Emba Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 (edited) My interest in cosmetic things comes and goes, but I’m starting to paint my nails again after several years of not painting them. I am finding the same frustration, that the polish lasts only one or two days looking nice and then chips and I start picking at it. i have some Sally Hansen polish, some Maybelliene, Revlon, and whatever was $2 at Dollar General. None of them last, though the dollar general kind lasts least long. I don’t want to have to redo my nails every day or two, not do I want to go around with peeling, picked-at paint on my nails. I’d rather not paint them at all if those are my options (this way I haven’t for a long time). Does anyone have suggestions for really long-lasting nail polish? *********** update ******** So many suggested Essie that I went with that ( though I considered a dip nail kit, too). I got a base coat/top coat in one for minimalism, and a bright sparkly blue to start out with. I figured I could look for more colors once I saw if it lasted long enough for me. I’m very impressed. It’s been six days and despite some wear a a few tiny chips, my polish is presentable. That is way better than anything I’ve tried before. For science, I wanted to leave the polish on to see how long it would really last and look presentable, but for ukulele I needed to clip my nails, they’re getting in the way. So I clipped them a few minutes ago, and to my surprise, no immediate chipping occurred. I’m a little amazed. So the experiment continues. I just wanted to say thanks everyone for the suggestions, I will definitely be getting more Essie polish. I’m hoping I’ll be able to find some Black Friday sales and stock up on some basic colors. Edited November 16, 2020 by Emba 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Essie. Do two coats, and top with a clear coat. It should last a week with normal life, two if you don’t do much with your hands. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 (edited) I played around with polish years ago, some lasted longer than others. what you do does have a bearing on how long polish will last. what finally gave them up was what it does to my nails. made them weak and break. they only way to over come it was for them to grow out, which could easily take three months. (eta: I normally have very HARD nails!) buffing with a kit can make them shiny and smooth - without weakening them. (no chips either.) Edited October 30, 2020 by gardenmom5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 I’ve been a fan of Sally Hansen Miracle Gel for a few years now. It doesn’t hold up to hand washing dishes without gloves all that well, but I find that it lasts pretty long when I remember gloves or make other people do the dishes. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 (edited) This is actually not a frivolous subject for me. I have had thin, weak nails my whole life; they have always split and broken. As I've entered perimenopause they've become weaker and weaker, to the point that they will break down to the finger, and sometimes into the nailbed. I started trying lots of different polishes and methods - none of them lasted more than a day, or two at the most, before chipping. The only thing I've found that lasts is UV gel polish. I got a Sally Hansen UV nail light on ebay for $10, and buy the Born Pretty brand of gel polish shipped from sellers in China for ~$2/bottle. I put on a base coat, top coat, two layers of color, and a final top coat. I stick them under the light for 30 seconds between each coat, and 1 minute for the tippity top (1 push of the button = 30 seconds; it has automatic shutoff). This lasts 7-10 days without chipping. I found that the more I keep my hands extra-moist/in water, the quicker they loosen and come off, so I soak them in water inside a nitrile glove to loosen before removing. Edited October 30, 2020 by Amy in NH 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 I use everything Essie, from base to color to top. Love it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emba Posted October 30, 2020 Author Share Posted October 30, 2020 50 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said: I find that it lasts pretty long when I remember gloves or make other people do the dishes. I like the way you think! 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvToRead Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 2 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said: Essie. Do two coats, and top with a clear coat. It should last a week with normal life, two if you don’t do much with your hands. This is what I was going to suggest. I don't paint my nails, but my girls do. A top coat really makes a difference. My DD18 wants a bottle of the Essie Heart of the Jungle, which I am going to give her as a stocking stuffer for Christmas. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Essie runs about $8/bottle, and the harder to find colors are pretty easy to purchase on amazon. The bottle lasts quite a while. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Youngest is getting Let it Ripple in her stocking, and it’s the perfect “Elsa” color for my Frozen fan. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 2 hours ago, Carrie12345 said: I’ve been a fan of Sally Hansen Miracle Gel for a few years now. It doesn’t hold up to hand washing dishes without gloves all that well, but I find that it lasts pretty long when I remember gloves or make other people do the dishes. This is true for me too. I don’t want to risk the UV light curing kind because of autoimmune stuff, but the Miracle gel works pretty well if you wear dishwashing gloves. And the smells aren’t super strong. I took mine off a few days ago to dye a vintage leather bag or I’d take a picture. They generally last 4-5 days without any chips for me. Though I do have a trick of purposely getting the polish on my skin. I paint them at night, make sure to paint the back of my nails and the tips. It makes a big mess but when I take a shower in the morning I can easily scrape the polish off my skin without damaging the polish on my nails. I also bought a dip powder polish kit, but I haven’t worked up the nerve to try it yet because I hate acrylic fumes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Another fan of Essie. