Manicure Care

Now that you have a perfect mani, we need to keep it that way!

One of the best ways to keep your mani in good shape is to protect your manicure. The best way to do this is to not use your nails as tools! By not prying things open all the time you'll prevent damage to the tips of your manicure that would later enlarge into bigger chips. You should also not expose your manicure to extremes, such as very hot or cold temps (I haven't really seen this mentioned anywhere, but I swear it makes my mani last fewer days), or to chemicals such as cleaning solutions. I try to not open soda cans and I wear gloves for washing dishes or gardening, and since taking these precautions I've managed to save myself many a ruined manicure!

For me, the most important part of maintaining my manicure is preventing chips, and keeping the ones I do get from enlarging. I do this primarily through use of top coat, again with my favorite Seche Vite Top Coat. I usually apply the top coat every 3 days or so, on top of clean nails (I simply wash my hands before application). If I get a chip I will often apply a top coat as quickly as I can, I have a spare bottle in my purse for this purpose. I generally though can go about 4-5 days with minimal tip wear and no chips before I change my manicure.

Care of your cuticles is equally important to the look of your mani. One of the best products out there for this is Creative Nail Design Cuticle Eraser. This product is an alpha-hydroxy acid based lotion that is meant to help exfoliate the cuticle area. I try to use this product a few times a day, and to help remind myself I have tubes of it stashed all over the place! The lotion is simply applied to the base of the nail and rubbed in to both the cuticle area and the lateral nail bed. With use of this lotion and Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover, I have nearly eliminated my nearly daily, painful hang nails.

The other component to cuticle care is moisturization. Every time you wash your hands or expose them to an anti-bacterial gel, you are drying out your cuticles. In order to help seal in moisture, you'll need to moisturize your cuticles after washing and frequently throughout the day. Honestly, I'm not good at remembering this at all! You can keep a lot of moisture in the cuticles by simply applying lotion right after you wash your hands (less than 3 minutes afterwards), and by avoiding anti-bacterial gel. I know a lot of ladies over at the nail board swear by special cuticle treatments however! One of my favorites is Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, which is very heavy duty and comes in a small, easy to carry tin! I also really like Orly's Cuticle Cream, this jar is so large that despite using it every night I have had the same 2 ounce jar for about 4 years! Cuticle oil is also very popular, whether you prefer a pen, classic Solar Oil or Mango scented (this one smells amazing!), there is an option for you.


I hope that these tips help you keep your manicure looking fresh for longer periods of time!

1

My Manicure Routine

I've had a few requests recently to post what my manicure routine is with product recommendations. A while back I posted about DIY Spa Manicures, but I thought a more complete, super detailed post was in order. I'll gladly do this, but I do also recommend that you check out All Lacquered Up where Michelle has been doing her Top Coat Challenge, trying tons of top coats out with different base coats and commenting on things like drying time, shine, and wear. The other nail board ladies over at Makeup Alley are a fantastic resource as well!

This post will cover doing the actual manicure, I'll post soon with the steps that I do in between manicures to maintain my manicure, prolong wear and shine, and treat my cuticles.

I have a job in which I use my hands a lot, including in and out of gloves, washing many times a day with very heavy duty, surgical grade soap, typing and doing procedures. Despite all of this, my manicures usually last me at least 4-5 days with minimal tip wear, and very few chips (usually on the last day of the mani).

Obviously, a new mani must start with removal of the old mani. I really love the Cutex Nail Polish Remover that comes in these little plastic jars. Often they won't remove polish with a lot of glitter or shimmer very well (though, the link I found at Amazon says it is just for glitter nail polish, odd...), but I can get most polish off very quickly and easily. For my pedicures I prefer to use Cutex Nail Polish Remover Pads which are pretty hardy and can take quite a bit of abuse. The only reason I don't use these for my manicures as well is that they can be rather expensive. Some ladies on the nailboard will use a piece of felt with nail polish remover or acetone, which will be rather like using these pads.

Every few weeks I will soak my fingers for about 5 minutes. Although any bowl from the kitchen will do, I have 2 Manicure Bowls which I find are more comfortable. I like to add a little bit of Creative Nail Design's Citrusoak to the water, which gives a light citrus scent and a few bubbles which I like. Pretty much any liquid dish soap will work as well.

