7 Everyday Habits You Didn’t Know Were Ruining Your Nails

Leaving polish on for too long

While it might seem harmless to leave chipped polish on your nails, it’s definitely healthier to remove it. “The danger with keeping your nail polish on too long is that the pigment in the nail polish can soak into the top few layers of the nail and dry it out,” foot specialist Joy Rowland, DPM, told Cleveland Clinic. Keep this in mind especially for toenail polish, which many women slap on and forget about until their next pedicure. Dr. Rowland recommends avoiding back-to-back polish appointments. Instead, let nails breathe for a week or two between manis. These are the things your manicurist is secretly thinking about you.