Nail polish. What am I doing wrong?

[treaclesoda]

I just can't get it to stay on.

I do two super thin coats, let it dry for ages in between, and for ages afterwards. Have even tried adding a top coat, but to no avail. It chips off almost immediately. I'm lucky to get 3 hours out of a home manicure.

Have tried loads of different brands too, but they're all much the same. I'm clearly missing something because other people manage ok.

On my experience the most important layer is the bottom coat. I use a nails inc one and get 5-7 chip free days out of an application. I do think it depends on your nails too, think mine mustn't have much in the way of natural oils as I do my mum's nails for her in the exact same way I do mine, and she only gets 2-3 days.

I've found that a good nail hardener really helps.

Also wrapping the nail polish helps - basically painting the edge and a tiny bit of the underside of the tip. Guide here: www.alllacqueredup.com/2010/06/manicure-trick-wrap-tips.html

My experience with base and top coats is that they don't do much for me and making my polish last much longer. The nail hardener is the one single thing that makes a difference for me. I'm using the Mavala one that only goes on the tips of the nail.

I think the undercoat is a good idea. Plus it means your nails don't get stained.
Cheap brands can be good- I'm getting a week from miss sporty from superdrug. I'm amazed.
Plus light colours last longer as you don't see the minor chips

Base coat is essential, also buff your nails before you apply anything (remember to wipe with nail polish once you've buffed to get rid of dust and oils). This plus 2 coats of polish and a really good top coat should do the trick. I find that a good nail hardener and good quality top coat means that I can get away with cheap colours in between them.

I use Jessica nail polish - and now wont use anything else.

On my toes - it stays on without chipping for about 8 weeks - it is a bit pricey at about £8 a pot but well worth it for hassle free nails

I will admit to not using on my hands though, but toes it has amazing staying power

If you do an undercoat, 2 coats of colour, top coat then polish stays on your toes for weeks. I can easily get a month from mine. I have to cut my toenails, do another coat of colour for another few weeks, before having to completely redo. And that's any brand of polish.

Do you have thin, flaky nails? Mine are and even a professional manicure won't last the evening.

2 coats, never let it dry in between, don't bother with base coat but use no 7 top coat which is a fiver straight away and it will be rock hard in minutes. Fab stuff!

peach yes, they do tend towards flakiness.

Toes are fine actually, I can slap any old polish on them and they never chip, it's still there weeks later!

It's the finger nails. I did once have them done at a nail bar and it lasted a week chip free (really dark colour too, so every flaw was noticeable), so I think it's possible, but I just can't perfect it at home.

Thanks for the tips. I'll look for a nail hardener and see if that helps.

dame Don't let it dry in between? Does that work better? Never thought of that...

If you have thin nails it will chip more easily. Try using a nail hardener once a week and using a cuticle oil on your nails every day even on top of polish.
When painting swipe each nail with polish remover then one layer of base coat and let it dry for 2 mins, 2 layers if colour with 2 mins drying in between then a good quality topcoat, either seche vite or Sally Hansen insta dry. Once it's dry oil them.

Rommel 60 second nail Polish is my favourite. 2 coats slapped on one agpfter the other and ten minutes later good to go. I did mine 10 minutes before I went to bed last night and it looks great this morning. The Polish has a nice flat brush too so it goes on easily. I can get around 3 days out of it but I am hard on my nails with housework and gardening etc.

northing works on me apart from diy gel nails, which can damange your own nails but worth it for short use.

Wiping bare nails with remover before applying base coat solved a lot of my chipping problems - gets rid of any excess oil and dust.

Also only two mins between coats, so each coat is dry but still a tiny bit tacky - if the are totally dry the coats won't adhere to each other and will flake off more easily.

Do you give yourself a manicure before you paint them? All that soaking, filing and buffing stuff to smooth any ridges and make them shiny? I find that really help the varnish stay on, but of course find it an enormous hassle so don't always do it.

If you have flaky nails try the Vaseline trick of massaging it onto your nails once a day for a week and see the difference!

Try Sally Hansen nail topcoat and strenghener. Some would say it's quite pricey at around £.5.00 a bottle but it's well worth the money and it makes your nails really shiny. Infact it can be a pita to remove. X

lol at top coat variances

my best ever ( and did allt he others ) is sally hansen in a red bottle

I think I've got to re think my entire nail regime by the sounds of things! Will try another painting session at the weekend and see how it turns out

Rimmel salon pro is fantastic polish imo.

Ok. This evening I have painted my nails. I wiped them with nail polish remover first, to remove any oils. I painted two coats of colour (Barry M Gelly stuff, as I'd heard good reports) letting it dry a bit in between but not totally. Then I put a clear top coat on, and 'wrapped' it over the ends of my nails.

They feel much harder and better 'set' than they normally do after painting. If these don't stay on I'm doomed, aren't I?

Are you on chipwatch with a stopwatch set?

They've lasted two hours so far.

I think, just to be on the safe side, I should refuse to wash any dishes etc tomorrow.