(Part 2) Best products from r/Nails

I'm late to the party but you sound like you have my nails!

I cycle through:

NailTek Strengthener 3 - alternate with Duri Rejuvacote 1
NailTek Ridge Filler 3 - base coat for all
NailTek Strengthener 4 - strong but need formaldehyde

Duri Rejuvacote 1 - Go to starting strengthener
Duri Rejuvacote 2 - Strengthener for formaldehyde diet when nails start to show signs of being hard and brittle

Mavala Scientifique Nail Hardener - Extra strength is needed due to splitting and peeling, usually use with NailTek

My favorite top coats are:

Essence the gel
Bourjois 1 Seconde Gloss
Julie G Jet Set

Refresher topcoat:

Color Club Vivid

Moisture:

I love Fortune Cookie Soap's massage bar (PJP All of the things) as a cuticle butter. In winter I mix it with Badger Balm Cuticle Care 60% / 40%. I think they might have discontinued the bar though.
Love and Leche Lotion bars are a non greasy alternative.
Trader Joe's Head to Toe Balm is a bit greasy but great for winter.

I was using Mango Oil to help cure my nails but I'm allergic to it, so now I'm using Sacred Earth Massage Oil Blend because I have it. I'll probably switch to sunflower or jojoba oil once it's empty.

I tend to use whatever's going on my face or chest on my hands or cuticles and that's helped keep them healthy. I love Mizon's snail line and Skinfood's Lettiuce and Cucumber.

I use a glass file and always seal my tips per Loodie's method.

I love Blue Cross cuticle remover with an orangewood stick. I'll usually use a bit after I do cleanup as well. Eucerin Advanced Repair Foot Cream also works well to clean up cuticles as it has urea in it.

About 9 years of trial and error. I have beautiful nails now, makes me so happy. :)

Hope this helps!

These are the items I used:
Polygel Kit
Zenpy【113-In-1】Poly Nail Gel Nail... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HF47ZKL?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

UV Lamp
Makartt 6W LED UV Nail Dryer... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071F49JDW?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

and 91% isopropyl alcohol


I watched tons and tons of people on youtube using polygel before I decided to buy it, so I kind of knew what to expect— and the videos are all right. It is definitely tricky and takes some
getting used to but once you figure out how much product you need, how it lays out, etc. it gets easier. I definitely need to practice some more before I would do anyone else’s nails. I have only ever used press on nails before so this was definitely new.
Overall, though, I am very satisfied with it! The kit I got seems like the best value for a starter and so far everything is holding up great and the product was pretty nice (not that I have much to compare it to, though).
It was fun and you can remove polygel pretty easily without damaging your nail if you totally hate the way it looks.
One thing I do really like about it is that you can completely control the product thickness, length, etc. and still have it look super natural.

10/10 recommend!!

I have had brittle, peeling, and breaking nails as a result of biting them for years. I quit biting in high school, but ended up with a chronic cuticle picking habit. Over the past year I have finally found a routine with relatively cheap products that have turned my nails from weak and short to strong and long. Here's the list:

OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil has honestly saved the condition of my nails more than anything.

Beauty Secrets Black Rectangular Cushion Nail File is what I use to file and shape my nails. The grit is coarse, but doesn't destroy my already weak nails. Plus, it's washable so it lasts forever.

This buffer is the final step I take before applying polish. It prevents bubbles from ruining my polish job.

I absolutely swear by this Nailaid Extreme Steel Hardener. I use it as a top and a base coat for my regular polish. It makes it look like I got a set of gel nails and the color lasts FOREVER.

All of this along with a decent hand lotion like Gold Bond Intensive Healing Hand Cream will have your hands and nails in glorious condition once you develop a regular routine. Good luck!

I've been using this lamp (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N0BCN9B) for almost a year now and absolutely love it.

For the polygel, I went with this one (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076B9CBVZ) because it had excellent reviews and it was great to have everything I needed to do my nails, except slip solution and dehydrator. I used alcohol (100%) as slip and I had my own dehydrator.

I just bought this kit (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RY99LXY/) to try next as it was a bit cheaper and I wanted to see if it's easier to work with the slip solution or not (kit comes with everything).

Happy to answer any questions you may have if it helps you save some time and not make the mistakes I made as a first timer. I'm still happy as heck with the results and can't stop staring at my nails. Lol

First things first - you've got to hydrate those puppies. Take a small bowl and heat up a tablespoon of coconut oil in the microwave. You can add a number of different oils to it; I use jojoba and olive oil. Add a couple drops of rosemary essential oil to it. When the oil cools down, soak your nails in the mixture. As you're soaking your nails, massage each one in circular motions, for about a minute. Do this 3x a week.

Drink plenty of water.

Invest in a good hair, skin and nails supplement. I like biotin and evening primrose oil. I started taking evening primrose oil a month ago, and I already have half an inch of growth on each of my nails.

