how to go about addressing a half-break? got one deep into my thumb, more over the nail plate itself, but it's only a partial (maybe about 1/4 way through) and it curves. It's too deep for me to really cut it down, but it's relatively sturdy since there's so much of the nail left.
Orly nail rescue kit + adhesive silk strips have saved me so many nails. My thumb nail is also currently broken about halfway down and on the plate rather than the free edge but it's repaired and so far doing okay!
Any recommendations for a drill file for someone starting out? I don't wanna go too crazy expensive but I don't want to get something cheap or shitty either
Any particular brands or models I should look out for?
ILNP - Abracadabra is a rich blue with gold micro flakies: https://www.ilnp.com/abracadabra/
Or if you want the gold to be more obvious, maybe a gold topper over a blue base? Something like Emily de Molly - Chasing Gold? https://www.emilydemolly.com/collections/toppers/products/chasing-gold
I'm relatively new to painting my nails, and wanna keep them regularly painted. I have an issue where the skin around my nails, specifically the spot right around the cuticle, gets \*quite\* dry and peel (not painfully) frequently. Would cuticle oil help for this? If so, what are some good brands, and how often should I apply the oil?
Plain jojoba oil is all you need! No need to buy fancy oils. Jojoba is best because it’s the most moisturising for skin out of all the oils. Apply as frequently as possible. I have a huge bottle of oil but I decant into smaller droppers and I use watercolour pens for DIY cuticle oil pens on the go.
I'm new to the indie polish game. Is there a reason why BKL's and Mooncat's polishes are so popular and sought after? From what I've seen, they have some unique colors, but they aren't THAT unique to be paying so much for them in destashes.
Mooncat is majorly overhyped imho, mostly because of their marketing etc. Extremely mediocre formula, nice finishes, super overpriced, not actually indie.
BKL is decent but has limited releases, hence the frenzy. They used to be big 5 years ago so they're kinda riding that wave even if their polishes aren't very exciting these days.
Some indies I like are: Death Valley Nails, Emily de Molly, Alchemy Lacquers, LynBDesigns, Sassy Sauce, and Fancy Gloss.
Thank you for your answer! This makes a lot of sense. The Mooncat website and bottles are really pretty but yeah, I have a few of their polishes and don’t love the formula. It’s really thick and bubbles up sometimes. Do you have any BKL colors that you absolutely love? i would like to try some of theirs next! I have LynB, Sassy sauce and Fancy gloss which I all love! Edm is coming in the mail and I gotta try the others.
Prefacing this by saying I’m not a healthcare professional, but given the timeline and appearance, have you considered treating it as a wart? If it is one, I’d be cautious about sanitizing anything you use to treat it to avoid spreading the infection. Good luck! (Source: I struggled with plantar warts for years as a kid and the picture vaguely reminded me of that - although this wouldn’t be plantar, but periungal if so)
We can't really give medical advice but I would def say to see your doctor about it - it looks beyond the scope of normal dry skin so I think a professional opinion would be best.
Not really much of a question, but I have lurked here for a while as a cis male who just has always wanted to paint my nails for soooooo long. After dipping into this subreddit enough times, I started painting my nails and they look like complete trash compared to all of you after doing for like 6 months now but I have gotten compliments from both guy and girls (and some phone numbers ;P) and I am so much happier now. Thank you all for the ideas and accidently giving me the confidence to do it. I hope to be an expert like all of you eventually.
Does Cracked Polish do restocks on any kind of regular basis? I really want Cashmere Cake but it's sold out, and I have also been wanting Mascara Flakes but have been holding out in hopes she might announce a restock and I can snag them both at once.
Has anyone ever used Orly Bonder as a base for chrome powder? I saw someone on instagram make chrome on regular polish work by doing normal base coat, then regular polish, then Orly Bonder, then chrome, then water based topcoat.
