CND VINYLUX Weekly Nail Polish Review & Swatches
As nail polish fanatics we are on a never-ending quest for that holy grail combination of base coat, polish and top coat that will give us extended wear and high gloss shine with a quick dry time and no staining (Smurf fingers begone). Nail industry innovator, CND, is attempting to solve that riddle with the introduction of CND VINYLUX Weekly Polish.
CND VINYLUX Weekly Nail Polish
A new take on the traditional nail polish process, the CND VINYLUX system consists solely of nail polish and top coat, no base coat required. It also claims to deliver a stain-free product that dries in 8 & 1/2 minutes flat, with a full week of wear thanks to a top coat that gets stronger when exposed to natural UV light, no lamps required. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?
Formula & Application: CND VINYLUX Weekly Polish is 5-Free (Formaldehyde, DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor). It comes in the old school CND polish bottle (pre-Colour & Effects) but with the thin, flat, flexible brush from the C&E bottle. It’s the best of both worlds.
The polish is thin and easy to manipulate. It flows freely on the nail with excellent pigmentation. With one notable exception (Electric Orange), they all give full coverage in two thin coats. With Electric Orange, I felt a couple nails needed an extra coat to fully disguise my tips.
One of the benefits of VINYLUX is its quick dry time. The claim is that your polish is dry in 8 & 1/2 minutes. I test the theory in this quick VINYLUX application tutorial.
CND VINYLUX Electric Orange has been carried over from the now-retired Colour & Effects nail polish line. It was created as part of the Primary and Secondary color lineup so it is a very true orange creme. This one is a touch more sheer than the rest of the shades I tried so I used three coats to avoid VNL (visible nail line).
CND VINYLUX Electric Orange
CND VINYLUX Gilded Pleasure is a shade shifting duo-chrome with a golden olive base that flashes antique gold and a pale leafy green. Due to its metallic nature, it does show some brush strokes.
CND VINYLUX Gilded Pleasure
CND VINYLUX Gilded Pleasure
CND VINYLUX Pretty Poison appears in the Shellac line as well. It is a moody, blackened forest hue filled with bronze, gold and grass green flecks. It’s even more spectacular in person. A MUST-HAVE in my book!
CND VINYLUX Pretty Poison
CND VINYLUX Pretty Poison
CND VINYLUX Rock Royalty is based on a shade from the Fall 2007 Imperial Anarchy collection. It’s one of my favorite purples of all time. It was originally resurrected in Shellac and now carries over to VINYLUX. The current version is not exact replica of the original. It’s darker with less shimmer, more red in its base and a bit plummy.
CND VINYLUX Rock Royalty
CND VINYLUX Seaside Party is a slightly greyed, marine blue creme. It has a touch of green in its undertone to give it an aquatic feel. Along with Gilded Pleasure, it is a brand new color, exclusive to VINYLUX.
CND VINYLUX Seaside Party
CND VINYLUX 8 Day Wear Test
I’ve tested CND VINYLUX multiple times over the past few months. Outside of needing an extra coat of Electric Orange to achieve full coverage, the application process is as simple and easy as CND claims. Two coats of Weekly Polish and one coat of Weekly Top Coat and 8 & 1/2 minutes later I can function normally. Like reach in my purse to grab keys normal.
One thing I noticed is that because my nail beds have ridges and are far from flawless, I don’t get a perfectly smooth, glossy finish from VINYLUX.
Part of that could be that I put my nails through torture, constantly testing new products and changing my polish more often than the average person. The other part could be that I don’t buff my nails to make them perfectly smooth. My nails are naturally thin so I try not too buff and weaken them.
Regardless, I found the wear of VINYLUX to be very good. It’s not perfect but neither are my nails. Over time, the finish dulled some. Though daily use of cuticle oil helps prevent that. I did have a few chips near the end of the week but only on nails that consistently split and peel.
CND VINYLUX Weekly Polish Wear Test (click to view full size)
CND VINYLUX FAQ
I spoke with CND Education Training Manager Roxanne Valinoti to ask your most pressing VINYLUX questions. Her direct quotes will be italicized alongside answers based on my own experience.
Q: Why no base coat?
A: For years we’ve touted to always use base coat to promote adhesion and prevent staining however VINYLUX uses newly developed proprietary adhesion promoters that dramatically improve adhesion and eliminate the need for a base coat. The adhesion promoters are designed to anchor directly to keratin and form a barrier to prevent the pigments from coming into contact with the natural nail. – RV
Q: Can you use a base coat?
