How long do nails have to be for varnish?

[WildThong]

And can you recommend a polish from Superdrug or Boots that's nice for everyday use and can maybe strengthen my nails too?

I keep my nails very short and they're newly always varnished. Looks less tarty on short nails IMO. There are so many varieties out there. What colours do you like?

*nearly always varnished

These are mine at the moment - not long at all. Unfortunately I have crap nails & the only stuff that works to keep them nice is OPI undercoat & polish & Seche Vite topcoat - not cheap! Rimmel is good though, & Models Own do great glitter polishes - they need a clear topcoat to make them properly shiny.

Hi shelagh
I've no clue about colours. Something neutral enough for being at work but not insipid pink?

My nails have always been poor before, in March I started doing the Vaseline massage thing as recommended on here, amazing difference! Hence now looking for my first foray into the world of nail varnish.

I keep mine short but paint them, I prefer the look of short nails to long on me.

Can't go wrong with Rimmel salon pro varnish and No 7 top coat which dries them in seconds.

I have very short nails and always keep them varnished. I can't have them longer as they're so weak from years of acrylics and would chip straight after. I use Revlon base coat and Revlon Long Life Top Coat (they're About £7 but can usually find for buy one get one half price or 3 for 2). I use Barry M or Rimmel colours. I can get about a week out of it using these products and that's through heavy handedness.

Rimmel, Barry M and Essie are great. My nails are never very long as I have a medical condition that causes them to snap all the time so keeping them short is just easier for me. I like the Barry M base and top coat and get very little chipping. Using that, I usually get about six days out of my varnish before I get any significant chipping that means it needs to be changed. FWIW, No7 polishes are rubbish, really streaky and chip so so easily

Good advice, thanks. So I need to buy a base coat and a top coat?

Mine are often painted and always short.

I can't be arsed with base and top. I usually do two coats.

It's great to be able to say 'sorry I can't help I've just done my nails'.

Ideally, yes. But I often use the same for both base and top coat.
IMO neat short nails in a bright colour look nicer than long painted nails.

As for colours, I like kind of beiges for work - with some purple or plummy tones. I also like a nice bright colour like a green I got free from mulberry recently.
I am not a fan of pink or red on me.

Might go and paint mine now, actually.

I paint my nails because they're short. It's the only way I've found to deter nail-biting. However I then enjoy picking the nail varnish off, so it's not as much of a win as I had thought.

short. Hate long painted nails, they look like talons.

matt pastel colours are in at the mo (I think!) and look funky without being over-the-top for work.

Any length can wear polish just file away any rough edges and make sure they are all even in length.
Buy any Sally Hansen nail strengthen and use it as a base coat.
Gosh or maybelline do nice polishes for drugstore brands.
Always use a top coat. Sally Hansen insta dri in the red bottle is excellent. It dries nails very fast so no smudges! Plus it protects your manicure so it lasts longer and adds extra shine.

I always have my nails painted and they're very short, I like them that way.

OPI is a good range if you're doing them yourself but as I am beyond useless at anything like that, I have mine done. Colours wise, anything goes, really. Spring pastels might be best if you're just starting out.

I've bought the Barry M Papaya which is a coral shade and Truffle which is a lilacy nude. 3 for 2 so bought a clear topcoat as well. I'll have a go at painting my nails later.

Quite a few good offers in Superdrug at the moment.

What's the Vaseline massage thingy please?

Vaseline rub
Here's the link, it is definitely working for me.

I much prefer varnish on short nails. I always like bourjois (sp?) nail varnishes, they last really well for the price IME.

Long nails are ghastly.

I keep mine just beyond my fingers, and always have them painted (I do it myself as I have never been happy with a manicure).

Boots do Essie nail varnish, which is really nice.

Thanks Wildthong