Use a clear, nurturing nail polish - I really love Sally Hansen's Complete Care, 7-1. You can buy it at most drugstores or here, on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Sally-Hansen-Complete-Moisturizing-Strength/dp/B00392HBQC

Use this treatment once a week. It will keep your nails shiny and make you less prone to biting them.

Good luck! I'm a recovering compulsive nail-biter as well.

Of course! This is a list of most the products I use:

Drill: (it is absolutely amazing!)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PNKV71Z/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_bwCpDbV82MR8J

Acrylic monomer:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006CVXR10/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_qxCpDbFDTH6A8

Acrylic polymer:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BGTQEKE?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Nail prep:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079YKLFN2?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Brushes:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UONBO5S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Hand files:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EHRGFKK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Top coat (UV light required):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01B96JHV6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1BCpDbV2T3D93

Smaller version of what’s pictured:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MS1UWAF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_JECpDbCTC26YH

I also use little things like: tips, glue, cuticle nippers/tools, cuticle oils, alcohol wipes, acetone, etc. I hope this helps! Please note, I have been doing my nails for a long time and I have built up my collection over the years. It is expensive from the start, but always remember, everything will last you longer then the salon because you’re only doing your nails once every few weeks. Good luck!!! 😁😁😁

I use this one and it cures the gershion/ and gel polish colors really well. I was so surprised because of the price, it was super cheap but definitely try it out! I was thinking of getting a markartt polygel to try it out, but i really like the gershion a lot! My problem with the gershion is I don’t think the clear is totally clear, or I may be using too much slip solution lol. Try it out though!


Gel UV LED Nail Lamp,LKE Nail Dryer 40W Gel Nail Polish LED UV Light with 3 Timers Professional Nail Art Tools Accessories White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G31SQZ7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_tG-mDbY48Q2VN

The best way I’ve found is to file the top coat off so the acetone can penetrate the polish, then soak with acetone for 10-15 minutes. After that it should be easy to scrape off. I really like the hands down soak off nail wraps because they stay on better than foil. https://www.amazon.com/Graham-Hands-Down-Wraps-Count/dp/B0051V1EQW Ive heard warmth can also help speed up the process.

My nails went to crap earlier this year, and the free edges were barely visible. I spent a fair amount of time trying to figure out a way to protect my nails while they grew out. And even when they would grow out, they would break and tear again. The Sally Hansen maximum growth polish actually worked, but did nothing to strengthen my nails.

So I went the nuclear route. Using this method, it's kind of a pain, but I haven't torn or broken a nail since I've been using it. Now all of my nail free edges extend 6+mm, and they are practically bulletproof. Plus my nail polish last beyond two weeks, with zero chips. I will actually have to add polish to the inner part of my nail where it grows out a couple of times before I get tired of the color, and change it.

I use a thick super glue to adhere a silk nail wrap to my entire nail plate. I then add a second layer of silk to the very tip of my nails. This makes the nail HARD, and extremely durable, and also increases the thickness at the edge of my nail. The extra thickness, and rounded edges have eliminated inadvertently scratching myself due to the longer nails as they are no longer razor sharp.

I've then round the edge with a nail file, and wrap every coat of nail polish around the edge to the inside, so every bit of the underside of my nail is painted to match the top side of my nail. The nail polish adheres to the silk wrap many, many, many times better than it does my nail plate.

This is also a perfect way to repair a ripped, dented, or broken nail.

Gluing the silk to your nail plate is a tedious task. You don't want any of the glue to get down inside of your cuticles. The thick Super Glue does not set instantly. You have a good 20 seconds to get the silk into place and the excess glue wiped away from your cuticles before you use the accelerator to instantly set everything in place.

Regular nail polish remover will not effect the super glue/silk layer. Pure acetone will. So you can use a regular nail polish remover to remove the polish and repaint. But if you want to remove the glue/silk layer, acetone will be needed.

This is what I've been using. It's from Amazon, but you can also get the same items from Hobby Lobby. 💕E


❗❗ JUST DON'T EVER USE A THIN GLUE ❗❗


Supernail Swiss Silk Wrap Self-Adhesive Tabs, 40 Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002MFWH70/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_poZVDb2WR7EVW

Bob Smith Industries BSI-157H Maxi Cure/Insta-Set Combo Pack (3 oz. Combined) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0166FFCHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-pZVDbR9TGP00O

Yep, dry skin. I recommend a thick cuticle cream. My favorite is Hard as Hoof, which is technically a nail growth/strengthening cream, but it's cheap, ULTRA hydrating, smells nice, and makes your cuticles look and feel amazing.

FYI, if you suffer from brittle/soft/peeling nails, this is also great.

If you're looking for a little file to keep in your handbag like I needed, I recommend this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B06XSK5TV2/ref=oh_aui_i_d_old_o2_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm very pleased with them. Easy to wash off, perfect size, comes in a pocket to protect them, they're very cheap and claim to have life long guarantee. I think they sell them in a bigger size too, I'm not sure.