There is something so feminine and delicate, well-kept and polished about a woman with glossy painted fingernails.
I just wish it wouldn’t chip so quickly.
I love getting manicures and I even enjoy painting my own nails, but I just can’t seem to keep polish on. I realize I’m hard on my hands {although I have started wearing rubber gloves while washing dishes which makes me feel like an old lady but feels amazing on my over-dry winter skin} and I do a terrible job of keeping up on regular manicures {the last real one I had done was months ago}. I have tried gel polish which is supposed to look good for several weeks, but even that begins to lift and peel within a few days and it weakens my prone-to-chip nails.
While perusing instagram one day, the most adorable Darby posted about this new polish – which promises to last for a week, doesn’t require uv lights or professional application, and costs the same as nicer drug store polish.
There are many great colors to choose from and you just have to use the special top coat to seal and protect the polish. It actually hardens over time with exposure to sunlight and should resist chipping and peeling for one week.
I ordered two colors from Amazon.com: a soft neutral that I like for everyday and this bright red just for fun. And, of course, the top coat.
For my first try a few weeks ago, the polish didn’t quite make it a full week, but it was definitely longer-lasting than my regular Esse brand nail polish. I’m hoping it will stay on longer this time. I really do love the look of polished nails and if this actually lasts on my nails, I’ll be very excited.
Have you tried this brand? Any luck? Or do you have helpful tips for us chippy-nail-polish-wearers? Please share …
Did it last???
The polish does okay. Definitely stays longer than regular, but I’m very hard on my nails so it really only looks good for about 5 days. I would still say it’s worth it!
Can you please give me the details of this blue and white top you are wearing? I am sure it is old but I’d love to find it on ebay if so. Your style is darling.
My shirt is from Gap – years ago!
I like it, but my nails peel so bad when I remove it. I’m going to try capping the free edge to see if that helps.
I got one last week too for my sister’s wedding. I wanted the shallaq, but nail technician recommended the VinylLux. I like the color, but it started chipping in a couple of days. Even with gloves on while washing dishes….bummed.
Vinylux does last – nearly a week in my experience – however, after multiple weeks of constant use I found it really dried & damaged my natural nail. It has taken several months to grow out the weak & peeling nail bed to where they are strong & healthy again.
My mother in law loves vinylux and says it stays on her hands for two weeks and toes even longer. I just tried it for first time so we’ll see how long they last. The lady at my nail salon said you can use the vinylux top coat with Esse or OPI and it will make those brands last longer too.
Thanks for the tip! I will have to try this as I am also a victim of chippy nails in a matter of a day or two!
My manicures used to last only a day or two as a small chip would lead to the whole thing being able to be peeled off. My hairdresser told me to use CND’s Stickey, two coats of polish, another coat of Stickey, and then a top coat. My nails last at least two weeks!! I only use bright red Essie polish so it’s important that they don’t chip. My nail salon uses Stickey but only as a base coat, but I bring my own and they don’t mind the extra coat!
This sounds promising. I’ve been using Essie for a long time now {I love their color selection} but maybe something new would be good too. Thanks for sharing. I look forwards to hearing the results.
Her Eclectic Life
As a former hairstylist (with my hands constantly in the water shampooing clients) with access to professional beauty products, I found a system that works for me and keeps my polish looking good for 5-7 days.
First, use an acetone polish remover (i use Target’s Up&Up brand). Even if your nails are already polish free, I still do this right before polishing. It gets rid of oils on your nails that can cause lifting and peeling.
Next, I use CND’s Sticky basecoat. Then two coats of polish (I’m a big fan of OPI and Essie and rarely use anything else because I find they don’t last as long). Lastly, I finish with a coat of Essie’s Good to Go topcoat.
Another added bonus…I don’t know if it’s the base or topcoat or the combo, but my nails dry super fast. Like seriously, dry to the touch in a couple of minutes, which is huge because I’m super impatient when it comes to waiting for my nails to dry!
Good luck!
