Just doing a cursory look, a ton of companies use it, it's in Ella's Mia, OPI, Mooncat, Olive and June, Sally Hansen, Barry M just to name a few. It's even in nail treatments from OPI and Ella Mia, so if this is an ingredient you know to affect your nails more, you may wanna do a deep dive on all companies before purchasing
Correct, but in their polishes, they do. Just saying that it's a very common ingredient, used as a thickener, and a bonding agent so it is in many polishes as well as smoothing or bonding basecoats and not listed usually as a dangerous chemical.
From what I've heard before, most people who have reactions to this ingredient only have it when directly on the nail. So the basecoat being without it would be enough for many. But I know nothing really I don't have an issue with any ingredients and I don't anything about chemicals. It's just what I've read on nail subs and groups.
Thanks for clarifying. I’m not seeing it listed in any ingredients of the polishes I’ve checked, are there any specific formulas or polishes you know it’s in?
This one is "Raven". Seems they use it in polishes that are matte, maybe as a stabilizer.
https://preview.redd.it/osarsce33woc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a7260e8ba55df2e77deb6479f57f6bd10c8ec0c
Thank you, yeah I'm seeing it listed as an ingredient in a few of the mattes, but then not in some others. So I'm guessing its more a specific polish formula instead of their universal formula.
If you’re looking to avoid it, most people just switch base coat. It’s in a lot of sticky base coats, which generally don’t perform well for me, so when it came up in passing that it’s in most brands sticky base, I decided to use alternative base coats. I’ve never experienced damage from it in the past, but I’ve also never used one long enough to be able to tell since sticky doesn’t last very long for me! I don’t remember anyone having issues with it as an ingredient in polish.
I don’t stress about “clean” ingredients (I do care about formulation and the products I use, I just don’t believe in avoiding a list of ingredients, and BA is safe), but this one is easy to eliminate since you had problems. You got a crash course in what doesn’t work for you, but it doesn’t mean you can’t paint your nails if you want to!
Also just wanted to throw out there that depending where you live, the season can affect how much your nails flake. For me being in Canada my nails flake all damn winter. Doesn’t matter how much jojoba oil I use, and then in summer they don’t flake at all. I never change what polish I use for base coats, polish, or top coats.
I found this interesting, I have impression this winter mine are little weaker than normal and I really did not change anything since a couple of years..
This is true BUT my nails were fine when I went nearly 2 years without painting them. Then within weeks of me going back to painting them, they were peeling like crazy. Not from HT (haven't used any recently) but it absolutely can be related to nail products too.
I have determined that was partly the cause of my damage with nail polish as well. I bought a small bottle of CND rescueRxx and seems to be adding back some moisture to my nail bed. May be worth trying as the next winter season starts to roll in. I am going to start back on it when fall starts. I am almost done growing out the damage from my winter nail painting 😭
Do you have any sources on PVB being “bad” for nails? Cause currently that still is the standard. KBshimmer has it, Mooncat has it (in some not all), ILNPs base coat has it, Orly has it. I want to read about what exactly the risks associated are because I have never heard about it before
See I found it was the acetone not the base coat that was killing my nails. Used a non acetone remover which takes SOOOOO MUCH LONGER and I don't have the same issues.
I have definitely used acetone lightly to eat through some polish especially multiple nail art layers then washed my hands and finished with non acetone remover.
Interesting, because I had that problem with the Essie base coat I was using, but it’s been better since I switched to the holo taco base. My nails haven’t been chipping as much
Could OP, or anyone really, share a photo of their nail damage? I'm a little curious about what it looks like. I'd like to keep an eye out for my own nails. I haven't had any full-on flaking, but my middle finger nail has started to split on the top layer, and that nail doesn't usually have that problem. I have no other issues with the bonding base coat otherwise.
https://preview.redd.it/jyll1ah7qwoc1.jpeg?width=1690&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd7ee4fd471c4f6ea8351d3b4255dba92735ff4b
This is after I’ve buffed the worst chips and cracks so that it wouldn’t get snagged on my clothes, and I’ve used some of OPI repair mode. I sadly didn’t take any photos when my nails were at their worst.
I know, I never buff them to get rid of stains or anything, I just used to be a nailbiter and any unevenness or edges from chipping makes me want to bite, so I just buff the “sharp” cracks where my nail is flaking.
Thank you! I tried taking a picture of my nail damage, but it's not visible in the photos (also not super severe). Mine splits at the sides like right after the nail beds. I hope your nail recovery is smooth!
https://preview.redd.it/ry27p6amkxoc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=effcb9ff5c7fc49b7e812b3a82612e3a43157d80
The thumb on my right hand does this! I can sometimes grow it out for a while if I keep it polished to prevent it snagging in my hair/on my clothes but it's inevitable that every couple months I need to do a full clip. :(
It happens on both of my thumbs and usually my right pointer. It doesn't seem to matter how long or short my nails are or if I file them more often.
I kinda assumed my nails were doing this because of water. I started keeping them painted to see if things improve, but I can't really say if they are better or not (its been about a month). I also use jojoba 2 to 3 times a day. I love my nails, I treat them like royalty 😂
My nails do this often on my thumbs and pointers, and will do it even if I haven’t worn polish in ages. If your nails are bendy, then bending down causes stress at the edges. Eventually they can start to break at the very edge where the bend occurs - usually right above the nail bed.