A: If you DO wear a base coat those adhesion promoters can’t bond to keratin so you wouldn’t have the same wear. – RV I tested VINYLUX with both CND Stickey and CND Ridge Out base coats. In both cases, the wear was good but not as good as on the bare nail alone.
Q: If you don’t wear a base coat, what about ridges or nail imperfections?
A: VINYLUX may not be a great option for someone who has damaged or ridge nails. In our testing, 80% of the women wore it for 7 days with no wear however the other 20% did not have healthy nails. I would recommend CND Shellac for that client. – RV I experienced chipping wearing VINYLUX, as directed, on nails with splits or tears.
Q: Is CND VINYLUX Weekly Top Coat the same as Julep Freedom Polymer Coat or Rock Top Coat?
A: I don’t own Julep Freedom Coat but the ingredient lists for it and Rock Top Coat are different from VINYLUX Weekly Top Coat. The basic principal is similar but I haven’t tested them side by side to make a definitive conclusion.
Q: Should you reapply the CND VINYLUX Top Coat throughout the week?
A: You won’t need to and if you do it may effect the removal. It removes like regular nail polish but, since the topcoat gets tougher over time, the longer you wear VINYLUX, the more “energy” to remove. Personally, when I wear it on my toes, I saturate a cotton pad with acetone and hold it on the surface for a few seconds so it can penetrate before swiping off. – RV I found that, left alone, the surface dulled over the course of a week.
Q: How do you remove VINYLUX?
A: With acetone-based nail polish removers. Same as traditional nail polish. Non-acetone nail polish removers work as well but they require more effort.
Q: Without a base coat, will the VINYLUX polish colors stain?
A: If clients do have dry, damaged nails, that would be prone to staining, I recommend a thin layer of a neutral sheer (Lavishly Loved) before dark or bright colors. – RV My short answer, no. I tested all five colors over a week and none of them stained. Considering that blues and red-based purples are notorious for staining, you shouldn’t experience staining with VINYLUX.
Q: Can you use the VINYLUX Weekly Top Coat over other brands of nail polish?
A: VINYLUX Weekly Top Coat should be used only with VINYLUX Weekly Polish as you won’t have the same benefit with traditional nail polish. – RV I tested the Weekly Top Coat over five major brands (China Glaze, Essie, L’Oreal, OPI, Zoya) and they all dried fast and wore well over the course of a week.
CND VINYLUX Pros & Cons
PROS: 1. No base coat means faster application 2. No staining 3. Thin and easy to apply 4. Full coverage in two coats (with one noted exception) 5. Quick, 8 & 1/2 minute dry time 6. Top coat gets stronger when exposed to sunlight 7. Full week of wear on healthy nails with little to no signs of chipping 8. No strong odor
CONS: 1. No base coat means no ridge filler to camouflage ridges 2. The top coat dulls over time 3. The finish doesn’t have the thickness or high gloss to mask imperfections like best sellers Seche Vite or Out The Door 4. Can chip if there is splitting along the free edge. 5. Intended for professionals, DIYers who aren’t adept at manicure prep and polish application may not get the same results.
Bottom Line: CND VINYLUX lives up to its claims with the quick dry time being a major selling point. If you don’t change your nail polish often and haven’t found a product combination that gives you week-long wear, VINYLUX may be your solution. The polish itself has a lovely formula, diverse color range and great pigmentation. The fact that it doesn’t stain is genius. Although CND doesn’t condone using the Weekly Top Coat over other brands, it dries just as fast over other polishes so I suggest picking it up for that reason alone. If you have weak, splitting nails, this may not be a good option for you.
CND VINYLUX Weekly Polish is available as a service at professional salons and spas nationwide with product available for purchase. Visit CND.com to locate a salon near you. Service prices will vary by location. CND VINYLUX Weekly Polish and Weekly Top Coat will retail for $9.90/ea for a .5oz bottle. I’ve also seen VINYLUX sold on Amazon.com and BeyondPolish.com though I can’t vouch for the legitimacy of those sellers.
To view the entire CND VINYLUX color range, visit my original post HERE.
So, does VINYLUX live up to the hype? Have you tried VINYLUX? How did it work for you? If you haven’t used VINYLUX, will you give it a go? What are your favorite colors from the line?
Disclosure: Product samples were provided by reps for CND. For more info view my Disclosure Policy.
Lisa N.
Ms Meatballhead
Birdie
Spa pediccure chairs
The video is private.
Whoops! Fixed it. Thanks for the letting me know.
Hi, thank you for all of the information. I love the Vinylux line. I have been using it off and on for a few weeks. Plus I just started using the Solar oil, which I love. It has taken me a year of taking Biotin to get my nails back to being strong. I had been using Gel, which made my nails very thin and weak. I wondered why you said that if you have weak or splitting nails it might not be good for you? Do you think the product can make your nails weaker or thinner?
