Jenny Valle at the Julien Farel Salon in New York City knows just about everything there is to know about nails. We were chatting the other day and the topic of nail glue came up. It’s a subject I’m eternally curious about—when is someone finally going to make one that doesn’t destroy your nails?—and it often pops up in our conversations here on My Fashion Cents. So when Jenny started giving me tips, I quickly grabbed a pen to jot down some notes (luckily, she was working on my toes!). And, here they are:

Jenny’s Top Nail Glue Pick:
IBD 5-Second Nail Glue

Jenny’s Foolproof Application Process:

Step One: Start with a clean nail. Use antibacterial soap or an antiseptic to thoroughly disinfect the nail and surrounding skin. This is where most infections occur so don’t skip this step!

Step Two: Gently buff the nail, and I really mean GENTLY. Some people go nuts and scrape up their whole finger. Really, what you’re looking for is a tiny bit of texture that will hold the glue and keep the tip from slipping.

Step 3: Apply a thin layer of glue to your nail avoiding the very outsides closest to your skin. Attach nail and hold firm for at least 30 seconds.

Step 4: Coat the wrap or tip with a thin layer of gel. Remember, this stuff is thick on its own, so don’t feel like you have to glob it on.

Step 5: Lightly buff again.

Step 6: Brush on a layer of base coat—my favorite is YSL’s La Laque Three-in-One—and then you’re ready for whatever polish you like!