutes.

In order for a manicure to last a really long time, it is necessary not only to dry the polish correctly, but also to carry out a number of measures ahead of time. Thus, quick and high-quality drying of the varnish is ensured if you comply with the conditions indicated below.

  • Apply polish to previously degreased nail plates. To do this, wipe each nail with a piece of cotton wool soaked in nail polish remover.
  • Before painting your nails, polish them with a nail file.
  • Don't neglect to use a base for colored nail polish.
  • Each layer of varnish should be as thin as possible. Before applying the second coat, you need to let the first one dry on its own for at least 2 minutes.
  • Use only high-quality and proven cosmetics.

Covering your nails with varnish for every woman is an entire event that requires concentration and absolute calm. Quick drying methods will significantly facilitate the task of creating an attractive manicure and extend its service life.

Now we will tell you about the essential aspects of a good manicure and nail polish drying, among other things.

Degreasing nails

When we start painting our nails at home, we need to pay close attention to the first stage - nail preparation. If you degrease the surface of the nail sufficiently, you can count on an even application of the varnish, and it will last much longer. To degrease, I use a dehydrator or nail polish remover.

Applying varnish

After this process, proceed to the next step - applying varnish, taking into account the following few rules that will help to significantly reduce the drying time of the varnish.

One of the reasons that the varnish takes a very long time to dry and cracks soon appear is that you apply it in too thick and an uneven layer. Why not try covering your nails with a thin layer of varnish and spreading it well over the surface, so the varnish will dry much faster and retain its beauty longer.

First, dip the brush into the bottle, wipe off excess polish on the edges of the bottle, and only then apply the first coat. Wait at least a minute before continuing to apply subsequent layers, otherwise the varnish will lie unevenly and will dry several times slower.

How to dry varnish: quick-drying varnishes

Naturally, quick-drying nail polish is the best option if you're in a hurry and only have a few minutes to complete your manicure. But there are several nuances here too. For example, in summer, under the influence of sunlight, nails may become yellowish. To avoid this effect, choose varnishes containing UV filters.

A great way to quickly dry your nails is to coat them with “smart enamel”, i.e. drying. You will find a large selection in a store specializing in manicure tools.

Tricks for drying nail polish quickly

If you don't have quick-drying varnishes on hand or don't want to buy them, you can resort to some methods that will allow traditional products to dry faster. For example, before applying nail polish, put it in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes - then it will dry much faster. Or dry your nails with cold air from a hair dryer... put your fingers near the fan.

Using any of these methods will cause your nail polish to dry much faster than usual. There is another popular method with which the varnish dries in a matter of minutes. This is cold water. Don't worry, the procedure will not damage your manicure - if you do everything as needed and do not expose your hands to a fast stream of water. That's right: you need to pour cold water into some container or bowl so that the water only covers your nails after dipping them. But, you must take into account that the water must be cold enough, warm water will not be as effective. It is advisable to add a few ice cubes to the liquid to lower the temperature even further. After completing your manicure, soak your nails in water for at least three minutes.

Many women have the habit of painting their nails in a hurry because they do not have enough free time to wait for the coating to dry naturally. However, if the manicure does not dry properly, it will inevitably smudge, completely ruining your mood. To prevent this from happening, you should know how to quickly and effectively dry the coating without reducing the duration of its wear.

How long does it take to dry

First, let's figure out how long nail polish should dry. There is no definite answer to this question, since much depends on the composition, consistency and purpose of the product. The fastest drying nail polish is one that is designed specifically for stamping, as it is designed to so that when applying the fixative the created pattern was not smudged. This varnish hardens in air in 40-60 seconds. Varnishes in bubbles with thin brushes intended for painting take about the same amount of time to dry.

Keep in mind that “stop sticking” and “completely harden” are two different concepts. For example, a hardener applied in one layer will set in 2-3 minutes, and will finally dry in 15 minutes - this means that after two minutes the coating will stop sticking when touched, but will inevitably smudge if you start doing household chores within 15 minutes of applying it.

One layer of regular varnish dries completely in about 30 minutes; when applied in several layers, the drying time of the coating can take up to two hours (sometimes more). Shimmers, glitters and varnishes with carotene dry a little faster - in 15-20 minutes (though they are usually applied in one layer).

Correct application

One of the key factors for fast drying- compliance with all application rules:

Express drying of manicure

If time is running out, but my nails still won't dry, you can resort to tricks that will help speed up the hardening process:

What else can you do

If the methods described above do not suit you for some reason, the best thing you can do is to acquire special means for quickly drying the varnish. Fortunately, manufacturers offer a wide range - quick-drying finishing sealers, sprays, oils. They can be purchased at any specialized store, choosing for yourself an option from an affordable price category.

There are also drying lamps for regular nail polish - as a rule, they are included in electric manicure and pedicure sets, but are also sold separately. These devices are very similar to UV lamps for drying shellac, but instead of fluorescent “tubes” they are equipped with a fan that blows cold air onto the nails, thereby speeding up the drying process.

