The following is my brain daydreaming...
I imagine after a polish has dried (or cured) it can have small pores (or cracks). That, I can accept. Whether it actually happens is another question. However, I do remember seeing the following video explaining how soak off gels work, which supports the mere possibility in regular polish.
In this situation, a chemical solvent (or perhaps the word molecule may be more appropriate) seeps through these engineered cracks or pores and is able to reach the dissolvable portion of the product. Is this possible for regular polish or treatments?
Let's assume the mere possibility:
My mind can imagine such a process for treatment products. Perhaps after the first layer has dried/cured enough cracks or pores exist and the treatment molecules are small enough to fit through and make it to the nail nail surface. However, how likely would it be that companies actually engineer their treatment products like this? I have no idea.
Now let's assume this does NOT occur with regular polish and treatments:
There are two main reasons I can think of for these directions to exist, both are purely based on my gut and experience. My guess is they have you reapply the product merely as a coat of physical protection, which in reality any decent base coat or topcoat can provide (it's likely more cost effective too).
The other thought I had was, these directions are a marketing/selling tool. They make the consumer feel like they are doing something everyday to help their nail situation. Meanwhile, more of the product is used up, forcing the consumer to buy more to sustain their results. In the end the consumer feels like they have really contributed to their nail health (yay accomplishment!), while the company is ecstatic over their bottom line (they probably get a party with fancy champagne and hors d'œuvres *jealous*).
I like to beat the system. Ya know, stick it to the man! Treatments that come as a lacquer, I generally only apply to the actual nail surface. All other subsequent coats would either be a base coat or topcoat, depending on whether I already applied colored polish.
Summary:
This is all just me thinking aloud. I have no proof of anything. I wish I could be more concrete, but until I learn something new, I say don't waste your expensive treatment products as extra layers.
As a reward for making it all the way to the bottom of this post I'll show you meat and a franken:
Because who doesn't like meat in their mouth, duh!
Prosciutto.
The franken!
I used Revlon - Tropical Temptation and NYC - Starry Silver Glitter.
I've swatched Revlon - Tropical Temptation here. It somewhat resembles Revlon - Make Mine Mango here.
I have a Nail Treatment/Hardener Series, click here.
Thanks for your thoughts on this topic! To be honest I have used those lacquer treatments once or twice and I didn't like it. First of all because I could not really detect any difference. Second because after a week my nails looked so thick and the tons of layers started to crack everywhere. By now I very much prefer non-lacquer nail treatments. Like Sally Hansen VitaSurge Gel. I haven't used them long enough to tell if they really work or not though.
ReplyDeleteExactly! That's why I say stick to 1-2 coats max as a base then polish as usual. The Vita surge should provide the moisture that the nail and cuticle despertly craves. You know me and moisture...the more the merrier!
ReplyDeleteLol I loved this post! Especially the prosciutto (which I can or can't eat because I'm pregnant, because no one actually knows and claims differently so I just don't eat it to be on the safe side. But I do looooove me some Serrano and prosciutto..)!
ReplyDeleteBut, cutting to the chase, I never understood the whole process of applying one coat of treatment the first day, adding another the next day, taking it all off the third day and starting all over again. Does the lacquer treatment release some moisture or keratin or vitamins or whatever onto the nailbed and then the active ingredient runs out? I guess your conclusion is the most probable: it is a scam we consumers like to believe in.:) Great post, and great franken!:)
DeleteI feel a bit Debbie Downer about it all, but whateves. Thanks!
Delete@Mnemo: Congrats on the pregnancy! (: I am pregnant too, but I was told I am not allowed to have prosciutto because of the way it is prepared. I was told to stay away from anything raw as well. So I'm just assuming it's not prepared in a way suitable for pregnant women.
DeleteHTH!!
Haha yes! Don't worry girlfriend, until you are able to safely consume cured meats, I will gobble enough for the two of us. This pound of meat was gone in two days. Glorious cheese and bread accompanied its demise! :)
ReplyDeletemmmmmmm
ReplyDeleteIs this the sound you make when seeing deliciousness?? Me too!
