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How long does nail polish last on you?


How long does nail polish last on you? What polish has been the most durable?

I usually get a week of wear, which as long as I wear a color typically. I don’t have issues with chipping (I can’t think of anything that’s chipped on me in some time, other than matte polishes without top coats). I like Illamasqua a lot – it seems to wear like iron.

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alison Avatar

about a week – i get slight tipwear pretty fast, but i don’t start getting real chips for about a week. not bad, considering i don’t take any special precautions when i have nail polish on – i peel off labels, pry things open, etc.

right now i’m using zoya anchor, zoya polishes (sooki currently – summer’s last hurrah 🙁 ), and seche vite, though i want to try out armor once i’m finished with this bottle of seche vite!

Serena Avatar

I’m lucky if I get 3 or 4 days. It doesn’t seem to matter if I used a base coat or not, it just won’t stay on passed a few days. It doesn’t just chip either, it will peel completely off. I’ve put nail polish on at night and the next DAY it will just come off. It’s so annoying!

Rengirl Avatar

Are you using Seche Vite as your topcoat? This happened to me too until I realized you are supposed to apply Seche Vite while your polish is still slightly wet.

AshD Avatar

Seche Vite is dangerous because it contains toulene! wouldn’t recommend using this. it has been taken out of a lot of nail polishes along with formaldehyde and phthalates.

Sara Avatar

It has such a negligible amount of toluene in it that it’s not really a big deal.
You’d be surprised at what companies have worse in their polishes. :O

Liang Avatar

depends on the polish, base and top coat. I usually use Chanel polish with OPI base and top coat and my hands would last for about 1 1/2 – 2 weeks and my toes for about 1 month.

Yvonne Avatar

In general, nail polish doesn’t last on me.

I don’t know what it is about my nails or the way I use my hands, but no matter what brand of polish I use, or what kind of top coat, my polish generally doesn’t go any longer than a day without chipping. And after 3 or so days, I get major chipping.

The only top coats that help my nails last even that long is either Seche vite or Poshe, which is what I’m using right now.

However, I think I may have found the perfect combination that helps my nails last a normal amount of time. I got the Poshe base coat the other day, and I used that in combination with a Zoya polish and the Poshe top coat. The color lasted alot longer than usual.

I still need to try this pairing more and see if it will work with other brands of polish. But I’m hoping it does.

Liz Avatar

depends on if I use topcoat! Funny enough, they last longer if I don’t use a top coat! Without topcoat: usually 5-7 days. With Seche Vite I always get minor chips within 2-3 days. Essie polishes work really well for me, I have a few Dior and Chanel ones I like for their colours, but they don’t really last as well as Essie.

anna_a Avatar

No matter what brand of nail polish, base and top coat I’m using, it never lasts more than 2 days… I guess I could wear gloves but I think it’s a sign I should quit my job and stop doing house work.

Kathy Avatar

There isn’t a single nail polish that lasts on me for a week. Usually it lasts about 2 days- 3 at best. :\

While the colors are beautiful, MAC nail polishes chip on me like crazy after a day, which really stinks!

Violet Avatar

5 days to a week, depending on the finish, brand and number of coats.

I’m also an ex-nail biter, so if I don’t absolutely love the polish I’m wearing, I always end up plucking it off with nails and teeth during the week. Disgusting, I know, so I have to be happy with it for it to last.

Ashley Avatar

I have really good results with newer MAC creme-finish polish (the Surf Baby ones), China Glaze “Refreshmint” (only one I’ve tried of that brand), and Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear (many of these).

Em Avatar

for polish to last a week on me would be a massive achievement, I would buy every colour of that polish!! I get 4-5 days tops, sometimes less. I think it’s cos I have flaky nails and quite a hands on job. Yet to find a brilliant one yet, but Barry M has come pretty close – although I find theirs varies a lot across shades.

kelly Avatar

I usually get tip wear by end of day 2 even with a good top coat, I work in a restaurant and I wash my hands a BAZILLION times a day… it’s usually time to take it off and throw in the towel by day 5

Cassykins Avatar

About 12-24 hours. I was just talking to my mom last night about how you post so many awesome colors and talk about their staying power and they just do not do that for me. I must have killed the nail polish queen sometime in my life and now all her minions are out to seek vengeance in the form of instant chipping.

Emma Avatar

Uusally the most I get is 2-3 days! Strangely though, of all my nail polishes, it’s some of my Rimmel ones that seem to wear the best-I can get about 5 days out of those. I find that OPI, china glaze, essie etc all chip really easily with me even with topcoat. I’ve tried all different topcoats and nothing seems to make any difference!