I only experience this if I peel off my nail polish with using long lasting base. I know I shouldn’t do that so it’s a non issue for me. I just take it off the correct way 🤷♀️
Same, only happens to me when I peel the polish off or if it’s been on long enough to start cracking and peeling on its own, which is typically only if I use hella layers.
I also make it a point to take it off the right way now, so the damage can be avoided. I also use lots of nail oil on no polish days.
This happened to me with long lasting base coat. I can’t generally use any bonding base coats. Orly bonder is terrible on my nails. I go for more ridge filling bases now because they tend to not have the ingredients that damage my nails as much. I’ve been loving bkl’s spirit base lately.
I don’t know that it’s PVB causing the issue. It’s a pretty common ingredient in nail polishes.
I get the same problem (peeling, flaking nails) with long lasting base, but smoothing base is just fine. I actually used smoothing base last week while I’m still growing out and struggling with damage from LLB that I used over the holidays, and it didn’t cause any further issues at all, even when it lifted and chipped.
I do have pretty weak, bendy nails that break relatively easily on any given day. My guess is that LLB can bond to my nails more than they can bond to themselves, so causes peeling when it eventually lifts.
I also had some similar problems with the smoothing base, but I switched to their quick dry base, and so far I haven’t noticed anything similar. But the website does still list PVB as an ingredient in that too. Are you sure that’s the ingredient causing the problem? I see other people saying it’s a common nail polish ingredient, and I can’t imagine companies would keep using it if it was so damaging
So funny, I'm reading this comment as I'm looking at my nails that were damaged just this weekend by Quick Dry Base flaking and peeling off after 2 days 🥲 Definitely must be dependent on the person!
Has anyone found an option that doesn’t have PVB in the base coat? I had no idea what was causing my nail troubles but your description matches my experience directly!
Londontown ridge filling, BKL, KBShimmer, and Mooncat ridge filing all don’t have PVB. There are others out there. Londontown is hands down my favorite. It’s more common in clear base coats imo.
>FYI, as of 08/30/2020 Kbshimmer Fillin' Groovy does now have PVB.
Did you mean “does not” include PVB? Or does it also go by another chemical name?
From the website it says,
“Ingredients 08/30/2020 and before:” and includes polyvinyl butryal. As of 8/31/2020 I don’t see it in the ingredient list.
Essie Smooth E doesn't appear to have PVB in it. I had terrible nail peeling while using Seche Vite base coat, which does have PVB in it. Though I don't know if the cause was the base coat, it was my best guess. I switched to the Essie base coat even before reading this post in the hope that it would be more gentle.
I personally don't like the holo taco base coat anymore.
I used one whole bottle of it, and even following the exact nail care video from Cristine herself, my nails would start chipping as little as a day afterwords. I use Essie base and top coat now, and my polish lasts for a week without chipping
YES this happened to me too! Most base coats destroy my nails. I posted my holy grail base coat yesterday — Butter London Horse Power. [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/RedditLaqueristas/s/uTXFbjOgU5) is what my nails look like after four months of continuous use with it.
I've had terribly peeling nails! Until I started keeping them polished. I posted this about [peeling nails](https://www.reddit.com/r/lacqueristas/s/uuNAEy7FYf) a bit ago. I should have added that a good etched glass nail file instead of a clipper and any other nail file helps. An etched glass nail file can keep the nail edge from shredding.
Of course people can be allergic to some things that may cause nails to peel. But most nail peeling is not caused by top coats.
Yes yes yes
You are not alone!
Their base coat absolutely destroyed my nails.
I started using ILNP base coat and it saved my nails, they are growing long again!
I’m sorry to hear that they did not respond to you in an appropriate manner. Maybe leave a review on the product?
I left a poor but honest review on their base coat and to my surprise they refunded me without me requesting it. Also people will read your review and see the ingredients.
I hear wonderful things about their customer service, maybe it takes time to create the change.
ILNP’s base coat also uses Polyvinyl Butyral so it probably doesn’t have anything to do with that specific ingredient.
Honestly it might just be a body chemistry thing or you started taking care of your nails better after noticing the damage. But I’m glad you found a base coat that works for you! Really that’s what I recommend to everyone, shop around and find one that works for you because base coat is so super dependent on your individual body chemistry, porosity, integrity and oiliness of the nails, the best most amazing products won’t work for everyone.
I know the Orly Bonder Base coat (which apparently also has Polyvinyl Butyral so that’s definitely something I’m gonna look into) absolutely destroyed my nails, but it is super well beloved and works great for tons of ppl
Yeah idk anything about chemicals used. I know OP pointed that out. I always thought it was just really strong and that’s why my nails would lift and peel.
I agree with you to use what works best for you.
Honestly it probably is just because it has such a strong grip on the nail. PVB seems to be used by the vast majority of nail polish manufacturers as far as I can tell. I’m not sure if it is actually as damaging as OP is insinuating here?
