If you DON'T get gels, which polish do you use?

[nanbread]

Just that really. Any recs for really good longer lasting ones? I can't afford to get gels (either in time or money - they don't last long on me)

I like Essie. Always a with topcoat

*with a 🤦‍♀️

Nails Inc. can be pricey but it lasts and I normally get a bargain in the sales

It's a bit of a reach, and probably not what you expected but I file my nails myself, buff them for shine and use Leighton Denny's Renovate to keep them looking
healthy and well groomed.

Agree that Essie isn't bad for longevity (relatively speaking - it's still only going to last 3-7 days).

I use Mavala quite a lot. It doesn't last as long as the Essie but it's quite reasonably priced and has a good selection of colours.

Essie. Love it

OPI or Essie. I’m too lazy to go to the salon

Essie here too, but I prefer the Orly Bonder base coat, then the Essie Good to Go top coat.

Rimmel. I’ve learned that the most important thing in getting a good finish is a nice fat brush- the fewer strokes you have to do to cover the nail, the easier it is to get a nice neat line along the nail bed. And finish with a coat of seche vite to remove the risk of smudges sneaking in hours afterwards. I find when I do this I can make a pale colour last about five days. Dark ones chip in a couple of days whatever I do, but at least with seche vite you can do the whole thing in under an hour and use your hands normally straight away.

Setche vite always peels off in a whole
Piece ! Not sure what I’m doing wrong

I love Essie, so many great colours, long-lasting and not too £££. Essie Grow Stronger is the base coat I always use and it's even nice on its own.

Also like Nails Inc, Opi, Butter London, Barry M, and I use a Sally Hansen or Barry M top coat.

Opi, Essex or Jessica

Discovered the salon quality polishes last as long as a salon-manicure (funny that) so I don't bother with high street ones anymore.

Sally Hansen. Bought a job lot from eBay for about £25. Use Sally Hansen insta dry top coat , quick and easy manicure.

Opi, Jessica or China Glaze. With Opi or Seche Vite top coat.

Barry M. Base coat, 2 coats of polish and a top coat. I take mine off because I'm bored and fancy a new colour, or it's growing out. At least a week without chipping. And no fannying about with marigolds while doing the dishes.

Surprised by the love for Essie. I love their colours but always find they chip terribly! I really rate Barry M “gelly” polish- I use a base coat, apply 2 coats of that and then a good top coat like Serche vita and find it lasts about a week or so, and looks just as good as proper gel.

Thanks, I have a good topcoat but always use seche vite instead as I'm always in a rush! And then they chip really quickly. Need to do it one evening then sit and do nothing.

Another Essie fan here with a seche vite topcoat.

@poopyface when mine has peeled it’s either when I’ve got some topcoat on my skin or I’ve let
My nails fully dry before putting the topcoat
On. I find putting seche vite on when my nails are tacky makes it last much longer.

Opi or Orly for me, but I'm not an avid nail polish user, mainly toes and occasionally my hands.

Go on the Kiko website and they have great Black Friday deals on. Their nail polish is excellent with a gel top coat.
Also, Boots no7 gel polish and gel topcoat. This is also excellent and both options last over a week if I’m careful (ish).
None of these are expensive, either.

Actually I do wear the Orly tinted (French manicure top coats) on my hands a lot. They're very similar to Dior nail glow apparently.

Barry M polish works for me. Especially the textured ones - good resistance to chipping.

@Lupinhere37

Go on the Kiko website and they have great Black Friday deals on. Their nail polish is excellent with a gel top coat. Also, Boots no7 gel polish and gel topcoat. This is also excellent and both options last over a week if I’m careful (ish). None of these are expensive, either.

Thanks hadn't thought of kiko

@Stuckandinamess

Barry M polish works for me. Especially the textured ones - good resistance to chipping.

Ooh what kind of texture? Not sure I've seen those, except the velvet one which made me feel a bit funny

Completely not the point but I find gel nails much quicker (although I admit more expensive) than spending an hour waiting for various coats of nail polish to dry.
I only get mine done once or twice a year because of the price and because in my job even gels get ruined within a week.