After all the hard work getting them to this point, I want to keep them getting stronger…..thanks
When I said that it might not be good for weak nails is that it might not wear as well. It shouldn’t cause any damage to nails.
Thanks for clearing it up. My tip chipped and it was so easy to repair. I just put some polish on the area that was bare, waited a few minutes and applied the top coat. It has not come off or chipped again.
Great product!
Multiple colors chipped on me within 2 days. I am licensed and applying them correctly and have not been as impressed as you are. I also noticed my nails were dehydrated after removal when leaving it for the week.
I’m sorry you didn’t have as positive an experience as I did.
I actually didn’t have a great experience with the polish either Gilded Pleasure was an application nightmare. I can’t attest to the wear because I had to remove it right away…How did you get it to work for you? And If I have to thin it…what should I use?
Hi Parisa! I didn’t have to thin it and I’m not sure if regular nail polish thinner will work in VINYLUX. I just applied very thin coats and with Gilded Pleasure, I applied it to the outside first, finishing with a stroke down the middle to smooth it out.
Yes, agreed. Not impressed. Will not buy CND VinylLux again. I have been doing nails for 20 years. In my opinion, this product has major flaws:
1) Polish top coat gets dull within a few days. Clients do not want dull nails.
2) VinylLux wearability over the course of 1 week on most clients nails, was not as promised. I had my clients take daily photos & send them to me. -Chipped same as with reg polish.
3) Extremely difficult to remove after 1-2 weeks -even with CND Nourishing Remover or Pure Acetone.
4) Removal time takes too long and slows me down too much
5) Product gets thick & gloppy after only 1/2 the bottle is used. Rendering 1/2 the bottle unusable =wasted money (and yes, I shake thoroughly beforehand).
6) Clients nails started showing white spots after I used VinylLux only 3-4 times on them
OBSERVATIONS:
I have found that CND adds a lot of Oil to their Nourishing Remover (which is Pure Acetone mixed with oil). It is meant to mask nail damage temporarily. You will see the nail damage & white spots again, after the final clean before polish application, when all the oily nourishing remover is removed.
Yes, true. I house damage (white spots) from using vinylux and I also had the same problem with the vinylux polish becoming thick and gloppy after less than half the bottle was used. It requires too much effort to take off even with the CND nourshing remover & as others have stated my clients also do not want nails that are not shiny. My clients do not see where Vinylux is any better than using regular polish. I am sorry I ever bought 10 of these polishes to try out & I will never use them again. I wish CND would just go back to regular polish please I am begging you! One more thing, I would like to say that since I like to have matching shellac colors and nail polish and the fact that C & D does not offer any regular nail polish, I will stop buying their shellac products as well and go with another company that offers regular nail polish as well as gel. This is how much I hate the Vinylux product.
Thanks for the post, for a spell I THOUGHT perhaps I needed this. Besides, I change my polish daily so why bother.The colors are pretty which is what makes me want them. CND has evolved and regular polish from them is HTF. Guess money is saved to be spent elsewhere.
Love Rock royalty, poison is also pretty but the purple is stunning
Awesome review! I just bought 3 bottles of Vinylux and the top coat. I just tried one on a client a couple of days ago. I was curious how it would wear for her, so I’m excited to see your review! Thanks so much for your thorough experimentation! You rock!
I use the topcoat over other polishes and have worn some drugstore brands as long as 8 days with just a little tip wear! It’s kind of a miracle topcoat !!!
I have used over a dozen Vinylux colors and love them! I do use a sheer, like Lavishly Loved, as a base so the dark colors don’t stain & so I get a smoother application, but my polish last at least 6 days withou flaws and sometimes I’ve been able to go as long as 12 days-at that point I have a little bit of chipping on the sides of my index fingers and middle fingers. Most of the time, I don’t have chipping, but it wears off the edge of those two fingers by day 7 and I’m ready for a new color. I lotion my hands a couple times a day, because I have long, natural nails and I use Solar Oil on my cuticles and nails every other day. I use CND Nourishing Remover to take it off; it’s a little more difficult to take off than normal polish, but for how long it lasts me, I’m okay with that. I’ve used a lot of different polishes and like this one the best on my nails.
Thanks for the feedback Holly. I love hearing everyone’s experiences with the product.
I bought Purple Purple and I had chips after four days too.
Btw, the Julep Freedom is amazing. Just as good as Shellac.