Next, I prepare my cuticles and the sides of my nails (the lateral nail fold). I use Sally Hansen's Instant Cuticle Remover about once a week. The directions say it takes about 15 seconds, but don't worry if it's on longer. I rinse my hands in the sink, then apply a thin bead of this along the base of my nails, on my cuticles on both hands. I then rub it in to the cuticle, along the sides of my nails and the tips of my fingers (make sure you get this under your nail tip). Then I rub my thumbnail over the skin over all the areas I've just covered, this removes the excess dead skin. Then just wash your hands to remove. If I have any hang nails on the side of my nails, I use a tool like this Revlon Cuticle Trimmer.

If I'm feeling like my hands have neglected or very dry, I'll use my Paraffin Spa Bath. I usually only use this during the winter time, but if my hands are dry and cracked nothing helps like a paraffin treatment! After the paraffin I will use a very rich lotion, my favorite is Bliss Lemon+Sage Body Butter.

When shaping my nails, my preferred file is a glass file. There are many brands of glass files, I do not know of any differences between them. I personally bought my file for $5 next to the register at Hallmark. Really. Why a glass file instead of an emory board or other file? Really, lots of companies like Orly, Essie, OPI make different emory boards, all sorts of different grits (they're numbered like sandpaper, higher numbers are finer). However, glass files don't tear at the nail the way these files do, this helps with the nail's strength and helps cut down on peeling. A crystal file is NOT a glass file, look for glass. The brand doesn't matter. You can use it wet or dry, and it's easily washed by either just rinsing or a little soap and water. I keep my nails fairly short with filing only, avoiding clippers. I file them to the same shape as my nailbed, a squoval shape.

I will occasionally buff my nails if ridges have become more prominent. I use a 4 sided buffing block similar to this one. Work from rough to smooth, being careful not to overbuff. According to Allure you are overbuffing if you create dust while buffing. If you plan to use polish, do NOT buff to a glassy shine. I have done this, and it doesn't allow the polish to grip your nail, and it will basically just slide off of your nail within the day. If you do this on accident, you'll need to roughen up your nail with one of the medium grits.

Before applying polish, you will need to remove any lotion, wax or anything left on the nail. Remover doesn't work well for this, 100% Acetone or Rubbing Alcohol both work well for this since they don't really leave any residue and will air dry on their own quickly.

Finally, the last step is applying the polish! A few guidelines to help with application can be found on the Makeup Alley Nailboard Wisdom Notepad under Application Tips and as part of Nail Tech Secret's Manicures that Last Series. I personally have been working on trying to master the "gap." The gap is about a 1mm gap between the polish and the cuticle, which results in a more professional looking manicure. I start with a horizontal sweep across the nail tip and then I fill in the nail bed. I have found that this initial horizontal stroke that covers the nail edge is very important, it usually adds at least a day of wear to my mani. Some will wrap the polish all the way down the back side of the nail, for me it is most important to cover the edge of the nail.

During application, I am very prone to mistakes (I think I try to do my manis way too quickly), so I need to do some cleaning up. I find that cleaning up should be done during the manicure, while the polish is still wet as this is when it will be faster and more easily done. I have tried the polish corrector pens however I have found that they don't release enough remover or acetone to remove the actual mistake (this is true even for the expensive, refillable OPI one). I have tried to use a cotton swab, however I always end up with cotton fiber trailing across my otherwise perfect nails. The method that has worked best for me is to use a cheap, stiff angled eye liner brush. Mine was $3 at Target, and the stiff bristles are tough enough to push the polish off of the skin, but the bristles will fit easily under the nail and in tight corners. This is fastest and most effective with 100% Acetone poured into a small container. As I clean, I find that the acetone will get dirty, leaving a residue on my skin that has to be removed later. This can be easily prevented by wiping the brush on a paper towel after use but before dipping it back into the acetone.

The actual polish and treatment coats that I use for my mani depend upon what polish brand my color will be, and if my manicure is light or dark. I have found that for me, I can not use certain products for different brands, or else the wear of my manicure can be compromised. The products that work best for you may be different, however this is the method that I've found works best for me.

