Nail varnish that can survive doing the washing up?

[TrillianAstra]

There's no room in our flat for a dishwasher, so don't think that's the answer!

I'm fed up with buying pretty-but-cheap (y'know, Rimmel or 17) nail varnish only for it to chip within a day. I want some hardcore gorwnup nail varnish. And luckily I have some birthday money so can afford some.

Suggestions of a couple of essential colours would be nice too.

Thanks

Come on, I just know that some of you are glam 'I paint my nails every week' people. Tell me what nailvarnish I can get that I can put on and leave there for a week!

(ATM I only do toes cos they don't get bashed about so much)

Chanel is very good and lasts all week. Need to put a good undercoat and top coat over the colour, which is a faff but it does last!

Wear rubber gloves maybe?

I will be watching this with interest as I buy Jessica or OPI which are both quite expensive. I do the whole base and top coat thing and my varnish still chips the next day. I have since heard it can be to do with the acidity of the nail itself.... so no hope.

Actually I will add another for vote Chanel nailpolish. I wear it on my toenails and it really doesn't chip. It grows off...

Thanks for the replies - what do you use as undercoat and topcoat to make it work Jazzicat? And how long do you have to let it dry between coats, etc?

Rubber gloves are a good idea, washing up is the main things that makes me chip but not the only thing and I can't wear gloves all the time so I want the strongest nail varnish possible under the gloves.

I wear Mac, and it does chip. But, I have it on authority from someone who has their nails done in the States (they live there. They're not doing a Cilla) and apparently they use mink oil (?!) and that helps it set and last.

As for essential colours: a nice bright red? A vampy dark red and a clear polish (can be used as top coat and base coat and just on its own).

Funny, I recently tried Rimmel (with undercoat and topcoat) and found it lasted really well. It was their longlasting stuff, I did two coats of colour, made sure everything dried as it went, and made sure I put the topcoat over the nail edge, iyswim.

I do dishes, and I swim, and I do bike repair. Ok, nail polish doesn't last a week, but a half week before chipping is still respectable.

When I apply it, I normally put base coat on all nails, and by the time I finish that, it's dry enough for the colour to go on. What I do is make sure that I'm watching a LONG TV show or movie that is gripping so I don't get up and start mucking about and smudging the nailpolish.

NQC - I'm almost definitely using the 'whichever is cheapest' Rimmel stuff at the moment

I use Chanel and find it does chip within a couple of days even with a top coat.

It stays much longer on toe nails bit would love a decent longer lasting one for my finger nails.

I have my fingernails painted each week with OPI, and I top up with Nail Envy (is a clear nail strengthener, also OPI, from Boots) as a top coat, it usually gets to a week (ish) before looking too scrappy. But it lasts up to six weeks on my toes!

I can't really be bothered with havign someone else do my nails - I want to be able to do it in front of the TV as bleh says!

Am torn now, I had multiple votes for Chanel but I only want it if it really works!

Marigolds marigolds I love marigolds!

And have fabulous long nails

Unless you're allergic to them or something, they will also prevent you getting contact dermatitis from the various cleaning and washing chemicals, and your hands will not take such a battering and will be lovely and youthful forever !

(I don't work for marigold BTW, maybe i should )

The ONLY nail varnish which lasts me a few days is Rimmel Pro. It is fab, even the brush is lovely to use, you barely make a mistake. It is only £4.50 but is on offer at Boots for £3.50 atm.

I introduced my SIL to it and she is a beautician and she says it beats OPI etc hands down.

So do you all do washing up in one big job then? Put on your marigolds and do all of it at once? I tend to do bits as I cook to minimise how much needs to be done at the end. I guess if I want to be a sophisticated woman with painted nails I'll have to change my washin-up habits!

I don't use marigolds either. Honestly get some Rimmel Pro, you won't be disappointed.

I live in my marigolds

And yes I do let the washing up pile up but don't tell my mum

Give them a try, I love my gloves, my mum won't wear them at all even though she has an itchy patch on each palm from the detergent . Think maybe marigolds are a bit marmite!

oooh and it means you can have the water really hot, which makes the washing up easier and has to be more hygenic as well!

We don't have much space to stack by the side of the sink or very much on the draining board, which is why I try to do it as I go along.

I'll get some gloves. But still don't know which nail varnish to try The last one I bought cost £2.91. Chanel is more like £15 I think. I guess I should get the good Rimmel stuff and try that first if it's as cheap as fanjobanjo says!

Start cheapy is probably the best!

I don't wear naail varnish very often these days but when i did they had something called loreal jet-set which was fairly indestructable. Probably really out of date now!

I use Nails Inc nail polish and it is v good (and not as expensive as Chanel) - it is about £8-10 a bottle. I also use a Nails Inc base coat and top coat and it usually lasts at least 5 days before starting to look a bit tatty.

Wednesday night is 'nails' night at the moment as I do them whilst watching the Apprentice

Oh, can't do nails while watching the apprentice, need to Mn while Apprenticing! (DP won't watch it with me and it's mroe fun if you have people to bitch with)