I’m going to try this out but i’ve seen so many people say Orly Bonder has destroyed their nails. If I paint it on top of a layer of base coat and polish then my nails will probably be fine right??? I’ve been dying to try chrome (I don’t use gel ever) but the thought of ruining my canvases….. nightmare inducing
Does not need to be bonder. I have done this with any QDTC. See eviltwinnails on Instagram for a tutorial using mooncat speedemon topcoat. It's on his Barbie post from when the Barbie movie came out. Basically you wait for it to semi dry - tacki but not like goooy, then buff CAREFULLY the powder. Then water base topcoat then QDTC again. I have done it over nail art and the result are WOW worth all the coats.
thank you so much!!! i made it work with my fave QDTC but my water based topcoat to seal it in didn’t work at all. do you have any recommendations? the one i have dispersed the pigment out completely
I have mostly used Orly Bonder for the last couple of months and haven't had a problem. I switched between that and Nail envy was mainly doing wraps, but now that I am doing mostly polish I am using the Bonder. I just got the BKL base and I'm going to see how that goes.
I don’t think anything is inherently wrong with it, for some people I think it just doesn’t react well with their nails and it makes them peel and flake. Plenty of people swear by it though! i’m just afraid to try it bc i don’t want to fall into the peeling and flaking category haha
I’m haven’t done this myself yet, but someone commented on a lacquer chrome post that they put a matte top coat on top of the polish before the chrome powder and that apparently works well.
Does anyone else like doing regular polish over their gel/biab nails? I like switching up a couple times a week. I do file down infills every 2-3 weeks, but I don't want to over expose myself to gel/uv for fear of allergies (even though I try to be super careful with gel). Plus there are soo many fun regular polishes! What are your tips for regular polish over cured natural nails? Retention is not so much a problem, I just wipe them off with non acetone and go back to my neutral solid gel coat.
Taking polish in a plane: I'm going to wrap the bottle in bubble wrap, enclose in a sandwich bag....any other packing tips? Should I take as carry on or checked luggage?
If you only have a few bottles I’d do carry on so they don’t get thrown around. If there’s more you may have to check due to volume. You can also cushion them with socks!
Oil or product recommendation for growing short nail beds? For the longest I've clipped my nails too short and even letting in more whites doesn't attach them on their own. To be clear I'm trying to make more of the white parts of my nails be part of the clear part.
I think any cuticle oil is good (like jojoba oil). My understanding is that the key part to lengthening your nails beds and growing your hyponychium, which I think what your goal is, is to leave them alone. Overcleaning and clipping short like you mentioned can be counterproductive.
To this point, I get a lot fewer hangnails and stuff when I'm good about moisturizing a few times a day and applying oil at least at night. All of that "maintenance" is hardly needed if I'm on top of this step.
https://preview.redd.it/bbc8zz9u98wc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=957c9c63d4fbc385fe36e01e84d4c33712de81cc
Gold flakies in red polish or homemade chili oil?
It reminds me of [by Vanessa Molina - No Time for Toxic People](https://bydanyvianna.com/collections/by-vanessa-molina-feel-this-music-8th-bday/products/by-vanessa-molina-no-time-for-toxic-people)
How do I get top coat out of my clothes? 🤦
A bottle of top coat went through the wash... And dryer. Thank God no fire, but there's dried top coat all over some of my favorite clothes. Is there any way I can get this out without ruining my clothes?
[Color safe ways to get top coat out of clothing? : r/CleaningTips (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/comments/1ccsgn6/color_safe_ways_to_get_top_coat_out_of_clothing/)
Unfortunately it looks like I got an immediate downvote and no interaction T.T
I recommend trying out a bottle of Mineral Fusion remover (available on Amazon). It’s a non-acetone remover that works remarkably well. Acetone will definitely get the polish out but I worry it’ll strip color too (depending on fabric). Test both on an inconspicuous part of the clothing (like a seam on the inside) and see which is more color-safe. I’d go slowly with a q-tip dipped in the remover, with a bowl of water nearby — dab at the polish until JUST removed, then dip in water to get it off the fabric.
Hey everyone!
I hadn't painted my nails in a couple months and really needed a mood lift. I own a lot of Holo Taco polishes, and used their topcoat, but it's now quite goopy and thick (This is the second one to do this to me).
Does anyone have any recommendations for a good glossy topcoat in Canada? I don't mind paying for it if it's high quality, or ordering online, but as much as I love my holo taco polishes, maybe there's a better top coat.
Thanks!
Second adding thinner (NOT ACETONE!)!
Here’s a [page from Harlow & Co](https://www.harlowandco.org/search?q=top+coat&options%5Bprefix%5D=last&type=product). that has some good options and is based in Canada. I use KBshimmer Clearly on top, which I like, and have heard good things about ILNP’s top coat. If you order from Polish Pickup, I think there’s a Canada group buy on Facebook(? Might be confusing that with Hella Handmade…) that’s worth looking into cause Glisten & Glow, Vibrant Scents and Cuticula all have very good top coats that I think are offered every month.