DeleteI've often wondered about this myself, but my general belief tends to point me towards the marketing angle. One coat as a base, or two coats if I'm wearing it alone, and that bottle goes right back on the shelf. I'm glad I'm not the only one who ponders these things. :)
ReplyDeleteYea! This calls for a chest bump! Please put on your most padded bra so that we don't injur our mammory glands.
DeleteTHANK YOU! I've often wondered just how effective the 2nd/3rd/4th coat is. . . and I wonder if the products work better if you remove every other day then re apply?
ReplyDeletemy nails have been a problem lately, and I do have to say that the stuff I've been using seems to be working so far. . And I've been putting a new layer on every day, then taking off after like 6 days and starting over.
I do think certain treatments, when completely removed and reapplied every other day, can have an effect (formaldehyde based treatments for example). Becareful though, the extra application of treatment onto the nail plate increases the risk of over hardening th nail plate. Also the extra exposure to polish removers should be combated with extra moisture!
DeleteActually, I've tried a really aggressive treatment called Herôme extra strong (it's a French brand, I don't know if a lot of people have heard of it) and it's pretty much the only thing that worked on my nails. However, as I said, it was VERY aggressive, and started hurting my nails (it kinda burned~ for like 30 minutes) after 2 weeks, every time I put a coat on.
ReplyDeleteThe treatment called for a first layer, then a 2nd layer the next day, then you were supposed to take it all off and start all over again.
And the kicker: after it started hurting, I could feel my nails starting to "burn" again every time I put a coat on (needless to say, I stopped the treatment after that). It didn't matter if it was the first or second coat. So I guess maybe it depends on the concentration of formaldehyde? But all I wanted to say is I'm pretty sure it works even if it's not in direct contact with your nails.
However, I'm not sure about 3 or 4 coats. That does seem like a lot to go through for the polish to reach your nail.
Holy shiz! Burning nail plate? Yikes, but I've heard this story before with formaldehyde. Like you mentioned it all depends on the concentration of formaldehyde and your own nail plate sensitivity. Maybe a second or even a third layer has a way of softening the layer of polish underneath and can reach the nail. Like when you run out of remover and have to use polish to remove the old layer. Ya know?
DeleteI do wonder if you would be able to feel the formaldehyde monster after a third or fourth coat, but perhaps it's best not to find out. I don't want your fingers to fall off lol
oh you are making me hungry :) I like the franken but Starry Silver Glitter on it's own is something I would like to have in my stash.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is great! Get more than one bottle if possible. I think they are $1 or so.
DeleteThank you for voicing out loud what I think! I have always thought that it was silly to put on layer after layer and then take it all off the third day. I think that it just makes you more aware of your nails so you don't treat them rough because you are "fixing" them. If I think about something ALL day everyday I am bound to be more careful of it. I think the market for those is just people who don't question things. Not you, not me. On the other hand, love me some prosciutto! Thanks for the laugh!
ReplyDeleteI agree, awareness is key. Going through the day not jamming your hands into doors, drawers and automobiles is important. Prevention!
DeleteI say if the treatment is decently priced (as a normal base or topcoat) then sure paint away, but if it's an expensive treatment, skip the 3rd coat and go for a cheaper base or top to still obtain the benefits of physical strength and reinforcement.
P.S. salted and cured meats rock!
Love reading posts like this, especially when I am rewarded with meat and polish!
ReplyDeleteI think it's all a marketing scam to add more layers. Unless you remove the old layer and add a new it's not doing you any good to add more except to thicken and help your nail not break! Oh how I love meat! This is making me hungry!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE to read your posts. Once again, proof that beauty and brains can coexist.
ReplyDeleteI've always wondered about this too when I see treatments that instruct to apply every other day. I'd rather apply it directly on my nail when I change my polish instead of on top of whatever coats I'm already wearing. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, it's always interesting to read your posts! :)
ReplyDeleteI love your franken, it looks so pretty!!
That franken is lovely. And I'm gonna need that prosciutto in my mouth.
