My Manis Are Lasting Longer Than Ever-- Here's How!

 *Some items sent for review. See end of post*

I've mentioned before that I almost never comment on the wear time of polishes because nothing wears very well for me personally. Wear time is a very individual thing and it depends on a lot of factors- your nail health, your nail type, hand washing, etc. I have very dry nails and wash my hands constantly, so polish very often chips on me within 24 hours. HOWEVER, I recently found my magic combination that has been allowing me to wear polish for 4+ days with very minimal tip wear and no chips!!! *cue triumphant trumpet sounds* I do want to preface this by saying that your own results may vary, due to all of the factors I listed above, but if you have wear problems like I used to, this may be worth a try!

First of all, and I think this is the most important step here, instead of cleaning the nail plate prior to applying polish, I have been oiling my nails! This seems counter-intuitive, and I know we've all read the magazine articles where the nail professionals tell us to wipe the nails with acetone or white vinegar before applying base coat. But, if I already have dry nails, does it really make sense to dehydrate them more before applying polish? I've been reading others say that applying an oil before a mani has really helped prevent chips and reduced peeling in their nails, so I had to give it a try. It has worked beautifully for me. I can now wear a mani for 4 days with no chips and when I remove my polish, I have noticed that my nails appear much healthier. I've been using China Glaze Peppermint Cuticle Oil or Orly Argan Cuticle Oil, but I've heard that just plain coconut oil or any variety of oil works just fine.

 I apply the oil to my nails and let it absorb for a few minutes. Then I rub any excess oil away with a cloth (or the edge of the shirt I'm wearing, depending on my laziness) and then apply my base coat WITHOUT RINSING the oil off! You will be tempted to rinse, but you must resist. The oil will not interfere with the polish application, just apply base coat as usual. I've been using Nicole by OPI Base Coat Plus with great results.

*Some items sent for review. See end of post*

I also discovered that I really love the OPI Top Coat. It's nice and glossy and has helped to increase wear time for me. However, it takes a while to dry and I have no patience, so I've been using Essie Good to Go to top the whole thing off. It dries all the layers quickly and I don't get the shrinkage I always get with Seche Vite. I think the oiling is probably the step that is making the most difference for me, but I am so happy with this whole system. I don't want to change a thing! I have tried so many base and top coats over the years, so I'm thrilled to have found the combination that works best for me. Have you found your magical combo?

*OPI Top Coat and Nicole by OPI Base Coat Plus sent for review. China Glaze Cuticle Oil and Essie Good to Go purchased by me*