Let me guess: You take your brush, wipe it once on each side, and begin to apply the polish. Sorry to tell you, but that’s the wrong way to apply polish. In fact, that method often leads to clumping and overloaded brushes. According to Leavitt, the correct way to load the brush is at the heart of a good polish application. “You should wipe the brush back and forth on the tip of the bottle several times. Eventually your brush should become flat and the lacquer will move to the base of the brush. You’ll end up with a nice dollop of polish, and since the brush is flat, it’s easier to maneuver the polish on the nail,” she says.

As for the rumor that a good manicurist can paint a nail in just three strokes, Leavitt says that’s a myth. “I’ve been painting nails for years, and I can paint small spaces obviously, but that rule is silly.” Fricke agrees, “The best application happens with thin, even coats. More coats are always better than one thick one.”