Wednesday Beauty Buys

Orly Nail polish and  Top2 Bottom  -   Are chipped nails a thing of the past?

I must admit I am still somewhat on the hunt for the perfect nail polish that doesn't chip within hours of putting it on with the lifestyle that I lead . I love shellac , but cannot really bring myself to spend £20  every 2 - 3 weeks on a shellac manicure . I sort of feel that should be a special treat for me as I'd rather spend that money on something that lasts - and as we all know it kinda all adds up! I worked out that I could set myself up with a lamp and the products needed for less than £100 from Amazon - the equivalent of only 5 shellac manicures - so with that thought in my mind I've not been back, but am so missing my perfect, chip free nails. That is until my visit to my hairdressers on Friday when I acquired this little lot from Orly.......

My ' be wise how you spend' head told me not to get them there as I knew I could probably source them cheaper elsewhere and of course you can . Try here Cheap Smells. I had nails ready for painting and 2 hours with colour needing doing ahead of me so got them anyway and painted my nails. 

The info says that this Top 2 bottom Basecoat and Topcoat grips and protects nail lacquer for long lasting manicures and pedicures with a high shine finish. I have a 3 in 1 essie base and top coat, which I love for the shine, but so far this Orly product , in combination with these Orly polishes outdoes it for durability. 

I am hopeless with my nails. My hands are in and out of water and I cannot sit still - there is always a job to be done isn't there?! However, the mani I did rather shakily in the hairdressers remained perfect for 3 days and would have lasted longer if I hadn't decided to go for a new design and take it off anyway. So for now I am really impressed . The polish isn't as cheap as your high street chemist brands, but cheaper than your high end products and if you shop around you can get it for about £7.25. It is a fairly large bottle and if it lasts longer then it is money well spent in the long run. It also has a rubber top that is far easier to grip and undo/tighten than the usual ones. ( Fussy - I know!)

Green With Envy and Monroe's red

 I know I have mentioned this product before and I am a slave to it ! As a busy mum if I paint my nails during the day I cannot sit for long to let them dry so OPI Rapi Dry is a life saver. I apply it after the final top coat ( wait about 60 seconds before applying the OPI) In my experience I find your nails will be dry enough for you to be out and about in 5 minutes and fully hard in about 10minutes. Perfect!

Essie 3 in 1 and OPI Rapi Dry

What nail polish do you find is best for durability and value?