Why doesn't shellac dry?

As a rule, there are no problems with gel polish - it dries perfectly under a special lamp. However, it also happens that after drying, the coating is partially or even completely removed along with the sticky layer of the top. . There may be several reasons for this phenomenon:

By the way, many women try to dry regular polish with a shellac lamp and, moreover, claim that the coating actually dries much faster. However, in ordinary varnish there are no particles, ultraviolet responsive, therefore the use of a UV or LED lamp in no way affects the speed of its hardening. The same myth is the statement that shellac can be dried without using a special lamp - yes, it can really set and even stop sticking, but it will never harden completely.

Acrylic coating

I would also like to mention the so-called ecological, that is, acrylic varnish. It is an acrylic emulsion and does not contain harmful substances such as formaldehyde and toluene, which means it is completely safe for health. This coating may contain a variety of useful additives that help strengthen nails, accelerate their growth and prevent splitting. Keep in mind that acrylic by itself does not have any beneficial effect on nails. Moreover, it can even be harmful because it prevents air from reaching the nail plate. Therefore, pay special attention to the components listed in the product.

Acrylic emulsion dries quite quickly, but only with skillful application. In addition, within 1-2 hours after application, the coating is easily washed off with water even if completely dry, so you need to wear gloves when doing homework. Of course, you should not use ice water in an attempt to dry the varnish as quickly as possible.

Alkyd varnish is applied in extremely thin layers (no more than two), starting from the center of the nail. Nail plates must be absolutely clean and free of grease. Before applying the second layer, you need to wait until the first one has completely dried. You can also use regular decorative varnish on top of acrylic, but it should only be dried in air. Acrylic manicure is worn for 2 to 7 days.

As you know, the calling card of every woman is her hands. Therefore, nowadays it is difficult to find a young lady who does not do a manicure. And if in recent years most young ladies preferred to go to a salon, now many are learning how to do a home manicure. Against this background, the question arises of how to quickly dry nail polish at home.

The most popular drying methods

The first rule of a “quick” manicure is to apply the polish in a thin and even layer. Without this condition, all further actions will go down the drain and ruin the beauty already created.

In addition, if you apply nail polish too thickly, it will “float” very quickly and will look like an old and shabby wall, which is very difficult to call a beautiful sight.

The next tip on how to quickly dry nail polish at home is to use a hair dryer. But be sure to set the cold air mode so that the varnish does not crack and lose its original shine.

This method will take about three minutes to dry each hand. If you don’t have a hairdryer at hand, you can use a fan, a fan, or even an ordinary notebook. The main thing is to do this evenly and slowly, so that the manicure does not lose its original appearance.

In addition to cold air, you can use cold water in a manicure - just put your hands in a bowl of cool liquid for a few minutes, and the polish will harden much faster. If you doubt the effectiveness of this method, dip one finger into the bowl first and see what happens.

After this, gently wipe it with a dry towel (preferably made of natural material) or wait until your hands dry without outside help.

Another option that can be done in any situation is to place the tube in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes before applying the varnish. After cooling, the liquid is much easier to apply to the nail plate and hardens in a matter of minutes. This method is perfect for those who do not like to tinker with additional attributes.

A few more tricks for lazy people

There are people who want to do nothing and get a good result. In some cases this is impossible, but when it comes to drying your nails, there is a way out. The polish will dry in just 5 minutes if you apply a special quick-drying polish to the nail plate. It is sold in any cosmetic store, so it is very easy to get.

In addition, this varnish has no color and is suitable for absolutely any representative of the fair sex. All you need is a minute after finishing painting your nails, apply a clear liquid in one layer. The result will follow very quickly.

The next “lazy” way is to hold each nail under the lamp for a few seconds. The hand should be a few centimeters from the light bulb and under no circumstances touch it. Otherwise, there is a risk of not only ruining the manicure, but also getting a skin burn.

To dry nail polish as quickly as possible at home without a lamp and without a hairdryer, use regular sunflower oil. Just after finishing the manicure, after a few minutes, dip each finger for a second in a deep container and gently rub the oil.

Any cosmetic oil with your favorite scent will be suitable for the same purposes. To save product, you can use a regular painting brush with fine bristles. Or pour the cosmetic product into an old nail polish tube and use it if necessary.

What you should never do

In a hurry, many ladies begin to dry the nail polish, simply waving their hands in all directions. But this is a bad way out of the situation, since in this case the applied product will harden unevenly on your hands. But it doesn’t look neat and very cheap.

Also, don't just stick your hands out the window to dry quickly. The varnish will dry really quickly, but there is a risk that dust will get on the coating and leave unsightly marks. Then you will have to redo absolutely everything, and this will take more time than expected at the very beginning.

As you can see, unfortunately, there are not many ways to quickly dry nail polish at home, but you can watch all of them in videos on the Internet.

But remember, if you don’t have time to do a multi-colored manicure, it’s better to cover your nails with regular transparent varnish. This will add neatness to your look and won’t make you blush for your failed attempt with colored nail polish.


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