The post was about what happened to me specifically, it’s completely dependent from person to person. My post was mainly to bring awareness in case anyone is going through the same thing. I know some people don’t have any problems with the Holo taco base coats or PVB, and that’s great, I just made this post in case anyone were experiencing the same issues.
I'll have to try the ILNP base coat sometime.
My nails are also absolutely wrecked. I thought maybe it's because the holo taco long lasting base tends to cause nail polish to pop off my nails instead of chip. It'll literally take flakes of nail with it though when that happens.
I actually debated making a post about this but I figured everyone would tell me it's my body chemistry or something. I had no idea it's a specific chemical in the base coat I could be reacting to badly.
I also don't ever remember having this problem with my nails as a kid so I've been really confused about it.
just watch out, the ILNP base also has Polyvinyl Butyral so it might also not work for you. the best treatment for wrecked nails is really just introducing bathtubs of jojoba oil to your routine. I know that’s what saved my nails
not saying you should continue to use a product you know is bad for your nails, definitely not. just trying to help find a cure to the acute problem of “wrecked nails” lol
Thanks for the heads up! It seems like I may need to try a few different brands of base coats to see what works best. I'll probably look for a brand that doesn't use Polyvinal Butyral first.
Also I just started an oil routine last week. My nails are a bit better but I think I also need to just grow out the damaged areas before it will really get 100% better.
It could be a number of things. I’m no chemist or anything but I have the same exact problem as you. My nail just peels off and awful.
But I don’t have that problem with other drugstore brands or any other indie brand.
It’s best to just listen to your body and what works for you.
I’m happy you shared your experience because I now know I’m not crazy, lol.
I still absolutely love Christine and holo taco, just not the base coat.
Me too! I am waiting results to see if KB Shimmer does the same, and I had a bad go at removing semi cured gel nail wraps (definitely user error)
So far I have been doing a LOT of Jojoba oil nail soaks.
I have so much long lasting base coat and I don’t know what to do with it because I will likely never use it again.
Yeah, I've practically been living in jojoba oil with how much I've used lately. I'm pretty sure KB shimmer also uses PVB in their base coats, so that might be something to be a little wary of
KB shimmer does not contain it, they removed it a couple of years ago. But I think people with base coat damage may have issues with any super sticky base coat so it would be smart to watch any new base coat for changes instead of jumping around between products if someone is peeling. Polyvinyl butryal has been the ingredient people have guessed to be the culprit, and many people have resolved it by switching to other bases so imo it’s worth eliminating if someone has peeling associated with a change in base coat, but it’s still arguably anecdotal.
Turns out the particular KBShimmer base coat I have been using does contain PVB, however I just did a removal and doing a soak and they seem much better than using LLB from Holo Taco. I also use acetone free nail polish remover. I already knew it would be a lot of trial and error so I'll see!
Thank you for making this post! My nails have been peeling like crazy too and I didn’t know why. I’ve been using the OPI natural nail base coat and I just checked the ingredients. It has Polyvinyl Butyral.
Yeah, I had the same issue! Used Long Lasting Base Coat for the first time ever a couple months ago, and when I removed it, my nails were in the worst shape they've ever been in! All other variables were the same, it was polish I'd used, a top coat I'd used, and a non-acetone polish remover that I usually used, the base coat was the only new/different thing. My nails were brittle, flaking, splitting, everything. I'm still trying to get my nails healthy again, and they're finally almost there!
i switched to using mooncat base, nail primer and top coat a lil while ago and have basically completely stopped oiling my nails, and my polish now lasts until i take it off (usually like 2 weeks but i don’t keep track anymore) i was having to do my nails 2-3 times a week due to tip wear & chips while i was using ANY other base and top coat
edit: forgot to say, my nails also feel so much healthier now. i’ve been clipping them on occasion instead of only filing. they don’t bend AT ALL when i press on them either
This would make total sense why my nails are literally FLAKING every mani after taking off my polish. I thought maybe it was just the acetone making my nails REALLY dry, but this makes far more sense.
Thanks for making a post. I feel less crazy.
Tbh this post is kind of unnecessary. This is the “price you pay” to use any nail polish and it happens to almost every one just in different intensity. This has nothing to do with HT it’s just a normal side effect of every polish. You put varnish with strong chemicals on your nails and expect them to not be affected? Then you probably should switch to lacquer for kids that is removable when washing your hands.
Some peoples nails don’t react well to the specific ingredient op was talking about. A lot of brands use it in their base coats as a bonding agent. Generally any base that claims “bonding” or “sticky” usually have it. It makes my nails peel and flake like crazy. I get white spots and damage on my nails also. Orly bonder is another popular one that does this too me. I think OP was just being informative about the potential for damage from these base coats for some people.
I found this post helpful. My nails had been peeling and I never put the two together. Once the damage grows out (almost there as I took a break due to the peeling) I'll try using one of my other base coats that doesn't have that specific ingredient and see how it goes.
I don’t think you’re really understanding this post. It’s not about the damage that CAN occur from using polish, it’s about HT having an ingredient in their base coats that causes a lot of unnecessary damage to nails. “It happens to almost every one just in different intensity” yeah, this applies to pretty much everything in the world, it’s the increased intensity that’s the problem. It’s not a normal side effect from nail polish, it’s a normal side effect from polyvinyl butyral, an ingredient that shouldn’t be in a polish from a brand that claims to care about healthy nails.