With OPI, Essie, Revlon, L'Oreal, Sally Hansen, Color Club and Jessica: With these polishes I am able to do my "normal" routine without any compromise in wear.
1. I generally start with a Barielle treatment coat, my favorite is the Fortifying Nail Builder with Calcium Fluoride, but I will also use the Instant Liquid Nail Hardener for times when I am not having any problems with splitting or weak nails. I allow this coat to dry completely before moving on to the next coats.
2. Next I use my actual base coat. I have mostly been using 2 of the favorites on the nail board, my preferred base coat is Orly Bonder. I prefer Bonder over Stickey because I do think that I have 1 more day of wear, and I have had issues with Stickey changing the color of my light manis from pink to a gray/green tint due to the green color of the base coat. However, since I bought the giant 2.3 ounce bottle of Stickey, I use this for darker colors and Bonder for light colors. When I am done with my Stickey, I will buy only Bonder. There is a lot of talk on-line about the Stickey Sandwich to prolong wear, and I have tried this with both Bonder and Stickey. I do not see immprovement in wear, so I no longer do this (and the sandwich was not related to changes in my mani color with Stickey, BTW). I apply 1 coat of either basecoat, and then generally move on immediately to my next coat without waiting for it to dry.
3. Next it is time to apply color! I continue with my habit of a horizontal strip across the nail tip then fill in the nail bed. I do 1 coat on both hands, and then use my brush with acetone to fix mistakes before moving on to the next layer. I do not wait for polish to dry before the next coat, and I will generally do 2-3 coats depending on what I need for good coverage. If your polish is goopy and hard to apply (a problem with some colors of the "newly" formulated OPI), try to thin it with a few drops of thinner. Thinner is available at Sally's Beauty Supply for about $3, I have also see it at CVS and Walgreens. Do NOT use remover for this- you will ruin the bottle of polish.
4. Finally, you are ready for top coat! My top coat of choice is Seche Vite. I like SV because it is quick dry, in about 10 minutes it dries all of the layers that I have left as wet, and I'm able to do a lot of things (notice I say a lot, not everything! I can load the dishwasher, but not put on gloves. I refer to the time until I start back with my routine, time to 100% dry is usually another 60-90 minutes). It also has great shine! I am so devoted to my Seche Vite that I have a 4 ounce professional bottle of it, I bought it in a wholesale nail supply for about $15, which when you consider that a 0.5 ounce regular bottle is about $9 at Sally Beauty, is a real bargain. Seche Vite does get thick about half way through the bottle, and you CAN use any thinner to help with this issue (SV sells it's own thinner, but any thinner will do, really). The large bottle for some reason doesn't really do this, but even if I get just 4 or 5 smaller bottles out of it the cost will be well worth it!
Similar top coats are Poshe and Out the Door. Both of these top coats are loved by ladies over at the Nail Board, however for me I have fewer days of wear and less shine with both of these. As well, note that some have had problems with shrinkage with various top coats. Shrinkage looks like tip wear, but is usually caused by the top coat. I'm not sure that anyone really knows how this happens, but ladies have had this happen whether they wrap the polish around the nail tip or not, only with particular top coats, etc. I have never had shrinkage, but if this happens to you try a different top coat.

With China Glaze: It took me quite a while to figure out why my China Glaze manicures were so soft and gooey with about 1-2 days of wear. Finally, I figured out that for China Glaze I can not use a Barielle Treatment coat or a ridge filler (even the one from China Glaze). If I use just Bonder/Stickey and my Seche Vite for these manicures I get the same wear as my other brands. The one exception to this rule seems to be their Oh La La White Pearl color, which is fine over ridge filler from Boots (but not the China Glaze Ridge Filler). I really don't know why, this is just what has happened to me!

