Road Testing No-Chip Manicures & Traditional Manicures
When she found out no-chip manicures were supposed to last for two whole weeks, our editor decided to put the two manicure styles in a head-to-head battle to see how they stack up.
1. Application
Traditional manicure: After soaking and grooming the nail bed, then filing nails into shape, the technician brushes a base coat on first, usually followed by a coat or two of the chosen polish, then finished with a top coat. Sometimes this process is accompanied by a hand scrub or massage.
No-chip manicure: The only difference between this and the traditional manicure is that the polish is cured by a UV lamp, which dries the polish within minutes. Seriously, minutes!
2. After Two Weeks
Traditional manicure: Her nails were chipped and peeling days before the two weeks were up.
No-chip manicure: True to its moniker, after two weeks, her nails were just as shiny and well-kept as when she first left the salon. “I think this stuff is mined in space.”
3. Removal
Traditional manicure: Removing regular nail polish simply requires a cotton ball, polish remover, and five minutes of time.
No-chip manicure: Removal requires a trip to the salon, where nails are soaked, then scraped, then soaked again—and can take up to 30 minutes.
In Summary
While the longevity and shininess of the no-chip manicure make it well worth the higher price, traditional manicures have the advantage of being cheaper and easier to remove.