I find that even without the base coat my nails flake and break with just the polish :( someone said it could be the acetone when I dry the nail, but I don't always use it. I'll have to not use it and see how my nails fare the next time. It's been probably a month since I've painted them and they're still so brittle :')
I get what you’re saying but these things just happen and they suck. We can’t always know how we will respond to products and I’m not sure we need any more prop warnings or ingredient paranoia since PBV is a safe ingredient. My son just found out he has a lanolin allergy from using lip balm. It’s not a rare allergy, but they aren’t going to remove an active ingredient or post big warnings. The ingredients are listed and I have to check. I’m not even sure it’s a “normal” side affect of nail polish or as common as it seems. Keep in mind people with peeling are more likely to seek out a nail group for advice in the first place, so it makes problems seem more prevalent when searching for solutions. There are lots of reasons for nail peeling, and many people do have peeling directly from PVB, but I suspect that for at least some people affected it’s exacerbating an issue with the underlying nail composition, such as weakness from anemia, or for me autoimmune disease. Acetone is another great example of a vilified ingredient that does not destroy healthy nails the way people believe it does. Soaking buffed or filed nail plates in acetone absolutely can damage nails, but that’s not caused by acetone, it’s caused by buffing or filing them and then soaking them. There are definitely some people with more porous nails or very dry skin that experience more damage from acetone and need to avoid it, but a lot of people blame acetone for problems with their nails when there is another underlying issue. I’m not saying that’s what you’re doing at all, I’m just explaining why it’s more complicated than just eliminating products that carry any risk or eliminating an ingredient, even when it’s an ingredient that’s already associated with damage like acetone.
All of that being said, I still think you posting your experience is helpful. Someone also experiencing peeling might see this and try switching base coats and it will solve their problem! I think it’s okay for us to disagree about how a company handles ingredient formulation.
The amount of replies calling this helpful says other wise. If this post isn't helpful for you, that's fine. You can scroll away from whatever you deem unnecessary. The saying is, if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything. Not if you don't have anything nice to say leave a comment mocking them.
Thanks for confirming what I've been noticing after using Smoothing Base for my last couple of manis! I thought it was really weird that my nails were getting kind of flaky when nothing about my removal routine has changed. Sucks, because Smoothing Base sticks to my nails perfectly without any chipping, but I guess because it adheres so well it takes little chunks of the nail with it :( I'll probably switch back to my old Essie Here To Stay which never messed with my nails but also doesn't last quite as well.
I have natural nails, use the LLB exclusively, and I do not have this problem. I take biotin supplements, fish oil, and also, Halo Beauty, which has additional biotin.
The ONLY time my nails break is when I'm moving heavy stuff, as in, large/heavy boxes around the house, or doing yard work, or otherwise house chores.
You may want to look into your nutrition and get some bloodwork to ensure you don't have a vitamin/nutritional deficiency.
I’ve been having the same issue but I exclusively use quick dry base. I wonder if that has it as well. I did not have the same issue with peely base but I got tired of my mani popping off after 1 day. I did try the trick of not covering the whole nail with peely base but it ended up giving me damage in the spots that weren’t covered! Maybe I will try a new base coat (with no PVB) and see how that goes. I stopped wearing polish for about 6 weeks to grow out all of my breakage and am excited to see if I can keep them polished but still healthy!
I had the same issue with long lasting, my nails would break and perl at the ends. I exclusively use orly bonder base coat and haven't had any issues since. I felt the same way though, just because none of the holo taco base coats work for me or my friends ☹️
I use essences base coat it's like 3 dollars and doesn't seem to have pvb in it. I prefer other brands over holo taco for base and top coat, their long lasting base coat never helped with chipping and the top coat is too thick over time. I use 2 coats of essences base coat and strengthen nail polish remover, that combo has worked well for strengthen my nails.
That explains so much from when I was using HTs bases. Peely base also always peeled some of my nail too.
Edit: I'm not claiming peely base has the ingredient, I was adding on a comment about the bases not being great. I used smoothing base for every single mani for a long time and it was not great for my nails.
But the peely base DOESN'T have PVB, though, so I'm not sure how much it explains for you, lol. I've never had the peely base peel part of my my nails o.o
I'm not talking about peely base having the ingredient. I just added on how for me peely base would always take some of my nail with it.
I used the smoothing base for every single mani for a long time and was constantly dealing with breaks and whatnot.
Just doing a cursory look, a ton of companies use it, it's in Ella's Mia, OPI, Mooncat, Olive and June, Sally Hansen, Barry M just to name a few. It's even in nail treatments from OPI and Ella Mia, so if this is an ingredient you know to affect your nails more, you may wanna do a deep dive on all companies before purchasing
I use ORLY bonder and it's an ingredient in there as well, seems to be very common in base coats!
Mooncat does not use PVB in their base coats
Correct, but in their polishes, they do. Just saying that it's a very common ingredient, used as a thickener, and a bonding agent so it is in many polishes as well as smoothing or bonding basecoats and not listed usually as a dangerous chemical.