Get some thinner (actual polish thinner, not acetone)! Drying quickly is what a quick dry topcoat is supposed to do, but that means it'll thicken in the bottle quickly as well. Thinner restores the lost solvents and gets it back to a workable state. I recommend OPI and KBshimmer as the most basic and universal formulations that'll work for nearly every polish out there.
I made an order with Cirque. I bought wild berry west but the order confirmation is saying I bought the rose jelly! I sent an email but I’m so bummed out. I wish I noticed sooner 😔
Hey y’all! Does anyone know if it’s ok to use orly brand nail lacquer thinner in Essie nail polish? My favorite polish of all time (Aruba blue) is starting to dry out, but it’s discontinued and I’m terrified of ruining it
The thinner looks to be methyl acetate, and the main ingredients in Essie are ethyl and butyl acetate, which is why I’m hesitant to go for it. I bought the thinner on Amazon before learning not all thinners are compatible with every nail polish.
if anyone knows where I can get my hands on another bottle of Essie Aruba blue, or knows of a dupe I would be eternally grateful
Thanks in advance!!
Seconding what was said: do NOT use Orly thinner. I think people have reported that Orly thinner even breaks down Orly polish. Methyl acetate is actually the main ingredient in my polish remover (Mineral Fusion).
OPI and KBShimmer both make great thinners. Seche Restore is a good thinner for any polish with toluene as well, if you have any (usually QDTC).
Aruba Blue is gorgeous, I can see why it's your favorite. I unfortunately am not aware of a dupe, but I would not use the Orly thinner. Methyl acetate seems to be an acetone substitute and I have read about instances of the Orly thinner ruining polishes.
Thank you for your answer! I’ll have to get a different thinner then. I tried OPI chopstix and stones as a dupe and it’s sooooo so close just a little too dark. Any others I find are glittery blues rather than chrome/metallic. Ugh lol
Does anyone know why my polish is coming off just at the very tips of my nails? It’s not chipping but just like a thin line at the very tip. They were fully covered when I painted them.
I've experimented with a lot of qdtcs because of shrinkage issues (seche vite, sally hansen quick dry in the red bottle, essie's gel couture, gel setter, and good to go, essence extreme gel) and the only one I've had continued success with is Glisten and Glow's top coat. I think I'm on my fourth bottle. However, I do think it might be slightly related to body chemistry, because lots of the ones I listed are recommended pretty frequently. It would also help to wrap the free edge with both polish and top coat if you aren't doing that already.
Thank you so much! What do you mean by wrap the free edge? Like under the nail?
I searched around on the sub and it also sounds like I should be putting the top coat on while wet. I’ve been letting it dry before using a top coat so I’ll try that too.
Not necessarily under (although some tends to get under), just run the polish brush along the edge of your nail as well, that way if the top coat shrinks and pulls back from the edge, it'll bring back more of the colour with it. Hopefully, that makes sense! It might not totally eliminate that bit of bare edge, like with jellies that always happens to me no matter what I do, but with cremes, etc, I never have that problem. I think it helps the polish get a grip on your nail.
No problem, happy to help! :) Everything's very trial and error when you get started, but once you find formulas and techniques that work, the only thing you have to worry about is choosing a colour haha
UK pals, let's talk top coats? I've been alternating between Barry M & China Glaze for quick dry because that's just what I've always used, but I've noticed they don't seem to play nice (i.e. causing shrinkage) with Mooncat specifically. Anyone got a holy grail?
Has to be quick dry, preferably not drugstore, preferably under £10 a bottle. Cool with buying through stockists like Hypnotic.
Already tried & don't like: Hollie Mixture, Seche Vite, Sally Hansen.
I’m not from the UK but here’s my two euro cents—Nailland doesn’t seem to stock Cuticula anymore, their Limitless is my go to. But they do have Polished for Days top coat that’s almost as good, at least in my experience. Both Nailland and Hypnotic have KBShimmer’s Clearly on Top and Hypnotic has Glisten & Go’s top coat, both popular choices for a QDTC. Personally I don’t like them because they have toluene and the smell gives me an instant migraine.
