Lighthearted - Nail polish nightmare!

Do you use a top coat? My friend recommended doing this and it does work. I’m not keen on Shellac personally.

Gel nails! I only get them done for high days and holidays but it last about three weeks.

Top coat is essential, IMO, I use Sally Hansen Insta-Dri, in a red bottle but it is clear. This dries very quickly to a hard glossy finish, protecting your nail polish from chips and wear. I’ve tried many top coats over the years, and this one is really good! My current manicure is two weeks old, and only just showing a bit of wear. I usually apply it about half an hour after application of polish, and it dries hard in minutes.

I do my own nails and use a £5 gel effect polish from Boots.
I’m wearing a colour called “Interactive” (strange name) but it’s a shiny beige.
I don’t always use a top coat but always a base coat (Nail Nurse).
Yes, I often scuff one, it’s Sod’s Law isn’t it?

Gel nails - it’s only polish on my own nails, but then hardened in a little machine. It also makes the manicure so strong that I can’t remember ever breaking a nail.
It’s my only regular treat to myself - I go every 4 weeks, costs £24.

The trouble with gel nails (or shellac varnish) is that they ruin my nails. Despite this, I decided once again to try (after 2 years) and had shellac on my nails for a holiday in June. Had the shellac removed by the salon, and once again my lovely nails have been ruined! Never again - I'm waiting for my dry, flaking and weak nails to grow out, then it's just bog-standard nail varnish for me 😔

Curly I had shellac on for the Summer and they looked fab. But once it was removed at the salon my nails look awful and damaged , so I won’t have them done again and I will save my self £50 a month. That’s a lot of Sally Hansen nail hardener.

Use a base coat first and lastly a top coat
You'll find your nail colour will stay on a lot longer

Also meant to say use a Crystal 'glass' nail file rather than those awful emery Boards.

A quick dry top coat sets the coloured coats below. I use Sally Hansen or Avon. When on holiday my finger nails usually last 7-10 days before I do them again, toenails over two weeks.

I’m surprised that if you are getting them done in a salon they are not applying a top coat.

Many thanks!!!

I get gel polish in a salon for holidays and special days . And it lasts about 3 weeks and doesn’t scuff . However it does damage your nails . I had my nails done in early June and my nails are still weak and break easily. My DD recommended builder gel which apparently is better for your nails .
When I diy I use a base coat and top coat .

I use rimmel super gel and find it lasts a few days ( not the 14 days as claimed!)

www.rimmellondon.com/en-gb/nails/nail-polishes/super-gel

I've stopped using gel polish. I only had it done on special occasions and my nails would look lovely. I used to flutter my hands about with pride. After taking the polish off, though, my nails were left in a nasty state. If I think about having them done again, I look in the mirror and tell myself no, no, no.

Good to hear all your stories. Thank you.

Tiley

Also meant to say use a Crystal 'glass' nail file rather than those awful emery Boards.

They're brilliant and last ages, As long as you don't sit on them like me. About £15 from Boots. I've had my current one nearly 10 years.

I only had gel once and never again. I am lucky that I have naturally strong and healthy nails- what's wrong with that?

I have a manicure regularly but only but a clear polish on. My manicurist took a photo of my nails after the gel had come off, to 'prove' that gel doesn't damage them, but a couple of days later they looked dreadful.

The whole gel industry is designed to keep you using the gel to cover up the fact that it is ruining your nails!

I don’t care that gel nails damage the nails, I didn’t have them done over Covid and yes they were pretty dreadful, but after about 3 weeks they started to recover.

I prefer having nice gel nails rather than ugly ones without gel. I have them done every 2 weeks.

My nails are flakey ,bendy and break easily.
They looked good when I had fake ones -but now they are worse than ever .
Months of illness may have caused two toe nails and one thumb nail to drop off .
The thumb nail has regrown ,but the toe nails haven't recovered .
I'm using Nail Envy ,which is helping .
I've tried so many nail polishes .
I think that the expensive ones are a waste of money .
I've had more success with Sally Hansen , Rimmel and H and M .

I'm glad some of you posted about the damage done to your nail after Gell or Shalac, I thought it was just me.
I do get my toe nails done, every 6 weeks or so they use Gell but they seem to be fine.
However, once my socks go on, I don't bother getting painted toenails, they have a little bit of a breather.
It's just my finger nail that get wrecked once the Gell is taken off. I too have given up.

No more gel nails for me either! I just use clear polish now.

A few years ago I started to have Gel nails, thought they were brilliant lasted weeks and no chips. Then come Covid I stopped and realised my nails were wrecked they used to split down to the base, it took a year for them to recover, I will never use again.
Rarely use nail polish now except on special occasions but I do like Avon nail polishes,

Am I the only person to have reached this elevated age never to have had a professional manicure?!! My nails were always fine until the recent imposition of various medications - some are soft, some are hard and they all have ridges. Nail polish would make them look like a ski slope! Just curious.

Same as Visgirl. I don’t bother with my toe-nails in the Winter. No one sees them. Finger nails - yes! Always paint them, with a breather every couple of weeks .