Interesting tip about the Julep top coat, thanks! I may have to take the plunge and try it. Does it have a strong odor?
Thank you for posting this! Just this week, I had been fishing around; blog after blog, looking for some real time Vinylux reviews. I don’t think I’m loving my Vinylux experience. Pretty comparable to a good polish with a proper base/top coat. And the color ‘Cake Pop’ is a hot mess. :/
Good to know about Cake Pop. I only have the five shades to test. I imagine, like most polish lines, not every color is a winner.
OMG, Cake Pop is amazing! Pastel pink that never streaks!
On ridgy nails or when the bottle is brand new I just use a sheer shade like Beau as base. Voila! Smoooooth finish!
I love the colors and I like that they lasted a good while without chipping. I need to find a good top coat that can do that:)
You can try the VINYLUX top coat over your other polishes.
I’m pretty disappointed in the lack of shine. If I recall correctly, CND originally claimed it would have a shine that rivaled Shellac. That was the draw for me – not the wear or dry time. So this line is pretty much a total fail for me. There’s no excuse for the topcoat to dull so quickly.
I don’t know of any regular top coat that rivals Shellac, or UV gel polish in general, in shine.
That’s why I was so excited. I’m still pretty sure they originally (before the full release) pushed intense shine as one of the benefits. I had dulling in 3 days and I sat outside in the sun on day 2 for 30 minutes. If you read their ads now, shine isn’t mentioned at all, although they do claim 1-week resistance to dulling. I’ve gotten better results from Sally Hansen Quick Dry Top Coat.
Interesting about the changes in the ads. I don’t know that there is a completely perfect product out there but, outside the shine, this hits a lot of nail polish needs.
Thank you for sharing, I can’t wait to get my hands on this stuff and try it out!
Let me know how you like it
It’s sort of crazy for the CND rep to suggest that “ridge nails” are in some way unhealthy. My nails are perfectly healthy and have ridges. Everyone has ridges.
She said “damaged OR ridged nails”.
thanks for this extensive review. i definitely want to try these.
You’re welcome! I hope you like them.
Can’t praise you enough for such a thorough review which is really what this product needs, not just swatches but actual testing.
Thank you so much
You’re so welcome!
Thank you so much for this review! and ESPECIALLY that you talked about the smell! I have health issues and have to be really careful of the products I use, thus, the BlueSky Shellac works great for me… (no smell)… I really wanted to try the CND vinilux but was worried about the scent! the colors look great on your nails!
I remember a couple people asked about the scent when I previewed the product so I wanted to make sure I included that part.
Very interesting! I was very intruiged by this product so i’m really glad you reviewed it in such depth!
Did you happen to ask how exactly the top coat gets stronger with sunlight? Is it bad for your nails if the topcoat gets better with penetration to the sun?
P.s we have the same phone
The Nexus S 4G? I love it and hate it. Mainly because it is old and slowing down. I want a new phone but I hate the thought of a non-Nexus phone. I love stock Android.
Sorry, I didn’t ask how it gets stronger with sunlight. Let me see what I can find out.
I’ve got to tell you I LOVE this line! I went to Hawaii and knew I’d be in the surf/sand/sun for a week without being able to reapply. It lasted the entire trip WITHOUT dulling or chipping. I’ve bought 7 colors now and won’t use anything else anymore. I can’t wait for them to come out with more colors!
That’s great to know, thank you!
Thanks for posting this. I’ve been waiting for your review… You are the only person I trust when it comes to nail polish. Can’t wait to try this.
Thank you Shenay. That’s so flattering. I hope it is helpful.
I am so excited to see your review and swatches of Vinylux. I have over a dozen colors so far. Typical nail polish lasts only a couple of days on me before chipping. Vinylux lasts 6-7 days!!! And by that time I am ready for a new color anyway. I have fairly thin flexible nails and a few have ridges but this polish works great for me. I am a licensed cosmetologist and specialize in hair color professionally but have a personal interest in nail care. Through personal experience I have found that if you cap the end of the nail at the first coat the polish seals and adheres better than if you wait till the final coat of color. Also, I need at least 3 coats of color for complete opacity. As my application skills improve, I strive to apply only 2. Thank you for your review and swatches of Vinylux. Dare I say Holy Grail?!!
My favorite summer shades are Azure Wish, Tropix and Lobster Roll. For the cooler months, I cannot wait to use Overtly Onyx and Serene Green and Purple Purple!
