Spring for dipping! Just tried it last month and never going back to gel

Thanks to the alcohol posters. I had forgotten about that step. When I used nail wraps a few times, I remember having to do that so they wouldn’t peel. I didn’t think about it for polish. I love how they look polished, so I hate to give up just yet. I’ll try a quick swipe with an alcohol wipe.

Ditto on the naturally oily nails and I also have wide, thin nails that bend easily, so chips form more easily at the stress points.

I just buff mine to a shine and rarely wear polish. When I do I rub them with alcohol pads first, then apply bottomcoat, middle and topcoat. Sally Hanson Nail Hardener also helps. I might get 3 days then before chipping, so a neutral skintone polish helps.

Like another poster, i have super oily nail beds. I gave up on getting mani polish years ago and now just have them buff to a shine. It sort of helps to (1) clean well with soap right before polish, including rubbing up into the nail beds, so all oil is effectively stripped, and (2) use nail polish remover or rubbing alcohol right before. But that only buys me a couple days.

Since hormones can affect oily skin etc, it's absolutely possible this is related to peri menopause.

Try OPI's Infinite Shine line. My salon just started carrying it and I'm hooked. For me, it lasts as long as a gel manicure, but it's much cheaper ($3 upcharge) and there's no UV exposure, which was bringing out my hand freckles.

Choose a color close to the color of your skin. Small chips won't show.

I do my own nails and they usually last a whole week. I wipe my nails with the Zoya nail polish remover right before I apply polish so the nails do not have any residue from cuticle cream and such. Works like a charm, no matter what brand of polish I'm using.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I use Orly rubberized blonder, Opi, Essie, or Defy and Inspire nail polish, and Sally Hansen Super Dry top coat. I get nearly a full week. But I have to take weeks off.

Thanks, I’ll check out the orly. I’ve used the other products with success in the past. Maybe this will help.

The Defy and Inspire polish is a little weird (it’s Target’s line). It’s a little thick and dries sometimes too matte and maybe a little streaky. (I’m thinking because it doesn’t have all the usual chemicals in it) However, if you put the shiny top coat on it, that takes care of most of the problems, and it does seem to be very long lasting for a regular drugstore polish.

Anonymous wrote:I use Orly rubberized blonder, Opi, Essie, or Defy and Inspire nail polish, and Sally Hansen Super Dry top coat. I get nearly a full week. But I have to take weeks off.

Thanks, I’ll check out the orly. I’ve used the other products with success in the past. Maybe this will help.

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried Essie Gel top coat?

Can you use it on top of regular polish? Do you have to cure it with UV? I never considered it at all because I didn’t want to do the UV and didn’t think I could mix regular and gel. If those issues are resolved, I’m open to trying it.

Mine too. I have oilier nail beds. It must be genetic because my mom can't wear nail polish either. I've had good manicures done at the same time as friends. Theirs lasted 5 days and mine peeled and chipped in one day.

I use Orly rubberized blonder, Opi, Essie, or Defy and Inspire nail polish, and Sally Hansen Super Dry top coat. I get nearly a full week. But I have to take weeks off.

Have you tried Essie Gel top coat?

I can relate. My manicures never lasted more than a few hours. They would look so terrible by the next morning that i removed the polish. It wasn’t hormonal because it’s always been that way. I guess I’m just tough on my nails. I hadn’t had a manicure in 5 years because I decided it was a huge waste of money. My sister convinced me to try gel. I know you said you don’t like gel but I’m sold. If I only get them done a few times a year for special occasions, I’m not going to worry about the UV.

Recently, all my nail polish chips. I’ve tried different brands. I used to have great results with Zoya, OPI and Essie (lasted forever on my nails). Now, nothing lasts more than a few hours. My nails are peeling also, when bare. Not breaking or chipping, but layers are peeling off.

I need a manicure to last longer, but I don’t like the idea of gel polish. (Gel does last a few days, but for my sister it lasts weeks. It ruins my natural nails though, and I don’t want the UV exposure.) Like I said, if I go bare, they peel, but if I use polish, they chip. Plus I like pretty colors I use proper top coats and base coats. I’ve tried matching the base and top coats to the brand of polish and using my favorites.

Has anyone else had this happen? What helped? Could it be hormonal? I just found out I’m in peri menopause. I know hormones jack up everything and I’m wondering if this is related. It’s weird because this is a sudden change over the last 2 weeks. I know some people have better luck with different brands, and like I said, Essie was what worked best for me, but now it’s chipping like mad too.