ReplyDeleteI really love the way you think. I tend to think that way too so it's refreshing when I come across someone else with a very skeptical way of thinking. That franken is very pretty too.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking the same and have never felt the need to apply extra layers after some days.. But I am very inconsistent in my use of treatments, so I guess that contributes too ;)
ReplyDeleteIn MY humble opinion, I think "They" want you to apply every, or every other day because the product then becomes thicker, therefore, your nails are "stronger" than before! It's magic!
ReplyDeleteLast night I just HAD to stop in at Sally and get one of the colors in the Dark Shadows collection by Orly. LOVE, LOVE LOVE it! I got "Grave Mistake" It is blood red. No kidding! Blood red! (OH Barnabas!) It's a red jelly. I had 2 coats and it looked really nice, but if 2 is good, then 3 must be better, right?? Well, it is! It's just beautiful! (Can ya tell I like it??) I am a person who doesn't really like red, and always wears frosts. I am glad I stepped outside of my nail polish box! I wish I knew how to upload a pic... :o( Maybe some day I will figure that out!
"until I learn something new, I say don't waste your expensive treatment products as extra layers."
ReplyDeleteI love it. I came to your site, and in about one minute I found exactly the question I came here for info on and an answer. Bravo!!
OPI Nail Envy (which is working amazingly for me) says to apply a new coat every other day, that it is best to do this with Nail Envy only, but that you can do it over polish and it just won't work as well. (I'm paraphrasing.) So... I have polish on and I'm like, so, um, do I apply more or not?!
Normally, on plain polish, I apply a top coat daily or every other day and it keeps my main indestructible (almost.) But what about my need to harden and fix and grow my nails.
My thought was not about the mini cracks/pores (hadn't even thought of that) I was thinking.. ok my nail is growing some minuscule amount each day and when I put the hardener on, it is touching the nail at the veeeery top near the cuticle, as well as maaaaybe the very tip edge (unlikely.)
I guess I will stop the reapplying when I have polish, but I am going to be a believer and go ahead and reapply every other day when I don't have polish and I have only Nail Envy.
My question, and this might be somewhere on the site here, is are their polishes I can/should apply over the Nail Envy that will support the effects (hardening, fixing problems) of the Nail Envy. Or does it make no difference.
Like China Glaze (which I do not own yet) says it is "with hardeners" so do some Sally Hansen. But I would assume that all/most polishes contain some of the key ingredients you discuss in the hardeners section.
Omg it just overwhelms my tiny over analytical mind!
(Dats why I love my loodie.!)
I'm extremely late to the comments party, so I do apologize. But I just found (and am devouring) your amazing blog, and have an experience to share on this post. Which no one may ever read. But moving on...
ReplyDeleteI had a similar experience to an above commenter, Lamia (The Book Eater). Like her, I applied extra coats of my nail strengthener (Nailtiques 2 Plus) each day after the initial application. And like her, I experienced burning each time. But unlike her, I applied two coats each day, and did this for two weeks straight before removing it to start over. Because I was curious (crazy) to see if the product could penetrate thick, dried layers to reach my nail.
I was shocked to find that it burned the same every time I applied it, for the whole two weeks. For about 30 minutes after each application. I was certain this would stop after the third or fourth day, or at least lessen, but it didn't. I can only surmise that the product continued reaching the nail plate. I can not surmise how the hell it did it.
At the time, my nails were in normal, healthy condition. They were just short. And for the initial application, I applied six coats instead of the recommended two, which burned like the fire of a thousand Suns. Because curiosity (STUPIDNESS) drives me to go wayyy overboard testing new products to see if they work. Instructions be damned.
But I was young and dumb when I did this, with virtually no patience. So I used to take extreme measures in testing new products, to see the results with the quickness. I'm surprised I survived. With all my limbs intact.
P.S. By the end of the two weeks, the polish had taken on a lovely yellow/brown sheen. And was as thick as those acrylic bubble nails. I may have even started that trend. No need to thank me. Just knowing I contributed is more than enough.
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