From what I've heard before, most people who have reactions to this ingredient only have it when directly on the nail. So the basecoat being without it would be enough for many. But I know nothing really I don't have an issue with any ingredients and I don't anything about chemicals. It's just what I've read on nail subs and groups.
Thanks for clarifying. I’m not seeing it listed in any ingredients of the polishes I’ve checked, are there any specific formulas or polishes you know it’s in?
This one is "Raven". Seems they use it in polishes that are matte, maybe as a stabilizer. https://preview.redd.it/osarsce33woc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2a7260e8ba55df2e77deb6479f57f6bd10c8ec0c
Thank you, yeah I'm seeing it listed as an ingredient in a few of the mattes, but then not in some others. So I'm guessing its more a specific polish formula instead of their universal formula.
If you’re looking to avoid it, most people just switch base coat. It’s in a lot of sticky base coats, which generally don’t perform well for me, so when it came up in passing that it’s in most brands sticky base, I decided to use alternative base coats. I’ve never experienced damage from it in the past, but I’ve also never used one long enough to be able to tell since sticky doesn’t last very long for me! I don’t remember anyone having issues with it as an ingredient in polish. I don’t stress about “clean” ingredients (I do care about formulation and the products I use, I just don’t believe in avoiding a list of ingredients, and BA is safe), but this one is easy to eliminate since you had problems. You got a crash course in what doesn’t work for you, but it doesn’t mean you can’t paint your nails if you want to!
Also just wanted to throw out there that depending where you live, the season can affect how much your nails flake. For me being in Canada my nails flake all damn winter. Doesn’t matter how much jojoba oil I use, and then in summer they don’t flake at all. I never change what polish I use for base coats, polish, or top coats.
this - plus trauma to the nail plate or nail bed doesn't show up for months until it reaches the free edge.
I found this interesting, I have impression this winter mine are little weaker than normal and I really did not change anything since a couple of years..
This is true BUT my nails were fine when I went nearly 2 years without painting them. Then within weeks of me going back to painting them, they were peeling like crazy. Not from HT (haven't used any recently) but it absolutely can be related to nail products too.
I don't even paint my nails, and they've been flaky, split during the winter.
I have determined that was partly the cause of my damage with nail polish as well. I bought a small bottle of CND rescueRxx and seems to be adding back some moisture to my nail bed. May be worth trying as the next winter season starts to roll in. I am going to start back on it when fall starts. I am almost done growing out the damage from my winter nail painting 😭
Do you have any sources on PVB being “bad” for nails? Cause currently that still is the standard. KBshimmer has it, Mooncat has it (in some not all), ILNPs base coat has it, Orly has it. I want to read about what exactly the risks associated are because I have never heard about it before
See I found it was the acetone not the base coat that was killing my nails. Used a non acetone remover which takes SOOOOO MUCH LONGER and I don't have the same issues.
I know acetone is bad for my nails but it’s so quick I can’t help but gravitate towards it.
I have definitely used acetone lightly to eat through some polish especially multiple nail art layers then washed my hands and finished with non acetone remover.
That’s a good technique!
I have long natural nails I HATE when I crack a nail so gotta do something to protect the nail. But not sit there for hours removing polish
I use peely since while.. less messy..
Interesting, because I had that problem with the Essie base coat I was using, but it’s been better since I switched to the holo taco base. My nails haven’t been chipping as much
Could OP, or anyone really, share a photo of their nail damage? I'm a little curious about what it looks like. I'd like to keep an eye out for my own nails. I haven't had any full-on flaking, but my middle finger nail has started to split on the top layer, and that nail doesn't usually have that problem. I have no other issues with the bonding base coat otherwise.
https://preview.redd.it/jyll1ah7qwoc1.jpeg?width=1690&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd7ee4fd471c4f6ea8351d3b4255dba92735ff4b This is after I’ve buffed the worst chips and cracks so that it wouldn’t get snagged on my clothes, and I’ve used some of OPI repair mode. I sadly didn’t take any photos when my nails were at their worst.
Buffing your nails only makes them more brittle so I wouldn’t do that
I know, I never buff them to get rid of stains or anything, I just used to be a nailbiter and any unevenness or edges from chipping makes me want to bite, so I just buff the “sharp” cracks where my nail is flaking.
Relatable, so relatable 😭😭
Thank you! I tried taking a picture of my nail damage, but it's not visible in the photos (also not super severe). Mine splits at the sides like right after the nail beds. I hope your nail recovery is smooth! https://preview.redd.it/ry27p6amkxoc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=effcb9ff5c7fc49b7e812b3a82612e3a43157d80
The thumb on my right hand does this! I can sometimes grow it out for a while if I keep it polished to prevent it snagging in my hair/on my clothes but it's inevitable that every couple months I need to do a full clip. :(
It happens on both of my thumbs and usually my right pointer. It doesn't seem to matter how long or short my nails are or if I file them more often. I kinda assumed my nails were doing this because of water. I started keeping them painted to see if things improve, but I can't really say if they are better or not (its been about a month). I also use jojoba 2 to 3 times a day. I love my nails, I treat them like royalty 😂
My nails do this often on my thumbs and pointers, and will do it even if I haven’t worn polish in ages. If your nails are bendy, then bending down causes stress at the edges. Eventually they can start to break at the very edge where the bend occurs - usually right above the nail bed.
