Opi Chip Skip (619828038968)

I do my own manicures and have always had issues with polish chipping very quickly. I'm hard on my hands and keep my nails fairly short. I have found a few products that extend the life of my nail polish by a day or two but I would love to get a full week or more from a manicure. I saw OPI ChipSkip online while shopping for something completely unrelated and bought it. I didn't even realize the product was supposed to go on before any nail product. I thought it was a top coat! Once I learned how to use this product, I have found it does help to keep my polish fresh. It doesn't give me flawless nails for weeks but it allows me to get two or three extra days from my manicures and much more from my pedicures.

About the Product

Just one coat of this Patented ChipSkip formula primes nail surfaces so that nail lacquer adheres better and remains chip-free longer - keeping your manicure or pedicure looking beautifully fresh!

Manufacturer's Info

Packaging

OPI ChipSkip comes packaged in a much too large cardboard and plastic box for the .5 ounce glass bottle. The bottle is bulbous and squat, much like OPI lacquers. The formula is clear and watery. The brush is very short. I was surprised to see a small white brush, about half the size of OPI's usual nail products brushes. The scent of this product is a bit strong, like alcohol fumes. However, that does pass quickly and isn't a huge issue for me.

My Experience

I am used to using top coats to prevent chips. I use a base coat or ridge filler before applying nail polish and a top coat after. OPI ChipSkip should be applied to clean dry nails before any other nail product. It supposedly dries all oils and other things on the nail beds to give polish a better surface to adhere to. I worried that it would also dry out my nails but I haven't noticed that happening at all.

I applied the watery, clear ChipSkip first and, even though OPI says a base coat isn't needed, I used one anyway. I didn't have to wait for the ChipSkip to dry and it wasn't sticky or even tacky. It was wet then gone or seemingly so. You don't have to be careful about applying either. Just brush it on and, if it goes outside the nail area, it just dries away. After applying my base coat, I applied two coats of nail polish and finally, a top coat.

My manicure looked great but it always does at first. I have had great manicures start chipping the same day so I was eager to see how this new nail product would work for me.

I didn't baby my nails nor did I do anything out of the ordinary to test OPI ChipSkip. I had applied a deep plum color which will show even the slightest chips quickly. I noted that, after three days of normal wear, my nails still looked fine. After five, they started to chip a bit and by the end of a week, I had to remove the polish and start all over again. I may have been able to touch up the chips but it would have been messy.

I used OPI ChipSkip again with a better brand of nail polish (which can really make a difference) and my manicure held up for almost a full week without even a little chip. That is more than usual for me even with top of the line polishes and top coats.

On my toes, ChipSkip seems to make polish last endlessly. Chipping rarely occurs before I get sick of the color and take off the polish myself.

I have not experienced any dryng out of my nails and no cracking or other issues when using OPI ChipSkip or in between. The product dries surface oils but not the actual nail which is a great relief. I have brittle nails as it is and would immediately have stopped using this product if I saw my nails getting more brittle.

Does OPI ChipSkip work? It does help to extend the wear of nail polish for me. If I use a good brand and add a top coat, I can get several days of extra wear on my fingernails and many, many days on your toes. This doesn't extend wear for ages but even a few extra days, for me, is a big plus. I hate chipped polish and I also hate to have to remove polish and redo my entire manicure every few days.

I will continue using this product along with my favorite base coats, lacquers, and top coats.

Ingredients

Ethyl Acetate, Ammonium Hydroxide.

Buying Info

You can purchase OPI ChipSkip wherever OPI products are sold on and offline. The price varies from $6.50 to over $10.00 a bottle. I think I paid $8.00 for my bottle.

The Verdict

OPI ChipSkip works by readying the nails for polish application. It effectively dries surface oils from the nails and leaves the surface ready to "grab" whatever polish you choose to use. You can skip a base coat if you want but it doesn't hurt (and may help) to use one before applying color. I get some extra wear on my fingernails and lots of it on my toenails. Since I see no damage or brittleness on my nails from using this product, I will continue to do so! 4 stars.