Beach-proof your manicure!

I'll admit it; I have a nail polish addiction. I have been known to give myself a manicure every other day to try every great new color I see. Lately, I have been really into summer's bright colored nail trend; hot pinks, greens and blues shades look striking and fun everywhere! But after a day on the beach, my DIY manicure looks dull, faded and chipped.

So what is a nail polish perfectionist like me to do? I asked Elsbeth, a celebrity nail artist and consultant to Nailtini for tips on how to beach-proof my manicure.

Nail-care tips: Flawless nails, now!

Before the beach, prep your manicure with two coats of your top coat. "Applying the last stroke of top coat horizontally across the free edge of the nail helps prevent chipping even more", says Elsbeth.

Once at the beach, slather on your sunscreen, especially to hands since they are the first place to see telltale signs of aging. But sunscreen is known to discolor polish, so make sure you wipe your nails clean after applying.

After a full day of sand, sun and salt, your polish is bound to look dull and discolored. Apply a thin quick dry top coat when you get home, like Nailtini's Dry Gin $12, to protect and refresh your manicure's original shine. "Alternately, you can buff your nails with a high shine buffer, or for added moisture and shine, use a dab of olive oil on a soft cloth and buff nails to a sheen."

I can't wait to try these tips! What do you do to keep your manicure protected after a day in the sun?

-Posted by Lindsay Leff, beauty intern

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