I can’t remember the last time I painted my nails. It couldn’t have been my wedding, that was 12 years ago! But I too wear old lady dish gloves. I smear my hands with a heavy cream, put them on, and do the dishes. The heat plus lotion has a lovely result! Boo winter skin!
Do you know Darby? Or is it a blog connection? We use to go to church together. I find it such a small world when I am reading your blog and keep up with her on Instagram and you mentioned her!
I too am curious about this nail polish. I actually found using an all purpose base & topcoat, with Essie/London Butter/Zoya with (don’t laugh) Pam spray has kept my polish last a week or so with barely a small chip!
I don’t know darby, but have been a long time blog/instagram fan :)
Shellac and gel goes on my hands because my nails are very thin, but vinylux goes on my toes and it lasts 6 weeks and still looks nice. They keep coming out with new shades and have quite a nice variety now. I have been using it for a couple of years and really love it.
Had a mani/pedi at the Canyon Ranch Spa in Las Vegas. This is the only polish they have. You pick your colors and leave with the polish. Lasted two weeks, just a little harder to remove. Love this product!
I’m another recent Jamberry convert! I stay home with three kids and have nevvvvver been able to keep polish on my nails. I just took a set of “jams” off today on day 12. And they have so many fun designs, along with solids. I actually loved them so much I decided to host a party as a birthday gift to myself so I could get more. ;). It ends Sat night (1/18). http://joannanorton.jamberrynails.net/party/?uid=d75af3d2-8ce5-421e-83f8-63dc3afd7ead (link if anyone wants to check out the mannnny options!) Their current special is buy 3 get 1 free.
Try Sally Hansen Insta Dri…in clear…as a top coat. I use it as a base coat as well. And a bonus… It dries so quickly you can slip your toes under the covers within minutes of your pedi. :)
I use the vinylux and find that if I do a touch up on the tips and another top coat, it lasts and you can’t tell that I did a touch up. It dries fast and I love the shine.
I never paint my fingernails because I’m so hard on them, but would love to hear if this really makes it a week for you. Might have me singing a different tune! I also wear rubber gloves to do dishes :)
Shellac! Imay never go back. I love polished, well maintained nails but I do so much work with my hands these days I couldn’t keep polish looking good for more than a day or two and chipped polish doesn’t look professional when I meet with customers. It is more expensive to maintain but polish and the other nail products aren’t cheap either. Not having to worry about my nails for a few weeks at a time is worth it for me.
I bought this same red off of amazon (and another bronzy color). It came last week but I haven’t tried either of them yet. I somehow missed that it was supposed to have a specific top coat (whoops!) but I think I’ll try it without and see how it goes.
Your nails look so cute with your top and glitter belt. :)
I agree, I hate that my polish chips off the next day. I’m really rough on my hands. Instead of traditional nail polish I have started using Jamberry nails and that actually does last a full week-probably longer if you aren’t too hard on your nails. I really love that they have such a HUGE selection of styles (solids and patterns) and they are pretty easy to apply. Here is my friend’s site if anyone is interested: http://beachgirlznails.jamberrynails.net/.
Yes! Jamberry is the way to go. I’m on day 14 with the ones I have on and they haven’t chipped or anything. The only way you can tell I’ve had them on a while is where you can see that my nails have grown out. As a mom of three, I am hard on my nails. I wash dishes, scrub little heads, and all of that. The hard part is waiting so long to try another pattern! I also love that you can design your own to match an outfit or with your own photo or pattern. My 7 year old daughter and I have had a lot of fun with these. Oh, I’m not a consultant, just a very happy customer.
Also, there’s no smell!! Can you tell I love Jamberry?!? :)
I love jamberry, my friend is a consultant. My problem is that I have peeling nails, and recently started using nailtiques 2 formula to strengthen them. Will the Jammies stay on with a base coat? Anyone know? Any suggestions? Thanks!
My very FAVORITE topcoat is revlon quick dry top coat. It’s a little oily and feels salon quality. Hardens, dried quick and so shiny! It’s the best!
