When considering a manicure or pedicure, it's best to sit back and watch the specialist work on someone else. Keep an eye on their nail care technique, and be sure that they're clean and neat throughout the procedure. All their tools should be nice and shiny, too.

The secret to a great, long-lasting manicure is to keep your nails professionally short. If they're longer than about a quarter-inch beyond your fingernails, they're much more likely to crack or break between professional jobs. You should keep them clean, too.

While you should always take care with your cuticles, allowing them to get overgrown can cause problems with your polish peeling off easily. During any manicure, you should oil the cuticle and then gently push it back a bit with a wooden implement.