Nail painting is an act of self-care. Consider taking some time out of your busy schedule to relax and paint your nails. However, because beauty comes at a cost, you push yourselves to sit upright for 15-20 minutes while the nail polish dries. Tough work, isn’t it?

To cut down on the waiting period for dry nails, here are 9 amazing tips on how to make nail polish dry faster. Many of us are worried that our nails can’t be damaged by doing household work like washing clothes, dishes, etc.

Now, light some candles and enjoy painting your nails. You can some more candle-making fragrance oil for that extra scent to calm your senses.

What’s more frustrating than wasting valuable time? It’s having your nails damaged the second you put your hands to work. However, there are a variety of alternative techniques that might help you dry your nail polish faster. Continue reading to learn how to dry nails quickly (step by step).

1. Freeze It

An ice water bath is another option for hardening the polish. Fill a bowl halfway with ice cubes and fill halfway with cold water before painting your nails. After you’ve finished, take a minute to soak your nails in cold water. Not only is this a great way to set the nail paint in place, but it also nourishes your nails from within.

2. Spray

Another good option is to use a nail drying spray. They’re easy to find in drugstores and set nail polish in a matter of minutes. After spraying your nails, wait a few minutes before thoroughly rubbing your hands.

3. Thin Coat

Apply thinner coats of nail polish instead of one or two thick layers. Allow a few minutes for each application to dry before applying the next. This procedure reduces the overall drying time.

4. Immerse in a bowl of water

Now that you know how cold air hardens nail polish, apply a method using water, dip your wet nails in a bowl of water for two minutes to set your polish. The two-minute soak not only dries nails quickly but also smooths up the gloss.

5. Upgrade Your Lacquer

Replace your topcoat with a dry version. Use quick-drying drops with resins for extra protection and faster drying. Apply a drop to each nail after setting your topcoat for amazing results.

6. Use Baby Oil

Nail drying time can be sped up with baby oil, olive oil, and cooking spray. Fill a medicine dropper or decanter with the oil. For application, a dropper would be useful. Wait a minute or two after applying a drop or two to each nail. Baby oil works wonders for speeding up the drying time and allowing the paint to soak in. Using a paper towel, wipe away any excess oil.

7. Thin Coat of Polish

Apply two thin coats of polish as a base coat before applying nail polish. This will give your nails time to dry between applications. Start with your thumbnails to assess how many coats of polish you’ll need to spread the paint evenly. Thin coats look better and dry faster.

8. Drying Drops

You may get nail-drying drops from any beauty store or get them online. Drop drying, as opposed to a quick-drying top coat, produces a fantastic finish. Cuticles and nails benefit from oil-based drops since they condition them. Allow time for your nail paint to dry after applying the drying drops. Wait for at least five minutes before wetting your hands and enjoy a luxurious finish.

9. Use Cooking Spray

Did you know that spraying your fingers with cooking spray helps your nail paint dry faster? This is a simple and quick option. Hold the bottle approximately a foot away from your fingers and spritz each nail with cooking spray. Although it may seem counterintuitive, the oil in cooking spray catalyzes the process. Except for butter-flavored cooking sprays, any cooking spray should suffice.

Wait a minute after spraying nails before putting polish; else, the nail paint will be destroyed. Your nails and cuticles will be moisturized by the oil in the cooking spray.



Nail experts suggest that a manicure isn’t completely set even after the polish has dried. You must take great care when applying a new coat of polish to your nails. Every other day or immediately, apply a small layer of dry nail polish base coat on your nails to refresh them. There are several nail products available today that dry quickly. So seek nail products labeled express dry, fast speed, or quick-drying.