The paint may still look fresh, but you weaken your nails when you let it linger past two weeks. “Eventually, your nails start to dry out and get little white smudges,” says Jin Soon Choi, owner of Jin Soon Hand and Foot Spa in New York City. Another unsightly side effect: Your nails may turn yellow because the pigments in some dark or bright colours start to stain if left on too long, says Jin Soon.
The paint may still look fresh, but you weaken your nails when you let it linger past two weeks. “Eventually, your nails start to dry out and get little white smudges,” says Jin Soon Choi, owner of Jin Soon Hand and Foot Spa in New York City. Another unsightly side effect: Your nails may turn yellow because the pigments in some dark or bright colours start to stain if left on too long, says Jin Soon. Take a short break from polish – around two to three weeks – and restore your nails with cuticle cream or oil. “Moisturise twice a day and the dry spots will disappear more quickly,” Jin Soon adds. To brighten nails between your next mani or pedi, she suggests rubbing them with a lemon wedge for mild discolouration or treating with a hydrogen peroxide-soaked cotton ball for tougher stains.
