USVI-On-Line

Thanks for the great info guys!! Will check into that gel polish. And french makes sense too.

Heather...go for it

Pia wrote:Just put it in you carry on/purse - in the quart size ziplock bag of course - it is under 3oz so no problem

Pia

I'm with Pia...exactly what I do...put it on at night, though...I made the mistake of reapplying it in the morning and ended up witn sand sprinkled all over my pedicure...

I've had the sand chipping away problem, but never the color fading. I recently had a pedicure at a new salon and I'm at two weeks now without a single chip. I need to pay attention to what they use as a top coat next time.

Have you heard of shellac , it really works I had it done and it lasted 3 weeks with out chipping or fading . It's a bit more expensive and they don't have a ton of colors but i got a French manicure and loved it

My girlfriend actually just started using shellac. To my knowledge though you can only get it done in salons. Wish i could buy a bottle!

I have not noticed the fading so much. But the sand is rough on polish. I've even had sand melt into the polish when I was laying on my stomach on a towel with my toes sticking off the towel into the sand. Not talking about recently polished either -- had been done before I ever left home. i couldn't believe it.

I always travel with my OPI nail polish and haven't had an accident. Like Pia suggested, I always have it in a ziploc and it's always travelled perfectly.

Barney&barbara wrote:Have you heard of shellac , it really works I had it done and it lasted 3 weeks with out chipping or fading . It's a bit more expensive and they don't have a ton of colors but i got a French manicure and loved it

Barbara, (I assume this isn't Barney)

I was told that I couldn't get a Shellac French mani because the polish is so thick and the layers just wouldn't look right. Sounds like it worked out okay for you though... I'll have to ask when I go for mine in couple of weeks!

The best nail polish I've found is called China Glaze.

The first time I came across it was at Sally Beauty Supply right before a trip to STJ. The store was right next to the nail place and I always take my own polish and had gone to Sally's to treat myself with a new bottle before getting my pre-STJ pedicure. Back then there were only like 3 colors but the sales woman convinced me how durable it was so even though I didn't care very much for any of the colors I was sold. I have been so impressed with China Glaze through repeated trips to STJ that it's all I use anymore. Now Sally's carries a wide variety of colors.

I just checked and it's also available through Amazon.com.

I have never had a problem with fading. I use OPI as well as the quick drying top coat, which also works well to battle the sand wear/chipping too.

I put an emergency bottle (for touch ups in case of a horrible chip) in my checked bag, inside of a ziploc and never had a problem with leakage or breakage.

Oh yes you do have to go to a salon , but for a vacation I will splurge !

It's really not that thik , it looked like a regular french manicure and it's totally dry once it's done no smudging opening the car door lolololol

I have found that not all OPI colors last the same amount of time. The one that lasts and lasts on my toes is It's All Greek To Me. I run almost everyday and it still looks great after 2 or 3 weeks! I wore it 10 days on the beach in St. John without even a touch up and it was fine. Here is a photo I found online of what it really looks like:

http://makeitcolorful.blogspot.com/2009 ... to-me.html

The gels are great but the job does not come off easily - it is re-filled or you have to soak it off in acetone, like acrylic nails.

I have had good luck with OPI with a topcoat of Seche Vite. Something new and very cool in OPI is the "Shatter" polishes that go on over the regular colors then "shatter" to form a random pattern. This last trip I did white shatter over a hot frosty coral and it looked really great. The silver shatter looks good, too. It's pretty long wearing, especially with the Seche on top.

Good luck with your toesies.

I've been using the Shellac 'gel' off and on for the last 6 months and this brand you can soak off your self with regular nail polish remover. Lasts about 3 weeks and looks great.

I did try another brand and it had to be soaked and scraped off at the salon.

Hope this helps! Have a great trip!