No, not really a secret. The title just sounded better that way.
I have some groundbreaking discoveries: I believe I have found the perfect formula of base + top coats resulting in the most long lasting manicures that have ever graced my hands. Truth be told, I was getting pretty tired of my nails chipping by day 2 after putting a whole lot of effort into painting them! Also, I rarely get manicures done. Aside from the occasional need for extra maintenance, they are not worth the cash. Take care of your hands + use good products + build up some painting skills = save money.
With the following three products, I've found my nails looking fully presentable throughout the entire work week, leaving me ready for a new manicure by the weekend. It's really surprising how I no longer need a mid-week manicure (something I despise doing after a long, busy work day). Nowadays I'll get an occasional teeny tiny chip due to a rigorous round of dishes or from picking at something with my nails - but that's the least of my worries.
Products Used:
Revlon Colorstay Longwear Nail Enamel Base Coat
This stuff is the best. I think it's the true glue to keeping on a solid manicure. I've used a bunch of different base coats and I've only received the most long lasting results with this one. I love that it's cheap and readily available at the drugstore. I know there's another Revlon Nail Enamel line but I'd stick with Revlon Colorstay. It's so good. You can usually get an even better value during a BOGO or BOGO 1/2 Off sale.
Revlon Colorstay Gel-Shine Top Coat
I've never believed in using two top coats until incorporating this into my manicure routine. This goes on right after I'm done painting the color on. You see, this is not a quick dry top coat. It will, however, give your nails this really awesome gel looking finish - just like it says. It seals in the color and smooths everything out. While my nails look good as-is right here, this isn't the last step...
Butter London P.D. Quick Top Coat
This is a great quick dry top coat. I love myself some Seche Vite (the "god" of quick dry top coats) but it has toluene which is kind of sad because so many nail polish companies are 3-free and beyond at this point. Anyways, Butter London's a great 3-free option. This is the one step that I think is loosely interchangeable. In a pinch, I've used another quick dry top coat along with the Revlon products and still had great results. Just to be consistent, I have been using the Butter London one as my dedicated choice for the last step. It provides shine that lasts for days and it really does help my nails dry faster.
Now that I've shared my favorite nail polish basics, what are yours? Have you tried these products and if so, what did you think?
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