Very interesting! My s-i-l has had her own business for eons…mani/pedi’s. She won’t do any chemicals. She advised me to get Nailtiques 2 to help build stronger/longer nails. I also take a supplement: Hair, Skin & Nails. I use the Nailtiques 2 as a base coat, apply 2 coats of polish and then a top coat. The top coat is by OPI as well as Chip,Skip which I use at the end. It does help prevent chipping. I’d love to have a professional mani weekly but too costly. :)
xo
Pat
I used to work at a spa and nail salon and Angela (comment on 1.15 at 10:02a) is right on target! The slight buffing to help the products adhere first, then a good wash with a soft nail brush and soap to remove any oils or loose bits. Next apply a product called “Sticky” to help the polishes adhere. Base coat, 2 color coats and then a top coat. Avoid UV of any kind unless you want damaged skin, called age spots, when you are older! If you will take the time to apply top coat every 2 -3 days you can make a manicure last two weeks looking lovely in my experience. Try it! Essie and OPI are great products.
Gel manicure girl here…but I found I had to shop around for a salon that didn’t burr down my nail too much and was good about “sealing” the end of the nail like some have said. This looks like a great option though!
I have a friend that uses this and loves it. She says you HAVE to take it off every week because it gets too difficult to take off after that because it continually hardens.
I have very thin and brittle nails, so I usually have actual nail peeling off, not just the polish. I have found OPI Nail Envy to be my go to. It hardens over time, dries super fast, and keeps my nails pretty for about 4 days. My color routine (lasts about 5 days) is two coats of Nail envy, let dry, one coat of Essie brand color (or two if needed) and a fast drying top coat (Nail life Speed Demon) that erases mistakes and keeps the color lasting longer. When I need something quick to protect my nails I simply do three coats of the Nail Envy. The Matte finish makes my nails look clean and manicured without the flash of gloss, too. My stay at home Mom nails put up a fight with chores, but this seems to work quite well!
My favorite long-lasting nail polish is Sally Hansen’s X-treme Wear. Uber cheap and it lasts forever!
I’m pretty rough with my hands, nail polish always chips on me. I had this brand applied for a wedding at a nail salon and she told me it should last a week. Well, it did chip but fairly unnoticeable at first…I finally took it all off this week as a lot had chipped. The wedding was December 28th so it did last a while, despite it chipping. I will say, it was a pain in the butt to get off! It took a lot of nail polish remover to get off.
Tried this and it didn’t last any longer than my favorite brand, OPI. I like the color I got though, so will still use it, but will stick to the tried and true.
Oh, and another thing that is reallyyyyyy helpful is to appy the SOLAR OIL to your nails and cuticles at least a couple times a week, only takes a minute, then rub in your hand cream
http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Nail-Design-Solar-Ounce/dp/B0002QB1SC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389816136&sr=8-1&keywords=solar+oil
I agree.. SHELLAC is the way to go when you want polish to last for 2 or 3 weeks… but if you want to use the Vinylux… prepping the nail properly is what it takes to last for a whole week, looking good the WHOLE week!
Here’s a link at link amazon.com for the proper nail prep SCRUB FRESH NAIL SANITIZER
http://www.amazon.com/CND-Sanitizer-Surface-Cleanser-Scrubfresh/dp/B0096EN2D8/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1389815856&sr=1-2&keywords=scrub+fresh
As long as you use it as directed, you’ll see a difference.
Ill have to check these out and add them to my ever growing nail polish collection! xo
http://allthingsprettyandlittle.blogspot.com
I’ve been on the hunt for a home treatment that looks and lasts like a salon gel manicure and I stumbled upon a near perfect treatment recently that someone posted on instagram. all it requires is a layering process of Gelous, your favorite polish, and a super shine topcoat. I’ve found that the Gelous polish is the key, and the rest are just personal preference. This post gives step by step directions: http://www.thesweetestthingblog.com/2012/08/diy-gel-nail-fall-fashion-announcement.html
Enjoy your pretty red nails and good luck :)
I can definitely help you with the over-dry hands issue. Some 98% of lotions in the U.S. contain mineral oil or petrolatum (that’s Vaseline) which actually draw moisture out of the deeper layers of the skin, and if what you’re washing with is not the same pH (acid/alkaline measure) as your skin, the acid mantle of your skin will be destroyed (‘stripped’) and your body will have to rebuild it every time you wash. Most soaps are extremely alkaline, while your skin is slightly acidic. The acid mantle also acts like a bug zapper, protecting you from germs and bacteria, so you really want it intact for that reason, as well as the dryness issue. Arbonne products are pH correct and don’t contain mineral oil, petrolatum, parabens, PABA, gluten, animal ingredients or animal testing. Let me know if I can help you.