Thanks for sharing your experience with us
I’m tempted by that dry time. For any nail polish to last a week on me is a miracle! I highly agree on Pretty Poison, it’s gorgeous. Makes me think of Poison Ivy lol
The top coat is amazing. I’m currently wearing Dior with Revlon GelColor base and Dior top coat (my HG combo), day 8 and I have 2 nails with Vinylux top coat and Beau on 1 hand as base. Everything else chipped OTHER then 2 nails with VL top coat.
I usually get 6 full days of shiny perfections with Vinylux, at that point my right thumb chips. I can usually dab a little polish on that I wear the mani for another 2 days.
That’s great info, thank you!
I have been using the product with good results for the most part. Some colors cover better than others. What I have found is that the top coat and some colors thicken up quickly so will need to replace them sooner which will cost more.
That’s a bummer to hear. I haven’t used mine enough to know if they thicken.
Thanks for the informative review; I feel like I can take the plunge now! When you tried the Vinylux topcoat with other brands, did you still use a basecoat?
I did use a base coat since regular polish is designed to be worn with base coat.
I recently bought Vinylux (summer brights mini set) and am in day 4 of my Vinylux trial mani. I have some tip wear on all of my nails and some minor chips at the tips of a few nails (looks like your Day 6 picture). The chips are probably from cooking (which I did on day 2). But so far, the polish looks better than regular polish would on day 4. I definitely like that these polishes dry and set in 8.5 min! I think one thing to note about using Vinylux is that the top coat starts drying really quickly so you should work fast and in a few brush strokes.
I MUST try CND “Pretty Poison” in the Shellac line! (Not that interested in the Vinylux line, I’m afraid).
Do it! It’s gorgeous
I LOVE CND PRODUCTS BUT VINYLUXE IS JUST SO AMAZING ART WORK WITH IT IS GREAT DRY BRUSHING ALL COLORS IT COMES OUTSO BEAUTIFUL HAPPY NAILTECH JOYCE
THANKYOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS THEY WERE ALL VERY HELPFUL
Thankyou for all the reviews I read very helpful I really love the new CND product
Thankyou CND Love your newest product line so much fun to work with and time saver.
I have had good results with Vinylux and love it. I figured it would not work as well on nails with visible ridging. Has anyone tried a topcoat like Seche Vite over the Vinylux color and topcoat? Maybe a thicker topcoat would smooth the ridges, but having the Vinylux underneath would give the long wear?? I’m thrilled to have something new to play with :-).
That’s a good question. I wonder how Seche Vite would work over VINYLUX with the top coat. Sounds like an experiment in the making.
VinyLux top coat doesn’t cause the shrinkage Seche Vite can
Just use a sheer shade like Beau as base. Smooth finish. Voila!
It’s not the top coat that’s not shiny. 2 layers of polish (esp when the polish is new and thin) is what gives you less shine
Thankyou for all new information Love all the shades and look forward to new season collection Joyce Thiry
I was very excited to buy Vinylux but after seeing your 8 day wear test I’m not excited anymore. I have same effect with regular nail polish without any base and top.
Right now I have Bourjois 10 day nail polsh in red on my nails- it’s 4th day and it looks better than your day 3..
All I see is a regular nail polish, nth so great about it, looks bad after third day- just like anything else out there.
I dont know if I still should try it- especially the price of this product is not so great in my country.
Have you tried it with Vinylux top coat?
I haven’t tried it at all. Haven’t bought it yet- that’s why I’m checking reviews. Just saying that from what I see on this photos posted here it’s not so amazing and my ordinary nail polishes usually look the same or better after few days.
It doesn’t look long lasting..
after my on line research I’m not sure if it’s still worth a shot
Hi I was very excited about this product. , I have tried it on 5 different clients and so far 2 have chipped within a day …, both wearing tutti fruiti!!! I’m hoping to have more luck with other colours!
Great review! I am wearing Vinylux for the first time right now. I had a chip on my index finger in less than 24 hours, though I did have some damage on that nail. It applied great, dried fast, but the surface didn’t retain its shine for very long. They look scratched and dull.
Yeah, the shine is the only downside for me. While I didn’t expect gel-like shine, I didn’t expect to dull so fast. Maybe I’m not outside in the sunlight enough for it to harden.
I really have good luck with this new polish Vinylux the shine stays on well for me but if it did not give it another coat no harm in that
Even though the Vinylux was a bust, it wasn’t a complete loss for me. The polish performs the same as regular polish. I used it with a regular base and regular top coat (Revlon Quick Dry Topcoat. Rivals Seche Vite with zero tip shrinkage.) I had over 7 days of perfect wear (on toes.) I’m sure it would have lasted longer, but my attention span didn’t! So, the colors I invested in are just additions to my regular polish collection.
Just used the product. I felt the weekly polish was clumping up on me it is not smooth at all. The top coat is very dull.
