How do you stop nail varnish from chipping?

[ThePetiteMummy]

I bought myself a really nice new nail varnish yesterday, and put it on last night ready for a meeting I have today. Was really pleased with it. Well, I'm now on my way in to work, and have just noticed it's already chipping off around the edges! I'm really annoyed, as I think chipped varnish looks worse than none.

So does anyone have any secrets to make nail varnish actually stay on? I wouldn't even mind having occasional manicures if that was the answer, but a) I can't really afford it, and b) I seem to remember it still chips quickly when I do.

Base coat and top coat, I do mine before bed and then by morning it should be quite hard, it can take 24 hrs for varnish to dry properly, so any head start is good.

Gel manicures - well, they will prevent chips for several weeks.

I have had a few gel manicures and quite often they have peeled off, however I have the most terrible bendy nails! Completely stumped my friend who did them she is very good and hasn't seen anything like it! They look beautiful though.

Shellac manicures....virtually indestructable for 2 to 3 weeks. Nothing shifts them. They are not gels or acrylics but use stuff that looks like nail varnish but is then set under a uv lamp, lots of base and top coat too, very very shiny Costs between $20 - £30, which is reasonable considering the staying power. Great range of colours too.

base coat, 2 coats of colour, top coat and put top coat along edge of nail

Thanks for the quick replies!

Sounds like gels are the way to go, but do they wreck you own nails? Although I guess it might not matter if you keep having them done.

Hadn't heard of the shellac one Jinxandfluff, any idea where does that in central London or Surrey?

p.s. You know shellac is crushed beetles don't you?!

I'm in Scotland and there are certainly loads of places here so there must be in London or Surrey. I'd just ring round a few beauty places.

Isn't shellac the gummy stuff the bug produces rather than the bug itself?

Thanks, sounds like it'll be quite easy to find somewhere then.

I used to use shellac to harden my ballet shoes when they went soft, and I thought it was beetle shells, but you could be right, I don't know! I'm not too bothered really, it's probably a synthetic alternative used for the manicures anyway. So long as it works!

The gel nails do wreck your nails once they come off. My own nails took about 6 months to recover, they were weak, tore easily and I couldn't grow them so I just had to keep them quite short until they improved, which after I'd had such beautiful nails for a year or two was really annoying.

Don't have an alternative answer though, sorry, I have the same problem. Toenails seem okay but any varnish on my fingernails just chips at the ends all the time. I wonder though if thats because I work in an office and spend a lot of time typing though.

Thanks Suchfun, I don't like the sound of that, don't think I'll try gels then. Might try what Mollymole said about painting the edge with top coat, I'd heard of that before, but not tried it. Sounds like a bit if a skill!

I got some OPI "chip skip" off eBay for about £4. Put it on first then base coat and top coat. Tried it for the first time last night and after a full day at work no chips so far!

Another vote for Shellac here...... I can honestly say I have not had a shellac free day for about 6 months!!

My local nail lady does it for £6!!! though which is a mega bargain and how I can afford it.

It really really does work and chip free nails for 14 days!

letting the bottom coat (whatever it is) dry for at least half an hour before you put another one. Some nail varnishes are just crap tho. Even the pricey ones. Maybelline Forever Strong is quite good.

Thanks Madam, that stuff sounds worth a try!

Thanks potty, looks like this shellac malarky might be the way to go.

Thanks Trendy, I had always thought you should put the second coat on as soon as possible after the first, so thanks for the tip.

Better quality nail varnish? My latest Jessica nail varnish didn't chip til about day 6, I was impressed!

I swear by seche vite top coat - I get it off the internet from hq hair. It stops chips, but also dents, which I always used to get off my duvet if I did my nails at night. Lovely and shiny too, but do read the instructions cos it's slightly different to applying a normal topcoat.

Planet potty- you are getting a real bargain there, that's an amazing price.
Another vote for shellac or gellish (same idea) here. I had my toes done over 3 weeks ago and it looks like I had it done yesterday. Problem is you have to go back to take it off which my salon charges extra for so when I last went, had a removal plus a full shellac pedicure it cost £48 which I think is a bit much. Having said that I love my toes so much I am considering getting it put on my fingers too tomorrow as I haven't done my fingers for years because I also hate to see chipped varnish.

Thanks Madmomma, that sounds like what I need, will look into that.

Thanks Chewbecca, that's worth taking into account, the extra cost of removal. Not sure I can afford to get into that just yet!

OPI Nail envy range

Ooo, thanks! Do you know where sells that in Oxford St? Selfridges?

Oh yes, I would have thought so.
Or liberty??

Thanks, I'll have a look!