Good nail care means more than just repainting your fingernails every few days. You should also take the time to carefully shape them and refrain from changing nail colors too often, as polish remover can weaken the nails and dry the surrounding skin.

For the best nail care results, once a week you should use a cotton ball, moistened with nail polish remover, to remove all traces of old polish. Next, carefully clean the nail's surface and cuticle, and reshape the nail with an emery board or metal file. Only then should you apply new polish.

It's always a good idea to paint your nails with a clear undercoat and then let it dry before you proceed with your colorful topcoat. It may seem an annoying waste of time, but in fact it's an important part of nail care if you want to keep your nails from cracking and chipping.