Best Ways to Dry Nail Polish Fast: 6 Quick-Dry Manicure Tips

Yes, a do-it-yourself manicure is a great way to pamper yourself without breaking the bank.

But, who wants to wait 30 minutes for their favorite nail polish to dry?

Or blow on their fingers for 5 to 10 minutes?

Whether you are a professional polish painter or a nail novice, here are four easy ways to have quick-drying and smudge-free nails without sacrificing a high shine.

Things You’ll Need to Dry Nail Polish Fast

• Your favorite nail polish colors
• Quick-drying topcoat
• Quick-drying nail drops
• Small bowl
• Ice
• Hairdryer
• Cooking oil spray
• Basecoat

Dip your wet nails in a bowl of ice water

Since the cold temps help to harden polish, ice water baths are a great manicure setting trick.

Image Source: Real Simple

1. Fill a small plastic bowl with water and ice cubes. Set it aside.
2. Paint your nails.  Then, let your nails air-dry for three to five minutes.
3. Dip the tips of your digits into the ice water for a minimum of ten seconds. The ice-cold temps will help the polish harden faster.
4. If your tips can endure the ice-cold liquid for longer than a few seconds, cover your nails  completely in the water for at least two  minutes, which is enough time for the polish to harden completely

Dry nail polish fast with a hairdryer

Image Source: Cosmopolitan

If you have the patience to gently graze the nose of the dryer across your nails for several minutes, a blast of cold air speeds up the drying process.

1. Turn your hairdryer to the coolest temperature setting.
2. Between the first and second coats of polish, dry your nails with a steady blast of the cool air from the dryer.
3. Finish your manicure with a clear topcoat, and let the polish dry for three minutes.
4. Blow your fingertips again with a shot of cold air for 20 seconds to harden the polish.

Blast your wet nails with a shot of cooking spray

Image Source: Brit+Co

1. After applying a base coat, two thin coats of polish, and a clear, fast-drying topcoat, let nails dry for five minutes.
2. Spray three or four quick shots of the cooking oil spray on your nails to moisturize your cuticles and dry your nails quickly.
3. Apply thin coats of new polish colors to help nails dry faster and keep them from smudging. Old, thick, and goopy polish takes longer to dry.

Try a nail polish drying spray

Another way of drying your fingernails faster is by the use of a nail polish drying spray.

After applying the nail enamel hold the spray bottle containing a nail polish drying agent 5 inches away from your nails. Spray each polished nail evenly to make your nail enamel dry quickly.

Use a nail dryer or a battery-operated fan.

These nail dryers are usually used by salons and they are available at all beauty supply stores and some drug stores.

When using a nail dryer, you can place one or two hands inside and the fan will blow either warm or cool air to make the nail polish dry. Instead of a nail dryer, you can also use a hairdryer set on a low heat setting.

To dry the nail enamel faster use a battery-operated fan. Just place your polished nails in front of it so that the breeze can blow on them to dry them faster.

Swipe on a quick-dry top coat or nail drops

Here are the best quick-dry nail polish brands to protect your lacquer and keep everything in place.

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Within 5 minutes of applying the Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat  your nails will be dry to the touch.

As an added bonus. this top coat adds shine to your lacquer and creates a protective barrier to prevent chipping.

Essie’s Quick-E Drying Drops

Essie’s Quick-E Drying Drops are formulated with resins to speed up your dry time. To use, add a tiny droplet to each nail after your apply your top coat.

One drop of this product on your wet nails will have them completely dry in five minutes.

How to dry your nails super fast and extend the life of your manicure:

• To keep your polish free from bubbles, do not shake the polish vigorously. Roll the polish between the palms of your hands instead. The bubble-free polish will glide on smoothly and dry faster.
• How to test if the nail polish is dry? Gently tap your pinkies together. While this method will cause a dent in your polish if they’re still wet, if the polish is dry, your nails will come apart again easily without any stickiness.
• Apply a quick-dry topcoat every other day to your nails and toes to keep your polish shiny and chip-free.
• Cut drying time by applying a drop of cuticle oil over wet polish to set. For an inexpensive, yet effective oil, try Sally Hansen’s Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil.
• If you’re in a rush, but still want to upgrade your nail polish, remember that light-colored hues will dry faster than dark colors, and metallic and sparkly finishes will dry faster than cremes.
• Use quick-drying nail polish to speed up the drying time. There are several quick-drying nail polishes that dry nails within 60 seconds.
• Old nail polish increases your drying time. So toss the old, thick and gooey polish or any lacquers that change colors over time.
• Using a quick-dry topcoat is and important step because it helps harden the top coat of polish. But, remember, there are still two to three coats of liquid polish underneath the topcoat that can smudge easily, so don’t forget to let your nails dry for a minimum of ten to fifteen minutes.

A good manicure can add to your grooming routine.

The process of applying nail polish enamel is the most time-consuming part of the process. However, you can follow these tips to have your nail polish dry faster.