Leighton, OPI, Pro-strong or Nails Inc to strengthen nails?????

Not being a nail person at all but thinking of dabbling, I want the recommendations of all you experts for first of all a nail strengthener and secondly a good polish from the QVC offerings. At least then I can use the 30 day MBG.

My nails are all splitting on the ends and catch on stuff - they seem to split in a downward direction so it almost doesn't grow out if you get the gist. My nails are also quite soft these days. I think some of it could be down to my age and medication as I have been put into early menopause through treatment for incurable breast cancer and the hormones have to be wiped out!! I am retired from work so don't have to worry about what I can or can't wear.

I just want stronger nails that don't split !! Then I can experiment with colour.....

Thanks everyone :clapping:

sorry to hera about your illness lizgregs. i have naturally horrid nails. they split, are dry and peel are very soft.
i have used nail streagnthers and they have made them even worse. nail envy being the worst. now i file them with lieghton denny nail file and oil them with anything thats handy she butter,vaseline and opi avoplex.
i find that nail polish and removers make my nails worse.
they are now 3 months of no colour or nail products the very best they have been for years.
i am going to a big party on saturday and want to paint my nails but will remove the colour the next day so as to keep the conditu
io

The really like OPI nail envy for strengthening. I dont do as they sayin the demo but rather once a week use a curicle remover cream and apply 2 coats of nail envy and everyday i use an oil oil (i got a cheapie called strictly professional from Amazon). I have been doing this for about 4 months now and have seen a massive improvement!

Nails inc i like for up to date colours but i also remove it quickly as polish really drys my nails too!

OPI's Nail Envy is the first and last word in nail strengtheners for my money. Combined with a nail oil, you'll have gorgeous nails in no time.

the trouble with Nail Envy etc is they harden nails and then they will break as over dry and too hard. Trind is brilliant and the only one which really worked for me. I use the balsam and cuticle balm and have really strong nails. Or believe it or not Liz Earle Superbalm rubbed into the nails as many times as possible over the day.

I agree OPI's nail envy is the best conditioner. I think Nails Inc. do the best polishes but I always use their base coat and top coat which stops my nails drying out. My nails started getting ridges on them (from base to tip) due to chemo. but the above regime certainly helps. Good luck with whatever you decide to do and take care x.

donna255 said:

the trouble with Nail Envy etc is they harden nails and then they will break as over dry and too hard. Trind is brilliant and the only one which really worked for me. I use the balsam and cuticle balm and have really strong nails. Or believe it or not Liz Earle Superbalm rubbed into the nails as many times as possible over the day.

Click to expand...

I'm going to second Donna's opinion of Trind. This is the only system that has ever worked for me. I also take a silica capsule every day and use lots of moisturizer. My nails are better than they've ever been. Wishing you all the very best in battling your illness.

love Ann
xxxxxx

Nail envy wrecked my nails even with using cuticle oil it was just too much. Im not a huge fan of nail strengthners I think they make your nails to brittle. Jessica fusion if you can get it is a good base coat for peeling nails it sort of "glues" the layers together. In reality you need to try and stop the peeling from the tips because that is where water can get in and seperate the layers even more
Leighton Denny's nail file keep them short and use a good cuticle oil. Thats how I cured my peeling nails caused by medication and a good base coat before applying colour and as already said not keeping colour on for too long. I also had ridges and found Leighton Dennys renovate cream really good for that. Jessica do a nail cuticle cream called nourish which is really rich and great for keeping cuticles in good condition.
The nail file really does "seal" the ends and eventually stops the peeling, just remember whatever you do it will take around 3 months before the newer "healthy" nail reaches the tip

Thanks for all your lovely replies.

Donna & Ann (Mam) - where can you buy Trind??? I am up North in Lancashire so if there is anywhere with mail order that would be brill.

I have LE superbalm and do use it on rough nails from time to time and it does work. It's great for so many things isn't it?

Hi, lizgregs. So sorry you are having a rough time of things. I massage LE super balm into my nails and cuticles as often as I can and I find this works for me. Essie nail polishes have a beautiful gloss and last really well if you use a base and top coat. My favourite colour is Wicked. It's a very dark burgundy wine colour and looks great on short nails. Hope this helps. Gemma. Xxx

I gave up having gel nails about 12 months ago and found that they snapped constantly. I bought the Leighton Denny totally groomed kit. The nail file is brilliant and does what it says. The renovate and buffer were good at getting rid of ridges. The Hydra flex system has worked wonders on my nails but if your nails are quite bendy maybe the bio build would be better for you. I've also heard very good things about Trind but have never used the products.

