In its September 2012 issue, Allure magazine interviewed Tom Bachik, a Los Angeles-based manicurist who works with celebrities like Beyoncé and Victoria Beckham. He shared with readers a few of his tips on fixing wrecked manicures. 

• Smooth it: If you get a ripple in nail polish that's not quite dry, dip the tip of another finger in remover and lightly rub it on the area in a circular motion. This softens the polish and evens it out. Then apply a layer of topcoat to the entire nail.

• Fix a chip: If the polish is nicked down to the nail, fill in the spot with a tiny drop of matching color and let it dry for a few minutes. Then follow the process for smoothing out a ripple.

• Mend a break: If the nail is torn, use a file to smooth it. Look for a file with a fine grit. If the rip in the nail is too deep to file away, nail glue will save your manicure for a day or two. Gently lift up the torn portion and put a small drop of nail glue under the broken nail. Then press it down. Let it dry for a minute before using the buffing and topcoat technique to smooth the crack.

Bachik also shared a few tips on how to make polish last longer than an average manicure.

• Skip the soak step. Nails tend to absorb a lot of water, which changes their shape and stresses the polish.

• Wait at least 25 minutes for nails to dry before engaging in other activities. 

• Apply an extra layer of topcoat four hours after the manicure.