My nails turn yellow no matter WHAT I do!

[Kragey]

I've gotten in to nail polish over the past year, and I've always been pretty careful. I use a layer of clear polish, then a basecoat, and then I apply the polish and cover it with a topcoat. And yet, no matter how many barriers I try to put between my nail and the colored polish, they ALWAYS turn a disgusting yellow color!

I love bright colors, so this is driving me CRAZY. I've tried not painting my nails for a few weeks, just using a base coat, just using a clear coat, using a base coat and a clear coat, only wearing soft pastel or sheer colors, etc...but they still turn yellow!

I do have anemia, which makes my nails a little peely, but I take vitamins and keep them short, and I've never heard of anemia making nails yellow more easily.

Maybe I should just invest in nail whitener? Ugh. T_T

 

[ThePowderPuff]

As far as I have heard you also get yellow nails from clear nail polish. It's not the colouring that's the problem, it's some ingredients they put in the polish.

That's why the first layer should always be base coat, even under a clear polish. I would definitely start with a layer of base coat.

Which base coats have you tried?

 

[Kragey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katjamo As far as I have heard you also get yellow nails from clear nail polish. It's not the colouring that's the problem, it's some ingredients they put in the polish. That's why the first layer should always be base coat, even under a clear polish. I would definitely start with a layer of base coat. Which base coats have you tried?

The NYC one, the OPI top and base coat, and I'm currently using the Seche Vite. I figured maybe the clear could be causing the problem. :/ Lately I've been using just the base coat to see if that helps any.

 

[ThePowderPuff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kragey The NYC one, the OPI top and base coat, and I'm currently using the Seche Vite. I figured maybe the clear could be causing the problem. :/ Lately I've been using just the base coat to see if that helps any.

I think it's a good idea to try the base coats alone for a while to see if they cause the problem themselves and then find a base coat that works.

I am just guessing right now, but I would stay away from the base coats that also work as a top coat and find a "real" base coat.

 

[Babylard]

^ leaving nail polish on my nails for TOO long can turn my nails yellow. and those quick dry nail "strengtheners" are terrible! they turn nails yellow too. so yeah definitely try testing that clear polish of yours. i think a base coat and then polish then top coat should be enough. too many layers can make them turn yellow easier too

 

[Kragey]

Sigh, nothing seems to be working. Last night I soaked them in denture cleaner and scrubbed them with a whitening toothpaste/baking soda mixture, which helped lighten them a little. Now I'm testing out the Sally Hansen Insta-Bright whitener...and I guess I'll just take a break from colored polish for a little while. :/

 

[Makeup Emporium]

Another remedy is to soak them in 2-3 capfuls of hydrogen peroxide with 1/3 cup of water.

Just make sure to keep a watch out though because nails turning yellow can also be a sign of something else. Diabetes, liver, kidney or lung conditions can also affect the nails, turning them yellow.

 

[Kragey]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Makeup Emporium Another remedy is to soak them in 2-3 capfuls of hydrogen peroxide with 1/3 cup of water. Just make sure to keep a watch out though because nails turning yellow can also be a sign of something else. Diabetes, liver, kidney or lung conditions can also affect the nails, turning them yellow.

I actually asked my doctor about this, seeing as I have anemia and that makes my nails peel a good bit. Apparently the polish is the culprit for the yellowness--when I remove my manicures after a week or so, there's clean, normal nail on the bottom third where it has grown out. It's a shame, cause I've grown to love polish.

I've heard about wiping them with a q-tip dipped in hydrogen peroxide, so I may have to try that.

 

[teeezyy]

do you smoke by any chance? ive read articles online in the past that connect the two. if you do smoke, this could be a possibility.

i hope you figure out the problem!

 

[InspiredBlue]

Just a thought: Since you do wear nail polish, what difference does it make if your nails are yellow underneath?

 

[BEA2LS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by InspiredBlue Just a thought: Since you do wear nail polish, what difference does it make if your nails are yellow underneath?

i thought the same thing. i mean i know its bad cause my nail tips are on the yellow side, too but they are also covered so it doesnt bother me.

 

[Kragey]

No, I do not smoke.

Quote:

Originally Posted by InspiredBlue Just a thought: Since you do wear nail polish, what difference does it make if your nails are yellow underneath?

Because I don't want to have to take nail polish with me on my important conference/graduate school trips this summer, so I'd like to have my natural nails looking decent. And it grosses me out. :E

EDIT: my friend uses hydrogen peroxide on her teeth, and I know my grandfather used to brush his teeth with a hydrogen peroxide/baking soda mix...so I guess I'll give that a try on my nails.

The Sally Hansen Insta-Bright kinda works, but it whitens very slowly and 'unevenly'...at least it's a pretty clear coat!