The only item that i could not live without (a la Franks!) is Leighton Denny crystal nail file. Since buying it, I do not have split nails as it seems to seal the edges. I am not a lover of nail hardeners, they all seem to make nails hard and brittle, no matter which one I have used. Also NI Kensington Caviar base and top coat do a great job. Just my ten pence worth!

I have tried lots of strengtheners and the only one I would recommend is Nail Envy. I have been using it for over ten years and often try the others but always go back to it. Now I just use it as a base coat under my varnish. The LD Crystal Nail file is another product I would not be without and like having the set so the small one goes everywhere with me in my handbag for quick on the go touch ups.

I like the OPI oil best but Jessica is a close second. LD varnish seems to go on easiest but I do like Nails Inc too. OPI is ok but they don't seem to make many of the colours I like.

There is only one top coat to use in my opinion and that is Seche Vite - dries the base, 2 coats of colour and top coat completely in less than 10 mins, and gives a lovely glossy finish that lasts for over a week. Sometimes I just add another coat of Seche Vite and it lasts nearly another week!

If you find the edge of your nail flakes and causes nail polish to do the same I can recommend the perfect formula gel coat (not fussed about the pink one) it works really well as a ridge filler and makes any polish last a couple of days longer on my nails. My 15year old daughter is using trind and nail envy alternately and has lovely long nails. I got the Trind from justbeautydirect.co.uk (the lovely Jayne who owns the site is a forum member here) but it doesn't look as though she's restocking it. QVC used to sell it but it might be worth looking on ebay or googling for another UK retailer.

Jude xx

For me OPI Nail Envy works best and since using a crystal file for filing I am finding my nails are not peeling so much.

lizgregs said:

Thanks for all your lovely replies.

Donna & Ann (Mam) - where can you buy Trind??? I am up North in Lancashire so if there is anywhere with mail order that would be brill.

I have LE superbalm and do use it on rough nails from time to time and it does work. It's great for so many things isn't it?

Click to expand...

Hi Liz. I usually buy mine from www.Gardenpharmacy.co.uk. Sometimes I can get some cheapies from www.Northdowncosmetics.co.uk usually the cuticle balsam or nail balsam but it's certainly worth having a look on their website first.

Hope this helps hun.

Sending loads of positive wishes.
xxxxxxxxxxx

Mam said:

Hi Liz. I usually buy mine from www.Gardenpharmacy.co.uk. Sometimes I can get some cheapies from www.Northdowncosmetics.co.uk usually the cuticle balsam or nail balsam but it's certainly worth having a look on their website first.

Hope this helps hun.

Sending loads of positive wishes.
xxxxxxxxxxx

Click to expand...

Sorry, wrong URL for Northdown, should be www.northdown-gifts.com

Liz - don't spend a penny - borrow it all from me when we next meet! I could set up a nail salon in me front room

I'd deffo recommend the Leighton Denny nail file, that really does make all the difference in my experience. I too find that polish weakens and dries my nails so wear it infrequently but the best range for durability and colour is Leighton IMHO. I didn't get on with the smell of Slick Tips though it did provide a good level of moisturisation (as they would have it on QVC!) OPI Avoplex is good, as is plain shea butter. I think there was a thread in The Drop about another oil that was worty of note too, might be worth a flick through. Personally I found the whole Nail Envy regime to be rubbish - by the time I'd painted two coats on and another each alternate day for a week my nails looked horrendous - a mass of revolting chipped gloop :down:. ProStrong sorted my nails when they went through a really weak phase though I don't have any of that left for you to sample

Anyway, come round and have a look through my stash soon! :nod: :wave:

Hi Liz

Liz my nails were rubbish when I had my chemo. I dont know if you had any. The ones that didn't fall off had ring like grooves on them and they kept splitting . I just kept rubbing coconut oil into them just to keep them moisturised and used a LD crystal file on them.

I honestly wouldnt go out and buy a lot of expensive remedies It wasnt until all the grooves grew out and the chemicals left my body my nails got stronger. It was lovely last week1 year down the line I went for an OPI manicure. There nail polish it great and has staying power. Now its the grey curly hair I have to work on.

Keep strong and all the best.

Another vote for the Leighton Denny crystal file, fab. I didn't think Nail Envy did anything at all for my nails (actually think it made them worse) but I do like Avoplex oil. I know it's Non QVC but Nailtiques Protein Formula no2 is brilliant, you can get on amazon/some beauty websites. I had truly awful weak vertical-splitting nails for years and now have stronger nails which I actually have to file down, a first ever for me in 50 years.