Bumpy nail polish?

[Tacori E-ring]

I like to keep my nails painted. Better to showcase my bling, right? Anyways, I have noticed lately EVERYTIME I paint them they get "bumpy". I am not sure if they are air bubbles but they are ugly! I hate them. I always use light color polish but love the opaque look so I usually put on 4 coats. I bought a new bottle thinking maybe it is too old and it still does it! Any ideas? Anyone have this happen to them?

 

[ammayernyc]

Make sure you use a basecoat so that any natural bumps are covered up more. Also, make sure that you let each coat dry. Maybe you should get a different color so that it is more opaque to begin with instead of using four coats...?

 

[Shay37]

Try not shaking it (if you do). I just turn it upside down and right side up a few times (no force behind it just turn it over and back up again). Most nail polish have shaker beads in them and this is the way they are meant to be used. Two of my aunts are nail techs and they taught me this. If you shake them, they just make bubbles and get bumpy.

Shay

 

[Mara]

check out my thread in the Home area on Nails...I have this problem too. I think that it gets bubbly when you are near a high air circulation, aka nails dry near an overhead fan..or so that is what I have deduced. But I have a problem too with the polish peeling entirely off too.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I don''t shake the bottle but I don''t use a basecoat....hmmm...maybe I will have to try that. Thanks for your advice!!!

 

[aphisiglovessae]

Rather than shaking the bottle, I just roll it between my palms a few times. And I make sure that there is no circulating air where I do my nails. I turn off all the fans and the air conditioner. That usually keeps those pesky bubbles away.

 

[thebanjodog]

the four coats may be the problem. try one and see what happens. good luck. banjo

 

[IrishEyes]

How funny that you ask that question because I have been having the exact same problem!! It has been going on for months now, to the point where I can only wear a very light pinkish color polish so that the bumps don''t stand out as much

I have an array of beautiful shades and don''t wear them because of that very same problem you are having. I use a base coat, make sure I wash my hands and dry them thoroughly to remove any residue, apply about two coats, let it dry and then put a topcoat on and sure enough - about 15 minutes later- I start seeing the dreading bubbles emerge

It drives me absolutely insane! I will try following some of the suggestions mentioned above and see if that will do it... thanks everyone!

 

[ame]

This is one of the reasons I don''t do my nails.

 

[Angel7]

I''m so glad you posted this cuz I get them all the time and I hate it!!!

I use an opaque (pink) color too!!

 

[diamondlil]

I get them too.

I found that if I use a clear base coat first, then two not-so-heavy coats of color, and let them dry good in between, I don''t get the bubbles. I also get bubbles if the polish is old and thick.

Even worse than the bubbles is when I think my nails are finally dry and go to bed. Then when I wake up in the morning and I see SHEET PRINTS!!!!!!!! Boy does that just ruin my day.

 

[Jennifer5973]

Date: 9/9/2005 3:49:22 PM
Author: AmandaPanda
Make sure you use a basecoat so that any natural bumps are covered up more. Also, make sure that you let each coat dry. Maybe you should get a different color so that it is more opaque to begin with instead of using four coats...?

I agree--too many coats and possibly not enough drying time. You probably don't even need the base coat if you just go with 2 coats and a top coat.

Make sure polish is fresh, nails are clean (no lotion or hair spray residue or make-up) and perhaps try different brands.

 

[stretch4]

Date: 9/9/2005 5:51:47 PM
Author: diamondlil

Even worse than the bubbles is when I think my nails are finally dry and go to bed. Then when I wake up in the morning and I see SHEET PRINTS!!!!!!!! Boy does that just ruin my day.

Oh my, I get sheet prints too lol!

I find it''s just best if I do my nails in the morning, that way, by the time I go to bed, there is no chance they are not completely dry.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

I do my own nails and NEVER get bumps. . .my trick is I use my hair dryer to dry each individual coat of polish. This works really well!

 

[jellybean]

I use the hair dryer trick too. Works for me too.

If we''re discussing brands, I have always liked Sally Hanson nail polish. I have the worst luck with Revlon or Maybelline. And I throw out my polish after a year, even if there''s a lot left.

With the two toddlers I don''t get the chance to paint my nails too often, but I like the way they look in polish better than naked.

I painted my 2 1/2 year old daughter''s toenails for the first time. She thought it was the best! Starting early!

 

[thebanjodog]

sally hansen toe nail polish with tea tree oil is a very good product. it actually does dry in 60 seconds as advertised. two coats are recommended and then a top coat. i have found that it lasts longer than any other i have tried. it has remained in tact until it was once again time for a peducure. it is very inexpensive. i have not used it on my fingernails but i don''t see why you couldn''t. banjo

 

[Mara]

my fave is OPI for nail polish, so many selections!

