I have been using Nailtek Foundation Xtra as a base coat and Seche Vite fast drying top coat. This combo worked really well for me for months, and now all of a sudden it's peeling like crazy. I think the primary reason for the peeling is that my Nailtek Foundation is old and got all thick and yucky, so I added some of the Nailtek Exted thinner drops. I have had to do that a couple of times now, and I think that affected the properties of the base coat. However, I'm having a hard time finding a replacement, as I have yet to find a Nailtek retailer in Canada. So I went to the Trade Secrets near me to look for something that would make my nail polish last. I left there $50+ poorer, and with a handful of products from Zoya.
I tried the Zoya color lock system last night. I can see why people like these products, but they are not without faults. First I cleanded, filed and buffed my nails. I then used a cuticle softener/remover to get rid of any dry cuticles. Then I washed my hands thoroughly with soap and water, dried them, and went over them with polish remover to get them ready for the base coat. The base coat is also a nair strengthener, which is great. It went on smooth. No problems there. Then came the color, followed by the top coat. The top coat bubbled a little, but nothing major (I read somewhere that some people had problems with bubbling). I then waited a few minutes and applied the drying drops. These have a strage feel to them, and the application is not precise so I got them all over my fingers. Kind of sucky because it's not like I could wash my hands while my polish was wet. So I wiped my fingers a bit, and then I waited.
And I waited....
And waited...
I'm used to Seche Vite, so I felt like I was waiting FOREVER for my nail polish to dry. It didn't stay wet exactly, but it was somewhat tacky and 'not quite dry' feeling. After about 2 and 1/2 hours I was pretty confident that my polish was dry. I went to bed, and to my great annoyance, I woke up this morning with crease marks on EVERY SINGLE NAIL! Ugh!
I am impressed with how thin my polish is on my nails - with my previous system, the polish layers were much thicker. I also liked the way the Zoya polish applied to the base. There is no chipping or peeling so far, which is great. If it wasn't for the superlong drying time and those damn crease marks, I would be one happy woman today! I will keep test driving the Zoya Color Lock System, and I'll let you all know how it works out.
I do have to say that Zoya makes some of my favorite colors of nail polish. I am currently wearing Maya. I didn't have time to swatch this one for you yet, but here is a pic from the Zoya website for now.
What products do you use to make your polish last?
3 comments:
k there is this top coat oil stuff i use that is HEAVEN IN A BOTTLE! i hate hate all of those cuz they never work, but im telling you, this is perfect. it's dry IMMEDIATLY, never any crease marks in the morning, and it's NOT all oily even though it has got to be some kind of oil!
I"ll have to go find out what its called...
DEFINITELY let me know what it's called!
Oh I hate when I paint my nails and then they start peeling soon after. I'm glad you've found one that works for you!
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