A couple of months ago, I talked about my new find: OPI nail polish. It’s what is used in salons, and the colors, besides being rich and brilliant, also seem to be chip-proof, at least when applied at the salon.
I didn’t have as much luck on my own. Within a day or two of applying, or my worst record yet, a few hours, I noticed chipping. And because the colors are so bright and, well, colorful, the chips showed up that much more glaringly.
My most recent endeavor was to buy a nail strengthener by Sally Hansen that was specifically supposed to help with weak, peeling nails. I thought maybe my chip problem was because my nails tend to peel, and that if they peel, the polish peels off, too. I had two reasons for trying the Sally Hansen fortifier: one was to try to save money, and the other was because it was convenient to buy. I paid about $7 for the bottle of miracle no-peel formula. Sally Hansen can be found in any grocery store and any drugstore, while OPI can only be found at Trade Secret at the mall. I figured that if it worked, I would save both money and time. I applied it religiously for about two weeks. I used it alone, and I used it as a base and topcoat with OPI nail polish. And I didn’t notice a difference. My most recent and monumental failure happened Sunday. I did my nails Sunday afternoon, and by Sunday evening, the color had chipped so badly, I ended up removing all the polish and went to work Monday with naked nails.
So finally, last night, I broke down and I did what I have really wanted to do: buy myself some OPI products and use them together. I bought ChipSkip, which is a clear application, that when applied directly to clean, dry nails, is supposed to prevent chipping. I also bought their three-in-one base coat, nail strengthener, and topcoat. And, of course, I bought three new nail polish colors. It was a little pricey, coming to about $44, which qualified me for a free nail polish accessory bag, perfect for feeding my addiction. Although it seems like a lot to spend on nail polish, if it works, it will have paid for itself in less than two trips to the salon for a manicure and pedicure.
The first thing I did was apply the ChipSkip, which dried instantly on contact. And when I say instant, I mean instant! Then I applied one base coat and to my surprise, it dried very quickly. I applied two coats of color, waited a bit for them to dry, and then applied one top coat. I waited about an hour and half before putting my nails to the test: peeling price tags off purchases and wrapping presents. This simple task is what ruined my nails on Sunday. And guess what this time? No chipping! This morning, my nails look great. I don’t know how to explain it, but my nails have a different quality about them, almost as if I were wearing acrylic nails, but without the hefty salon price tag that comes with a manicure. If this really works, then I’m going to be an OPI girl for life. In addition, I will never, ever assume that other products can substitute for the real thing. It only makes sense that OPI products work best with other OPI products.
I will update again, when I notice my first chip. I promise I will update this time!
P.S. If you’re stumped for what to get me for Christmas, here’s a hint: OPI Nail Polish!
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