4 coats is ALOT! no wonder it takes forever to dry! maybe get a thicker opaque soft color? OPI has tons of those, that''s why I like them as well.

 

[Kaleigh]

I love the OPI brand and when I do my own nails I use a blow dryer in between coats, but 4 coats is overkill in my book. I have acrylic nails and am a slave to them. But the good thing is they last 3 weeks before I need a refill. I wish I never started this process, but have tried to go natural and nothing has worked for me so far.

 

[hlmr]

I think it really helps a lot if the coats are applied very thinly.

That hair dryer trick sounds great too. I dry my rings with the hairdryer as well.

Heather

 

[glaucomflecken]

I''m a big fan of OPI and Essie polishes. I do agree with what everyone has said so far.
Don''t shake the bottle
Toss it when it starts to get old and thick
Keep the coats thin, give them ample time to dry in between, and dont use more than 2 coats or so of color polish. Too thick and it starts to peel and bubble.
My friend who does nails also told me to dry nails and hand thoroughly before applying polish and if you use any lotions or creams before applying polish, to swipe your nails with nail polish remover to remove all oils so the polish sticks better. Probably really drying on the nails, but...

Good luck!

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Lots of good advice here.

My manicurist told me that the major cause of bubbles and bumps is putting the coat of polish on too thick. Better to do 3 thin coats than 2 thick if you want more coverage - and, make sure the 1st 2 coats are dry before you put on the 3rd or they''ll never dry - even with Poshe or Seche Vite.

 

[Patty]

I do my own nails and my manicures last a week or more. I use Seche brand basecoat and topcoat, and OPI polish (2 coats). The Seche base is the only basecoat I''ve found that prevents my nails from turning that yucky yellow color from the polish bleeding through. I love it!

I''ve never had a problem with bubbling except when I did my nails at the pool once and I blamed the sun for that.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

UPDATE:
okay, I still need to try a basecoat and I am going to try the hair dryer trick but I was out of town so I just applied TWO (aren''t you all proud!) thin coats of NEW nail polish and I have some bumps (not as many). It makes me sad

so I am going to go buy thicker nail polishes that Mara suggested b/c I really do like the opaque look and hopefully that with the combination of all of your great advice will work. Its so strange b/c it has always randomly happens but lately it does everytime and I am a bit obsessive. I have stong, long, natural nails and I HATE them free of polish. Thank you all for replying who have the same problem. It makes me feel like I am not a freak with alien nails. I hope these tricks for all of you too. Good luck for the quest of smooth, beautiful nails.

 

[Mara]

I love Essie as well... Though for thicker opaques, OPI is the best I have found esp for pastels. Essie is more of a thin natural look with it''s pastels which I like too depending on my mood.

With Essie I normally do 2 coats but with OPI I usually only need one even with opaques. I find that 2nd coat of polish is where things can start to go wrong which is why most of the time I normally stick with 1.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 9/9/2005 4:33:35 PM
Author: ame
This is one of the reasons I don't do my nails.

I'm guessing that another is because you'd 40x mag loupe your nails and go crazy with every chip in the polish......

 

[MrsFrk]

I always do 2 coats of color, plus base coat (Creative Stickey) and top coat (Creative Speedey or Seche Vite).
Are you really loading your brush with color? It sounds like your coats are still too thick, and you are not waiting long enough between coats.

I ditto what Mara said about OPI versus Essie. If you want opaque, go with OPI or Orly. I personally find that Orly is a bit less streaky then OPI, while Essie is my personal favorite. But I like to do a french with a very sheer color.

Also, is it very warm where you live? The heat will adversely effect your polish, keep it somewhere cool.

 

[stretch4]

Date: 9/11/2005 9:31:46 PM
Author: aljdewey

Date: 9/9/2005 4:33:35 PM
Author: ame
This is one of the reasons I don''t do my nails.

I''m guessing that another is because you''d 40x mag loupe your nails and go crazy with every chip in the polish......

LOL

 

[Diamonds4Me]

The only time my nail polish ended up with bubbles as it dried was after it traveled to Colorado in my carry on luggage. Don''t know how it happened but I ended up throwing all four brand new bottles away.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Okay I just painted my nails. I used Sally Hansen Age Correct base coat b/c I thought it wold even out my nails and OPI nail polish. I used three coats (how I wanted to put on the 4th!!!

but I resisted) They are NOT fully opaque like I really like but they ARE smoother. Only a few bumps on some of my nails so it is an improvement! Perfection, no yet. I feel like my nails are really dry b/c they ALWAYS have polish on them. Does anyone have can good conditioning techniques?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Mara- OPI''s colors were lovely. I spent 30 mins picking out "sweet heart." I could have bought them all!