Searching for the secret to long-lasting DIY manicures
Once upon a time, I was obsessed with nail polish. I even ran a blog about it. I was updated on every release, often getting to try (swatch, as we called it) new shades and collections from different brands before they hit the market.
This lasted for years until eventually, life happened and my obsession waned. I still kept my nails painted but I didn’t keep up with the trends, and I certainly wasn’t spending all my money on bottles to add to my collection.
Over a decade later, I found myself in a conundrum. What I declared my holy grail top coat all those years ago, and the secret to my beautiful DIY manicures—Seche Vite—had started failing me. Sure, it still dried super fast (no sheet marks even after a late-night manicure) and was very glossy, but my polish had also been chipping super fast. I also didn’t like how quickly it turned into a thick, goopy mess in the bottle. I always ended up having to switch to a new bottle halfway through. I used to think I was getting old stocks from online sellers in the Philippines, but even fresh bottles bought in the US gave me the same problem.
For a while, I switched to professional gel manicures, especially before going on trips so I wouldn’t have to worry about chipped nails while traveling, but even that wasn’t foolproof. I don’t know if I was going to the wrong places or getting stuck with bad nail techs, but I’ve had gel manicures and pedicures chip—and worse, peel!—after just a day or two.
I did eventually find a nail place I liked, and the nail techs there gave me long-lasting manicures, but I’ve found that the gel removal process is so rough on my nails. My nails end up weak and brittle and in need of recovery after getting a series of gel manicures.
Still the best
I’ve come to realize that for me, a DIY manicure at home is still the best. It’s cheaper, it’s faster (usually under 10 minutes) and I can do it anytime I want.
But what to use? I needed to figure out a new at-home mani system. I tried base coats and top coats and polish from different brands but struggled to find a combination that worked for me. The mani would always look good on the first couple of days but would chip soon after.
Then I was gifted some bottles of OPI’s Infinite Shine. OPI’s Infinite Shine promises gel-like long-lasting wear of “up to 11 days” without the need for UV or LED lamps. I will be honest—I’m not a fan of the nail lamps. They’re another reason I started avoiding professional gel manicures as much as I could. I don’t know if it’s just me but sometimes they feel too hot and even painful.
Gel-like polish isn’t new–practically every brand has its own version of it. There’s usually a base coat and a top coat plus a line of colors that are part of the system. I’ve tried a few but they’ve never delivered on their promise of long-lasting manicures.
And so I tried OPI’s Infinite Shine with trepidation. I began with nail prep. I never cut my cuticles, I just push. And here’s a tip if you want to avoid getting hangnails: moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Use hand cream, cuticle oil, cuticle butter, whatever you like, just keep the skin around your nails happy and hydrated.
Another tip: before painting your nails, swipe your nails with remover (non-oily!) or alcohol to make sure your nail plates are free of any oil residues that will prevent your base coat from adhering fully. I use Zoya Remove+, which is a polish remover, nail cleaner, and nail prep in one. (It’s my second favorite nail polish remover. My no. 1 favorite is The Face Shop’s but it’s never available in stores here—please bring it back!)
I painted my nails with the bottle marked OPI Infinite Shine 1 ProStay Primer or base coat. Then it was time for Step 2, the color. There are a lot of colors in the Infinite Shine line, from OPI classics like Bubble Bath, Alpine Snow, Big Apple Red, and Lincoln Park After Dark, to seasonal and special collections.
I used three thin coats of OPI’s Phosphorescent, a green glow-in-the-dark shade from the brand’s Wicked collection. Then to finish, I applied OPI Infinite Shine 3 ProStay Gloss, the top coat. I was happy to discover that it dries pretty fast. It was dry to the touch in five minutes but I tried not to move too much for another 15 to 20 minutes to avoid dents and to make sure it dried completely.
Almost a week
I admired my glossy green nails and then forgot about it as I went on with my life. My lifestyle is hard on my nails—I am constantly typing, ripping into packages, crafting, cooking. Days later, I looked at my nails and thought, whoa, it’s been almost a week and my mani still hasn’t chipped.
It was on Day 8 when I got a little chip on my thumb. Eight days! I haven’t had a DIY mani last that long maybe ever. I’m usually happy if my DIY mani lasts five days. And the best part was when it was time to remove it, there was no soaking in acetone, no sanding, no foil needed. I just used my cotton balls and polish remover, and voila—bare nails. OPI Infinite Shine lives up to the tagline “locks onto nails like gel, unlocks like lacquer” and its promise of “damage-free removal.”
I had been planning on getting gel nails for a wedding I was going to but after the first wear test, I decided to use Infinite Shine again. Did the same process except this time, I wore The “Ga” is Silent, a soft, shimmery pink, also from the Wicked collection, and topped it with Don’t Hide Your Magic for even more shimmer. Once again, my manicure lasted for over a week, long after the wedding was over. It wasn’t a fluke.
I also tested the Infinite Shine base coat and top coat with other polish brands and they really do make manicures last, even surviving the day I helped out at my cousin’s bar, and lord knows how many tabs of tonic water and ginger ale I pried open that night.
I’m happy about the wear and also happy about the prices. Bottles of the base coat, top coat and colors are P695 each—a set of three costs less than what I usually spend on one trip to a nail salon.
I have finally found a new system for my at-home manicures, and I’m glad.
OPI Infinite Shine is available at Rustan’s.
