Perfect Manicure Step #2 - Hand, Nail, and Cuticle Care

Good morning... or afternoon! Today's post is step 2 to my perfect manicure series; hand, nail, and cuticle care. This post will outline what I do to keep my hands looking their best. Many people seem to neglect their hands. I've seen people who spend hundreds of dollars each year on facials, beauty products for their hair or body, but they would forget about their hands. I'm writing this post in hopes of providing a simple outline for others who want to improve the condition of their hands. Remember that the products that work well for me may or may not work the same way on you. You can always use other products that are different from mine, and they may work even better for you. I'm only showing you my products. 

The key to success is perseverance. Applying lotion and creams only once a week, no matter how good the product is, will not work the way you want it to. You must be vigilant and work on your hands each and every day in order to see results. I keep all my products on my bedside table, so I see them before I go to bed. They remind me to keep up my routine of moisturizing my hands every day. 

The first thing I do for my cuticles is remove the dead skin around it. There are many misconceptions around removing the cuticle. I did some research prior to this post and this is what I read... The true cuticle is the dead skin between the base of your nail and your finger. This part can be safely removed. What you shouldn't touch is the eponychium, the live part of the skin between the nail and finger. The eponychium is usually clear and colourless, while the true cuticle is often a stark white when dry. To remove the cuticle, I use a gentle cuticle remover to soften and loosen the dead skin. There are many brands out there on the market and they can be easily found at beauty supply stores or the drugstore. I have used one from Orly and the popular on from Sally Hansen, the Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover. I only remove my cuticles every one or two weeks. I push my cuticles back with my thumbnail after showering, when they are soft and malleable, which keeps them in pretty good condition.

Every night before bed, I apply hand cream and cuticle oil. The products I'm liking at the moment is the Garnier Body Repair Reparative Balm and my own cuticle oil. I'll make another post soon about how I make my own cuticle oil, and why I prefer my own over store bought ones. Anyways, I usually apply the oil around my cuticles and under my nails, rubbing it in with a circular motion. I then wait a few minutes for the oil to absorb before using the hand cream. I prefer hand creams that are thicker because they seem to lock in the oil better than thin body lotions. 

That is basically what I do to keep my hands and nails looking their best. Obviously, you may have to modify my method to suit you and your body chemistry, as this is just what I do.

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Swatch and Review - Color Club Halo Hues Eternal Beauty

Hi! Another review and swatch for all of you, an amazingly pretty holographic purple polish from Color Club Halo Hues 2013 Collection, Eternal Beauty. So stunning and beautiful, really lives up to its name. Might just make it up to my top 20 favourites. Yes, I know, a top 20, such a large list, but I can't just choose 1 polish! I wasn't able to get any pictures in the sunlight, but although the pictures below are indoors, they are just as pretty. Eternal Beauty is a red toned polish with a medium to strong halo. I also think that the purple base is slightly shimmery too. Please enjoy!

What I used:

Base Coat: 1 coat of Pro FX Epoxy Bond Base Coat
Polish: 2 coats of Color Club Halo Hues Eternal Beauty
Top Coat: 1 coat of INM Out the Door Dry Fast Top Coat

Great wear time on this polish too, my mom still has it on and it's been over 5 days now with NO chips or tip wear. Enjoy!

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Swatch and Review - Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Terracotta

Hi! It's Saturday! Yay! Today I'l be showing you a polish from the 2011 Designer Collection for Rachel Roy, named Terracotta. Terracotta is a lovely caramel nude creme polish, so pretty. It applies wonderfully smooth and creamy, perfectly opaque in 2 coats. Although the Complete Salon Manicure polishes claim to have "7 Benefits of a salon Manicure in 1 Bottle: base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, colour, top coat, while also being chip resistant and have a gel shine finish", I do not feel it lives up to all of them. I still applied a base and top coat, mainly because I didn't know of these "7 Benefits" until after I saw an advertisement of their new collection for spring and summer of 2013 on the back cover of the Hello! magazine, but also because I felt the polish wasn't shiny enough for my standards. I mean, this polish may seem AMAZING to those who are not obsessed with nail polish, but I demand for PERFECT, shiny, chip-free nails, and without applying my own base/top coat, it just doesn't meet my standards. 

I also have to note that this polish normally sells from $5.99-$7.99 at most Canadian drugstores, which, for a drugstore polish is A LOT. OPI and Essie runs for $7.99-$10.99 where I purchase them. That being said though, I only buy them when they are on sale, at about $4-5 dollars, or in multi packs of 5 polishes for $15.99. Everything said, this swatch was done on my own nails this time, and the wear time was incredibly well. The pictures below were taken today, which is the 4 day now. Normal/most polishes only last max 4 days without chipping. I did file my nails yesterday though, so that may have filed off any tip wear. Enough with me rambling on and on about this polish, and the collection, price........ pictures!!