Jami Avatar

oh wow! im lucky to get two days wear out of any nail polish and ive got chanel all the way down to salley hanson 2 dollar polish. You’ve probably answered this before but what bash and top coat do you use??

K Avatar

Only about 3 days before I start to see chipping! Brand is irrelevant – this is the case with high end or low end brands, and while some fare better than others, even the high end start to chip after a few days. I think it may be because I’m a frequent hand washer…

Amanda Avatar

The best top coats I’ve used are Seche Vite, Zoya Armor and Nicole by OPI Top Coat Plus. But it doesn’t matter if you have a good top coat, there are a couple of other steps you need to take to prevent your nails from chipping: buff your nails, wipe with nail polish remover to remove oils, use a good base coat as well & let your polish to fully dry between each coat! Hope this helps =)

Lindsay @ A Walk in the Closet Avatar

Unfortunately, not long at all! I have very thin/dry damaged nails so nothing stays, even with a base and top coat. If I’m washing my hair, you can be sure I’ve got some chips even a mere day into new polish.

Otherwise, it probably lasts 2-3 days on me in “perfect” state before it starts chipping here and there.

Tiffany H. Avatar

I’ve had good results with OPI, Essie, China Glaze, and Chanel. They usually last 5-7 days with CND Stickey base coat and a top coat (of any kind). MAC, some Zoya, and Sally Hansen Xtreme wear does not last very long. I guess my body chemistry doesn’t work well with them.

Ashley Tatton Avatar

I get tip wear within hours and they’re destroyed to the point where I need to remove it in a day or two. Top coat, base coat included. I can’t seem to find anything that wants to stay on my nails. Maybe I’m just too rough with my hands.

Savi Malfitano Avatar

Depends on quality of polish. Personally for me, the worse are Zoya (which sucks because they have a great array of colors!), Mac and OPI (except for glitter polishes).

Some brands last up to 2 weeks if I use 2 coats of Seche Vite such as Wet n’ Wild (cheap but durable!), Illamasqua and Essie.

Elana Avatar

I’m a metalsmith so if I get a hour to a day then I’m super lucky. The only time it’ll last for me is during the holidays, where I get 3-4 days without much trouble.

Samantha Avatar

I have that same peeling problem! It’s horrible. Someone once suggested I try swiping my nails with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball before nail polish application “to remove oils” but that didn’t help either. Wish I could try the CND sticky base without ordering online!

casey Avatar

i have had much better wear time since switching to Orly’s rubberized basecoat. I really feel like it grabs on to the polish and keeps it looking good. I also feel that the brand of polish does matter–mainly use Orly, OPI and Essie. I feel that they are what will last the longest for me. With a good top coat, I can get this combo to last for 4-6 days.

just bought Seche Vite after reading a ton of good things about it–excited to try it!

Deb Avatar

I have only tried a handful of base/top coats, but right now I seem to get the best results with Essie Ridge Filling Base Coat and OPI DS Top Coat.

Working with my hands is tough, though. 🙁 I work in a lab so I’m constantly bumping and scraping things, even with gloves on, and constantly washing my hands. I’m lucky if I get 2 days without major chips. 🙁

Brigette Avatar

I usually get 5-7 days but if I’m doing laundry, washing dishes, or cleaning then it’s about 1-3 days. I use Sally Hansen Super Strong Micro-Fiber Base Coat (I don’t think this is available anymore) and Sally Hansen No More Peeling as a top coat. Sephora by OPI and Ulta Professional have both seemed to last the longest on me.

Rengirl Avatar

I like to change my polish 2-3 times a week but if I know I’ll be too busy to do my nails, I’ll add a sticky basecoat between layers (I use Orly Bonder) and my manicure stays fresh for a week and half.

Chester Avatar

It would last a lot longer if I wouldn’t get bored of it by the end of the 2nd day 🙂 I think 4 days is the max since I really dislike the amount of tip wear I get in that time frame. Luckily, nothing has chipped on me in the last months.

Sarah Avatar

Good polishes I can stretch to 3 or 4 days before I get any really noticeable chips (or more than a couple, more realistically), average polishes I get chips during the first or second day. My nails are really thin and weak and peel, and I think it’s just the condition of my nails, since I’ve tried lots of different base and top coats and it’s always the same result.

