I've Been Told The Secret to Nail Polish that Stays on for Weeks!

Beauty
I'm currently on nail polish purchasing rampage.  Ever since I discovered these amazing pinky nudes, I've been on a mission to collect every shade on my list.  My intention, this year, is to maintain the appearance of my nails as much as possible.

But, I gotta be honest, it's sometimes a hassle.  I paint my nails and, within days, I start seeing signs of chipping.  Since I'm not one of those girls who immediately addresses the issue, I end up walking around with raggedy nails.  That defeats the entire purpose.  I'm not opposed to redoing my nails, but just not every few days.

Determined to find a solution, I did a research by reaching out of a nail guru I follow on Instagram.  She revealed her secret to manicures that last several weeks.
Our conversation began when I asked her if she had any recommendations for a top coat that actually works.

Much to my surprise, her response was that the top coat wasn't going to save the day.  Instead, I needed to switch up my entire nail color application process.  Basically, I had been doing it all wrong.  Instead of applying polish and top coat.  Here's what I should have done:

The key to long-lasting nail color lies in prepping the nail adequately to receive the product.  My biggest mistake was in not removing any of the naturally occurring oil from the nail surface.  For this, we can wipe our nails with alcohol or use a nail dehydrator specifically designed to remove oils and moisture from the nail surface.

From there, we should apply a bonder.  A bonder is specially formulated to allow the nail color to stick to the nail bed. Bonders serve the primary purpose of ensuring a longer-lasting manicure.  They work by raising the pH of the natural nail.  This helps our polish to have better sticking power.   Bonders are similar to a basecoat so you don't really need to apply another layer of basecoat on top.

Why have I never heard of this product before?

Basically, the combination of removing any traces of oil and using a quality bonder will extend your polish much longer than what you're used to.  The beauty blogger I messaged boasted about enjoying beautifully polished nails for 3 weeks!!!!

I was shook.

Her favorite bonder is from Orly and people love this stuff.

May 14, 2016
Size: Bonder|Color: Orly Nail Bonder Nail Treatment-0.6 oz|Verified Purchase

August 10, 2017
Size: Bonder|Color: Orly Nail Bonder Nail Treatment-0.6 oz|Verified Purchase

Some other tips I picked up while researching was to try applying the nail color while the bonder is still a little tacky (not fully dry).  This could help the color and bonder to better adhere to each other.   Others use Orly's bonder as a base and top coat.   But, apparently, it works just as well on its own.

The moral of the story is that I've been living a lie. I had no idea this product existed and I've fooled myself into thinking that just using polish and topcoat would somehow make my polish magically stay on.

Now I know the truth and the truth cannot be stopped!!!

Seriously tho, I'm super excited to grab a bottle of Orly's bonder ASAP so I can enjoy life again.



3 comments

  1. I love your blog! I’ve been having the same problem with chipped nails while taking time off from gel polish and now I know how to prolong my manicure thanks to you. I love the way you’re always on top of the latest beauty trends, many times I’ve been researching something and i’ll visit your blog and you have a post on it. Such an invaluable resource, especially from the perspective of a black woman. Thank you!

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  2. I LOVE this blog! Do you live in my head or something?!
    I've been doing my own mani's and Pedi's to save cash and this is just what I needed! I've been using Sally Hansen's InstaDry top coat for a "gel-like" finish. Adding the bonder to my routine will definitely prolong the life of my nails.

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