With Zoya: I thought for a long time that I would not be able to wear Zoya's amazing colors, no matter what combinations I did with my base coats, top coats, drying times, etc. I could not seem to get more than about 12 hours of wear with a Zoya polish. Finally, after some discussion with Michelle at All Lacquered Up I gave the Zoya a shot with Zoya's Anchor Base Coat and Armor Top Coat. She was right! With these treatments paired with the Zoya polish, I get about 5-6 days of wear out of my Zoya polish, which is great because now a huge range of Zoya's amazing colors is open to me! Drying time with the Armor Top Coat is about 45 minutes for me (it isn't quick dry), but this drops to about 20 minutes if I let each layer dry first. They do make some Quick Dry drops to put over your polish, I know Michelle loves these but I haven't tried them yet.

With Creative Nail Design: I got this tip from my friend Little Sunshine, over at Bloom Where you are Planted. After experimenting with a lot of different base coats, she finally decided that Creative's polishes wear best with Orly Bonder as their base coat rather than Creative's Stickey, and I do have to say that she is right! Bonder gives me about 2 more days of wear over Stickey, so I use it for all of my Creatives. As well, some have had issues with drying time on Creative Polishes. I have heard stories of polish that is still soft the day after a manicure! I have been using my Seche Vite Top Coat with Creatives, and although my dry time increases to 15 minutes over 10 minutes, I have had no major problems. Creative has some amazing colors, and I think the extra 5 minutes are well worth it!

For streaky colors: Quite a few light colors (especially those from Essie) are difficult to apply due to streakiness, resulting in needing a lot of coats. Some of this can be overcome with a little bit of thinner, but in polishes that are already basically clear, who wants to dilute the color even more? For this problem, a ridge filling base coat can help a lot. I have quite a few ridger fillers (I have a lot of light, streaky colors), and my current favorite for overall coverage, color and help with streaks is Boot's Ridge Filler. I have also used ridge fillers by Essie, China Glaze, Barielle and OPI, all of these are great, I just prefer the Boots which has better application and a light pink tint to it rather than just nude.


Shopping for nail products
Now, I've provided a lot of links above for each of the specific products that I use, I really provided these just so you can see the exact product that I use. I have bought most of my supplies at local wholesale nail stores that will sell to the public, but if you aren't lucky enough to live near Westminster in Orange County (just drive up and down Bolsa, you'll see what I mean), then you'll have a lot of options on-line for shopping.
--Head 2 Toe Beauty
--8ty8 Beauty
--Trans Design
--A Chau Nails
--Beauty West

If you prefer to shop in person, I have a couple of stores that I recommend you check out. Always check the local yellow pages under Beauty Supply and try calling a few places to see if they'll sell to the public. Chances are you will find a place (other than Sally Beauty Supply) that is willing to sell to the public.
--Sally Beauty Supply- Be sure to sign up on-line, they will mail you coupon offers, and if this is going to be your primary shopping location, get the Sally Discount Card! It pays for itself with the discount you get on 1 bottle of Seche Vite. They do have their own polish lines, Finger Paints and Sally Girl, that are very high quality with great colors!
--ULTA- This is one of my all around favorite beauty stores, they carry a great mix of drugstore and higher end brands. In addition, ULTA frequently will get their own exclusives, such as special Essie and OPI colors that other stores don't carry. Sign up on-line and they will start sending their mailers to your home, they will frequently have great sales like BOGOF on OPI, Essie or Elizabeth Arden polishes.
--Trade Secret- These stores are similar to ULTA, but usually with just salon products, they will also have exclusive colors from OPI and Essie.


Finally, please keep in mind that this is just my current routine, this may not be what works best for you, but it could be a great starting point! Come and say hi to me and the other Nail Board Gals on Makeup Alley if you need any advice about colors or need help with a problem, we're more than willing to help you out! Also, don't forget to check out Nail Gal, brought to you by the Nail Board Girls, to check out colors before you buy in the store. (Nikki, that link is for you!)

8

Fall Nail Polish Collections

Now, I am already quite the nail polish addict, but I honestly think sometimes that my friend Michelle over at All Lacquered Up is part of a giant conspiracy with Zoya, China Glaze, Essie and OPI to make me spend every last cent I have!