Maybe it’s the shade I picked sugar spice#152. Ill try it again maybe I applied it too thick. It looks and feels like an old bottle of nail polish : ( I really think it may be user error since everyone is having such fantastic results.
I love Shellac but my husband doesn’t like me using the UV
for health reasons. I always have such amazing results with it!
Wow, that’s a shame to hear. I don’t know why it would be clumping up on you unless you applied it too thick. I use very thin coats. I think that’s the key.
I had a manicure this weekend while visiting my sister out of state on Saturday. I chose Romantique which is a pale pink. We did go to the pool for a few hours after our manis and pedis so we were in the sun which is supposed to make them harder. The finish still looks great. I don’t have any chips … just a little light wear at the tips. Today is day 5 of this polish. I’ve already looked to see if there are any salons in Michigan that have Vinylux according to the CND site and there aren’t so I am definitely buying some to do my nails on my own. Love this…
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m glad you like it.
to better performance you need to be used as a system vinylux color coat and top coat, clean the nail to remove the oil, thin layers, seal, and use a cuticule oil .
ALU has been guiding my quest for the perfect polish for quite a while now, Michelle – many, many thanks for this great resource.
I’ve been using SOGs because of their durability and zero drying time after curing. But guess what? I find they are TOO long lasting – I want to change up more often, and I’ve come to actually hate the removal and application process which is like undergoing a horrendous surgery.
Shouldn
Thank you for sharing your insight. I agree, that these type of polishes and top coats are the way of the future. I just hope the technology improves to make the finish more glossy. And I agree, applying polish should be enjoyable. That’s why I can’t get into SOGs. The removal process makes me cringe. I love the wear and shine but the process brings me down.
What’s an SOG?
SOG = Soak Off Gel
Thanks for all of the comments and all of your research. I have to say, after 30 years in the business I was so excited for this and I am so disappointed. I also feel like the two bottles I have are thick like old polish and they don’t dry nearly as well as with Seche Vite. Polishing is my thing so it shouldn’t be a problem as far as application. It doesn’t dry well and I am thinking it has to do with body temperature or something. There is no other reason I can think of. I want my old Creative polish back but I guess I will go back to mostly Essie and Seche Vite.
That’s so odd Sandy. I’m sorry you had such a bad experience with the polish. Mine wasn’t thick at all. Could it be a bad batch? Or maybe it was stored in a bad environment before you got it. Either way, I’d contact CND.
Well it’s stored where all of my polishes are and some of them are many years old and still fine. It can’t be a bad batch because I have two colors bought at very different times. I really don’t understand it either. I’m such a big CND fan too. I will still use them but just not getting anymore.
Well that’s a shame. I’m sorry the product let you down.
I think I’ll be ok
I like some of the colors so I will keep trying and see if some colors work better then others. I honestly think it’s a body temperature thing. I know it sounds weird but something with the chemistry of it is the issue. I’m a bit on the warm side always. Thanks for your feedback Michelle.
I am using Vinyluxe and still loving it it wears well and the color stay true no problems with it.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Michelle – great post! I just bought Romantique and Powder my Nose. Pretty sheer colors so I’m guessing I’ll need 3 coats. I hope I have good luck like you do. I love Shellac so I’m really excited about Vinylux.
Thanks Angela! Let me know how it works for you. The more feedback, the better.
Where can you buy this in CLE?
If you go to CND.com you can search for salons that carry VINYLUX. Ask them if they retail the polish.
I am excited about the vinylux. Just bought and went to salon to have applied to me and my 3 daughters. Love how quick it dries because the girls can not sit still. And hoping that it will last 1 week because I’m sick of the no chip ruining my nails and the process of getting it off is not fun. I would also like to read about about julep. Have you tried and reviewed that yet? Thanks.
Hi Liz! I haven’t tried the Julep Freedom Top Coat. Currently it isn’t on my roster of products to test but I hear good things about it.
I’m a massage therapist (former Cosmetologist) who’s been searching high and low for ANYTHING to last the wear and tear of using oils/lotions and constant washing of my hands! Gels peel straight off within a couple of days and I hate the way it leaves my nail bed! I’ve used OPI, China Glaze, etc. I used to LOVE the OPI top coat but still nothing would last more than a couple of days. I was at my local hair supply store scouring the nail isle when the worker came and asked if I needed help. He said he had been hearing great things about the Vinylux. So I tried it and for the first time ever I now have something that actually lasts through the week with minor wear at the tips and minimal chipping after 5-7 days sometimes even longer. I’m excited! I cut/file my nails at least 2x’s a week so that wear is not a big problem for me! The color does not even chip when I do trim my nails! Unbelievable!! I often put a layer of glitter from OPI, China Glaze, and/or Essie between the Vinylux color and top coat and I have not noticed a big enough difference to write about. I absolutely LOVE Vinylux but just wish it had more iridescent colors or with glitter! That’s my only complaint.. if it even is one!