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emba Posted October 30, 2020 Author Share Posted October 30, 2020 So all of you who like Essie, do you use the regular kind, in a straight bottle, or the Couture Gel kind, in the fancy twist bottle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 I use the straight bottle, not gel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Butter London Nail polish. Hands down my favorite brand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebcoola Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 I use the powder dip it lasts until my nails grow enough to be noticeable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emba Posted October 30, 2020 Author Share Posted October 30, 2020 24 minutes ago, prairiewindmomma said: I use the straight bottle, not gel. Do you use the base coat or only the color + top coat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Other than gel or acrylic, neither of which I want to do, nail polish doesn't last on me. I'm hard on my hands and nails, digging in the garden dirt (even with gloves on it takes a toll) washing dishes, etc. I've basically given up on having my fingernails painted and stick with toes. Of course I live in Florida where we wear open toe shoes year round. That option probably wouldn't work in a colder climate where you're about to enter a season of feet hidden in socks and shoes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Storygirl Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088TKZR4W/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 My daughters each have one of these DIY gel kits. DD18 took one to college with her, and DD15 was jealous, so I got her one of her own. They both love it. DD15 gets a lot of comments from people at school about how professional her nails look, from both students and teachers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoolC Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 I’ve had luck with Orly Bonder base coat + regular Essie + Seche Vite top coat https://www.amazon.com/Orly-Nail-Bonder-Treatment-0-6/dp/B0019TYZ66/ref=sr_1_1?crid=KJCDQFQMKGKK&dchild=1&keywords=orly+bonder&qid=1604102572&sprefix=Orly+%2Caps%2C219&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/Seche-Vite-Fast-Nail-Clear/dp/B00150LT40/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3R8JFI41K668A&dchild=1&keywords=setch+vite+top+coat&qid=1604102794&sprefix=Setch%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 I used to be able to get by without a base coat but my nails have ridges now with age. If you already know you are likely to chop, I would use Essie First Base. There is a polymer in it that helps subsequent coats of polish cling. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Another vote for Essie! I use their base coat and two coats of polish (the regular straight bottle). For a top coat, I super love this because it dries fast, is super shiny, and makes my polish last at least a week. It will actually last an entire month on my toes! (I actually just ordered this polish from Ulta for a fun fall color. I haven’t polished my nails in several weeks, so it’s not something I do regularly, but the above stuff works perfectly when I do) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Have you tried or considered Color Street? My daughter is a competitive swimmer so polish has never lasted more than a day which was beyond frustrating. A friend began selling the Color Street which are the nail polish strips, similar to Jamberry BUT much better and they don't totally destroy your nails like JB. The Color Street have proven to last well for her and she can easily put them on herself and they look very nice. Not trying to sell them to you :), MLM you or anything else, just letting you know what has worked for her. I'm guessing there are similar brands available at drug stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emba Posted October 31, 2020 Author Share Posted October 31, 2020 18 minutes ago, ZiMom said: Have you tried or considered Color Street? My daughter is a competitive swimmer so polish has never lasted more than a day which was beyond frustrating. A friend began selling the Color Street which are the nail polish strips, similar to Jamberry BUT much better and they don't totally destroy your nails like JB. The Color Street have proven to last well for her and she can easily put them on herself and they look very nice. Not trying to sell them to you :), MLM you or anything else, just letting you know what has worked for her. I'm guessing there are similar brands available at drug stores. I had not. I have a friend who sells it but I’d rather not encourage her, MLMs have not been good for our friendship. But really it’s also more than I want to pay per manicure. I did see some similar products on Ulta for much less; I think I’ll give one of them an try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zimom Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 A little googling tells me that the Incoco brand sold at Ulta is made by the same company as Color Street. Good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emba Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 Updated in first post 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theelfqueen Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 I dont do my fingernails very often, actually when I want them done my bestie comes over and does them for me because I am HOPELESS... But i get fairly regular spa pedicures and my spa uses Zoya products and they are lovely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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