If you aren't a regular reader of All Lacquered Up, I recommend you head over there pronto! Michelle has predicted that this fall will be mostly about short, red creme nails, with gun metal grey as the alternative to black (Lippmann's Hit Me with your Best Shot will be a great option still) and jewel tones being a close second. As you can see from her pics of the upcoming collections, all of the major nail polish brands will have a great selection! I do have to say that after having seen the pics and swatches, I feel that the upcoming China Glaze collection may actually be the best one yet! I love the idea of the foundation series (I know I will be stocking up at my local wholesale beauty supplies!) and many of the shades in this collection appear to be promising for this cool toned gal! I love the look of the China Glaze Platinum metallic color, I know I will need a bottle of this (and likely a backup bottle), and I may need to buy the black Lobu mani color as well! The new collections from my usual favorites- OPI and Essie both appear so warm toned that I was thinking I would be able to only buy 1 or 2 new colors for the fall! After seeing the China Glaze collection, I know I will be buying every bottle, and in some cases I'll buy multiples!

All Lacquered Up

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Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

As you can tell, I have a bit of a nail polish "obsession" (according to my dear husband). Along with taking care of my nails, I also try to take very good care of my cuticles. The biggest part of this is most definitely moisture!

One of my favorite cuticle products is one that I discovered by accident about 7 or 8 years ago, when I still lived in Michigan. At the time, Burt's Bees was rolling out nation-wide, and it was still pretty hard to find in the Midwest. I remember walking into a gift shop on Main Street in Ann Arbor, and finding a small display of Burt's Bees. I was so excited to finally see this brand I had been reading so much about, I knew I had to buy something! The display was small, pretty much only some carroty (is that a word even?) lotion, a waxy chapstick and the cuticle butter. Given my attraction to all things citrus, this was the obvious winner.

I love this product! It comes in a little tin, making it incredibly easy to carry with you everywhere. It is waxy, but has a pleasant lemonade smell, and when a small amount is applied to your cuticle area your body heat will melt the product, making it very easy to rub in. I find that this product is really great to use after washing your hands, it really seals the moisture in. The main downside is that due to it's waxy nature, this can build up on your nail surface, dulling your mani. However, it is easily washed off with simple soap and water.

Luckily for all of us, Burt's Bees is much easier to find these days! Pick one up for your purse today!
Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

1

Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover

I've always had issues with my cuticles. Whether they were dry and ragged or full of painful hangnails, I could never seem to trim them enough, keep them moisturized enough or fix them to be what I considered to be "decent."

That's all turned around due to my new cuticle remover, Sally Hansen's Instant Cuticle Remover (Buy the blue one! They make a green one as well, which is fine, but I like the blue one more.). Don't let this cuticle remover scare you! The packaging says it removes cuticles in 15 seconds, but if you have it on longer it won't dissolve your skin away. I like to use this in the sink. I simply apply a small amount to each nailbed, rub it in and then run my thumbnail over each cuticle. It quickly and painlessly removes any excess, and with regular use (about every 1-2 weeks) and daily use of Creative Nail's Cuticle Eraser Cream, I don't have to cut my cuticles any longer. Simply wash off with hand soap. As a bonus, this stuff is cheap and very easy to find.

Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover

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Spa Manicure

Every so often even my nails end up looking haggard and spent. This is when I know rather than doing a simple polish change and cuticle removal, I need to treat myself to an at home spa manicure.

For me this obviously starts with removing my old polish, and then I soak my tips with Creative Nail Design's Citrusoak. I also use little plastic dishes meant for soaking. However, just a little liquid dish soap and a bowl from the kitchen will also work just as well. I particularly love the Citrusoak for it's scent- it has a light citrus scent that is a mix of lemon and lime. I'm a sucker for anything citrus!

After I've soaked for about 5 minutes or so, I will use an orange stick to push back my cuticles and clean under the nails. I love to use a cuticle remover at this step, and my favorite is Sally Hansen's Instant Cuticle Remover (the blue one!). Don't let this cuticle remover scare you! The packaging says it removes cuticles in 15 seconds, but if you have it on longer it won't dissolve your skin away. I like to use this in the sink. I simply apply a small amount to each nailbed, rub it in and then run my thumbnail over each cuticle. It quickly and painlessly removes any excess, and with regular use (about every 1-2 weeks) and daily use of Creative Nail's Cuticle Eraser Cream, I don't have to cut my cuticles any longer. Simply wash off with hand soap.

