When doing a manicure I always make sure to lightly buff the surface of the nail plate with a 240-grit buffer (nothing stronger and nothing smoother); too smooth of a grit will keep the nail too shiny. Also, completely clean the nail plate to remove all oils from under and on top of nails before using base coat.
I’ve found that placing clients’ hands under a warm air dryer in between each layer helps tremendously in both drying faster and in allowing each layer to settle properly.
Finally, I advise using the base coat and top coat your manufacturer recommends together. — Heather Goodwin is a nail tech at Rare Accents in Palm Harbor, Fla., and was first runner-up for Nail Technician of the Year in NAILS’ 2007 AVAs.