How's everyone getting on with their RCM nails?

[iloveshopping]

I think you would need the base coat Tink.

. I agree that the base coat is probably needed as each coat dries sticky which allows the each successive coat to stick to the next one. After the top coat is applied the sticky residue is removed using the purifying lotion

 

[Tinkerbell]

. I agree that the base coat is probably needed as each coat dries sticky which allows the each successive coat to stick to the next one. After the top coat is applied the sticky residue is removed using the purifying lotion

Thanks FP and ILS I'll try it again with the RCM base and top coats with my normal varnishes in between.

 

[iloveshopping]

Thanks FP and ILS I'll try it again with the RCM base and top coats with my normal varnishes in between.

Hmmm I wonder.... As people are sandwiching their own non RCM products (and therefore removing the base coat sticky ness) between the base coat and the top coat it may be possible to put nail envy on instead of the base coat. I can't try it for a month as I've just put my new colour on and then the next application will be before I go on holiday so won't want to experiment then.

 

[Rainbow Lady]

I put the base coat then the Brilliance then paint over with my own polishes and put a normal topcoat on.
Stays on for at least two weeks that way

 

[angelicannemarie]

I thought the sandwich was base, normal NV, the top. Could be wrong

 

[Akimbo]

It's easier to change colours if you apply ordinary polish on top of the RCM top coat, just use acetone free remover to take off the coloured polish.

Jude xx

 

[Breeze]

Very happy with it.
My nails are growing without splitting & breaking, which they usually do, so am very, very happy about that.

Personally, I much prefer the French version to the bolds even though I'd never had a French manicure in my life before. The red in the bolds is lovely but I couldn't get on with the purple at all. No matter how I tried, it looked streaky & horrible

What I do now is put on a French manicure then, when I want a change, I put Nails Inc base coat over it & then one of my umpty varnishes ( Nails Inc, OPI, LD, whatever, I have too many!) plus top coat. Works brilliantly.
I can remove the top polish with an acetone free remover like OPI then do a different colour. The underlying French RCM lasts 2/3 weeks & my nails are better than ever.....result!!

 

[iloveshopping]

@Breeze - do you think I could manage to do a French version without the kit? I have white and pink RCM varnishes?

 

[Breeze]

I can't see any reason why not. It's just the same really isn't it?
I put on the beige, there's pink in the kit but not tried that yet, cured it then put the white tip on & cured that. Then added the Brilliance over it all & cured.
I haven't got the hang of getting a really neat, unwobbly line yet but it is lasting really well.

 

[amn]

For the French I do base coat, white tip, sheer pink (bluesky, not RCM - I thought the pink was too pink and too opaque for me) over the top of the lot (including the tip) and top coat over the lot. I prefer it that way as it takes some of the Tippex whiteness out of the white tips, which I'm not keen on.

I did think that using your own polishes they had to be sandwiched in between the RCM base and top coats, it's interesting to know that they're still quite long lasting if just put on over the top of the two, as like Jude said it makes them easier to get off. Might give it a try.

 

[Akimbo]

Years ago (20+ OMG) I had fully sculpted acrylics and because it's a very sturdy smooth surface the polish colours on top would last weeks. It's the flexing of natural nails and unstable surface (peeling) that contributes to polish chipping or peeling.

Jude xx

 

[holmca]

Thumbs up from me

I took a chance and bought the first TSV, which included the colours called "Plum up the Volume, Red Carpet Reddy and Its not a Taupe. I had never tried a Gel system before, but always used Varnish as my nails are so weak. I fell in love with this system after the first use and I am still using it.

Previously I would have removed my varnish before cleaning cars, working in the garden etc. but now I do them before with the gel system to protect them from the heavy work.

It easily lasts 2 weeks, but I tend to remove it after 10 days and then "soak" my names in Almond oil for three days before putting it on again.

One tip I did hear on the last shows, was that if your nails feel hot when you put them under the light, then the coat is too thick. I had this once, but now I put thinner coats on of the colour (maybe even 3) I have not had this again.

I've just bought 3 more colours, "Ooo La Liscious, I simply love your Nails and Runway Red". The first is a lovely Coral colour, perfect for Summer.

 

[Dips]

I like the fact that my nails are ready to go as soon as the process is finished. For me, it's a still only lasting about a week, but it goes suddenly having lasted well until that point. I'm not getting the high shine that I'd hoped for. I need to invest in some more colours as the colours supplied are just not what I would choose myself. When I did my toes, my little toe did not cure on either foot (didn't realise until I wiped at end, and wiped off all the polish) so will need to rethink how to use the lamp on them.

I will be sticking to this system though, as I think it is so much more convenient with the instant set.

 

[iloveshopping]

I get a really high shine on my nails except for this latest blue sky purple gel. But I'll try an additional thin coat of the colour. One nail did peel with it as well. I think once you get a chip water gets under the gel and it peels a couple of days later. Next time I get a chip I'll seal the chip with some nail glue. Generally don't get chips. I have o lala licious not it seems to me to be almost the same shade as red carpet reddy. Last summer I had o lala on on my fingers and red carpet reddy on my toes and people thought I had matching toes and nails. I'm not used to buying nail varnish and sometimes es I end up with colours very similar to ones I already have especially buying online. Still haven't managed to buy an olive colour.

 

[Dips]

I've just been and bought some proper CND on Amazon. I'd got an Amazon gift balance from TopCashBack, so my two polishes were in effect gratis. Did quite a bit of goggling actual painted nail images to help decide which colours to buy (went for Romantique and Masquerade), as I think the bottle images are not helpful in what the final result will be.

 

[jordie_tart]

I've just been and bought some proper CND on Amazon. I'd got an Amazon gift balance from TopCashBack, so my two polishes were in effect gratis. Did quite a bit of goggling actual painted nail images to help decide which colours to buy (went for Romantique and Masquerade), as I think the bottle images are not helpful in what the final result will be.

Didn't think CND worked with the RCM lamp , thought CND required a UV lamp to cure ?

 

[Nikki]

Ta Jordie, another thing to check if you need an LED or a UV lamp .
I love my RCM now. Been really busy so haven't changed my nail colour & it's lasted for 3 weeks no chips! Will take it off today tho due to regrowth. (It was a french with just base & top coat so wasn't visible but I can now see it more clearly).
80+ quid plus extra colours is a considerable amount so thought I'd kick this thread off as our 30 days was coming to an end so that people can see feedback & judge if they wanted to keep it. Looks like it was a runaway success for the majprity of us, great! x

 

[Dips]

Didn't think CND worked with the RCM lamp , thought CND required a UV lamp to cure ?

Oh, bu**er, really??? I'll have to return items if that is the case. I bought it as others had mentioned using other Shellac products on here, particularly Blue Skies.

 

[Snarly]

ILoveShopping. If you Google Images+nail+polish+olive, pictures of manicures in green polish may help. The BottleColour is very deceptive, I find. I check back to the Poster's site and they often show the hands in different lights to give you a better idea of the colours. Good posters show 4 similar colours on each finger, which is a bonus. imo x Snarly

 

[Dips]

So what other brands can we use with the RCM lamp? This is all so very confusing!!!!