What I used:

Base Coat:  1 coat of Pro FX Epoxy Bond Base Coat
Polish: 2 coats of Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Terracotta
Top Coat: 1 coat of INM Out the Door Dry Fast Top Coat

I also want to say that I love the wide brush in these polishes. I know some people hate these kinds of paddle brushes, but in my opinion, the brush makes or breaks my overall application quality of a polish. A polish could have the best consistency and formula with perfect pigmentation, but with a bad brush, application of the polish is almost guaranteed to be difficult. My favourite brush type is a wide paddle brush, which is why I also love OPI polishes, and not-so-love Essie polishes. 

What kind of brushes do you prefer?

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Perfect Manicure Step #1 - File and Shape Nails

The first step to a perfect manicure is to file and shape nails. This step is often overlooked and skipped during the manicure, but I think everyone will agree that misshapen, crooked, and nails of uneven lengths will NOT look good on even the most perfectly polished digits. There are many nail shapes that are commonly used which can be seen in the photo below, found on www.beautylish.com. 

Let's get a little more in depth with each nail shape:

Oval: This is a more traditional nail shape. An oval nail shape is similar to the round nail shape, but I find it looks better on longer nails, (compare the oval vs the round nail length in the picture above). It can elongate the fingers, slim wider nail beds, and look elegant and classy if it's done right. To achieve the oval nail shape, file the sides of the nails slightly towards the centre and round the top. Voila!

Squoval: This is the classic "salon manicure" shape, the offspring of a square and oval nail. This shape looks best on shorter nails, as it can look slightly tacky on longer nails. A squoval nail can be achieved by either starting with an oval or square shape. It works either way. If you are starting with an oval shape, simply square off the top and round the corners to get rid of any sharp edges. Easy! If you are starting with a square shape, round the corners slightly towards the centre, the way you would achieve an oval nail while still keeping the nail square on the sides. There you go!

Square: This is, in my opinion, one of the more popular nail shapes among nail polish bloggers. A square nail shape is basically a straight tip at the end of the nails. This shape looks better on longer short nails, if that makes any sense, because it can cause a really short nail to look wider and even blunt. A square nail can be achieved by simply filing the nails straight across, only filing the corners when necessary to remove excessively sharp corners. 

Round: This nail shape looks best on shorter nails or nails with minimal free edge. Similar to the oval, this nail shape is flattering and slimming on shorter, wider nails. Simply round the edge. 

Almond: Hmmm... I don't have much to say about this one. Not to offend any people who are fond on the almond shape, but this is basically a nail that's shaped to represent the pointed end of peeled almond. This nail shape is the weakest of the bunch and can look evil and witch-like if it's done on long nails. Ummmmm, that's it.....

Let's talk files and clippers now. There are many types of files and clippers, varying in type, material, and size. Starting with files; there are glass files, ceramic files, crystal files, and emery boards. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find a glass/ceramic file that won't give me shivers down my spine. For that reason, I use higher quality emery boards, more specifically, Revlon nail files, sold individually and in 2-packs. I am in no way shape or form recommending you use those cheap, sandpapery files sold in huge packs at the drug store. They are way to rough and will most definitely cause peeling, splitting, cracking nails. Now onto clippers; they are used to take down considerable length when needed. There's not much to talk about them, though clippers with a sharper crescent curve on the blade may cause the nail to crack.

I'm also going to share with you my favourite files and clippers:

From left to right: Revlon Files (approximately $1.50 each at Walmart or Shoppers Drug Mart), Earth Therapeutics Nail Clippers (approx. $5.99), Revlon Nail Clippers (unsure about price, guessing approx. $3-4), Pointed Orangewood Stick (got it in an art project kit, should be relatively cheap and sold in bulk), Revlon Crazy Shine (This is a sample, but full sizes are $5.99 at Shoppers).

That's it for today, thank you so much for reading!

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Nail Art - Multi Coloured Polka Dot Manicure

Hello! I wanted to share with you another nail art post.... polka dots! I think this manicure is so fun and versatile, you could have multi coloured dots on a colourful background for a fun, easy-going look like I had, or gold dots on a neutral beige base for a more simple, elegant, office appropriate look. So versatile, you could easily change and switch the colours for your preferences and create a totally different style. I do have to give credit for MissJenFABULOUS on YouTube, she has a tutorial on her called "Cute and Easy Polka Dot Manicures". I used her third design in the video,  I've also done her second design, I will also post that in the near future. 

I created this design starting with Essie Fiji as my base. Then, I used Essie Fifth Avenue, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Lickety-Split Lime, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Blue-Away, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Pronto Purple, and Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Terracotta. After placing my dots how MissJenFABULOUS showed, I decided I wanted a little bling, so I added OPI Which is Witch on two or three of the dots on each nail. The extra sparkle really pulled the manicure together and gave it more of a nail applique (a.k.a nail sticker) look. Awesome! Let's get on with the manicure...

Left to Right: OPI Which is Witch, Essie Fiji (Base), Essie Fifth Avenue, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Lickety-Split Lime, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Blue-Away, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Pronto Purple, Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Terracotta

What I used:

Base Coat: 1 coat of Pro FX Epoxy Bond Base Coat
Polish: 2 coats of Essie Fiji as base, 1 coat each of polishes used for polka dots
Top Coat: 1 coat of INM Out the Door Dry Fast Top Coat

I think this design is perfect for summer, but you can easily switch the colours I used for this design for darker colours during the autumn and winter. Thank you for reading and have a great day!