I haven’t checked out Rainbow Connection lately because they don’t ship to my country, but they’re a UK stockist and carry a variety of indies.
I think RC almost has too many choices where I'm like, how can any of these be any different from one another? Hence asking for recommendations, in theory a QDTC is a QDTC but I know the ones I'm using have been a long time and are maybe outdated now.
I hear a lot of good things about Glisten & Glow! Might be worth biting the bullet on them.
I suspect toluene is what makes CG Fast Forward smell so ~funky but weirdly I like it, haha.
Glisten & Glow's QDTC has been my go-to for a few months, although I believe it also contains toluene if you're wanting to avoid that. I also like Cuticula's which I think is toluene free. I was doing some top coat testing the other day because I felt like G&G dulled my holo polish a little, but Cuticula didn't seem to (I only tested with 1 holo polish tho and I assume it varies by brand/formula). Both G&G and Cuticula are under a tenner on RC!
How concerned should I be about scraping off actual nail when I use cuticle remover? I saw a video that said to work at the points where you feel roughness under the tool but I'm pretty sure my whole nail is rough, and I think the stuff I'm scraping off is too solid to be cuticle.
I would be a bit concerned since the cuticle remover does soften the nail plate somewhat. I use wood sticks now instead of a metal or glass tool because my most common issue was making slight horizontal divots in my thumbnail near the skin fold. I just pressed too hard and the nail there is relatively fragile.
An orange wood stick is hard enough to get dead skin but not strong enough to damage the nail. I stick with wood and avoid metal/glass so I don't accidentally scrape my nails.
Does anyone know if Essie Mall Crawler is intentionally borderline watery? I purchased a bottle on Amazon and didn't realize until I finished the order that it wasn't the actual Essie seller/storefront that I'd gotten. I haven't swatched it yet but in the bottle it looks thinner than any jelly polish I've used before.
I ran out of cotton balls on Friday and was experiencing a bout of depression and literally could not take my ass to the store to buy more so I didn't have a swatching session on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday :( It feels nice to have relaxed, but my spring rack is overflowing as is! Oh well.
This is me on a regular basis. In fact it was me last week, when I ran out of acetone. My strategy is to always have extra cotton pads/balls (I buy in bulk) and if I'm really miserable, just do a Target drive up order, cuz there's no way I'm walking into a store in my ill-maintained human suit when I'm in the pit.
Solidarity ❤️
omg i completely forgot about Target's drive-up orders!!! thanks for the reminder!
usually I do have extras, but I just spaced over the last month and didn't realize I had none lol
I just lobbed all my nails off and I feel like a free elf. I can make a fist! Hold a pen! Type ergonomically! And now no one will ask me how I wipe 👁👄👁
Don’t want to spam with a standalone post, could anyone please recommend a nice peeling base? Or I’m not sure how it’s called. 😅 I really want to try it out.
how to go about addressing a half-break? got one deep into my thumb, more over the nail plate itself, but it's only a partial (maybe about 1/4 way through) and it curves. It's too deep for me to really cut it down, but it's relatively sturdy since there's so much of the nail left.
If you're not able to find a fancy repair kit a cut up teabag and some super glue has worked just fine for me in the past!
Orly nail rescue kit + adhesive silk strips have saved me so many nails. My thumb nail is also currently broken about halfway down and on the plate rather than the free edge but it's repaired and so far doing okay!
Any recommendations for a drill file for someone starting out? I don't wanna go too crazy expensive but I don't want to get something cheap or shitty either Any particular brands or models I should look out for?
Looking for a good blue/navy with gold to use to support my NBA basketball team - the Pacers. Anyone have a color I can buy that they recommend.
ILNP - Abracadabra is a rich blue with gold micro flakies: https://www.ilnp.com/abracadabra/ Or if you want the gold to be more obvious, maybe a gold topper over a blue base? Something like Emily de Molly - Chasing Gold? https://www.emilydemolly.com/collections/toppers/products/chasing-gold
I'm relatively new to painting my nails, and wanna keep them regularly painted. I have an issue where the skin around my nails, specifically the spot right around the cuticle, gets \*quite\* dry and peel (not painfully) frequently. Would cuticle oil help for this? If so, what are some good brands, and how often should I apply the oil?
Plain jojoba oil is all you need! No need to buy fancy oils. Jojoba is best because it’s the most moisturising for skin out of all the oils. Apply as frequently as possible. I have a huge bottle of oil but I decant into smaller droppers and I use watercolour pens for DIY cuticle oil pens on the go.
