Nail Polish

[satindesire]

Okay, I have my Essie stuff and my ridge filler and two coats on. In my attempt to "seal the edges" I have some bubbles and essential snow drifts in "ballet slipper"

I have one long ridge down off center one nail. It looks like I've drawn a line with pen by the end of the week and it tends to split at the end. Should I just buff that down entirely or accept it as my special snowflake uniqueness?

Is it supposed to look like I just dipped my fingers in polish?

If so, why don't I just buy a lot of it, pour it into a sealed jar and dip my hand into?

It's pretty though and I'll see how long it lasts.

A good way to seal the edges is to work quickly and use a very small amount of polish on the ends to ensure you don't make any unsightly bumps. If you do this nail by nail individually, the polish will still be wet and will "level out" much better as it dries. Don't polish all your nails and THEN go back to seal the edges, do one nail at a time. That should help with any bumpiness.

You should buff the ridge down if it bothers you cosmetically.

If you have an issue with polish getting on your cuticles, try the q-tip trick I noted above!

Also, if you've mangled the polish to the point where you can't deal, just remove it and repaint! There's no rule that says you HAVE to keep it on if you're unhappy with it!

 

[Recidiva]

A good way to seal the edges is to work quickly and use a very small amount of polish on the ends to ensure you don't make any unsightly bumps. If you do this nail by nail individually, the polish will still be wet and will "level out" much better as it dries. Don't polish all your nails and THEN go back to seal the edges, do one nail at a time. That should help with any bumpiness.

You should buff the ridge down if it bothers you cosmetically.

If you have an issue with polish getting on your cuticles, try the q-tip trick I noted above!

Also, if you've mangled the polish to the point where you can't deal, just remove it and repaint! There's no rule that says you HAVE to keep it on if you're unhappy with it!

This requires more practice! It's okay, they have more!

 

[oggbashan]

An aside:

In the UK, some Nail Parlours have a reputation for employing illegal immigrants who owe the people smugglers thousands of pounds. The employees are virtually slaves, charged excessive interest so they have no chance of repaying.

Visiting some Nail Parlours can mean interruptions by Police and Immigration Service Raids - awkward if your manicurist is hauled off for 'interview' when your manicure is incomplete.

Mentioning Nail Polish produces many plot bunnies in the UK.

But not all Nail Parlours are like that. In my town they employ local staff who have undergone very limited training. Do not accept an offer of a cheap manicure by a 'trainee'. You could do better yourself.

 

[Corbal]

How do I keep it on longer than three days?

Get a buffing / sanding fingernail block. Rub the sanding side lightly to give your nail surface a tiny bit of grit, then flip the block over and buff the nail until it's mega shiney. Clean your nail with rubbing alcohol. Use a primer base polish then use the color. It usually lasts up to a week.

 

[Recidiva]

An aside:

In the UK, some Nail Parlours have a reputation for employing illegal immigrants who owe the people smugglers thousands of pounds. The employees are virtually slaves, charged excessive interest so they have no chance of repaying.

Visiting some Nail Parlours can mean interruptions by Police and Immigration Service Raids - awkward if your manicurist is hauled off for 'interview' when your manicure is incomplete.

Mentioning Nail Polish produces many plot bunnies in the UK.

But not all Nail Parlours are like that. In my town they employ local staff who have undergone very limited training. Do not accept an offer of a cheap manicure by a 'trainee'. You could do better yourself.

I had no idea.

 

[oggbashan]

I had no idea.

The plot bunnies multiply when you add that some of the illegal employee/slaves are expected to moonlight as prostitutes.

A nail parlour might seem an unlikely place to find a hooker, but the connection can be there.

The people smugglers are evil.

 

[Recidiva]

The plot bunnies multiply when you add that some of the illegal employee/slaves are expected to moonlight as prostitutes.

A nail parlour might seem an unlikely place to find a hooker, but the connection can be there.

The people smugglers are evil.

Nail salons in America are positive places where immigrants get their shot at a business that is skilled but does not require language skills or extensive training. You can have one multilingual receptionist and many non-English speaking people who know their job and have a limited vocabulary and do a lot of smiling and being efficient. Point to your color and smile back.

Many of the quick-stop stores and nail salons are held by immigrant families who can build a life from there. It is an abrupt about-face to think of them as prisons.