I tried a regular gel manicure once and and it destroyed my nails. I loved it the 2-3 weeks I had it on but my nails have been thin and brittle ever since, the cracking and breaking have been insane. Will vinylux be my answer to a long lasting manicure without the nail damage?
VINYLUX is a completely different product than gels. It’s essentially regular nail polish with ingredients that help the polish to adhere to the nail. It’s worth giving it a try.
It’s not going to heal your nails, but I’ve been using the top coat over regular nail polish for a while and I noticed a huge difference in the wear of my polish.
The only exception is if your nails are brittle or flexible, my nail had a crack in it, and the polish came off from there after two days, but the rest of my nails stayed perfect.
My manicurist recommended the vinylux a few weeks ago and I told her I would research it before trying it. I found this site, read the reviews and decided to give it a shot. I have had the Negligee color on for a week now with no chipping and only slight wear on the tips. I agree with other reviewers about the lack of gloss, but after a few days I added my own gloss finish to my nails and that definitely helped. I would recommend the product.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience with VINYLUX. So glad you like it.
I’m pretty “meh” on this one – I was soooo excited because I love Shellac, but it does leave my nails in bad shape, even when properly and professionally removed. I was hoping this would have that thick gel look, but it doesn’t – that’s OK, it doesn’t claim to – but the big con for me is that I had MAJOR tip wear after only one day, small chips after 3 days, and, despite what they say, very bad staining from the red color “Scarlet Letter”. Like, dipped my fingers in KoolAid staining!
It’s pretty, and I’ll use it up, but unfortunately it’s not the Holy Grail I was hoping for. The quest continues…
My manicurist suggested vinylux, so I tried this past Saturday, September 28, 2013, a pretty pink, to support Breast Cancer. Sunday, September 29, 2013 I had a chip on my left thumb nail. Today, Monday, September 30, I noticed another chip on my right middle finger. Needless to say it wasn’t worth the money & it’s not like I had my hands in water.
Hi Maria! I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you. I would suggest going back to the salon. Maybe there was an issue in how they applied. Regardless, you should get a fix.
I have yet to try this, and quite frankly – am on the fence about it. I went for a CND shellac Pedi this past summer before a 2 week vacation. Two of the polished toe nails popped right off after 6 days of wear, and the others followed days later. Good thing I brought a bottle of Zoya else my toes would have been polish-less on vacation. I can get between 6 to 9 days of polish wear from a mani using Zoya or OPI,and 2 weeks plus for a pedi. I can’t envision myself paying for this product when it’s longevity is questionable, and the top coat not quite shiny.
I’ve been experimenting with the Vinylux top coat, and I love love love it. I used it today, though, over nail art (one one nail, thankfully) and it completely smeared. Luckily, it looked alot like a peacock feather!
Bummer that it smeared your nail art but thanks for the heads up.
Here is an update. I used one of my vinylux colors this weekend on myself. I used the topcoat and again, hated it. Not sure why I keep trying. Put Seche Vite on top and it dried perfectly. Did my pedicure and only used the Vinylux color and Seche top coat and it dried beautifully. There is nothing that leads me to believe you have to use the Vinylux topcoat. Now I am happy with the actual polish.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us. I’m glad you found something that works but it’s a shame the VINYLUX top coat didn’t work for you.
With regular polish, I am lucky to get 2 good days of wear before it chips or peels off. I’ve tried various gels and shellac — occasionally I could get the two weeks of wear. Plus the buffing (gels) was very hard on my thin nails so I could only wear it for a few months then wait six months for them to grow out before going back to them.
I ran across Vinylux at my beauty supply shop. I bought three colors and the top coat. I am loving it! Easy to apply. Quick drying. Long wearing. I’m on day six of my most recent manicure and the left hand looks almost perfect. The right hand has a wee bit of wear on the edges. (I did apply another layer of topcoat mid-week this time.)
I have full spectrum lights for some of my pets. I put my nails under them for a minute and the polish dries fast and hard. I was always disappointed with regular polish taking so long to dry and ending up with little dings or bed sheet imprints.
Also, make sure to get the polish over the front (free) edge of the nail. I didn’t the first time and the wear wasn’t as great. I do have some ridged nails and the thin coats don’t hide the ridges well–but I’ll take the long wear over absolutely smooth nails.