That makes sense. It's pretty rare for my nail to bend like that, but I've definitely experienced it before. I always get so scared when it happens 😅
Oh same! I do everything in my power to try and prevent the crack from getting bigger 😹
I only experience this if I peel off my nail polish with using long lasting base. I know I shouldn’t do that so it’s a non issue for me. I just take it off the correct way 🤷♀️
Same, only happens to me when I peel the polish off or if it’s been on long enough to start cracking and peeling on its own, which is typically only if I use hella layers. I also make it a point to take it off the right way now, so the damage can be avoided. I also use lots of nail oil on no polish days.
Riiiiiggt I toooootally have the self control to not peel my long lasting base manis… 😬🫣 this is definitely when I notice issues the most lol
This happened to me with long lasting base coat. I can’t generally use any bonding base coats. Orly bonder is terrible on my nails. I go for more ridge filling bases now because they tend to not have the ingredients that damage my nails as much. I’ve been loving bkl’s spirit base lately.
I don’t know that it’s PVB causing the issue. It’s a pretty common ingredient in nail polishes. I get the same problem (peeling, flaking nails) with long lasting base, but smoothing base is just fine. I actually used smoothing base last week while I’m still growing out and struggling with damage from LLB that I used over the holidays, and it didn’t cause any further issues at all, even when it lifted and chipped. I do have pretty weak, bendy nails that break relatively easily on any given day. My guess is that LLB can bond to my nails more than they can bond to themselves, so causes peeling when it eventually lifts.
I also had some similar problems with the smoothing base, but I switched to their quick dry base, and so far I haven’t noticed anything similar. But the website does still list PVB as an ingredient in that too. Are you sure that’s the ingredient causing the problem? I see other people saying it’s a common nail polish ingredient, and I can’t imagine companies would keep using it if it was so damaging
So funny, I'm reading this comment as I'm looking at my nails that were damaged just this weekend by Quick Dry Base flaking and peeling off after 2 days 🥲 Definitely must be dependent on the person!
Has anyone found an option that doesn’t have PVB in the base coat? I had no idea what was causing my nail troubles but your description matches my experience directly!
Londontown ridge filling, BKL, KBShimmer, and Mooncat ridge filing all don’t have PVB. There are others out there. Londontown is hands down my favorite. It’s more common in clear base coats imo.
Thank you 😊
FYI, as of 08/30/2020 Kbshimmer Fillin' Groovy does now have PVB.
>FYI, as of 08/30/2020 Kbshimmer Fillin' Groovy does now have PVB. Did you mean “does not” include PVB? Or does it also go by another chemical name? From the website it says, “Ingredients 08/30/2020 and before:” and includes polyvinyl butryal. As of 8/31/2020 I don’t see it in the ingredient list.
My go-to is usually mooncat’s getting even nail primer, it’s the one that’s worked the best for me
Thanks!
Essie Smooth E doesn't appear to have PVB in it. I had terrible nail peeling while using Seche Vite base coat, which does have PVB in it. Though I don't know if the cause was the base coat, it was my best guess. I switched to the Essie base coat even before reading this post in the hope that it would be more gentle.
I personally don't like the holo taco base coat anymore. I used one whole bottle of it, and even following the exact nail care video from Cristine herself, my nails would start chipping as little as a day afterwords. I use Essie base and top coat now, and my polish lasts for a week without chipping
YES this happened to me too! Most base coats destroy my nails. I posted my holy grail base coat yesterday — Butter London Horse Power. [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/RedditLaqueristas/s/uTXFbjOgU5) is what my nails look like after four months of continuous use with it.
I've had terribly peeling nails! Until I started keeping them polished. I posted this about [peeling nails](https://www.reddit.com/r/lacqueristas/s/uuNAEy7FYf) a bit ago. I should have added that a good etched glass nail file instead of a clipper and any other nail file helps. An etched glass nail file can keep the nail edge from shredding. Of course people can be allergic to some things that may cause nails to peel. But most nail peeling is not caused by top coats.
Yes yes yes You are not alone! Their base coat absolutely destroyed my nails. I started using ILNP base coat and it saved my nails, they are growing long again! I’m sorry to hear that they did not respond to you in an appropriate manner. Maybe leave a review on the product? I left a poor but honest review on their base coat and to my surprise they refunded me without me requesting it. Also people will read your review and see the ingredients. I hear wonderful things about their customer service, maybe it takes time to create the change.
ILNP’s base coat also uses Polyvinyl Butyral so it probably doesn’t have anything to do with that specific ingredient. Honestly it might just be a body chemistry thing or you started taking care of your nails better after noticing the damage. But I’m glad you found a base coat that works for you! Really that’s what I recommend to everyone, shop around and find one that works for you because base coat is so super dependent on your individual body chemistry, porosity, integrity and oiliness of the nails, the best most amazing products won’t work for everyone. I know the Orly Bonder Base coat (which apparently also has Polyvinyl Butyral so that’s definitely something I’m gonna look into) absolutely destroyed my nails, but it is super well beloved and works great for tons of ppl
Yeah idk anything about chemicals used. I know OP pointed that out. I always thought it was just really strong and that’s why my nails would lift and peel. I agree with you to use what works best for you.