Call me lazy or maybe just practical but I stick with clear polish (essie) and sometimes for fun I’ll use hors d’oeuvres by essie (a glitter-ish polish) just on my wedding ring finger. Now, toenails are an entirely different matter…
so great! I’m going to try. I usually get gel manicures at $35. They last about 1-1/2 weeks. So it can add up but good tip. Thanks!!
Jamberry! <3
I have used this! I love gel polish, but only when done at a nail salon… I have the capabilities of buying everything through a beauty supply but it has yet to last more then a few days. So I bought the vinylux hoping it would last a week! It didn’t, but it also didn’t chip instantly like regular polish does. The key is thin coats, stay away from too much polish around the edges especially! I also do 2 coats but thin is key other wise it peels too easily.
I have just gotten back into the swing of painting my own nails. For the longest time I hated having any polish on them as it felt so heavy (my toes are a COMPLETELY different story). I have found, this time around, that the shorter I keep my nails, the longer it lasts. That, and the lighter the color, the less noticeable the chips. During the holiday season I was swiping a layer of glitter polish over everything and that seemed to hide the chips a lot more, too. Better than just a layer of clear, but I can see where the glitter is going to have to be put away here soon as spring approaches (it’s coming soon, right? RIGHT?) I’m anxious to hear how this new stuff works for you, though!
I was introduced to this polish last June when a friend took me to Gene Juarez for a mani pedi. I love it! It stays longer then anything else I have tried but it tends to only last 4-5 days in our dark winters vs 5-7 days easily in the summer. I think since it uses the natural uv rays to harden it works better in the summer so don’t loose faith. Also if you ever want to look at the colors before you order them Gene Juarez had a great selection.
oooooh! if i wasn’t doing a spending fast for the next 4 months i would totally buy this!
I wear Essie almost exclusively and I use the Sally Hansen Hard as Nails base/top coat and my polish usually lasts a good week or two. I’m pretty rough on my hands too but it holds up really well.
I have the same problem, and it’s so frustrating! I’ll need to try this polish. One thing that works for me is starting with Orly Bonder base coat. It really does seem to make my manis last longer!
Melissa knows the trick – 2 coats of color and topcoat AND wrap your nail tips in color. You may have to touch up the tips every few days but it takes a minute.
Gloves are your friend! Those women will old lady hands avoided gloves. And, yes, thick lotion does give you a spa treatment. Many years ago when my kids were little the rule was “mom time” on Sunday night. I did my mani/pedi for the week. I was a single mom (of 4) and my kids respected this time.
My manicurist uses it and loves it. I’ve been using the last few weeks and even though I’m really active, it stays almost the whole week. Better than OPI
I saw Darby’s IG post too and ordered the Rubble color that she had. I love it and have since ordered two more colors. I’m a busy mama as well and mine still lasts longer than anything else I’ve tried. It also dries so fast. I love that!
Funny that I saw your post today. I just put Vinylux on today for the first time. I’ve been wearing Shellac for a long time and totally love it. But, I figured I’d try Vinylux and see if it lasts a week. I like the idea of using regular nail polish remover instead of soaking my nails. So, we’ll see. Love your pictures!
CND has their own brand of nail primer {pure acetone} that you MUST use in order for
the polish to stick. It replaces the basecoat step but when you don’t do it, the polish won’t last. You can get it wherever the polish is sold. Like I said, it is a vital step in order for your polish to last the 7 days.
