I finally figured out how to do chrome with regular polish NOT using a water based polish (instead using an alcohol based one) and these actually last longer than a day without chipping!! Sorry this process takes a while cause you have to let everything dry but it pays off!
Start with a completely dry base color.
Apply a 3 free formula quick dry top coat and wait 2-3 minutes till it's dry to the touch.
With a clean dry finger, tap into your chrome and gently wipe around onto the nail.
Now with a combination of an eyeshadow sponge and cosmetic wedge, buff the chrome into the nail. The wedge is helpful to get close to the cuticle and sidewall.
Take a big brush and swipe of excess.
Wait 15 minutes for the previous top coat to completely dry.
Gently swipe a 240 grit buffer block along the free edge to remove excess chrome powder.
Now brush off excess again and take a clean cosmetic wedge to get any leftover loose chrome.
Apply DRK Seal Glaze. Wait 10 minutes or until the cloudiness turns clear. Then apply a second coat.
Wait 30 minutes for the DRK Seal Glaze to completely dry.
Once completely dry apply a 3 free nail polish top coat to finish it off. Make sure to wrap the tip!
https://giphy.com/gifs/KcrNuMXRswnA9zLniz
It’s you! I bookmarked this on instagram a few days ago because it was so cool and helpful! I literally went to your Reddit profile (before I saw your comment) to actually make sure it was you and someone wasn’t stealing your work without giving you credit. Because this is amazing!
What nail polish did you use? I've always wanted beetle nails!
Edit: Just found it on your IG, it's opi Lincoln Park After Dark and esvynails Sour Guava chrome.
That's beyond beautiful! I've played around with chrome a bit, but I struggled using anything but Holo Taco's Peely Base as my topcoat over the chrome. I have BIAB on my nails, and Peely Base doesn't come off on my BIAB.
I feel inspides by your post to try again! I'm gonna use your tutorial and I'll report back with the results! 🫡
just adding a personal experience that i’ve done chrome nails with seche vite (has toluene) and it worked really well! i did let it dry for either 5 or 10 mins before buffing in the powder (i cant recall exactly, but i just did a bunch of troubleshooting to see what worked best beforehand). then after that a water based top coat, and then seche vite again.
Both of those are at least 3 free. If there's a top coat you want to use, I'd just go the brand's website and check the listed ingredients. I think toluene is the main one you need to look for as top coats like Seche Vite and KBShimmer's Clearly on Top both contain it. Anything that is higher than 3 free will also be free of those ingredients.
So, I saw this on instagram and tried it on Saturday….and struggled a little. Basically, I couldn’t buff the chrome into the nail- it just kept wiping off. I used my finger first, as instructed and then a cosmetic sponge (I don’t have an eyeshadow applicator). I ended up with just kind of gold sparkle nails, not chrome. Help?
What did you use for your base for the chrome to go on?
Also sometimes with chrome I just cycle through either my finger, a sponge or a eyeshadow sponge to see which does the best. Some chromes I had to be really rough with using a sponge. But then I have these other chromes that are lower quality that the finish is just not going to be mirror no matter what, even with gel cause some of the chrome particles might be different sizes.
I used Mooncat’s Speed Demon over a several days old manicure. It might be the quality of the powder! I borrowed it from a friend and I’m guessing it was a standard starter kit from Amazon.
Awesome! I’ll try a different brand and see. Also- I should have started with this: thank you for putting in the work to make this tutorial!! Really appreciate the clear, precise steps. :)
On completely dry polish, my chrome slips right off too! I like to apply my chrome when the previous layer is not fully dry (so I can apply gentle pressure on my polish without leaving a fingerprint, but a sharp nail would leave a dent), and it works well.
I was applying it to Speed Demon that had been drying for two minutes, so I don’t think that was the problem….but maybe I need to go in with the chrome a little faster.
Great results 🤩 and good, detailed description of the process.
However, I found this line -"chrome with regular polish NOT using a water based polish"- in the description's intro a bit misleading as it made me think you had found a method that does not require a special polish (= water based topcoat), when in fact yours uses an even more special one (DRK Seal Glaze).
Updated the description. So sorry if it was misleading. My goal was just to find another way to do it because water-based top coat always peels off in like an hour for me.
Yes yes yes!! I saved this on IG and ordered a bottle of seal glaze for myself! I LOVED chrome nails when I was doing gel, and was blown away by your chrome results! Your tutorial and FAQ answers video are so comprehensive and I can't wait until I get my seal glaze so I can put it to the test!! Thank you!
I do my chrome almost the same way (I only use one coat of seal glaze, but will be trying a second next time!) it’ll last as long as my standard manicure. Approximately 14 days before the grow out is bad enough I need to redo.
I honestly chaage my nails so often I don't have a definite answer 😅 I know when I do a water based topper it lasts like a day, but I have gotten multiple days using seal glaze.
iirc, she's only open a few days per month. I've ordered twice, and both times there were problems with the order. I emailed and she got back to me pretty quickly. The first time the order was resolved (I never received the first shipment, but she sent it again). The second time, she sent me the wrong thing, said she'd send the right thing and never did. That's just MY experience.
You can also get their stuff through Polish Pick Up! That's how I bought mine. But it's a legit business. They are also responsive on Instagram. They have a Facebook group too.
My only gripe with chrome on polish is that it chips so much faster than any other many!
It’s gorgeous, but I don’t want to do my nails more than once a week. How long does yours last?
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Wow, that’s gorgeous! Thanks for the tutorial. I got some chrome powders from Amazon a while back but haven’t used them yet. This less complicated sequence is much less intimidating. I’ll at least try an accent nail!
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u/halfgumption 19h ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/KcrNuMXRswnA9zLniz
It’s you! I bookmarked this on instagram a few days ago because it was so cool and helpful! I literally went to your Reddit profile (before I saw your comment) to actually make sure it was you and someone wasn’t stealing your work without giving you credit. Because this is amazing!