How do I paint my nails?

[KanyesVest]

My nails are pretty good and I can get a shape I like on them. Last night I painted them a really lovely deep purple. I put on two nicely even coats and gave them a full hour to dry. I know I made a mistake not putting on a top coat, but I didn't want to stay up another hour to let that dry too. By 8.20 this morning, three nails were chipped and by lunchtime I had to take it all off. I had been really good and wore rubber gloves to do the washing up and everything.

What do I need to to to have nice nails for more than 2 waking hours??

[passmethewineplease]

Gel polish!

Mine lasts two weeks chip free! Normal polish just doesn't last on me!

[maybemyrtle]

Topcoat. Try either Seche vite or Sally Hansen instadri (I prefer Seche vite but opinions are divided). You don't need to wait for the polish to dry, just apply topcoat and wait 15 minutes. You'll save so much time.

[vanillabeauty]

I paint on the tip of my nail, hard to explain. But paint the nail then the top edge. Also before applying nail varnish clean the nail with nail varnish remover.

[KanyesVest]

passme is that shellac type polish? I don't really like that thick feeling on my nails, but I know a woman I work with swears by it.

I've seen seche vite recommend before myrtle, I should probably investigate further. I don't understand the "OK after 15mins" bit though, I end up with all sorts of creases and smudges if I even look at them .

[DickDewy]

I can get my nail polish to last a week.

Basecoat, 3 coats of polish and a good top coat.

I only use fairly decent brands - Essie, OPI and Jessica (although Jessica has gone downhill imo).

[Blueprintorange]

The seche vite and sally Hansen topcoats dry much much quicker than any other, and harden the polish underneath so it lasts longer.

[KanyesVest]

Vanilla that could work for the tips, but I managed to take lumps out of the middle of my nails this morning [incompetent].

[LBOCS2]

I do two coats plus a top coat (Sally Hansen here), leave 10 mins between applying each coat, wait 20 minutes then go to bed. By morning it will be set hard. I get a week out of my manicures. I use Rimmel, Barry M, Ciate and Essie varnishes, for preference.

[KanyesVest]

Thanks all, I'll get a decent topcoat and since I've no idea where I got the polishes I have, maybe invest in some better brands. Is a base coat a good idea, or just extra faff?

[NigellasGuest]

Base coat is a good idea especially if using dark polish - which can be impossible to fully remove round the cuticles for ages otherwise (for me).

I recommend Revlon for a good quality mid range brand for nail polish - also, Barry M Daylight Curing I find brilliant but only the dark colours ( find I couldn't get even coverage with the paler shades). It's quite a small range but the idea is it gives you a lasting gel nail like effect and actually it's pretty good I find. You have to buy the "curing" top coat as well as your chosen shade. It says no base coat necessary but I always use one for reasons mentioned above.

[AmethystMoon]

Base coat gives polish something to adhere to. I always use it plus revlin fast dry top coat (like seche vite)

[chanie44]

I also have problems with my nail varnish staying on my fingers. My toes are fine.

I've come to the conclusion that it's the way I use my hands and I wonder if you are the same.

I use my finger tips a lot. Some of the people I know with long nails use the pads of their fingers to do things like picking things up. I suspect that is my problem, if that makes sense.

[jackstini]

Gel polish for me too.
Just use thin coats so it feels normal but does last much better on fingers and weeks on toes.
Plus you don't have to wait an hour for it to try - that would drive me mad now I'm used to it being instant!

[KanyesVest]

chanie, I could have the same coat of nail polish for months at a time and it never seems to go any there. Maybe I should start using my toes for everything...

jack, can you just buy bottles of gel nail varnish? I presumed it involved the whole UV light box escspade

[itsbetterthanabox]

File, then push back cuticle. Wipe over nails with polish remover. Apply base, 2 coats of colour and then a quick dry topcoat. Cap the tip with all layers.
Polish lasts better on healthy nails so file in one direction. Wear gloves when washing up and use a cuticle oil daily.

[itsbetterthanabox]

Gel polish doesn't feel thick. Have it done somewhere reputable. Lasts 2-3 weeks on healthy nails.

[bruffin]

I had biogels done at christmas and lasted 4 weeks. They dont feel thick at all. Worth every penny

[Jaeme]

Cap the polish with a swipe around the free edge to seal it, I also do it with top coat and it seems to help it last longer.

If you're using seche vite apply it to wet polish, I made the mistake of applying it to dry polish when the shine had gone from my top coat. Huge bits peeled off :-/