I've never thought of having to choose between getting a manicure and supporting slavery. I'm grateful I haven't had to do so.

 

[Aphro]

Are there any nail polishes that help stop your nails from chipping and peeling?

I find once my nails get past a certain length, they just start chipping and then around the edges, the top layer of nail starts to separate and peel as well. Am I using the wrong products? Repainting my nails too often? Is there anything I can put on them to help strengthen them?

I had all my nails nice and long and approximately the same length, and then so many chipped and split, I had to file the lot down to short, and I'm PISSED!

 

[satindesire]

Are there any nail polishes that help stop your nails from chipping and peeling?

I find once my nails get past a certain length, they just start chipping and then around the edges, the top layer of nail starts to separate and peel as well. Am I using the wrong products? Repainting my nails too often? Is there anything I can put on them to help strengthen them?

I had all my nails nice and long and approximately the same length, and then so many chipped and split, I had to file the lot down to short, and I'm PISSED!

*Puts her Makeup Fairy tiara back on*

When it comes to nail strengtheners, what you first must understand is that they really do work very well. Think of them like a liquid armor plating for your nails. HOWEVER--here's the bad part!--They're merely temporary. As soon as the strengthener is removed, so too are all the benefits.

I really love Sally Hansen's Double Duty base-and-top-coat polish. Not only is it a fantastic strengthener but it dries to a crystal clear shine so it can work double duty to harden AND protect the longevity of your manicure.

http://www.drugstore.com/products/p...=goobase_filler&device=c&network=g&matchtype=

It's important to note that many people find that their nails chip and split due to the nails being weak and dry/brittle. It's VITAL for your insides to be nourished and hydrated so that your OUTSIDE will be beautiful! Make sure that you are drinking LOTS of water, tea and juice, getting plenty of sleep and TAKE YOUR VITAMINS! The nails and hair are the last stop when it comes to your body's nutrient needs, and are the first to suffer when we aren't getting enough sleep, water, fat and vitamins.

Add some sunflower seeds, avocado and olive oil to your diet, and look into taking a prenatal vitamin. They're packed with nutrients that your hair and nails will LOVE and look all the better for it! You should see marked results in about three weeks for your nails, and about three months for your hair.

 

[Recidiva]

Okay, second try, thinner coats much better, roughed up my nails a little, and apologized to them, but it had to be done.

I'm still uneven and that's my technique, although a sheer pale color also shows brush strokes but if I don't "seal" like I'm slathering basting on a turkey, I do better.

Looks better than last week. Progress. Thanks!

Also, question, is there such a thing as a nail polish remover that does anything different from any other nail polish remover? Or is it basically just all crap that removes paint and will mess up your nails. I don't use heavy colors because it stains the nail itself.

Nail polish remover though turns nails yellowish on its own. I've seen that you can bleach nails between manicures with all sorts of weirdness.

Your thoughts on my rambles?

 

[satindesire]

Okay, second try, thinner coats much better, roughed up my nails a little, and apologized to them, but it had to be done.

I'm still uneven and that's my technique, although a sheer pale color also shows brush strokes but if I don't "seal" like I'm slathering basting on a turkey, I do better.

Looks better than last week. Progress. Thanks!

Also, question, is there such a thing as a nail polish remover that does anything different from any other nail polish remover? Or is it basically just all crap that removes paint and will mess up your nails. I don't use heavy colors because it stains the nail itself.

Nail polish remover though turns nails yellowish on its own. I've seen that you can bleach nails between manicures with all sorts of weirdness.

Your thoughts on my rambles?

Hey that's great progress! In a few more weeks you'll be painting like a nail tech!

Uhmmm.....nail polish remover that doesn't eff up your nails. Have you tried non-acetone nail polish remover? It's much gentler than acetone based polish removers. Also, whether or not it jacks up your nails can be circumvented by the technique in which you remove it. The way I like to do it is to soak a cotton ball in polish remover and rub it gently across the nail until the polish comes off, then when it's all removed, thoroughly wash your hands and use a nail brush to scrub the chemical off my nails.

If you leave it on and just go about your day, the chemicals can just sit on your nails and eat away at them. Rapid removal is the key.

Reds, oranges and dark colors can absolutely stain nails, which is why I always suggest using a good coat of nail base before the color. If you do this religiously, you should not see any staining at all.

