chipping enamel!?

[emily22]

Hi, i use the opi nail polishes as i love their colour range and the pro-wide brushes, BUT for some reason the polish never seems to last more than a week before it starts chipping off! Can anyone advise me as to what im doing wrong!? I use an opi base coat, 2 thin coats of polish and opi quick dry top coat.

I havent had anyone complain when i was at college but my neighbour kindly pointed out to me that she had her feet done at a salon almost 3 weeks ago (french pedicure) and the polish is still almost perfect..:cry: When i did her feet before it chipped within about a week!!.... Its made me worry because i want to go out and start doing nails properly now but this had made me really paranoid!!

 

[ValencianNails]

Do you prep and dehydrate the nailplate prior to applying your enamel?

 

[Lellipop]

Also make sure each coat is dry before applying the next one

 

[emily22]

?? Not sure if what im doing is what you are saying, when I did my training, the polish is obviously the last thing to be done in the manicure, just before polishing I squeeky clean the nail - removing oil residue from massage etc, this is done using non-acteone nail varnish remover and a cotton wool pad, then the nails are buffed with the 3-way buffer to bring the natural gloss to them, then I polish....

Is their another way for me to do it then?...

 

[ValencianNails]

If it's part of a 'full' manicure then I would imagine you're prepping the nail fine...

Do you cap the nail with your topcoat?

 

[emily22]

how long do you normally wait before applying the 2nd coat? We would do one hand, then the other and then back to the first again (the tutor always said doing the other hand was long enough for the 1st coat to dry enough), should i wait a little longer than this do you think?

Thanks for your replies - its much appreciated!:green:

 

[emily22]

sorry if i seem a bit slow here! What do you mean by 'cap' ive not come across that one before!! lol!

 

[ValencianNails]

sorry if i seem a bit slow here! What do you mean by \\'cap\\' ive not come across that one before!! lol!

You're not slow at all, just maybe different terminology.
When you apply your topcoat... do you run the brush along the free edge to 'cap' the nail?

 

[emily22]

Do you know - im not sure!!? Its not something ive been particularly shown and am not aware of deliberatly doing it, im doing my nails tommorow so will see....

 

[ValencianNails]

Do you know - im not sure!!? Its not something ive been particularly shown and am not aware of deliberatly doing it, im doing my nails tommorow so will see....

I can 'virtually' guarantee you that if you've removed ALL non-living tissue from the nail plate, dehydrated the nail and capped it with your topcoat that your enamel WILL last at least 2 weeks (if not longer).
Capping the nail ensures that nothing can penetrate the free edge, therefore discouraging lifting or separation of the enamel from the nail.

 

[Jaydee]

After you have buffed the nails, try wiping over them again with your varnish remover including the free edge then apply your top coat, swipe the brush along the free edge to seal the polish in. I also recommend that the client applies another top coat every other day. Once the client has left your desk it is their responsibility to look after their nails to maintain the work you have done.
David

 

[Jaydee]

Oops and also if you are soaking the fingers, I would consider dropping that part out of your service. If the nails are soaking in water then the nail is absorbing the water and the nail will change shape, when the water content comes out of the nail, the nail will revert back to its original shape and the polish will just chip off.
David

 

[1999judy]

Oops and also if you are soaking the fingers, I would consider dropping that part out of your service. If the nails are soaking in water then the nail is absorbing the water and the nail will change shape, when the water content comes out of the nail, the nail will revert back to its original shape and the polish will just chip off.
David

Good point. I also use Stickey basecoat from Creative which I find works really well.
hth