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Swatch and Review - OPI Smok'n In Havana

Happy Sunday! Today I'll be showing you an older OPI polish in my collection, Smok'n In Havana. After reading other blogs about this polish (credit to "The Daily Varnish), it originally came out in the 1996 Caribbean Collection. I don't think the polish I have is from 1996 because considering the bottle I have has a green label, which only newer bottles have, I think my bottle of Smok'n in Havana is a re-release of the discontinued polish. Smok'n in Havana is a medium-dark red polish with a strong gold shimmer. It's very pretty, kind of reminds me of red velvet when it's dry. This is also going to be my first post showing my nails, the previous posts have been my mom's nails, so, enjoy!

Natural sunlight

Indoors with a artificial lighting

Indoors with artificial lighting

Natural sunlight

What I used:

Base Coat: 1 coat of Pro-FX Epoxy Bond Base Coat (review coming soon)
Polish: 2 coats of OPI Smok'n In Havana
Top Coat: 1 coat of OPI RapiDry Top Coat

This polish is very pretty, but I do have to comment on the wear time. I'm not sure if it was the polish itself, or something that I did during application, but it chipped within 24 hours of application. Usually, polish will last anywhere from 3 days (72 hours) to 6 days, without chipping and little tipwear. Some polishes may last even longer than that, but I usually change my polish anyways because of new nail growth. This polish chipped and showed tipwear soon after application. That's just something to keep in mind if you are looking for a long-wearing red polish.

He's back! For your information, he is under his favourite blanket, for some reason, he really likes to sleep under the covers! Smile! More eye candy coming soon!

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Nail Art - Pink Piggies

Hi! Today I'll be showing you some piggy nail art. I'll come up with a tutorial in the near future. I think they are so, so cute, every time I look at them, I can't help but smile. So adorable and fun!

What I used:

Base Coat: 1 coat of Pro FX Epoxy Bond Base Coat
Polish: 2 coats of OPI Don't Talk Bach to Me (base), 1 coat of Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Posh Pink (nose and ears), 1 coat of Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro Black Satin (eyes), 2 coats of L'oreal Penthouse Pink (head), and 1 coat of OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls (eyes)
Top Coat: 1 coat of INM Out the Door Dry Fast Top Coat

Have fun! 

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Swatch and Review - OPI Jinx & OPI Tiffany Case

Hello! Today I'll be showing two polishes from OPI's new Liquid Sand summer collection, Jinx and Tiffany Case. The Liquid Sand polishes are textured polishes that dry matte and clumpy, and they feel sandy and rough. Jinx is a lovely, shimmering coral red. Tiffany Case is a medium sky blue, with blue hexagon glitters a similar, if not identical colour to the polish. Both polishes applied very smoothly, better than I expected, not one bit chunky or gritty. Removal was also easier than I expected, a bit longer than a cream polish but much simpler than a glitter polish, no foil method needed! On with the photos!

What I used: 

Base Coat: 1 coat of Pro FX Epoxy Bond Base Coat
Polish: 2 coats of OPI Jinx and 2 coats of OPI Tiffany Case (accent nail)
Top Coat: None, it's a Liquid Sand!

I will post more swatches of the remaining polishes in this collection soon, they're all so pretty! Enjoy!

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Swatch and Review - OPI Y'all Come Back Ya Hear?

Hi! Happy Tuesday! Today I'll be doing a swatch and review of Y'all Come Back Ya Hear? from the 2011 Texas Collection of OPI. Y'all Come Back Ya Hear? is a sheer medium orange, or as OPI calls them, a jelly polish. "Jellies" are sheer polishes that build up opacity nicely, though they will never be fully opaque no matter how many coats are used. In the following photos, I used 3 coats, and you can still see a visible nail line (VNL). YCBYH was sheer, almost clear on the first coat, was pretty nice on the second coat, and a perfect jelly on the third. I must applaud OPI for the smooth application though, some sheers, (most of them), can be incredibly streaky and patchy to the point of utter frustration, but the sheers I've tried from OPI have been perfect! Let's get on with the photos!

What I used: 

Base Coat:  1 coat of Pro FX Epoxy Bond Base Coat
Polish: 3 coats of OPI Y'all Come Back Ya Hear?
Top Coat: 1 coat of OPI RapiDry Top Coat

I enjoyed Y'all Come Back Ya Hear? a lot, it's perfect for spring and summer. For some reason, tis polish reminds me of orange popsicles, or carrot juice..... Ha! Enjoy!

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Perfect Manicure Series

Hi! I've decided to start a "Perfect Manicure" series, which will cover all the skills needed to achieve that salon manicure you've been wishing for. 

Here's an outline of upcoming posts in this series, to open, simply click on the step you want to see:

1) File and Shape Nails

2) Hand, Nail and Cuticle Care

3) Base Coat

4) Application of Polish

5) Top Coat

6) Speed Up Dry Time

7) Nail Polish Remover

If there is anything else you want me to talk about, please feel free to comment. I will definitely add that onto my list!

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