Today we have a guest post from Stephanie and it is all about taking care of your nails to the best of your ability.

Recently I embarked on a challenge on my blog: 52 Weeks/52 Polishes. This involves reviewing a different nail polish every week for a year (not that the title gives it away or anything…) Although I review each polish on a number of factors, the main one is longevity and I firmly believe having the right kit to start with can help prolong your nail polish wear.


I find that a good buffer is essential; smooth nails mean a better surface for nail polish to glide onto. I’m between buffers at the moment but I can tell you one thing: you tend to get what you pay for with this piece of kit. I’m planning on buying this one from Nails Inc, which is £5 from Boots.

I’m funny about basecoats, but I have one I swear by absolutely: Orly Bonder. This rubberised basecoat dries slightly matte and has a sticky consistency as it dries. I’ve really noticed a difference in the length of my polish wear since using it; even ones that are notoriously flaky (pardon the pun) seem to last just that little bit longer. It’s a bit more expensive than your basic basecoat at around £10, but totally worth it in my opinion. Plus a bottle lasts an age.

I use Seche Vite for my topcoat, I like the fact it dries quickly and to a high shine- even if it is a little bit temperamental at times…If I need to dry it really fast, I find that using Revlon’s Liquid Quick Dry does the job. The Liquid Quick Dry is a really easy to use product: unlike drops and sprays, this has a little brush, meaning that it’s super simple and tidy to apply.

You need a good remover, right? I find that a cheap and cheerful remover from Boots does the job - even for hard to remove polishes such as glitter-based ones. It’s only £1.30! Seriously, you don’t need anything else.

With these products in hand, I’m confident that whatever colours I wear, my nails are well protected and looked after.

Thanks again Stephanie, please check out her blog here - link