 

[Recidiva]

Hey that's great progress! In a few more weeks you'll be painting like a nail tech!

Uhmmm.....nail polish remover that doesn't eff up your nails. Have you tried non-acetone nail polish remover? It's much gentler than acetone based polish removers. Also, whether or not it jacks up your nails can be circumvented by the technique in which you remove it. The way I like to do it is to soak a cotton ball in polish remover and rub it gently across the nail until the polish comes off, then when it's all removed, thoroughly wash your hands and use a nail brush to scrub the chemical off my nails.

If you leave it on and just go about your day, the chemicals can just sit on your nails and eat away at them. Rapid removal is the key.

Reds, oranges and dark colors can absolutely stain nails, which is why I always suggest using a good coat of nail base before the color. If you do this religiously, you should not see any staining at all.

Cool, thanks. I'll keep it light on fingers anyway, but I might go darker on toes, so I'll check that out.

 

[satindesire]

Cool, thanks. I'll keep it light on fingers anyway, but I might go darker on toes, so I'll check that out.

Anytime, suge.

 

[MeekMe]

^_^ I tried to read most of the posts, I didn't get very far. What I find helps me is to clean the nails very well. Just before I put my base coat on I rub my nails with nail polish remover or alcohol to dry them out a little. The nail polish sticks to the nails a bit more. Then I use one to two coats nail polish, and then a top coat. I give each layer 5 to 10 mins of dry time, sometimes a little more. I work with my hands all day so this helps my polish last longer. One thing it wont hold up to is dish washing. I suggest getting some gloves for that activity.

 

[FindingFire]

Also, question, is there such a thing as a nail polish remover that does anything different from any other nail polish remover? Or is it basically just all crap that removes paint and will mess up your nails. I don't use heavy colors because it stains the nail itself.

Nail polish remover though turns nails yellowish on its own. I've seen that you can bleach nails between manicures with all sorts of weirdness.

Your thoughts on my rambles?

I've never had a problem with nail discoloration from the polish remover and I use pure acetone. Pure acetone removes the polish the quickest so perhaps that is a factor.

I guess it isn't fair to sayi use pure acetone since I add coconut oil to the pure acetone

My recipe....

To pure acetone add in enough coconut oil so that a the layer is visible on the bottom of the container.

I buy acetone by the gallon and use a separate bottle for the mix. Coconut oil is usually a solid but has a very low melting point. I melt it out then add that to the acetone a little at a time. Add about a teaspoon to a couple of ounces of acetone ans shake. Wait a few minutes to see if it separates at all. Continue doing this until you begin to see some separation of the acetone and oil. This is considered a super saturated solvent.

This mix removes polish quick and once the acetone evaporates it leaves behind the coconut oil as a moisturizer. Evaporation of the acetone is fairly quick. By the time I've removed all polish all I need to do is massage in the oil.

I let the oil stay on my hands until I'm ready to paint again and then do a good hand washing with soap before beginning the new mani.

I have no problem with dry nails, cuticles or hands.

As an alternative I've used olive oil, emu oil, palm oil, glycerin and vitamin e oil in lieu of the coconut oil with the best results being from coconut oil.

 

[satindesire]

Hey Recidiva, how has your journey into longer-lasting nail polish been going?

 

[Wet_panties]

Shellac is the way forward. Since I bought my uv lamp I can't stand to use normal nail varnish anymore, I don't have the patience for it. You can buy cheap uv gel polish on ebay, lasts 2-3 weeks, no chips and stops your nails breaking

 

[Mindlessfruit]

I don't know if anyone mentioned this but make sure you roll the nail polish bottle between your hands, instead of shaking it. For me, if I shake the polish bottle and have too many bubbles when the polish is applied, the polish doesn't last long. And ditto to pretty much everything else that has been suggested. It's mostly finding what works for your nails.

My favorite polish removers that aren't pure acetone are by the brands: Nailtiques, Zoya, and Butter London. I also have these nail polish remover pads by a brand called Absolute! (they're part of Nicka K) and they get glitter polishes off without a problem!

Also, Zoya polishes, while a little pricey, are long lasting and a little harder to find. They're sold at salons and spas or on their website. But the colors they have are gorgeous.