I use Vinylux because it dries in about 8 minutes {YES! EIGHT minutes. Like, change my baby’s diaper dry! That’s a HUGE plus for me!!!}
I really like CND’s Shellac line, since you pretty much can do it all at home. It took me a few times to really make it look flawless,but that lasts for 2 weeks on me. I normally take it off after a week though because I don’t like how it looks while growing out.http://warfieldfamily.com/2013/09/cnd-shellac-nail-review/
My polish never chips. It does wear off (dish duty, etc) on the front edge. I change colors every 3-4 days. Hate looking like a 13 yr old w/nasty nails. Anyway, I love, love, love Seche Dry Fast Top Coat. I get it at Ulta. It has a nice thick glaze that protects the polish beautifully. I also use their base coat or OPI base coat. I’ll have to look for this brand and give ’em a shot!
Ugh. Same problem here. I’ll have to try this! Have you ever tried Essie’s No Chips Ahead top coat? I’ve found that it extends my manicure from 3 days to 5 or 6… Maybe one more day if I use gloves for doing dishes… Thanks for the fun polish idea!
I’m hard on my nails as well…so it’s a good thing I happen to really enjoy painting them a few nights a week. However, I’ve noticed that when I paint them at my sister’s house and use her topcoat, my mani lasts noticeably longer. I just keep forgetting to get some for myself! Life is too busy! I do two coats of polish (OPI and L’oreal are my favorites) and one top coat.
http://www.sallybeauty.com/Nail-Top-Coat/INM2,default,pd.html#start=38&sz=12
my mom got me a sample kit of colors for xmas. I found that if i really buffed/cleaned my nails beforehand, it lasted about 6-7 days. I am a sucker for the gel manis!
I too saw that and had it on my list to order!
Shellac, shellac, shellac!! I LOVE it. It stays shiny and last well over 2 weeks – often 3. And if you go with a french manicure, you can’t even see the space between the cuticle and the nail as it grows out.
I like Vinylux. I’m not sure it lasts as long as they predict, but there are two other advantages to it: it dries very quickly (no more smudges two hours later!) and it removes easily with regular polish remover, which means no damage to nails.
My nails chip easily too. I have found that if I do a base coat, two color coats, and two top coats that works for me. The real trick is that I go across the edge (tip) of my nail before each coat as well. That makes the tips stronger and less pliable.
I have the same issue and this is the formula that works for me. It lasts from 5-7 days on my nails that chip and peel all the time!
Prepare–I read that if you buff your nails before, without smoothing them to a shine it helps, so I do that before I start polishing.
First, OPI Chip Skip—it’s hardly even polish and dries in seconds, but somehow it preps the nail
Second, Seche Base Coat
Third, two coats of a good quality polish, typically OPI or Essie for me
Fourth, Seche Top Coat—this dries really fast. I also put another top coat on sometime during day 3
I use a base coat of Gelous (found at Sally’s Beauty or Amazon) and then whatever nail polish I want (usually the thicker ones like OPI) and any favorite top coat.
I painted my nails last Tuesday and they are still going strong. A couple chips, but not even worth redoing it yet.
Try Sephora’s formula X system. The shine is amazing and lasted longer than vinyl us did for me. I love a shellac mani but not the price tag every few weeks ;)
I use rubber gloves for dish washing too. My secret? Slather on a fabulous thick hand cream first and you’ll feel more like you’re getting a spa treatment and less like an old lady.
If you paint the tips as well with all coats, it stays longer. :)
Wow, I bought some of this polish too! I just received it in the mail and can’t wait to try it. The red is gorgeous. Have a great day!
I got this nail polish for Christmas from my mom. She swears by it! I just did my first application on Sunday and so far so good….my fingers are crossed I can make it until this weekend. Only time will tell :)
I bought this when I saw Darby’s IG picture too! I have found that if I do 3-4 coats of color and then the topcoat it lasts around 5 days. By day 3-5 it isn’t perfect around the end of my nail but you definitely can’t tell unless you look really closely. All in all I like it! :) I bought the Rubble color that Darby pictured and I love it. It is a purply gray, which is a perfect neutral!