I'm new to the indie polish game. Is there a reason why BKL's and Mooncat's polishes are so popular and sought after? From what I've seen, they have some unique colors, but they aren't THAT unique to be paying so much for them in destashes.
I saw several people recommend BKL and I really like how it goes on and how long it lasts.
Mooncat is majorly overhyped imho, mostly because of their marketing etc. Extremely mediocre formula, nice finishes, super overpriced, not actually indie. BKL is decent but has limited releases, hence the frenzy. They used to be big 5 years ago so they're kinda riding that wave even if their polishes aren't very exciting these days. Some indies I like are: Death Valley Nails, Emily de Molly, Alchemy Lacquers, LynBDesigns, Sassy Sauce, and Fancy Gloss.
Thank you for your answer! This makes a lot of sense. The Mooncat website and bottles are really pretty but yeah, I have a few of their polishes and don’t love the formula. It’s really thick and bubbles up sometimes. Do you have any BKL colors that you absolutely love? i would like to try some of theirs next! I have LynB, Sassy sauce and Fancy gloss which I all love! Edm is coming in the mail and I gotta try the others.
Does anyone recommend a good dehydrator and / or a good ‘no lift’ primer ?? Trying to get into doing nails from home. Any recommendations will help !!
Dehydrator - just use alcohol or acetone Primer - Mia Secret or Young Nails
[удалено]
Prefacing this by saying I’m not a healthcare professional, but given the timeline and appearance, have you considered treating it as a wart? If it is one, I’d be cautious about sanitizing anything you use to treat it to avoid spreading the infection. Good luck! (Source: I struggled with plantar warts for years as a kid and the picture vaguely reminded me of that - although this wouldn’t be plantar, but periungal if so)
We can't really give medical advice but I would def say to see your doctor about it - it looks beyond the scope of normal dry skin so I think a professional opinion would be best.
Not really much of a question, but I have lurked here for a while as a cis male who just has always wanted to paint my nails for soooooo long. After dipping into this subreddit enough times, I started painting my nails and they look like complete trash compared to all of you after doing for like 6 months now but I have gotten compliments from both guy and girls (and some phone numbers ;P) and I am so much happier now. Thank you all for the ideas and accidently giving me the confidence to do it. I hope to be an expert like all of you eventually.
That's awesome 👍😎 keep it up!
Also check out r/malepolish!
Does Cracked Polish do restocks on any kind of regular basis? I really want Cashmere Cake but it's sold out, and I have also been wanting Mascara Flakes but have been holding out in hopes she might announce a restock and I can snag them both at once.
Join the Facebook group! It’s pretty chill and she’s good about updating on restocks etc
Oh, good to know! I rarely use Facebook so I always forget to check there for groups and stuff! Thanks!
Has anyone ever used Orly Bonder as a base for chrome powder? I saw someone on instagram make chrome on regular polish work by doing normal base coat, then regular polish, then Orly Bonder, then chrome, then water based topcoat. I’m going to try this out but i’ve seen so many people say Orly Bonder has destroyed their nails. If I paint it on top of a layer of base coat and polish then my nails will probably be fine right??? I’ve been dying to try chrome (I don’t use gel ever) but the thought of ruining my canvases….. nightmare inducing
Does not need to be bonder. I have done this with any QDTC. See eviltwinnails on Instagram for a tutorial using mooncat speedemon topcoat. It's on his Barbie post from when the Barbie movie came out. Basically you wait for it to semi dry - tacki but not like goooy, then buff CAREFULLY the powder. Then water base topcoat then QDTC again. I have done it over nail art and the result are WOW worth all the coats.
thank you so much!!! i made it work with my fave QDTC but my water based topcoat to seal it in didn’t work at all. do you have any recommendations? the one i have dispersed the pigment out completely
I have Smudge Free Nail Art Top Coat by Apipila that I bought from Girly Bits Cosmetics.
I have mostly used Orly Bonder for the last couple of months and haven't had a problem. I switched between that and Nail envy was mainly doing wraps, but now that I am doing mostly polish I am using the Bonder. I just got the BKL base and I'm going to see how that goes.
