How Long Does It Really Take for Nail Polish to Dry?

Getting a manicure is a lovely way to treat yourself, but it can easily turn frustrating if your nail polish smudges while you're waiting for it to dry. To maintain your manicure's perfection, it's crucial to allow the polish sufficient time to dry. Understanding exactly how long nail polish takes to dry will help you know when it's safe to resume daily activities. Here, we spoke with experts for their advice and tips on nail polish drying time and achieving the perfect manicure.

How Long Nail Polish Takes to Dry

Generally, nail polish can take about one to two hours to dry completely, but you can typically start using your hands sooner than that. At the very least, you should wait about 20 minutes before doing anything with your hands, which will allow enough time for the top layer to start drying, says Kelly Bannon, senior product testing manager at ORLY. Some quick dry formulas can take about 30 minutes to an hour to dry completely, says Molly Romah, nail lead at Chillhouse.

Factors That Affect Drying Times

How long it takes nail polish to dry depends on a number of things, like how many coats you apply, how thick each coat is, and what type of polish you choose, says Mimi D, celebrity manicurist and nail artist. For efficient drying times, be sure to apply thin, even coats of the polish.

How to Know If Your Nail Polish Is Dry

Even when you wait a full hour, it can be hard to tell if your nail polish is completely dry. One way to check is to touch or tap your nails against each other. If they don't stick when you do this, your nail polish is dry, says Romah.

Ways to Speed Up Drying Times

There are a few ways to make your nail polish dry faster so you can resume normal activities.

Wait Two Minutes Between Coats

One way to quicken drying times is to wait two minutes between each coat of polish—try painting your nails while you're doing something enjoyable, like watching your favorite TV show, says Mimi. "Let's say you're watching an hour-long show, polish your nails during the show and allow the polish to dry during the commercial breaks or vice versa," she says.

Opt for Thin Coats

Polish application is super important when it comes to fast drying times. Instead of two thick coats, opt for three thin ones, as thinner layers dry faster than thicker ones, says Bannon. Additionally, it's ideal to use a nail polish that only requires one to three coats (between the base and top coat) to achieve your desired color.

Use a Fan

Using an electric or hand fan will also help expedite drying times. A hairdryer is also effective, but you will need to be careful about air bubbles forming or lint accidentally sticking to the polish, says Bannon.

Use Fast Dry Products

There are a few products, such as quality top coats and drying drops, that help speed up nail polish drying times. Zoya's Armor Top Coat or Olive & June's Super Glossy Top Coat are two great recommendations, says Mimi. As for quick-dry drops, consider a product such as ORLY's Fast Dry Drops, which works with the topcoat to dry polish faster, says Bannon.

Skip Top and Base Coats

If you're short on time, and just need to get some color on your nails, you can skip the top and base coats and just go straight for the color. While it won't last as long, it won't take as long to dry since there are less layers.

Skip the Cold Water Method

One popular method for speeding up drying times is running your nails under cold water, but experts say to avoid doing this. "I don't recommend running underwater because then you have to move and you run the risk of dinging or smudging your polish," says Mimi.