Beauty

[Tricolor]

You mentioned that your nail tech advised you to use Vinyl Lux topcoat with your regular polish. What base do you use? My salon has Vinyl Lux for sale and I asked my tech about it. She has not used it with regular polish. TIA!

[CANDLEQUEEN]

Bumping up for you so that maybe Shelbelle will see this!

[Shelbelle]

This is all my idea on my own, my nail salon never even heard of Vinylux!!! I am always on the prowl for a great top coat that will keep my polish holding up for as close to 2 weeks as possible. I go to the salon every 2 weeks. Some here were discussing Vinylux one day, so I did some homework on it. CND says to use it properly you should use no base coat at all. just apply 2 coats of the Vinylux polish color and a coat of the Vinylux top coat on top. But, my natural nails are very thin, and I was so leary of going with no base coat or a hardener of any kind. So, I asked if anyone had used their regular polishes as usual with just the Vinylux Top Coat. I got responses here and on amazon that, yes, you can. It even says you can do that on the CND site, but they wont guarantee lasting results for 7 days using it that way. Been using it now for last 4 manis, and I am very pleased, lasts longer and feels so smooth on the nails as a top coat, cushiony. I have tried Revlon Colorstay and Deb Lippmann Gel Lab, with results not as good. So, I would just use whatever base coat or hardener you like, probably makes no difference. Just to reinerate, I have never used any of the Vinylux color polishes, only the top coat with other brands of color polish. Hope this helps, Shel

[Tricolor]

Thanks Shelbelle for the getting back to me. Also thank you to JMFINLEY for bumping this up. My salon does use Vinylux but I have been hesitant to try it. My nail tech said that she did not know how it would wear using regular polish. I have good luck with Revlon Colorstay Base and Top as you know. However, I find that it works better witzh OPI than with China Glaze. I did do a Vinylux mani this week on Thurs. to try it out. This is only day 2 and so far it looks great. I did google some reviews and saw that CND can't make any claims using their top with regular polish. I appreciate you getting back to me.

[Shelbelle]

CND told me that it can be used, they just dont guarantee it for a full 7 days. I think you made a wise choice, let me know how it goes in next few days. I still dont feel comfortable leaving my base coats behind. I usually use 2, a strengthener first, then a coat of Sticky or China Glaze Strong Adhesion next to help the polish stay. I bring all my own arsenal to my salon, they laugh at me!!! I also use OPI Chip Skip before anything else, but this is more of a nail cleaner , not a coat of polish.

[Tricolor]

Shel, I also bring my own arsenal and get laughed at too. That's OK. I want what is going to work. I will keep you updated how the Vinylux is doing. Stickey used to work for me but then stopped. My tech keeps saying that regular polish is going away and in its place is Shellac and Vinylux. Well the nail companies continue to make polish. So don't understand where that is coming from. Talk to you soon.

[Shelbelle]

I am refusing to use the gel polish for fear it will ruin my natural nails, they may be thin, but they love to grow, get compliments all the time on my nails.

[Tricolor]

Yea, I am not doing Shellac. Just recently I did it because I was not able to get my nails done for a few weeks. Very disappointed because it lifted on me and did not like the removal process. I would rather go around with bare nails that do that again. Someday you will have to post a picture of your nails. Mine are OK but I have to be careful with them because they often break easily.

[Tricolor]

Shel, I just wanted to let you know that this is now day 5 of my Vinylux and the polish still looks great. Like you I shampoo with gloves on to protect my polish and that is what I have done to this point. So I don't know how this would hold up without gloves. That will have to be my next test. Very pleased with how this is wearing. Also the shine is still there too. Be safe in the snow. We have almost 7 inches so far.

[Shelbelle]

Good morning, Tri, so far we have rain and sleet, but it is coming. I am in Baltimore, have relatives in Pittsburgh in the Squirrel Hill area, huge Steelers fans, you gotta know I am not!!! I had a coworker from Monroeville, but she left our office. I love to see Primanti Bros on the Travel Channel, I will get there one day.

Now back to nails, mine have always been my best feature, many think they are acrylics. But, like you I dont always sport a perfect 10!! I work 3 days a week, and am hard on my nails there, sadly. I did my own until I turned 40 over 20 years ago, and my friend gave me a gift cert. for a mani, I was almost afraid to go, my very first one was at 40, but I took a gradual liking to it, and stick to my every other Fri schedule for the last 19 years. I end up telling my tech exactly what I want her to do with each nail, file, cut, etc all up to me. Get a pedi every 8 weeks and let them do my brows too, why not!!

Yes, so far Vinylux seems to be my best bet, but I am always on the hunt for the best protector. I own more polishes than my salon has!!! I have yet to try the Vinylux color polishes. Stay safe and warm, Shel