Follow these five simple steps to get the most from your manicure

Ever had a manicure that you’re wild about when you leave the salon, only to find that it’s chipping by dinnertime? Try these easy tips to maintain glam hands

1. Start well. Make sure you have clean nails before applying varnish. If you have hand lotion or a build-up of natural oils on your nails, it will cause the polish to peel. Swab the nails first with a nail varnish remover. Then, wash nails with soap and water.

2. Don’t cut corners. After filing nails to their desired length, use a base coat, apply the varnish, then finish with a top coat. It's sometimes tempting to skip the base and top coat if you're in a hurry, but it's not worth doing this because it could make your varnish chip straightaway. The base coat acts as a foundation for your manicure, while the top coat is a protectant for the varnish.

3. Be patient Let each coat dry for a couple of minutes before applying another. This allows the polish to set so the next layer adheres better. Try to avoid using fast-drying varnishes because they don't last as long as regular ones.

4. Be precious Always treat your nails as if you've just had them polished. Wear gloves whenever you do daily manual tasks, such as cleaning or gardening.

5. Be careful Try not to use your nails as tools. Concentrate on using the pads of your fingers and not your fingertips when you reach, grab, hold and type.