Nail Polish Discussion - Any Brand

[lilinah]

As a manicure neophyte, i'm wondering what people get good results from in terms of base coats and top coats and quick-dry formulae. Here's what i have, but i'm ready for better stuff if this isn't great.
--- CND Ridge Out Ridge-Filling Base Coat
--- sephora by OPI Base Coat
--- sephora by OPI Top Coat
--- Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Anti-Chip Top Coat
--- Seche Vite top coat

Also, i'd appreciate recommendations for treatments for nails and cuticles. I don't cut my cuticles, i just usually push them back with a fingernail. My nails are somehow too soft and too hard at the same time. They tend to chip or break fairly easily, and they also peel, that is, the tips sometimes separate in layers.
--- Dior Crème Abricot will arrive early next, so maybe i don't need anything else for my cuticles.
--- Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, but i think it may be too old.
Someone recommended LUSH Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter, which i don't currently have, but there's a LUSH about a mile from my house, so if Dior doesn't do the job...

And nail polish remover. I have cheap stuff from the drugstore. I've tried different formulae and brands, but they all seem the same to me. Are there any that work better and don't dry out your nails?

Anyway, thanks for help and suggestions.

 

[Medgal07]

Oh boy Naynadine---I like all three too!

Happy B-day to all the birthday girls!

Just saw the YSL polishes for fall:



Err... I want all three.

source: http://www.beautyalmanac.com/article/YSL-Makeup-Collection-for-Fall-2013-Preview/1461

 

[Medgal07]

Has anyone bought the Summer Dior colors? The pinks and orange? I have all three sitting in my online cart at MACY's. I haven't seen them any where else! I asked my SAK's SA if they'll be getting them but I have not yet heard back from her.

Edited to add names of Dior NPs: Sunnies, Creole & Tye Dye

 

[Medgal07]

Quote:

Wild!

Hope you're having a nice time in Sweden! Crazy deals again! 5 for those butters, and less that 10 for the OPI set!? Can you believe those OPI sets cost here almost 30 Euros!!

Thank you for the FP offer, Kimibos! If I ever have a space in my hauling

...


Lovely manis! The first one is my fave, too.


Nice, Honey! What is the glitter you used?


A garden mani!

Those flowers are a nice add.


As promised, I'm wearing June now. With an accent of OPI Lights of the Emerald City. June goes well with the OOA stuff, too! VERY PRETTY MRV. June looks so orange on camera!



Earlier I was also playing with the CG summer neon bottles and noticed they make creme-jelly colour pairs. Decided to try one combo. Unfortunately forgot to not put a base coat, well, better luck next time. The shades of green are really very pretty!!!

 

[Medgal07]

Wow---I don't know how I feel about textures but the color is AMAZING!!!

On mah nails today, I'm loving the textured nailpolishes trend. This is gorgeous, I thank the sun for gracing me with its prescense so I could take sparkling pics of this beauty.

 

[Medgal07]

I got a present from my boyfriend yesterday, Solitaire and Honey Ryder from the Bond Girls collection

I really like the liquid sand formula, need to start getting more of those (only had Get Your Number from the Mariah Carey collection). Jinx was out of stock at the store but i ordered it, will get it next week
Will also keep an eye out this weekend for the Essie Naughty Nautical and Neon collections, hope i can find them. Dying to get my hands on quite a few of those lol

Nice present from the BF Liz---he's a keeper!!!!

 

[Medgal07]

Someone recommended LUSH Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter, which i don't currently have, but there's a LUSH about a mile from my house, so if Dior doesn't do the job...
And nail polish remover. I have cheap stuff from the drugstore. I've tried different formulae and brands, but they all seem the same to me. Are there any that work better and don't dry out your nails?

Anyway, thanks for help and suggestions.

Hi Lilinah,
I'm not an expert with the base & top coats, nor am I very picky with them. I typically use Sally Hansen base coat & top coat, but for a mani that I want
to keep for 3 days w/o chipping I use Dior's gel top coat. I use Dior Creme Abricot for my cuticles and it works great. I NEVER get my cuticles cut, but I
do push them w/a cuticle pusher.

 

[MAC Newbee]

I bought my first two MAC polishes today and they apply streaky. Has anyone else experienced problems with MAC nail polishes.

 

[Medgal07]

I bought my first two MAC polishes today and they apply streaky. Has anyone else experienced problems with MAC nail polishes.

My approach with any streaky polish is patience. If it's applied too fast it tends to streak even more. I have not yet used Sweet Pop for AAO but I'll
report back when I do. Super light creams can be a tad challenging. My daughter had the same issue last night w/Illamasqua's Purity, which is pale
peach like Sweet Pop.

 

[Medgal07]

Okay---CC has been MIA---I suspect her birthday has turned into birthday weekend!

I hope that's the case and that you're having a blast CC!!!

 

[MACina]

....I hope so too!!!!

Okay---CC has been MIA---I suspect her birthday has turned into birthday weekend!

I hope that the case and that you're having a blast CC!!!

 

[Honi]

Someone recommended LUSH Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter, which i don't currently have, but there's a LUSH about a mile from my house, so if Dior doesn't do the job...
And nail polish remover. I have cheap stuff from the drugstore. I've tried different formulae and brands, but they all seem the same to me. Are there any that work better and don't dry out your nails?

Anyway, thanks for help and suggestions.

For the cuticles i use two products, CND cuticle remover once or twice a week and a nail oil every evening (Or when i remember). CND Solar Oil is great, and cheap. I have very dry cuticles so these two do wonders for me.

