Apply in Thin Coats

• Thin coats are the best approach for applying nail glaze.Jupiterimages/Pixland/Getty Images
  
  When applying nail glaze or polish, start with a very thin coat applied over the clean, dry nail bed. Starting just inside the cuticle, run the brush applicator down the center of the nail in one even stroke to the tip of the nail. Then start again just inside the cuticle and run the brush applicator along the right and left sides of the nail bed. Allow the initial coat to dry before applying a second and additional coats of glaze or polish and allow several minutes for drying in between each coat. The thin coats of glaze will dry quickly, making this an efficient method of applying glaze.
  
  

Even Strokes for Even Finish

• Use even brush strokes to apply glaze and avoid flooding the cuticle.Martin Poole/Digital Vision/Getty Images
  
  Just like when painting walls or model cars, brush strokes can become visible in the finished product. To avoid this, use even, smooth strokes when applying the glaze, always starting near the cuticle, and finishing by drawing the brush applicator off of the tip of the nail. Avoid touching the brush applicator to the cuticle as this can cause nail polish or glaze to "flood the cuticle" area, making a thick mess at that end of the nail bed. If the cuticle is accidentally flooded with nail polish or glaze, finish with that stroke of the brush applicator and return it to the bottle of polish. Then, use an orange stick or toothpick to clear out excess glaze along the cuticle.
  
  

Use a Clear Glaze Top Coat

• Finish nails with a clear glaze for a high shine and hard, protective layer.Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  A clear nail glaze top coat will dry to a high shine and protect the actual colored glaze from chipping or wearing off from activity. Give the colored glaze or polish five to 10 minutes to dry before applying a clear glaze top coat. As with a colored polish, apply the clear in a thin layer and allow it to dry before adding the next coat. Two or three coats of clear glaze should suffice and dry to a hard finish with a beautiful shine to it. After the final coat of clear, allow a full 10 minutes, but preferably 20 to 30 minutes, to dry before resuming normal activity, and always check for residual tackiness before assuming that the glaze is finished drying.
  
  

Sheer Nail Glaze Techniques

• Layering glaze colors over base colors produces different effects in the finished polish.Marili Forastieri/Digital Vision/Getty Images
  
  Applying a sheer nail glaze over another color can change the appearance of the base color. Start with two or three coats of a solid-color base nail polish or glaze. Allow each layer of nail polish to dry for several minutes before adding the next layer, then allow the final base color layer to dry for about five minutes. Select a sheer nail polish or glaze in a coordinating color and apply one to three coats of glaze over the base color, allowing the polish several minutes to dry between coats of glaze. Dry the nails for 20 to 30 minutes to ensure a solid set and finish to the glaze.