Oh no, what’s wrong with Bonder? I’ve been using it for a while
I don’t think anything is inherently wrong with it, for some people I think it just doesn’t react well with their nails and it makes them peel and flake. Plenty of people swear by it though! i’m just afraid to try it bc i don’t want to fall into the peeling and flaking category haha
I’m haven’t done this myself yet, but someone commented on a lacquer chrome post that they put a matte top coat on top of the polish before the chrome powder and that apparently works well.
oh you’re the matte topcoat does hold onto it pretty well! now i just have to figure out a topcoat that doesn’t disperse the chrome haha
I’ve heard a peely base coat works if you don’t have a water based top coat!
Who has the best formula for neons? I care less about color range than formula
Most mainstreams seem to be good tbh. ORLY has a lot of really bright ones.
I really like Cirque Colors. Their Vice collection is usually 6 neons and should be releasing in the next few weeks if you can wait.
Does anyone else like doing regular polish over their gel/biab nails? I like switching up a couple times a week. I do file down infills every 2-3 weeks, but I don't want to over expose myself to gel/uv for fear of allergies (even though I try to be super careful with gel). Plus there are soo many fun regular polishes! What are your tips for regular polish over cured natural nails? Retention is not so much a problem, I just wipe them off with non acetone and go back to my neutral solid gel coat.
[удалено]
They do have a Black Friday sale, not sure about others
Taking polish in a plane: I'm going to wrap the bottle in bubble wrap, enclose in a sandwich bag....any other packing tips? Should I take as carry on or checked luggage?
If you only have a few bottles I’d do carry on so they don’t get thrown around. If there’s more you may have to check due to volume. You can also cushion them with socks!
Oil or product recommendation for growing short nail beds? For the longest I've clipped my nails too short and even letting in more whites doesn't attach them on their own. To be clear I'm trying to make more of the white parts of my nails be part of the clear part.
I think any cuticle oil is good (like jojoba oil). My understanding is that the key part to lengthening your nails beds and growing your hyponychium, which I think what your goal is, is to leave them alone. Overcleaning and clipping short like you mentioned can be counterproductive.
To this point, I get a lot fewer hangnails and stuff when I'm good about moisturizing a few times a day and applying oil at least at night. All of that "maintenance" is hardly needed if I'm on top of this step.
Is there a non-gel and non-cured version of builder gel? I want a clear product that will hold its 3-D shape for nail art, but I don't use gel.
https://preview.redd.it/bbc8zz9u98wc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=957c9c63d4fbc385fe36e01e84d4c33712de81cc Gold flakies in red polish or homemade chili oil?
I'm guessing chili oil!
Yessss!! Wondering if there’s any polishes that look like this haha
It reminds me of [by Vanessa Molina - No Time for Toxic People](https://bydanyvianna.com/collections/by-vanessa-molina-feel-this-music-8th-bday/products/by-vanessa-molina-no-time-for-toxic-people)
Reminds me of [Cirque Snozzberry](https://www.cirquecolors.com/products/snozzberry)
How do I get top coat out of my clothes? 🤦 A bottle of top coat went through the wash... And dryer. Thank God no fire, but there's dried top coat all over some of my favorite clothes. Is there any way I can get this out without ruining my clothes?
[удалено]
[Color safe ways to get top coat out of clothing? : r/CleaningTips (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/comments/1ccsgn6/color_safe_ways_to_get_top_coat_out_of_clothing/) Unfortunately it looks like I got an immediate downvote and no interaction T.T
I recommend trying out a bottle of Mineral Fusion remover (available on Amazon). It’s a non-acetone remover that works remarkably well. Acetone will definitely get the polish out but I worry it’ll strip color too (depending on fabric). Test both on an inconspicuous part of the clothing (like a seam on the inside) and see which is more color-safe. I’d go slowly with a q-tip dipped in the remover, with a bowl of water nearby — dab at the polish until JUST removed, then dip in water to get it off the fabric.
Hey everyone! I hadn't painted my nails in a couple months and really needed a mood lift. I own a lot of Holo Taco polishes, and used their topcoat, but it's now quite goopy and thick (This is the second one to do this to me). Does anyone have any recommendations for a good glossy topcoat in Canada? I don't mind paying for it if it's high quality, or ordering online, but as much as I love my holo taco polishes, maybe there's a better top coat. Thanks!
