Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

that gel mani sounds better then the one I got!

where did you go to get that?

Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

It's called Fashion Nails on Wantagh Ave in Wantagh.

Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

The person that does my nails said that it is the oil in the cuticles that cause the nail polish to chip.. He said that if you put alcohol on the cuticles everyday your polish shouldn't chip.. Don't know how true it is since I still have my forever French on, but I am taking them off in a few weeks and will let you know how the alcohol pad thing works.

Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

Its a UV gel that coats the nail.

Its like schilack(sp?) on your nails...hardest thing to get off.

Its like having tips, without actually having tips on.

Did that make sense?


Im going off what DanielleScott mentioned on how they do it.

it sounds exactly like the UV gel tips that I got before my wedding. I literally took me weeks for those to grow out and the take off process..omg. worse.


ETA: I reread it. ok, sort of like it but not.
has me interested...but I dont like the soaking part.
Soaking in any acetone weakens your nails.

Message edited 8/12/2009 12:04:48 PM.

Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

Check out this blog post
I read her blog all the time and just today she posted her routine to getting at least a week out of a mani with no chipping.

Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

My sister and I asked, it is not nail polish remover that you soak in. It is actually made for the gel manicure. I don't remember exactly what it is, but the owner had shown us the bottle and told us we won't be able to take it off ourselves with nail polish remover.

Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

Nails chip because of wear and tear. Your nails have to be strong in order to avoid chipping. I did nails for years and I loved nail tek for strengthening clients nails. Another girl I worked with loved the duri brand of strengthener.

A gel manicure is the equivalent of silk or acryllic as far as damage to the nails. It just sets under a uv light and cures to a shiny finish.

I use nail tek as a base, one coat of color and nail tek or an essie top coat.

You should keep your cuticles moisturized, so I would not rub alcohol on them, as previous poster was advised to do. I always put oil on my nails after I polish them and then run them under cold water.

Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

So I was inspired by you guys - I went yesterday and asked for a gel mani - they talked me into something called Mani-Q. It looks really nice. NO filing of your own nails...a few layers of a gel that hardens but it is still pliable so it moves with your nails which means no cracking. They easily soak off.

She told me 2-3 weeks for a fill in but I read online that you can really go 4 weeks if it is done right. It's not used to extend your nails - just put on your natural nails like a think nail polish.

It;s nice because its not think so it just looks like I have a regular mani. No heavy duty stinky chemicals and it only took about 30 min. It was $35.

I'll let you know how it holds up.

Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

nope, no filing! I really wanted to make sure they didnt touch my nails or ruin them in any way.

Re: I am so tired of doing my nails- only to have them peel and chip 2 days later!

OK so there were a lot of great suggestions on this thread and I decide to try the easiest one first.
Someone had suggested to not use a base coat.
I tried that on Sunday- using the same exact OPI polish that chipped and peeled in 2 days the very last time I used it and hence prompted this post.

Well today is Thursday and NO CHIPS!
I noticed a few tiny ones yesterday that i was able to just touch up ever so slightly and then I re top coated it.

Amazing so far- I've even been in the pool.

So maybe there is somethign to this no base coat theory!!