I've decided that I need to start wearing nail polish more often. My favorites are dark purples and blues. Any body have any recommendations? And what are your favorites!

Dark purple - OPI's Lincoln Park after Dark. Dark Blue - OPI's Russian Navy :)

I love the itsy bitsy tiny polishes from Sephora. they're just the right amount, and they glide on beautifully.. the only downside is that (at least the colours I have) color your nails.. but you can easily get rid of that with a base coat.
I swear by Curacoa (lovely turquoise!) and Myrtille.

I've been getting my nails done (gel over my natural nails) for about 9 years now, and enjoy the natural, clear look. I rarely wear polish, but when I do, it's typically a shell pink or toffee/beige. Love the quick drying ones!

I just stopped getting gels, but I am going back to them this week, my nails are a nightmare and it hurts to do anything! I really like the new OPI Toyland collection, I just got Brand New Skates which is a shimmery charcoal and I can't wait to rock it, with my newly applied nails! :)

What are gels?

I get this brand http://www.biosculpturenails.com/ (at a salon), it is a coating they put over your regular nails to make them stronger. It is a clear coating and you need to get it "filled" every 2-3 weeks. Some other people get acrylic, which seems to be more damaging, but you can have very long nails with acrylic. I think. Not sure. I just get the gels ...

The acrylics also tend to yellow over time, which I detest. I like the healthy, natural looking nails, and with gels over my own nails, I can wear polish if I want, or just go natural, which is what I normally do. I've been going to the same nail artist forever, and he's very talented. I don't get the super white airbrushing or tips, but a lot of people do. I just prefer the natural look, and my natural nail tip is white enough.

Ok, so do the gel overlays damage your natural nail as much as acrylics? I'm looking into getting the gel overlays for a wedding I'm standing in soon, but I want to be able to take them off soon after that and I don't want nasty nails like when you take acrylics off.

No the gel overlays I have are applied OVER the nail, no drilling. I need to get mine done every 2-3 weeks or the coating just peels off like a super thick layer of nail polish. Check with your salon that it is an overlay (some times called UV gels) and you don't want any drilling, that is what damages your nails. :)

Thanks for the info. Now, can you change the nailpolish and paint your nails yourself, or is that something you get done whenever you get them done again?

Yes you can definitely change your polish yourself. I do a terrible job of it, so I get my fabulous nail chick to do it, but I have done it and it was a-ok.

I'm probably the biggest fan of I'll take the cake, from OPI, right now. Love it! So pretty, sofy, subtle and elegant. <3 <3 <3

According to my fab derm - nails are dead, like hair, so they don't actually "breathe". Using overlays is the same as using a topcoat or strengthener or nail polish - all protect your nails and allow them to grow longer. If your nail technician does any drilling on your nails, that will definitely damage them, which is needed for acrylic or regular gel nails. And some people drill for overlays as well, which is not the way they are suppose to work. Remember, we can drill in the walls, not our nails :) There are lots of good strengtheners out there, Susie seems to have found one, she has amazing nails, I like Nailtique and have tried the original OPI Nail Envy, but i found that peeled off of my nails quickly. I know they have a bunch of other formulations now, even one for men! :)

Last edited Nov, 28, 2008 by critty

I just got my first OPI nail polish, from their sephora line. It's "Metro Chic" and I totally love it. It's kind of a dark grey/dirty purple color.

OOoooooo I love that one!! I haven't bought it but I covet it when I go to the store. I love Never Enough Shoes, black with glitter - it combines everything I love :) And I never have enough shoes because I have size 5 feet, and most of the stores in Canada start at 6 and some are now starting at 7 - grrrr. Any ramble, I think Santa should bring me Metro Chic :)

I'm loving OPI Brand New Skates. And I'm loving Develop 10 Calcium Gel. My nails are less "peely" now.

oh my god, I bought "you don't know jacques!", "i'll take the cake" and "green-wich village" from opi and simply L.O.V.E. them... you dont know jacques! is simply gorgeous, gree-nwich village is so edgy and i'll take the cake is simply pretty pretty pretty! i would look much more awesome on some longer nails, but I wear it anytime I feel like going for a softer look.. gooood, I want 'em all.