A.L.
good morning M.,
I am a licensed manicurist and I have a few suggestions. First, my clients who are nurses, either have acrylics or usually avoid the french manicure due to this problem. The frequent hand washing is obviously the main problem. If you are going to continue to give the french tip a chance, I would recommend that you do a couple of different things. People assume that it starts withthe top coat...that is incorrect. Before you polish your nails at all, first remove the natural oil topping of your own nail by gently buffing the entire nail surface to a smooth finish with a "white block buffer." If you think about it, it is just as the salon does to prep your nail with artificial nails....removing oil to promote bonding. Then, use something like a NON moisturizing nail polish remover to remove excess dust and oil, then use a base coat. Some are more flexible than others. When a base coat says something about strong, it can be too brittle. Look for a product that says "rubberized." (such as ORLY rubberized base coat) I have attached a link to 2 polishes that I have had hundreds of success stories and people who absolutely swear by it. Also, every day or 2, add a top coat to your polish, and begin again after a week or so...whatever works for the condition of your nails. I recommend a product such as "nailtek"-(http://cgi.ebay.com/2-TWO-Nail-Tek-QUICKEN-5-oz-nailtek-T...)
Good luck to you!!