Ok, so I know everyone asks about peeling nails. But I have this issue with only my business finger on each hand. Oiling doesn’t seem to help. So far, the only thing that makes it go away is if I stop using polish completely until it grows out. However, as soon as I start polishing, it’s back in full force. I’ve switch base from Anchor and Hearts Mermaid Tears to ORLY Bonder, but same issue. I never use gel, only regular polish. Suggestions? Help me, fam. Giving up this polish habit is not an option.
by Apunctual
13 Comments
Following, I’m unsure the real reason why i just assumed i kinda like used that nail as a tool more often than the others but I’ve really have been trying “jewels not tools” but it still happens sometimes lol
I wonder if it’s something to do with the shaping – what kind of file do you use?
I have repeat offenders too. Even though I have largely figured out how to avoid peeling on every other nail, there are two that just never don’t peel.
My biggest issue is water. I have to take my daughter swimming once a week and the pool just ruins my nails. My best advice is to stay away from water, peel off the peeling part, and seal with basecoat. Never leave your nail bare and allowing the peeling part to stay on traps more water and creates more peeling. So I always just peel it off then seal it til it grows out. It works most of the time.
Orly Bonder Base made my nails peel. I’m going to guess that anchor & hearts is also a “sticky” base coat & that’s probably why you’ve had problems with each.
Maybe try a non-sticky base coat. I switched to ridge filling base coats & haven’t had an issue since.
“business finger” 😂
My nails were falling apart – Nailtiques Formula 2 fixed the problem. Highly suggest trying it.
ORLY Bonder has PVB and that could be a factor. I’d switch to a PVB-free base coat *(KBShimmer’s Stay Put and Fillin’ Groovy are my go-tos)* and see if that makes a difference.
A lot of the sticky basecoats contain PVB and for some people it causes peeling. It seems to affect my dominant hand more. KBShimmer has a hydrating sticky basecoat that doesn’t have pvb and it works well for me. I also really like their fillin groovy ridge filler. Nailtiques formula 2 is good to help with “healing” the peeling issue.
I’ve also stopped using any polish with pvb and I’m currently still growing out the peely damage on my dominant hand from when I was using ORLY bonder
For me the peeling only stopped when I switched to a nourishing base coat—mine is Stella Chroma but the same formula is offered by Anchor & Heart, Olive Ave, Painted Phalanges (cheapest!), Rogue, and I think a few other brands. Life changing!
The exact same thing happens to me on my middle nails! Neither of them will grow out nicely, and are always peeling and chipping before the others. I always chalk it up to my c curve being slightly flatter on that hand; like if it WERE the base coat, wouldn’t it affect all my nails? Idk. Cursed.
Okay, so this is based on my personal experience, and for me this nail is my left ring finger. But for me, the issue was mechanical stress I was putting on that nail when I did my hobbies (jewelry and chain making).
The insidious part is that I wasn’t even using that nail as a tool. The way I held my hand when I gripped my pliers, etc., was putting stress on the tip of that nail without me noticing. Keeping the nail polished was making it more rigid, which led to this peeling.
I hope you can get to the bottom of this! <3
Base coat with PVB did this to my nails, check the ingredients list for polyvinyl butyral
Same! I figure one out of ten ain’t bad. I rock nine long buddies and one shortie.