[hazeldazel]

I've been holding onto a good-sized chunk of a Xmas gift certificate, hoping that some stuff by Mercedes Lackey would become available for the Kindle. Well, today I got so peeved that I *still* couldn't get anything I wanted that I ended up ordering 6 nail polishes on Amazon. I'm gonna have to get a bigger storage container for my nail polish! Then, after I ordered I saw this INCREDIBLE line of polish by Nfu Oh, especially #051! Oh. my. gawd!!!!!! Of course, the one and only distributor in the US (fabuloustreet.com) is out of stock of that color, by the time they're in stock I'll probably have to order 5 other color that are the flakies.

Here's some pictures of the Nfu Oh flakies colors, including the amazing #051:

http://polishaddict.com/category/nfu-oh/

http://www.scrangie.com/2008/06/nfu-oh-shiny-opal-swatches.html

 

[chynared21]

Pretty polish! The blog on the second link mentions that it's thick and goopy....how long does it take to dry?

 

[Susan in VA]

Those are pretty!  I like the effect of # 53, the turquoise.  I don't do nail polish manicures much anymore (being mom, and cooking/baking/sewing/gardening, are not easily compatible with flawless nails), but my toes are always done. 

The only thing I've ever seen that comes close to these was a metallic-sparklies polish from about 25 years ago, and it only came in red and in silver.  And it was a huge pain to take off, took three times as much remover and a lot of time rubbing to get the metallic flakes off.  I assume that these are much more advanced now...  I wonder whether Ulta or someone carries them so I could go take a look...  just look...  not as though I actually NEED any more polishes... 

 

[hazeldazel]

For thick and goopy polish, esp. old stuff that is drying out, I totally recommend OPI nail polish thinner.  Totally works!  For awhile I wasn't doing my nails either, took too long for everything to dry.  I finally got some quick-dry top coat, there are a lot of good brands but I just got Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Top Coat at the drugstore.  Omg - they are sooo not kidding when they say insta-dry, in fact you have to be real quick just brushing it on your nail.  Dry to the touch within a few seconds and 100% dry within 10 minutes*, leaves a really nice glossy finish.  It's awesome to do my nails while watching TV right before bed.  You don't have to wait to let the color polish dry before putting on Insta-Dry, I just blow on my nails a couple times before applying.  The SH insta-dry comes really thick and goopy but just use the OPI thinner to get it to a consistency you like.  I leave it a little thick because it will hide any ridges or little smudges in the polish.

*I usually do a base coat and three coats of nail polish, YMMV.

 

[chynared21]

Good to know about the SH...I hated painting my nails late in the day only to have them "dent" or "crease" while sleeping.

So how goopy is that nail polish? From the close ups, it looks like it doesn't go on very smoothly.

 

[Angela]

fingers, not so much... toes always!

For some reason polish will not stay on my nails. It not only flakes off, it will peel off in one piece!

 

[Susan in VA]

For some reason polish will not stay on my nails. It not only flakes off, it will peel off in one piece!

Maybe you have a residue of hand lotion on your nails when you apply it? The oils from that would make polish peel off like that.

 

[Angela]

Maybe you have a residue of hand lotion on your nails when you apply it? The oils from that would make polish peel off like that.

It has always been this way. My mom's nails are the same way, only more so! I can have a professional manicure done and the polish may last a day or 2 but never more than 3.

 

[hazeldazel]

for peeling make sure that you wipe your nails with nail polish remover when you start, even if you don't already have polish on to remove any residues.  Then always use a thin base coat so the color polish adheres better to your nail.  Lightly buffing the surface of the nail with that white block-shaped thingie before putting on the base coat helps me.  If your nail itself is peeling, remember that you should always file your nails into the desired shape, never use clippers/scissors.  The the pressure can makes your nail crack and/or peel. 

chynared21, yeah it does look pretty thick on the blogs.  A lot of nail polishes come thicker than I like them so I'll thin them with 2 or 3 drops of thinner even though they're brand-new.  You never know how long they sat on the shelves.  Plus, I always prefer to do three thin coats rather than one or two thick coats, so it works better for me to have a thinner polish.

 

[Vegas_Asian]

Polish on my toes last longest. I usually need to repolish my nails every three days as it chips and all. I personnally use CHI or Opi. Mostly CHI,...this color:

 

[VictoriaP]

fingers, not so much... toes always!

For some reason polish will not stay on my nails. It not only flakes off, it will peel off in one piece!

Mine's exactly the same. I've been told there's too much natural moisture in my nails to hold polish well, even if you do the proper two coats of base, two color, two top coat. But it's fun to pull six layers of paint off in one piece a few hours later.

 

[Vegas_Asian]

two coat base...that may explain a lot.

 

[marianneg]

Ooohhh, pretty!

 

[hazeldazel]

yeah, I wouldn't do two base coats.  Also, I tend to have polish peeling if I apply the polish too thickly. Try to do a couple really thin layers rather than one thick layer.  That said, I tend to do my nails after 2 or 3 days anyways just because I get bored and want to put on a different color.

NOTD (nail of the day):  OPI Mother Road Rose

 

[Mike D. aka jmiked]

OK, feel free to make fun of me, but I thought I'd take advantage of this thread to ask if anyone has anything they would recommend that would harden nails.

I'm a fingerstyle guitar player, and I regularly break my right hand fingernails/thumbnail and have to put acrylic nails on. I'd like to not do this, and if I could put something on the nails that wold harden them, I'd do it in a flash.

Mike

 

[Susan in VA]

Sure, just check out the Sally Hansen products in any supermarket or drug store.  There are several meant for hardening nails.  They look like clear nail polish.  I believe at least one of them even dries to a matte finish so it doesn't look like you're wearing nail polish. 

There are similar products by other "fancier" companies but SH's are not expensive and they do the job well.

 

[hazeldazel]

Be *very* carefull that when you have the acrylic nails put on that they only *lightly* sand/buff your natural nail.  I've seen some that will sand them down a LOT which makes them much thinner and weaker. 

the Sally Hansen InstaDry top coat makes my nail VERY hard but SH has a lot of good nail hardener stuff.

 

[chynared21]

OK, feel free to make fun of me, but I thought I'd take advantage of this thread to ask if anyone has anything they would recommend that would harden nails.

I'm a fingerstyle guitar player, and I regularly break my right hand fingernails/thumbnail and have to put acrylic nails on. I'd like to not do this, and if I could put something on the nails that wold harden them, I'd do it in a flash.

Mike

I think SH has one called "Hard as Nails". Mike...if I could only send you my thumb nail thickness. I get them from my mom

 

[Vegas_Asian]

yep its Hard as Nails. It was the first nail polish Mom would let me use...clear..

 

[Mike D. aka jmiked]

Thanks, all. I'll give it a try.

Mike