 

[Medgal07]

For the cuticles i use two products, CND cuticle remover once or twice a week and a nail oil every evening (Or when i remember). CND Solar Oil is great, and cheap. I have very dry cuticles so these two do wonders for me.

Essie also now has a cuticle oil---I think they call it Apricot.

 

[linainoz]

Honi

Any chance of a tutorial on your mani? I love it! I've looked on your website, but can't read it (and its not worth thrying to use Google Translate - they'd just mangle it up so much!)

Thanks

Lina

This is appareantly what happens when I get bored... LOL! Rainbow neon zebra extravaganza madness, more is more. Shouldve added some glitter somewhere aswell just for the heck of it.

 

[Dominique33]

Essie also now has a cuticle oil---I think they call it Apricot.

Yes Apricot, maybe I will try it, I am currently using the Lush cuticule cream but there are so many products for cuticules issues, Essie Apricot oil ( ? ) sounds good !

 

[Honi]

Honi

Any chance of a tutorial on your mani? I love it! I've looked on your website, but can't read it (and its not worth thrying to use Google Translate - they'd just mangle it up so much!)

Thanks

Lina

1. White base layer.
2. Take a sponge and apply five or six colors randomly over the nails.
3. Konad plate M57 zebra print all over nails.
4. Clean up with q-tip and a little brush and nailpolish remover.

Tadaa! If you need more help just let me know!

 

[CartoonChic]

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone!!!

It was a fun day and I have been stretching out the celebration. I need to post pics of my mani and Chanel makeover. That was an experience. I really like the result, but I don't think it photographed well. It was also pretty awkard having people stop and watch while it was being done, but I guess it's also a compliment too. Still awkward, though. Lol!

I hope you enjoyed your birthdays Naughty and Lipstickdiva! And also your dad Corally!

 

[Naughtyp]

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone!!! :stars: :grouphug: :stars: It was a fun day and I have been stretching out the celebration. I need to post pics of my mani and Chanel makeover. That was an experience. I really like the result, but I don't think it photographed well. It was also pretty awkard having people stop and watch while it was being done, but I guess it's also a compliment too. Still awkward, though. Lol! I hope you enjoyed your birthdays Naughty and Lipstickdiva! And also your dad Corally!

thank you my dear! it was good, my younger bro got me a new laptop and my older bro is going to tint my windows!! everyone else got me gift cards which I used already lol . I didn't buy any np tho! :0 I kno lol shocking!! there's still so many I want , mainly the zoya summer colors, the mini Minnie Mouse set and BL Keks!!! I saw u all talking about this but for some reason, I though it was another brand so I didn't really pay attention. has anyone got BL Keks yet?

 

[CartoonChic]

Someone recommended LUSH Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter, which i don't currently have, but there's a LUSH about a mile from my house, so if Dior doesn't do the job...
And nail polish remover. I have cheap stuff from the drugstore. I've tried different formulae and brands, but they all seem the same to me. Are there any that work better and don't dry out your nails?

Anyway, thanks for help and suggestions.

I think we're always searching for the best base and top coats. I know I am. I was very happy with Seche Vite until it got gloopy, and I'm not fond of some of the ingredients. I switched to Butter London's top coat and loved it until my last 2 manis. It's starting to get gloopy as well. Buick mentioned that fast drying top coats tend to have this problem when they're about half full. Sure enough, my Butter London top coat is at the half way mark. I bought a Posche top coat at the same time I purchased the Butter London one, so I think I'm going to switch over for my next mani. I've been using Butter London's Foundation as my base coat because it came in a set with the top coat. It's a ridge filler base coat. I think I prefer clear base coats, but the ridge filler is good with sheer polishes to hide the nail line.

I love my Dior Creme Abricot, but have been forgetful about using it lately. I've been hesitant to seek out the LUSH Lemon Flutter because I don't like lemon scented things except for cleaning products. I got samples of Deborah Lippmann Rich Girl hand and cuticle cream in her Get Nailed Set. It feels slightly oily to me. I like it better on my feet. I love her cuticle remover, however. It's very effective, but gentle. I also don't cut my cuticles. I push them back with a rubber cuticle stick instead.

I currently use Zoya Remove+ polish remover. I think it works very well. I've been going through it like water. I was going to ask this question about removers as well, because I do think it's drying out my nails since I've been polishing them more frequently. My nails seem ashy and chapped. I've recently tried Lippmann The Stripper remover. It also came in the Get Nailed Set. It's touted as being very good. It seems on par with Remove+ in my opinion. I would keep buying Remove+ over The Stripper because I get more product for less money. Now after saying all that, I think a may go back to the remover I was using before Remove+. It's an organic remover by Karma Organic. It's natural and oil based, so it doesn't dry out my nails. It takes a little longer to remove polish, but only a little longer. I stopped buying it because I can only get it by ordering it online. I like how I can just run to the store to get Remove+ when I need it. My dry nail issue is making me reconsider.

 

[MACina]

Awesome that you had a wonderful day, CartoonChic

A Chanel makeover sounds fantastic

Thanks for the birthday wishes everyone!!!

It was a fun day and I have been stretching out the celebration. I need to post pics of my mani and Chanel makeover. That was an experience. I really like the result, but I don't think it photographed well. It was also pretty awkard having people stop and watch while it was being done, but I guess it's also a compliment too. Still awkward, though. Lol!

I hope you enjoyed your birthdays Naughty and Lipstickdiva! And also your dad Corally!