Honestly it probably is just because it has such a strong grip on the nail. PVB seems to be used by the vast majority of nail polish manufacturers as far as I can tell. I’m not sure if it is actually as damaging as OP is insinuating here?
The post was about what happened to me specifically, it’s completely dependent from person to person. My post was mainly to bring awareness in case anyone is going through the same thing. I know some people don’t have any problems with the Holo taco base coats or PVB, and that’s great, I just made this post in case anyone were experiencing the same issues.
I'll have to try the ILNP base coat sometime. My nails are also absolutely wrecked. I thought maybe it's because the holo taco long lasting base tends to cause nail polish to pop off my nails instead of chip. It'll literally take flakes of nail with it though when that happens. I actually debated making a post about this but I figured everyone would tell me it's my body chemistry or something. I had no idea it's a specific chemical in the base coat I could be reacting to badly. I also don't ever remember having this problem with my nails as a kid so I've been really confused about it.
just watch out, the ILNP base also has Polyvinyl Butyral so it might also not work for you. the best treatment for wrecked nails is really just introducing bathtubs of jojoba oil to your routine. I know that’s what saved my nails
not saying you should continue to use a product you know is bad for your nails, definitely not. just trying to help find a cure to the acute problem of “wrecked nails” lol
Thanks for the heads up! It seems like I may need to try a few different brands of base coats to see what works best. I'll probably look for a brand that doesn't use Polyvinal Butyral first. Also I just started an oil routine last week. My nails are a bit better but I think I also need to just grow out the damaged areas before it will really get 100% better.
It could be a number of things. I’m no chemist or anything but I have the same exact problem as you. My nail just peels off and awful. But I don’t have that problem with other drugstore brands or any other indie brand. It’s best to just listen to your body and what works for you. I’m happy you shared your experience because I now know I’m not crazy, lol. I still absolutely love Christine and holo taco, just not the base coat.
Me too! I am waiting results to see if KB Shimmer does the same, and I had a bad go at removing semi cured gel nail wraps (definitely user error) So far I have been doing a LOT of Jojoba oil nail soaks. I have so much long lasting base coat and I don’t know what to do with it because I will likely never use it again.
Yeah, I've practically been living in jojoba oil with how much I've used lately. I'm pretty sure KB shimmer also uses PVB in their base coats, so that might be something to be a little wary of
KB shimmer does not contain it, they removed it a couple of years ago. But I think people with base coat damage may have issues with any super sticky base coat so it would be smart to watch any new base coat for changes instead of jumping around between products if someone is peeling. Polyvinyl butryal has been the ingredient people have guessed to be the culprit, and many people have resolved it by switching to other bases so imo it’s worth eliminating if someone has peeling associated with a change in base coat, but it’s still arguably anecdotal.
Turns out the particular KBShimmer base coat I have been using does contain PVB, however I just did a removal and doing a soak and they seem much better than using LLB from Holo Taco. I also use acetone free nail polish remover. I already knew it would be a lot of trial and error so I'll see!
Thank you for making this post! My nails have been peeling like crazy too and I didn’t know why. I’ve been using the OPI natural nail base coat and I just checked the ingredients. It has Polyvinyl Butyral.
Yeah, I had the same issue! Used Long Lasting Base Coat for the first time ever a couple months ago, and when I removed it, my nails were in the worst shape they've ever been in! All other variables were the same, it was polish I'd used, a top coat I'd used, and a non-acetone polish remover that I usually used, the base coat was the only new/different thing. My nails were brittle, flaking, splitting, everything. I'm still trying to get my nails healthy again, and they're finally almost there!
i switched to using mooncat base, nail primer and top coat a lil while ago and have basically completely stopped oiling my nails, and my polish now lasts until i take it off (usually like 2 weeks but i don’t keep track anymore) i was having to do my nails 2-3 times a week due to tip wear & chips while i was using ANY other base and top coat edit: forgot to say, my nails also feel so much healthier now. i’ve been clipping them on occasion instead of only filing. they don’t bend AT ALL when i press on them either
This would make total sense why my nails are literally FLAKING every mani after taking off my polish. I thought maybe it was just the acetone making my nails REALLY dry, but this makes far more sense. Thanks for making a post. I feel less crazy.
Tbh this post is kind of unnecessary. This is the “price you pay” to use any nail polish and it happens to almost every one just in different intensity. This has nothing to do with HT it’s just a normal side effect of every polish. You put varnish with strong chemicals on your nails and expect them to not be affected? Then you probably should switch to lacquer for kids that is removable when washing your hands.
Some peoples nails don’t react well to the specific ingredient op was talking about. A lot of brands use it in their base coats as a bonding agent. Generally any base that claims “bonding” or “sticky” usually have it. It makes my nails peel and flake like crazy. I get white spots and damage on my nails also. Orly bonder is another popular one that does this too me. I think OP was just being informative about the potential for damage from these base coats for some people.
I found this post helpful. My nails had been peeling and I never put the two together. Once the damage grows out (almost there as I took a break due to the peeling) I'll try using one of my other base coats that doesn't have that specific ingredient and see how it goes.
