how often does one have to repaint their nails? (1 Viewer)

[glitterfairy]

So I've finally convinced myself (for the umpteenth time) that I'm going to start growing my nails again. And with that, comes nail polishing. My nails aren't superweak, but I'm pretty sure they're more prone to breakages when long and unpainted.

So everything goes well until 5 days later when my nail polish is beginning to chip and look yuck I didn't do a base coat... does it really matter that much? (did one layer of colour and a top coat) Oh and I'm using OPI, which presumably is a fairly reliable brand of nail polish...(are there better ones out there?)


*sighs and reaches over for the nail polish remover*

 

[Nakashima]

It depends on how often you use your nails, but I find that the perfectness wears away within a week. Besides, even if they lasted more than a couple of weeks, by that time they would have been ruined by growth. Even scratching your arm a few times wears out the tip, although they're usually more durable with base and top coats.

I kept my nails manicured for several months before they became too annoying to maintain.

 

[glitterfairy]

Yeah, my "manicureness" usually only lasts a few months too it's a very high-maintenance kind of thing, and I'm just too lazy to keep it up all by myself for more than x weeks :/

Plus when they start getting long they start getting horizontal cracks/breaks, and then your entire life starts revolving around trying not to make them worse until the nail has grown out enough to file the whole thing off, but then within a few days you spot a new crack, and like, gah...

Or maybe I'm just totally not doing my nails right, I dunno

 

[scarybunny]

My work involves loads of cleaning, so my hands are in water for hours at a time and my nails have turned to shit this year. They get so cracked and split, it makes me sad because I love having nice nails. I tried Sally Hansen hard as nails, but it splits too.

So if I want nice nails, I paint them, and just keep reapplying top coats. But then the polish gets too many layers and it doesn't dry and it gets ugly. Best way to go for perfect nails would be acrylics (if you mean to get them filled in every few weeks, they'll look fantastic) but that's pricey and if you decide to take them off then it's nail hell for months.

 

[Lori.]

Your nails 'move' as they grow out; they stretch and contract, and when they get wet they soak up water and expand, when they dry they shrink again, etc. This is what makes your nailpolish chip away, so you cant make up a rule of when you have to reapply your nailpolish; just do it when your nails look shit again =P
The OPI nail hardener (i think its called 'nail envy'?) is supposed to be the best there is, and it works by constantly reapplying the stuff - well it'll come with a set of instructions, i hope
To grow your nails nice and strong you need to take in your daily rdi of calcium, beta carotene and vitamin d. Using a calcium enriched nailpolish remover is also supposed to make them stronger.

 

[^CoSMic DoRiS^^]

hey im in exactly the same situation as u lol, got sick of short nails so i'm growing them... i've painted them a few times and just didnt like how they chipped and stuff in like 3 days, so atm im just using clear polish coz u cant see that when it chips

 

[babydoll_]

yeah, i hate chipping so i don't paint my nails often. redoing a clear top coat every 2 days helps though.

 

[Shell]

how on earth does one curb the habit of biting nails?? i want long nails too but i cant stop biting them.

 

[AlleyCat]

I bit my nails too, until year 10.

In year 10, everyone at my school had to enter a science project for the CSIRO education program. I got really excited because there was prize money and so I decided to do a really good project. After a lot of thought I decided I would do a project on hygiene.

I got heaps (like 200) of agar plates, and went around to everyone I could find and asked if I could scrape underneath one of their fingernails. I put the muck on the plates, left them for 5 days and voila...

SO MUCH FUCKING BACTERIA, MORE THAN HUMAN FAECES...

No more nail-biting.

 

[lexie85]

I bit my nails too, until year 10.

In year 10, everyone at my school had to enter a science project for the CSIRO education program. I got really excited because there was prize money and so I decided to do a really good project. After a lot of thought I decided I would do a project on hygiene.

I got heaps (like 200) of agar plates, and went around to everyone I could find and asked if I could scrape underneath one of their fingernails. I put the muck on the plates, left them for 5 days and voila...

SO MUCH FUCKING BACTERIA, MORE THAN HUMAN FAECES...

No more nail-biting.

i'l definately think twice before biting next time
i find that base really does make a difference in durability, but not such a big one

 

[glitterfairy]

hmm, just had a thought.

Has anyone used that stick-on polish from Avon? April from ANTM raved about it on the Tyra Banks Show... apparently it can last for two weeks, then you just peel it off?

Oh, and does nail polish remover help weaken the nail as well? Or is it perfectly safe? (currently depressed at idea of having to redo nails every 4-5 days, trying to figure out if it's worth it... :/)

 

[AlleyCat]

Coloured nail polish weakens the nail more than remover. I try to alternate between coloured one week and Sally Hansen nail hardener the next.

Otherwise they will become too thin and break all the time. Long nails are only nice if they are strong and well-maintained.

 

[alby]

my nails grow pretty quickly, so they get long and a bit uneven --> start to chip/crack --> rip/cut a few of the annoying ones off --> get more uneven --> wait a bit --> THEN i decide that i should cut them and make them even.

they look ok most of the time, but i'm really bad with them. they're not that strong, and i dont think i've put polish on them since last summer (and that was only caus i scabbed my bf's sister's polish lol)

 

[Nakashima]

my nails grow pretty quickly, so they get long and a bit uneven --> start to chip/crack --> rip/cut a few of the annoying ones off --> get more uneven --> wait a bit --> THEN i decide that i should cut them and make them even.

they look ok most of the time, but i'm really bad with them. they're not that strong, and i dont think i've put polish on them since last summer (and that was only caus i scabbed my bf's sister's polish lol)

Yeah when mine get too long, they start having these horizontal cracks near the base. After accidentally scratching my face and making a giant red slash while taking off my clothes the other day, I decided to keep my nails reasonably short.

I'm not sure about remover but the strong type of nail glue for acrylic nails REALLY weakens them.

 

[Shell]

I bit my nails too, until year 10.

In year 10, everyone at my school had to enter a science project for the CSIRO education program. I got really excited because there was prize money and so I decided to do a really good project. After a lot of thought I decided I would do a project on hygiene.

I got heaps (like 200) of agar plates, and went around to everyone I could find and asked if I could scrape underneath one of their fingernails. I put the muck on the plates, left them for 5 days and voila...

SO MUCH FUCKING BACTERIA, MORE THAN HUMAN FAECES...

No more nail-biting.

oh. my god. EW! thanks...

 

[*hopeful*]

bit my nails too, until year 10.

In year 10, everyone at my school had to enter a science project for the CSIRO education program. I got really excited because there was prize money and so I decided to do a really good project. After a lot of thought I decided I would do a project on hygiene.

I got heaps (like 200) of agar plates, and went around to everyone I could find and asked if I could scrape underneath one of their fingernails. I put the muck on the plates, left them for 5 days and voila...

SO MUCH FUCKING BACTERIA, MORE THAN HUMAN FAECES...

No more nail-biting.

oh. my god. EW! thanks...

qft...eww

frickin chipped nail polish is such a hassle, i just do it as often as needed...

 

[lexie85]

acrylic nails are hot

 

[(^o^)]

acrylic nails are hot

ewwww fake nails..
well maintained natural nails in nice shapres are hot
don't they weakened your nails?
I know a person from touches up her acrylic nails every month because her nails underneath are so stuffed from acrylic nails (which weakens her natural nails)
They could look nice sometimes, for formal etc, but think twice otherwise.

Btw, even typing with ur fingers (nails hitting against the keyboard) makes the nails crack more easily as well
haha i dunno, drink more milk? My nails even crack and they are pretty hard even if they are 3-4mm long.