every once in a while i will be doing something in my typical beauty routine and think, does everyone do this? does everyone know this? and then realize… it’s too good not to share!
i like painting my nails. for me, it’s relaxing. and it makes me feel a bit more polished! the trick is actually finding a little chunk of time to polish my nails and let them dry without the paint being embedded with sheet prints.
i go through moody trends when choosing what color i want on my nails – sometimes deep dark blues, purples, orangey reds, bright pinks but most often i crave the perfect pale pink. finding the perfect pink can be hard. they are often too opaque or too clear. when you use a polish that is sheer the polish can appear streaky. have you experienced any of these pink challenges?
so, today i am letting you in on a little secret. the trick is to mix two pale pinks to find a winning combination. this also {usually} eliminates the streaky challenge. now, it takes a bit of experimentation to find the perfect combo for your shade of skin. right now, i like Essie’s Sugar Daddy + Mademoiselle, it’s such a quiet, feminine combo.
do you know the basics of a good manicure?
* clip/file to your preferred shape
* apply one coat of base coat
* two coats of the color{s} of your choice
* finish with a dry fast top coat.
now, you don’t want to paint each of these layers too fast or the polish won’t have time to set in-between. paint each coat, and wait a minute or two before the next. also: after both of your color coats are applied, i recommend waiting 5 minutes or longer before you apply your top coat. and! if you have trouble with polish bubbling. that is caused by one of two things: either you are using old polish that needs to be replaced, or you used too much air/fanning to get your nails dry — the extra blowing/fan will “blow” bubbles into the polish. try to be patient and let your nail polish air dry on it’s own.
* last: when your polish is dry and any other time possible: use cuticle oil and lotion! this and this are my can’t-live-withouts.
i believe i have mentioned this before, but when i was fifteen years old i took a “nail technician class” and became certified to do nails. this little teenage career of mine lasted till i was twenty. and i loved it – and i still do. only now, my kids, husband and self are the only clients i maintain.
my besties like to tease me about the mini manicure kit i carry around in my handbag that includes my favorite cuticle oil, it’s pretty easy to catch me putting some on in a restaurant – at the ball park – in carpool line… all i have to say to their teasing is – a momma with four kids has got to get things done on the go sometimes!
my suggestion: paint your nails and GO VOTE! today is the day!
do you have a favorite color/brand of polish right now? i’d love to hear.
{all photos by me.}
nice color fingernail polish..soothing to the eyes 🙂
Funny you posted this today, because I have been looking for the perfect pale pink nail polish to put in party bags. Where do you get this brand?
Hope you are doing well!
It’s great, except I wish it actually stayed on. I have to shellac – nothing stays on my nails.
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I really appreciate the manicure tips because I can never get it just right. I love the Essie line of polishes! The pale colour I have may be a little TOO pale for your taste but it’s called Vanity Fairest and so far, I don’t mind it at all. However I’ve never considered mixing colors and I think that’s something I’ll be trying out soon.
I have recently discovered the Deborah Lippmann nail polish line, and can’t get enough. They have such fun, unique colors. I love my Solar Oil & Aveda Hand Therapy too!!
I need a manicure right now…so thanks for the post!
I share your love of cuticle oil, I have a bottle next to my bed and even at my office.
I was just certified as a nail technician a few years ago, but I don’t do it on anyone other than myself, and I used to use the CND cuticle oil too, BUT I found something much, much better! You must try Young Nails Rose Cuticle Oil. Smells amazing, and seriously is amazing at how fast it can cure cracked cuticles. For hand lotion I love hand relief too, but to really nourish my hands I do a paraffin wax treatment on my hands once a week during the fall/winter, and about once a month during spring/summer.