If I'm feeling particularly in need of pampering, I'll warm up my Paraffin Bath by HoMedics. My roommate from school gave me this for Christmas a few years ago, and it is one of the best presents I've ever received from a friend. I like to do a few coats of wax and then put on the plastic covers. I'm finally almost out of the plain paraffin that came with this unit, and I'm on the lookout for some great scented paraffin to try next. This unit is very easy to use, just plug it in and that's it. It even has a timer option so you can tell it when you want to use it, and it will be ready for you. Just be prepared for the 4-5 hours that the wax takes to melt!

Finally, you are ready to do your mani! Just be sure to clean off your nails before applying polish, after the wax any base coat you apply will likely just slide off. I use a little rubbing alcohol, but acetone or nail polish remove will prepare the nail just as well.
Creative Nail Design Citrusoak at Head 2 Toe Beauty
HoMedics Paraspa Delux Paraffin Bath at Amazon
Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover at Amazon
Pictured nailpolish: Opi's Fit for a Queensland

3

Creative Nail Design Cuticle Eraser

I'm not sure that too many people outside of professional nail techs and my fellow obsessive nail junkies over at MUA's Nail Board know about CnD's Cuticle Eraser. I love this stuff. I carry it with me everywhere in my purse, I have it in the kitchen drawer, I even have it in my night stand drawer and I apply it every night before I go to sleep!

This product is fantastic. It is a blend of AHA's meant to very gently exfoliate your cuticles and the surrounding skin. Simply apply a small amount to your cuticle and rub it in, no need to wash off. I also apply enough that I can rub it into the sides of my nail bed and the tips of my fingers. I try to apply at least once a day, and in an ideal world I would do this 2-3 times a day. Since using this cream my cuticles have been in much better shape- they are much less ragged, I once was plagued by painful, almost daily hangnails (they are no more), and even the tips of my fingers no longer peel!

While Cuticle Eraser is not a total replacement for a good cuticle remover (review coming soon), I do have to say that daily usage of this cream has dramatically improved my hands. Cincyfan over at All Lacquered Up also recommends using this on your feet to keep your pedi looking fresh this summer. At only $3.95 for a 15 ml tube at Head 2 Toe, there's no excuse for not stocking up!
Creative Nail Design Cuticle Eraser at Head 2 Toe Beauty

1

Metallic Nails & Summer Pedis

So, People Magazine has declared this the summer of the metallic manicure. I personally do like this look, and I'm just now starting to be more comfortable with it, but it really can be worn by nearly any one with any coloring. Pictured here is People's picture of Misha with a silver mani, and one of People's favorite color choices, Lippmann's Hit Me with your Best Shot. This is a beautiful gun metal metallic grey color, and while it may already be sold out from the Victoria's Secret Semi-Annual Sale, this is one shade worth spending $15 on at your local Nordies or getting at Bath and Body Works the next time you get a great coupon for their store!

If you aren't comfortable with so striking of a color, then I recommend Essie Opera. This shade was recommended by Elle Magazine a few months ago as a great silver with "less bling," and I definitely agree. Pictured here is my mani in Opera (2 coats, click the image to enlarge it), and you can see that while it is shiny and silver, it's definitely more neutral and much more likely to work in those conservative offices! Other options for silver metallics include the new Essie Loophole (a true silver with much more shine, think the Tin Man in Wizard of Oz), Essie Saba Silver and Sterling Silver have the same bright silver shade but with less shine.

Finally, while you're working on that new silver mani, make sure to check out these great tips from Cincyfan over at All Lacquered Up, she has some great tips on making your feet ready for all that exposure they'll get this season! Other tips I can add (in addition to how to best clean up your nails, and Michelle has already mentioned my tip in her post!) is to use the Artemis Pedicure helper below, and to make sure you moisturize your feet daily! If your feet are particularly dry, a lotion like Amlactin would be great, the formula is meant to help penetrate those dry areas. Amlactin is available to buy without a prescription, but is expensive so you usually will need to get it from the pharmacist, who is hiding it away behind the counter. I bought mine at Costco!