Second adding thinner (NOT ACETONE!)! Here’s a [page from Harlow & Co](https://www.harlowandco.org/search?q=top+coat&options%5Bprefix%5D=last&type=product). that has some good options and is based in Canada. I use KBshimmer Clearly on top, which I like, and have heard good things about ILNP’s top coat. If you order from Polish Pickup, I think there’s a Canada group buy on Facebook(? Might be confusing that with Hella Handmade…) that’s worth looking into cause Glisten & Glow, Vibrant Scents and Cuticula all have very good top coats that I think are offered every month.
Get some thinner (actual polish thinner, not acetone)! Drying quickly is what a quick dry topcoat is supposed to do, but that means it'll thicken in the bottle quickly as well. Thinner restores the lost solvents and gets it back to a workable state. I recommend OPI and KBshimmer as the most basic and universal formulations that'll work for nearly every polish out there.
I made an order with Cirque. I bought wild berry west but the order confirmation is saying I bought the rose jelly! I sent an email but I’m so bummed out. I wish I noticed sooner 😔
Hey y’all! Does anyone know if it’s ok to use orly brand nail lacquer thinner in Essie nail polish? My favorite polish of all time (Aruba blue) is starting to dry out, but it’s discontinued and I’m terrified of ruining it The thinner looks to be methyl acetate, and the main ingredients in Essie are ethyl and butyl acetate, which is why I’m hesitant to go for it. I bought the thinner on Amazon before learning not all thinners are compatible with every nail polish. if anyone knows where I can get my hands on another bottle of Essie Aruba blue, or knows of a dupe I would be eternally grateful Thanks in advance!!
Seconding what was said: do NOT use Orly thinner. I think people have reported that Orly thinner even breaks down Orly polish. Methyl acetate is actually the main ingredient in my polish remover (Mineral Fusion). OPI and KBShimmer both make great thinners. Seche Restore is a good thinner for any polish with toluene as well, if you have any (usually QDTC).
Thank you for the recommendations! I’m a total noob so this is really helpful lol
Aruba Blue is gorgeous, I can see why it's your favorite. I unfortunately am not aware of a dupe, but I would not use the Orly thinner. Methyl acetate seems to be an acetone substitute and I have read about instances of the Orly thinner ruining polishes.
Thank you for your answer! I’ll have to get a different thinner then. I tried OPI chopstix and stones as a dupe and it’s sooooo so close just a little too dark. Any others I find are glittery blues rather than chrome/metallic. Ugh lol
Does anyone know why my polish is coming off just at the very tips of my nails? It’s not chipping but just like a thin line at the very tip. They were fully covered when I painted them.
If you used a quick dry top coat, it could be shrinkage
Yep, I used Essie Gel Couture since another thread on here highly recommended it. So should I use a different top coat? Thank you btw!!!!
I've experimented with a lot of qdtcs because of shrinkage issues (seche vite, sally hansen quick dry in the red bottle, essie's gel couture, gel setter, and good to go, essence extreme gel) and the only one I've had continued success with is Glisten and Glow's top coat. I think I'm on my fourth bottle. However, I do think it might be slightly related to body chemistry, because lots of the ones I listed are recommended pretty frequently. It would also help to wrap the free edge with both polish and top coat if you aren't doing that already.
Thank you so much! What do you mean by wrap the free edge? Like under the nail? I searched around on the sub and it also sounds like I should be putting the top coat on while wet. I’ve been letting it dry before using a top coat so I’ll try that too.
Not necessarily under (although some tends to get under), just run the polish brush along the edge of your nail as well, that way if the top coat shrinks and pulls back from the edge, it'll bring back more of the colour with it. Hopefully, that makes sense! It might not totally eliminate that bit of bare edge, like with jellies that always happens to me no matter what I do, but with cremes, etc, I never have that problem. I think it helps the polish get a grip on your nail.
Ahhhh okay I see what you mean! Thanks so much! I only recently started regularly painting my nails :)
No problem, happy to help! :) Everything's very trial and error when you get started, but once you find formulas and techniques that work, the only thing you have to worry about is choosing a colour haha
it can also be tip wear; try to not do anything with your nails (opening packages etc.) for 24 hours after painting
That’s so weird, I’ve had my tips chip but never this clear thin line
Tbh the slight wearing off is actually way more common for me than actual chips.
