Hi there! Thanks for your questions. Okay let me see if I can answer all your questions/comments properly.

I am doing well, thank you for asking! :) No, you’re not nagging on me at all. And no, I don’t get THAT many questions/day, silly!

I don’t mind polishes that require more than 2 coats to be opaque because in the long run, those are the polishes that will have the longest shelf-life. Polishes that require only 1 coat to be opaque are usually the ones that get chunky and thick after a year or so - an incredible waste of money! Sure, you could buy nail polish thinner, but I really don’t like the idea of mixing another chemical into my lacquer.

Patience. Yes, patience is a must-have when you’re doing manicures. My advice is to ONLY paint your nails when you WANT to and when you actually have the time to allow for proper drying time. I find myself getting so frustrated when I paint my nails if I’m not really in the mood because I mess up so much and paint things that are no where near my nails - it’s ridiculous, really.

When you’re using a more sheer color, then the first coat or two will of course be streaky, but don’t stop there. Let it dry completely and then move on to a third coat or a fourth. This time, paint with a gentler hand so that you’re not dragging the bottom layer with you, which causes that streak. Also make sure you have enough polish on the brush (!), otherwise you’ll create an uneven surface. And finally, let gravity do its job. If it looks a tad bumpy/streaky, ignore it and continue painting the other 9 fingers. By the time you get back to the first nail, you’ll see that gravity has pulled the polish down to fill in any dents on your nail bed (that sounds funny, but I’m not sure how else to explain it, haha).

For that finished salon-look, a glossy top coat will do the job! Then do a quick clean up with a small brush and pure acetone if you accidentally painted your skin or cuticles. Oh, speaking of cuticles - definitely take the time to condition your cuticles to make your hands look even healthier. I started using Lush’s Lemony Flutter every night for the past month, and let me tell you, it has been doing wonders! I also use Bert’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream during the day. Try them out and see if they help.

Okay, phew, that was long. Good luck!