People Magazine
All Lacquered Up
Amlactin 12% Lotion

0

Artemis Woman Heel Smoother Pedicure Device

I went to Target a few weeks ago intending to purchase the new Oil of Olay thermal foot scrub. I literally was standing there with the $10 bottle in my hand when I turned around and saw this Pedicure gadget. I've checked this out before on Amazon, and recently Courtney at Champagne Tates on a Beer Budget also reviewed it. I was pretty excited too see it in person there at Target. When I saw that it was $1 off, and only cost $18, a quick cost analysis resulted in the Heel Smoother in my basket rather than the Oil of Olay.
I've used this a few times now, and I love it! It's best used after a shower, I actually just sat down in the shower and used it. This gave me a great spot for all of the dead skin to come off and it was easy to rinse off the Artemis. And really, there was a lot of dead skin coming off! After about 10-15 minutes total, my feet were incredibly smooth and it was so easy!
Artemis Woman Heel Smoother Pedicure Device

0

My New Obsession- Nails!

Well, as if I didn't spend enough time each day being shallow about things like makeup, purses and shopping-- I now have a new obsession- nail polish! (I figure I spend enough time doing useful things like saving ill children, so I should be allowed my little obsessions).

I blame all of this on the new blog All Laquered Up-- Before, I was content to go for months without changing my nailpolish, I would simply buff and file, occasionally use a neutral Essie color, but that was about the extent of it. I bought Essie Wicked when it first came out, but when it chipped at about 24 hours, I gave up on it. But, I now can safely say that I've been very inspired, and have even made a few visits to the nail board at Makeup Alley (wow- those are some hardcore nail girls!) I have a huge cart of polishes at Head 2 Toe Beauty, and I have made trips all over town collecting colors, base and top coats that I've seen recommended on-line.

I'm currently in the middle of a giant experiment regarding the best combination of basecoat and top coat for extended wear. Here are a few links for inspiration if you are interested:
All Laquered Up- Stickey Sandwich
Nail Tech Secrets- Polish that Lasts
All Laquered Up- List of favorite products
Makeup Alley- Nailboard Wisdom


Here are my results so far, inspired by the results above, and very much influenced by my lack of Creative Stickey, I can't find it in my area and haven't placed and order yet.
1. Bonder, 3 Coats Polish, Bonder again, then Poshe Top Coat. The next day I did another coat with Opi Designer Series Top Coat. All of my nails had PEELING off of the clear top coat. Huh? I was like that nailpolish we all used as kids- it would peel off in 1 large piece, leaving the color below unscathed. I've never seen anything like this. I'm not sure if it was the top coat or the bonder. But, the color lasted 7 days with minimal tip wear, on the 7th day one of the fingers suddenly had a HUGE chip, so I moved on. I was VERY active during those 7 days, working in the ICU with gloves on and off, washing my hands several times an hour with industrial hospital strength soap.
2. Jessica Fusion (a basecoat to help peeling nails, inspired by Christina Jones at Nail Tech Secrets), Bonder, 2 Coats Polish (I didn't need 3 for coverage), Bonder, then Out the Door. This polish also lasted a full 7 days, even less tip wear on day 7. No peeling this time (maybe it wasn't the Bonder afterall?), only 1chip about 25% of a nail at the end of day 7. I was less active this week, I was not in the ICU at all that week, but I did spend a lot of time typing, all day everyday.
3. I just put on a third combo with Jessica Fusion, Bonder, 2 coats of Opi's Lincoln Park after Midnight (pictured here), Bonder again and then Hoofer's Choice. Update After trying this combo last night, I got to see my mani in "the light of day" this am, and it looks like I have about 20 coats of varnish over my nails. And, they are SUPER full of bubbles, which I know they weren't last night. Looks like I'll be taking off this combo and trying Seche Vite instead.


Things I still have to try- Need to order Creative's Stickey, I still have Seche Vite and Opi Rapid Dry to try out. I have been doing all of my coats of polish in a row, no bonder in between (which had been suggested over at the Special Polish), etc. I'll let you know how all of this experimenting goes! I have been using only Essie's Wicked as my color so far, which means with such a dark color, 7 days is GREAT wear-- hopefully I can get even more time in for a mani!

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