If you're anything like me, it's nearly impossible for you to leave a salon without wrecking your newly polished nails. I nick, smudge, or otherwise render hideous my mani pretty much every single time. And, when I do them myself? Disaster.

Because I have a big event (a high school reunion, shoot me) looming large, I decided to talk to a couple of pros about how best to keep a manicure smudge-free.

Here are four tips the experts recommend you try for a perfect set every time.

1. Allow the first coat to dry for at least 5 minutes before applying the second. If the first coat's not completely dry, the second one makes the whole thing mushy and you'll have to wait three times as long for the polish to harden.
2. Use a quick-dry spray -- they really do work -- and they don't have to be bad for the environment. (My fave? OPI RapiDry Spray. It reduces drying time by nearly half and, unlike many others, is in a pump bottle instead of an aerosol can so it's not harmful to the ozone layer.)
3. Apply oil to freshly painted nails to help expedite the drying process. It'll also impart a nice (albeit temporary) sheen. (Tip: Empty a bottle of clear polish, wash the brush and fill the bottle with olive oil.)
4. Dip your hands into a bowl of ice water. The cold helps solidify the polish.

Oooh, and here's a great trick for being able to tell if your nails are truly dry: When you suspect that they are, gently touch two nails together -- they're good and ready when they pull apart without a tacky, sticky feel.

Do you have any "save my manicure" tips to share?