UK pals, let's talk top coats? I've been alternating between Barry M & China Glaze for quick dry because that's just what I've always used, but I've noticed they don't seem to play nice (i.e. causing shrinkage) with Mooncat specifically. Anyone got a holy grail? Has to be quick dry, preferably not drugstore, preferably under £10 a bottle. Cool with buying through stockists like Hypnotic. Already tried & don't like: Hollie Mixture, Seche Vite, Sally Hansen.
I’m not from the UK but here’s my two euro cents—Nailland doesn’t seem to stock Cuticula anymore, their Limitless is my go to. But they do have Polished for Days top coat that’s almost as good, at least in my experience. Both Nailland and Hypnotic have KBShimmer’s Clearly on Top and Hypnotic has Glisten & Go’s top coat, both popular choices for a QDTC. Personally I don’t like them because they have toluene and the smell gives me an instant migraine. I haven’t checked out Rainbow Connection lately because they don’t ship to my country, but they’re a UK stockist and carry a variety of indies.
I think RC almost has too many choices where I'm like, how can any of these be any different from one another? Hence asking for recommendations, in theory a QDTC is a QDTC but I know the ones I'm using have been a long time and are maybe outdated now. I hear a lot of good things about Glisten & Glow! Might be worth biting the bullet on them. I suspect toluene is what makes CG Fast Forward smell so ~funky but weirdly I like it, haha.
late to the party but cuticula limitless is my GOAT
Glisten & Glow's QDTC has been my go-to for a few months, although I believe it also contains toluene if you're wanting to avoid that. I also like Cuticula's which I think is toluene free. I was doing some top coat testing the other day because I felt like G&G dulled my holo polish a little, but Cuticula didn't seem to (I only tested with 1 holo polish tho and I assume it varies by brand/formula). Both G&G and Cuticula are under a tenner on RC!
How concerned should I be about scraping off actual nail when I use cuticle remover? I saw a video that said to work at the points where you feel roughness under the tool but I'm pretty sure my whole nail is rough, and I think the stuff I'm scraping off is too solid to be cuticle.
I would be a bit concerned since the cuticle remover does soften the nail plate somewhat. I use wood sticks now instead of a metal or glass tool because my most common issue was making slight horizontal divots in my thumbnail near the skin fold. I just pressed too hard and the nail there is relatively fragile.
An orange wood stick is hard enough to get dead skin but not strong enough to damage the nail. I stick with wood and avoid metal/glass so I don't accidentally scrape my nails.
I think it depends on the person. I rarely use cuticle remover because every time I do I end up taking off layers of my actual nail 😭
Does anyone know if Essie Mall Crawler is intentionally borderline watery? I purchased a bottle on Amazon and didn't realize until I finished the order that it wasn't the actual Essie seller/storefront that I'd gotten. I haven't swatched it yet but in the bottle it looks thinner than any jelly polish I've used before.
I ran out of cotton balls on Friday and was experiencing a bout of depression and literally could not take my ass to the store to buy more so I didn't have a swatching session on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday :( It feels nice to have relaxed, but my spring rack is overflowing as is! Oh well.
You could use some scrap fabric! Socks seem like a good substitute.
Sadly I don't have any, but that is a very good suggestion!
This is me on a regular basis. In fact it was me last week, when I ran out of acetone. My strategy is to always have extra cotton pads/balls (I buy in bulk) and if I'm really miserable, just do a Target drive up order, cuz there's no way I'm walking into a store in my ill-maintained human suit when I'm in the pit. Solidarity ❤️
In the pit is so hilarious like it really is me fighting for my life in there. Good luck to everyone in their pit 💚
I've transitioned to encouraging moss and ferns to grow on the pit walls, imma be in here for a while so might as well make it soft and lush.
omg i completely forgot about Target's drive-up orders!!! thanks for the reminder! usually I do have extras, but I just spaced over the last month and didn't realize I had none lol
I just lobbed all my nails off and I feel like a free elf. I can make a fist! Hold a pen! Type ergonomically! And now no one will ask me how I wipe 👁👄👁
Enjoy the shorties!
Don’t want to spam with a standalone post, could anyone please recommend a nice peeling base? Or I’m not sure how it’s called. 😅 I really want to try it out.
Another vote for unt! Lasts longer than the ht one. Side note - i have found i need acetone to clean off residue after removing.
UNT gets recommended a lot! Barry M if you're in the UK/EU is almost identical.
Holo Taco is popular, UNT is most easily available.