Painting nails with normal polish

[tiredmumofboys1]

Do people still use normal polish as opposed to gel nails or biab? I really struggle getting a nice smooth finish when I paint my nails, anyone have any tips or recommendations on which polish to use?

Me! I tend to remove polish and paint them on a Sunday and a Wednesday, then on the in between days do a colour coat on top then topcoat so they always look fresh.

I use the Orly Bonder base coat, mainly Essie colours but also like the Barry M gelly ones, then the Essie Good to Go topcoat. Base, two layers of colour, topcoat, and I use the Leighton Denny glass file to shape. I do it while watching TV and it probably takes about 30 minutes all in.

I very occasionally get gels if we’re going away then spend months regretting them because my nails get wrecked with the removal.

I do. I’m 48 and painted my nails since I was a teen. I think they look nice! I use no 7 or a few other brands, and just do it 2 or 3 evenings a week in front of the tv. It doesn’t last long but it’s so quick to do, it doesn’t bother me doing it so often.

I use normal polish and then Seche Vite
fast dry top coat. Its wonderful. Makes my nails smooth and shiny and they don’t chip for days

The Jessica Brilliance top coat is great for smoothing out a rough paint layer.

I smudged my nails the other day when they were wet and got a wrinkle. The top coat sorted it out no probs.

Find it better (and nicer smelling) than Seche Vite which I used for years.

Yep, Rimmel 60 seconds. I have no interest in having gels. Lasts 5 days and takes 60 seconds.

I do. Using a decent base coat and top coat makes such a difference. I’m currently using Maybelline Superstay Strength primer undercoat, but it’s a bit of trial and error finding what suits you best.

I do. Have a couple of beauty pie ones that look great and stay a good few days as long as I use a top coat. Gels wreck my nails

What do people use to remove regular nail varnish? That's the bit I hate doing. Do you use remover and cotton pads or the twisty jar thing that you stick your finger in? Or nail varnish remover pads?

Nail polish remover and cotton wool pads.

I also di mine twice a week, Sunday evening and Wednesday evening. Occasionally, I can stretch them Sunday to Sunday depending how hard I've used my hands.

File and shape using a rough grit file then a smoother to finish. I also buff and prep the nail bed every 2 - 3 wks so they don't get thin.

Base coat is always Sally Hansen Hard as Nails, two thin coats colour -my go to is black or if I have time I do an American manicure. Top coat is Opi infinite Shine. Coloured polish is usually an Opi or essie.

Keep coats thin and even. Start your first swipe in the middle of the nail before moving out. Apply just enough pressure to gently fan the brush. Make sure each coat dries completely before doing the next.

Use nail polish remover on a cotton bud to clean any smudges on the cuticle right away rather than letting it dry. If you mess up the nail sometimes it best to just admit defeat and redo the nail. Make sure to seal the nail edge with colour and top and base coats

Proper/ordinary nail polish looks so much more elegant, imo.

I only use normal nail polish but I try to prep well. Do it the night before. Use nail varnish remover before base coat. Dry. Do 2/3 coats with drying each time. Then seche vite to dry fast. Then a top coat again as I find seche vite often peels off very quickly. Next day shower I rub off any polish on my fingers. Results last various amounts of time depending on what I'm doing with my fingers. Housework etc often results in chips. If my polish is in good nick after a couple of days I'll add another top coat sometimes.

I use many different brands and prefer a thick brush.

I use a strong nail polish remover Cutex ultra powerful usually and hold a well soaked cotton wool pad on each nail for a while to remove.

I tend to just paint over the one below!

I have 200 polishes so pick a new one every few days. I am only at home so painting can be a bit haphazard and no one cares.

I do very little at the moment, am very low but this is one thing I do,

Essie gel couture range, Essie strong start basecoat (ridge filling), two coats of Essie gel couture polish, then the gel couture top coat. I swim 4 times a week and even with that it lasts more than a week. They're the ones in the twisted bottles.
www.boots.com/essie-nail-topcoat-gel-couture-10216076

I do, but usually only my toes (as I think I have weird looking hands and it just makes them more noticeable!)

Essie grow stronger base coat, then Essie, Nails Inc, Zoya or Barry M - usually 2 or 3 thin coats. Then Barry M or Sally Hansen glossy clear top coat.

Carefully avoid painting all the way to the edge, so you leave just a tiny margin. The gap will not be noticeable but it looks neater and stops the polish collecting at the edge. Also paint over the top end of the nail, looks nicer and prevent chipping.

Yep, same here!

Me too. I also sometimes use a normal Essie polish with the Essie gel topcoat and it's not much different to the gel couture colours in terms of longevity. My biggest bugbear is the range of colours for Essie, I'd really like a deep, cool toned navy, but nothing available.

I use Nailkind polish and their base and top coat which is good at lasting. Also use Essie and Nailsinc products which are good.

Seche Vite is a game changer for old school nail varnish, but i only do my nails occasionally because I’m lazy and heavy on my hands.

I stopped having gel nails because it completely ruined my natural nails.

At the moment I’m liking Nail Kind and A England polishes. Use the Sally Hansen Insta Dri top coat but have just ordered the Jessica one recommended upthread as I fancied a change

My biggest bugbear is the range of colours for Essie, I'd really like a deep, cool toned navy, but nothing available.

Essie have so many millions of colours I can’t keep up! Have you looked at essie online? Infinity cool, get oasis or caviar bar might meet your description - or search for Essie deep cool toned navy in google images. If a colour isn’t current you can often still get it on Amazon or eBay.

(Can you tell I waste loads of time pondering lovely colours online )

Nail polish remover before starting to remove any oils. Base coat, two thin colour coats, fast drying topcoat. I don't leave mine to dry between coats, no need if you keep it thin. Whole thing takes about 15 mins. I do it in bed, read for 15 mins and lights out with hands outside the covers. I usually get 5 days or so before needing to redo but will fill in tiny chips in dark colours if they happen. I mainly use Rimmel, Barry M and Essie.

Don't try removing any that gets on the skin while you work, pick it off in the shower the next day its neater and easier. I don't seal the edges either, mine are very short so its hard to avoid getting it on the skin and in any case it wears away in no time.

I know 😭. But Caviar Bar looks like it might be a goer - the others are discontinued and I prefer to buy from Boots or direct to ensure it's a real product. Am in the US soon, they usually have much better availability and range than we do, so will search it out, thanks!