Jennifer Avatar

Well I know certain ppl have diffrent natural oils on their nails which affects how long anything stays on ur nails. Ive heard people recommend to buff them to remove those oils before applying polish. I dont use a base coat at all and i only buff if my nails arent smoothe and my polish stays on for about a week as long as I use Seche Vite top coat. I can probablly go longer, but the tips start wearing off since I type alot and it annoys me. I own alot of nail polish so Im always wanting to change colors anyway.

judith hall Avatar

If I use Poshe 4 in 1 basecoat and topcoat with 2 coats of color in between I can get 8-10 days out of a manicure as long as I hit i with 4 in 1 a couple of times during the week. China Glaze seems to be the polish that lasts longest on me.

Hannah R. Avatar

I can usually get about a week. sometimes they start chipping before that, but usually they don’t – or it’s minimal chipping. Thats on my fingernails (and i don’t try to protect them, i’m pretty rough with my hands). On my toes, however, they pretty much last until i take it off 🙂 Which is usually a month or two.

Maya Avatar

It really depends on the brand. Base and top coat help, but the polish itself is important. Most drugstore brands last 2-4 days without chips. Essie and OPI are thin and chip quickly (within a few days) with two coats. Using three coats can get me 5-7 days of wear. Sephora by OPI is good for 5-7 days with no chips (using two coats). Chanel usually lasts a week with 2 coats, but I’ve worn Particuliere for up to 10 days, flawless. Butter London is also great – I’ve worn their polishes up to ten days as well, no chips! It could probably last longer if I didn’t feel like changing it! Other brands I’d like to try – RBL and Deborah Lippmann.

On my toes I use a base coat, three coats of polish, and top coat and can get three good weeks of wear, regardless of brand! Obviously using your hands more takes its toll on polishes, and really tests a formula.

Anitacska Avatar

It seems there are two types on here: one with iron nails and no chipping for a week, and the others like me with crappy nails and chips within the first 24-48 hours. 🙁 My nails are very soft and bendy, so everything chips on me, even with base and top coat. I’m lucky if I get through 48 hours without any chipping. Chanel Peridot chipped on me within 24 hours. Andrea Fulerton polishes last quite well, but no longer than 3 days. Oh well.

TR Avatar

For me it’s usually only 1-3 days. Although, sometimes my polish on my thumb and pinkie nails have stayed on for over 5 days while the other 3 fingers chipped like crazy.

AshD Avatar

The most I ever get before chipping is 2 days; I’m so jealous Christine! I’d love to wear it a week. I recently gave up on wearing polish b/c I just don’t have time to polish my nails 3 times a week, which I’d have to do if I wanted to not have ugly chips. I’ve tried Zoya, China Glaze, OPI, Sally Hansen, Sinful Colors, Essie, ELF, Revlon and Chanel – and the ALL chip in no time on me!

Sari Avatar

If I ‘m working every day I usually get about 2 days tops , but a lot of chipping within the first day , no matter what brand I ‘m using .

Val Avatar

Not long at all but that’s probably because I never wear a base or top coat. I can’t wear nail polishes at work so I have to take it off fairly quickly….

Andrea Avatar

I get bored easily, so usually change colour every day! Even then the tips wear a bit, but I don’t use a base or top coat – have found my nails dry out too much if I have too many layers. Illamasqua is generally the best for cover, wear and wonderful colours, but also like MAC and YSL. Have not had good luck with Chanel or Dior.

Heather Avatar

If I’m lucky, I start to only get tipwear in about 2 days. The most long wearing nail polish I have come across is Sinful Colors which runs like $2 a bottle. I find that funny since the bulk of my stash is more expensive polishes like Chanel, Butter London and Illamasqua. My nails are pretty healthy and I use the ridge filling base coat from Zoya and a top coat from Sally’s with any polish I use.

Christy Avatar

If I’m lucky maybe 4 days. I am very hard on my nails, either in the gym lifting weights or at work lifting boxes. I always get a ton of tip wear by the 3rd day, but the 4th it just looks nasty so I have to remove it.

Carrie L2 Avatar

I get a full week, or more, out of my manicure. I use OPI Start to Finish as a base coat, then two coats of polish (I like OPI, Essie or Sally Hansen X-Treme Wear work for me), then one coat of Sally Hansen’s Hard as Wraps (which says it’s an acrylic gel + nylon), and then Essie Good to Go. I know it sounds like a lot, and it takes me a full hour from start to dry, but it works for me. I think the combo of Hard as Wraps with Good to Go is what makes it last. By the way, I wash my hands at least 20 times a day (I work with kids), plus do dishes, etc.

JamesWormyYang Avatar

i be acreful not to rip my bc i usuallly then drop the stuff somewhere else before i pick it up agin bc i dont wanna mess up my nails

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