I’m not an expert at applying polishes but it’s been very easy to get a great looking nail polish application on my own. If I can do it, anyone can.
Hi Tina!
Thank you so much for sharing your VINYLUX experience with us. I’m so glad this worked for you. I’m not familiar with full spectrum lights. What do they do differently than regular lights?
I am wondering, if you are using a nail strengthener such as Nailtek can you use it underneath the Vinylux??? Will it still adhere??? And can the client still add a layer of the strengthener everyday??? Just wondering!!! Thanks!!
It’s my understanding that it should be applied to a bare nail. I would suggest contacting CND via their website, CND.com, for clarification.
Heading out on a trip, I decided to give Vinylux a try. I wasn’t that happy with the manicurist, but she said red was hard to apply. I don’t have the best coverage and before I began he journey I had chips. I am on day 4 and wish I had some remover. It was so not worth it. Good try, but there is work to do on this formulation to make it as advertised.
I’m sorry you had bad luck with it Sher. I do think a lot of it has to do with the application and if the tech isn’t very experienced with VINYLUX, wear will vary. And I’m sure it varies by color as well, as is true for all nail polish. Some colors just wear better than others.
Bought it for the first time just recently. Pretty happy, struggling a bit to get even coats (using romantique) and have been putting each of the coats on a day apart to help with drying – but still manage to get bed linen marks and wearing off the tip within the day (before the top coat). Any advice on this? Can I do the two coats of colour pretty quickly, because the “quick set” is really in the top coat? I am finding that unless I have flakey or chipped nails, the polish does last well and give good shine well beyond one week. Mostly keen to get my head around this 8.5mins dry time…
I think Romantique has always been a challenging shade, even in the old formula, due to the finish. Though I don’t know why you are getting sheet marks, that shouldn’t happen.
I don’t know that I understand what you mean about tip wearing before the top coat. You should apply the top coat when you apply the polish. And I like to wait a minute or two between coats. Each layer should dry some on its own before you apply the top coat.
I feel so behind on this trend! I wish I knew about it sooner!! This last weekend I knew I wanted to get a manicure but couldn’t decide between regular polish or shellac. I don’t like shellac because the UV lights freak me out and make my hands all tingly and weird feeling but because i am going out of town i didn’t want to have chipped nails… when i got to the salon i noticed CND’S Vinylux and the woman explained it was only a dollar more, lasted a week and used NO UV!!! exactly what I was looking for
Its day 3 and I see NO chips. I don’t know the color names but I’m wearing a gold and a fuchsia. AMAZING. I agree about the ridges showing but not a problem for me. Mine also took a while to dry completely but totally worth it. Looking forward to trying other colors!
Update on my review: day 5 no chips whatsoever but I am experiencing the dullness that people have noted. But no chipping > slightly dulled color. I’m looking forward to trying other colors!
why is the cnd vinylux polish with the top coat sometime peel right of after 2 or 3 days of wear.
Good question, Rosanne. That shouldn’t happen. Are you using a base coat? Or do you have oils or residue on your nail bed. VINYLUX polish should be applied to a clean, dry nail with nothing underneath.
Can it be used for a pedicure? My salon has decided to use it as its sole polish
Absolutely. It can be used in the same ways you use regular nail polish.
Hi, I loved shellac’s until I became allergic to them and broke out in little tiny water blisters around my fingernails and my finger tips. It ruin my nails and it took about 6 months to grow them out past the damaged part. I had been wearing shellac about a year and the allergic reaction happened all of a sudden. I wanted to try other brands to see if I was truly allergic or if it was just a fluke. It turns out I was allergic to shellac all together. I read about Vinylux and tried it. I too have very thin dry nails that would never hold traditional polish more than a day. I tried OPI, China Glaze, L’Oreal, Revlon, Sally Hansen all of them, but after only one day, I would have a chip or two no matter how diligent I was to apply a good topcoat. Vinylux was the first polish that stayed on my nails more than a day. It actually lasted a week with very minor wear. Now it is just about all I use. I can tell you that yes, some of the colors do stain even if you wear a base coat, so I avoid certain colors. The polish does get thick after about 1/3 or 1/2 of the bottle. I have purchased over 15 bottles and I have found this to be the case with almost all of them. As for the topcoat, it does not shine like other topcoats until it gets thick. When it first started getting thick, I continued to use it, but had to put in on more generously and found that it was actually shinier, just messier to apply. For me, I am sticking with CND’s Vinylus as it is new and I am hoping they will continue to do consumer research and make improvements. I really like the way it wears.