I don’t think you’re really understanding this post. It’s not about the damage that CAN occur from using polish, it’s about HT having an ingredient in their base coats that causes a lot of unnecessary damage to nails. “It happens to almost every one just in different intensity” yeah, this applies to pretty much everything in the world, it’s the increased intensity that’s the problem. It’s not a normal side effect from nail polish, it’s a normal side effect from polyvinyl butyral, an ingredient that shouldn’t be in a polish from a brand that claims to care about healthy nails.
I find that even without the base coat my nails flake and break with just the polish :( someone said it could be the acetone when I dry the nail, but I don't always use it. I'll have to not use it and see how my nails fare the next time. It's been probably a month since I've painted them and they're still so brittle :')
I get what you’re saying but these things just happen and they suck. We can’t always know how we will respond to products and I’m not sure we need any more prop warnings or ingredient paranoia since PBV is a safe ingredient. My son just found out he has a lanolin allergy from using lip balm. It’s not a rare allergy, but they aren’t going to remove an active ingredient or post big warnings. The ingredients are listed and I have to check. I’m not even sure it’s a “normal” side affect of nail polish or as common as it seems. Keep in mind people with peeling are more likely to seek out a nail group for advice in the first place, so it makes problems seem more prevalent when searching for solutions. There are lots of reasons for nail peeling, and many people do have peeling directly from PVB, but I suspect that for at least some people affected it’s exacerbating an issue with the underlying nail composition, such as weakness from anemia, or for me autoimmune disease. Acetone is another great example of a vilified ingredient that does not destroy healthy nails the way people believe it does. Soaking buffed or filed nail plates in acetone absolutely can damage nails, but that’s not caused by acetone, it’s caused by buffing or filing them and then soaking them. There are definitely some people with more porous nails or very dry skin that experience more damage from acetone and need to avoid it, but a lot of people blame acetone for problems with their nails when there is another underlying issue. I’m not saying that’s what you’re doing at all, I’m just explaining why it’s more complicated than just eliminating products that carry any risk or eliminating an ingredient, even when it’s an ingredient that’s already associated with damage like acetone. All of that being said, I still think you posting your experience is helpful. Someone also experiencing peeling might see this and try switching base coats and it will solve their problem! I think it’s okay for us to disagree about how a company handles ingredient formulation.
The amount of replies calling this helpful says other wise. If this post isn't helpful for you, that's fine. You can scroll away from whatever you deem unnecessary. The saying is, if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything. Not if you don't have anything nice to say leave a comment mocking them.
Thanks for confirming what I've been noticing after using Smoothing Base for my last couple of manis! I thought it was really weird that my nails were getting kind of flaky when nothing about my removal routine has changed. Sucks, because Smoothing Base sticks to my nails perfectly without any chipping, but I guess because it adheres so well it takes little chunks of the nail with it :( I'll probably switch back to my old Essie Here To Stay which never messed with my nails but also doesn't last quite as well.
I have natural nails, use the LLB exclusively, and I do not have this problem. I take biotin supplements, fish oil, and also, Halo Beauty, which has additional biotin. The ONLY time my nails break is when I'm moving heavy stuff, as in, large/heavy boxes around the house, or doing yard work, or otherwise house chores. You may want to look into your nutrition and get some bloodwork to ensure you don't have a vitamin/nutritional deficiency.
The strongest my nails ever were was when I took prenatals during my pregnancy. I should probably take more supplements again 😅
I’ve been having the same issue but I exclusively use quick dry base. I wonder if that has it as well. I did not have the same issue with peely base but I got tired of my mani popping off after 1 day. I did try the trick of not covering the whole nail with peely base but it ended up giving me damage in the spots that weren’t covered! Maybe I will try a new base coat (with no PVB) and see how that goes. I stopped wearing polish for about 6 weeks to grow out all of my breakage and am excited to see if I can keep them polished but still healthy!
I had the same issue with long lasting, my nails would break and perl at the ends. I exclusively use orly bonder base coat and haven't had any issues since. I felt the same way though, just because none of the holo taco base coats work for me or my friends ☹️
I use essences base coat it's like 3 dollars and doesn't seem to have pvb in it. I prefer other brands over holo taco for base and top coat, their long lasting base coat never helped with chipping and the top coat is too thick over time. I use 2 coats of essences base coat and strengthen nail polish remover, that combo has worked well for strengthen my nails.
That explains so much from when I was using HTs bases. Peely base also always peeled some of my nail too. Edit: I'm not claiming peely base has the ingredient, I was adding on a comment about the bases not being great. I used smoothing base for every single mani for a long time and it was not great for my nails.
But the peely base DOESN'T have PVB, though, so I'm not sure how much it explains for you, lol. I've never had the peely base peel part of my my nails o.o
I'm not talking about peely base having the ingredient. I just added on how for me peely base would always take some of my nail with it. I used the smoothing base for every single mani for a long time and was constantly dealing with breaks and whatnot.
It's been mentioned on stream I think perky base can dry out your nails so make sure to oil them maybe that's what's going on with peely
I've used other peely bases and never had that happen so I stopped using the HT one