Here's what we're starting with. I think this is about 2.5 weeks old. If it wasn't for the fact that I was doing a lot of work around the house, I think the nail polish would have held up even longer.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
how to: do an at-home manicure
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
beauty tuesday: essie gel couture review
I've always enjoyed doing my own nails. Back in the days of heavy nail art, I used to even share my weekly manicures on here! I used to spend so much time, trying to come up with cute combinations and making sure my nails look picture perfect. To be honest, while some of those designs seem a bit ridiculous and over the top now, I can truly say I do miss glitter accent nails! Come on, you have to admit they are pretty darn cute.
Growing up, I was only ever allowed to wear super neutral nail polish colors (no "slutty red" around my parents' house!). I basically rebelled once I moved out and wore black nail polish for years, but those pale pastel colors are now definitely my staple nail polish. You'll hardly ever catch me with a color other than light pink or white on my nails! I like the way they look, but I also think it looks more professional.
I had a pretty good method of applying polish that really made my manicures last almost an entire week without chipping. I started with Orly's bonder base coat, then 2-3 layers of almost exclusively Essie polishes (my favorites are minimalistic, go ginza, and peak show), and then 2 layers of Seche Vite. Like I said, I could go about 5-7 days without a single chip, which I think was pretty great for a non gel manicure!
As an obvious Essie enthusiast, I was pretty excited when they launched their new Gel Couture line, which promises a gel-like manicure you use at home, without any lights, that should last up to 14 days. I've had a few gel manicures over the years, and I have mixed feelings about them. On the pros list is that they obviously don't chip, and look amazing for at least a week. On the con side, which is longer, is that you have to pay someone else to do your nails, it costs more money, the outgrowth doesn't look great, and it's a pain in the ass to remove. I've also tried various top coats at home that promise to be like a gel manicure, and have never been impressed. So an at home system that promises the longevity of a salon gel manicure with the convenience of an at home manicure was something I very much wanted in my nail painting life.
So off to Target I went to buy the sheer nude pink of Fairy Tailor (around $11) plus the top coat (another $11), although apparently some colors come in a kit for $18 (my store just didn't have that option). You have to use the specific Gel Couture polish with the top coat for it to work (a bit more about that in a bit). After trimming and filing my nails, and fixing my cuticles, I applied a base coat, then applied three coats of the color polish, and then two coats of the top coat.
One of the biggest differences you'll notice between regular Essie polish and the Gel Couture line is that the brush is much larger. I initially didn't think I'd like the broader brush, but with a just a slight adjustment of my normal technique, it really does make the whole process much quicker. I've read several other reviews that were initially surprised by the broader brush, but quickly learned to love it.
the results! If you follow along on instagram or snapchat, I was giving a few updates throughout my time wearing the polish. I am very impressed by this system. For the first seven days, my nails look absolutely perfect, like I had just painted them. Around day 7, I noticed that my nails showed a bit of growth, which is expected. Around day 9-10, I noticed that the tips were just slightly worn - something I only noticed because I was looking very closely, but it wasn't something you could see from more than two feet away. The picture above is from day 12, where you can see it shows just a little bit of peeling around the edges. This is different than the little cracks I often get with regular pastel polish (I hate those little cracks!). Day 13 is the day I got my first chip, and is the day I removed the polish. It came off easily with my preferred non-acetone remover.
Obviously, I love this system because it did exactly what it promised! The polish stayed put, it didn't crack or chip, and it give me almost a full two weeks of perfect nails.
Initially, my biggest complaint was going to be that they don't have a white color, which is my preferred summer shade, but it turns out they do make one, my Target just didn't carry that color (it's called pre-show jitters, you can see a swatch of it here). If you have a large nail polish collection, and you like a variety of colors on your hands throughout the month, the Gel Couture line may not be for you since you have to use their color (there are currently 42 colors to pick from) and their top coat to get the lasting effects. But if you are like me in the sense that you have 2-3 colors you always use, you don't mind or even prefer doing your own nails, you like your nails to look fresh, and you don't want to mess with your nails more then 2-3 times a month, then the Essie Couture line is exactly what you've been looking for. For the cost of one salon gel manicure, you can get months worth of manicures at home. I'm very pleased, and will continue to explore their line of colors, with the hopes that they expand it in the next few months!
Saturday, April 13, 2013
unconventional beauty tricks that actually work
I'm always on the lookout for the "next best thing". I rarely re-purchase make up, moisturizers, cleansers, exc. just because I always hope the next purchase will be better than the last. Over the last few months I've picked up a few tricks that are somewhat unconventional, but are ones that I don't see myself needing to change any time soon either because they are so much cheaper than the traditional product or because it just works so well.
Monistat Chafing Gel as a foundation primer:
I've recently started using foundation again (currently using the HD Invisible Cover Foundation) to even out my skin tone more. I was researching if I wanted to use a primer or not and I stumbled upon a tip to use the Monistat Chafing Gel as a primer. The main active ingredient, Dimethicone, is also found in a lot of the major brand primers like the Smashbox primer which goes for 5 times the price. While I don't have any experience with the Smashbox primer, I've used several different brands in the past and the chafing gel works just as well at filling in pores and helping keep make-up in place but for a fraction of the cost. My skin tends to run on the drier side and the primer helps it feel velvety soft all day.
Head & Shoulders for body acne:
Acne on my back is something I've struggled with for 10 years now, and in recent months I've also started getting it on my chest too. SUPER FUN. I've tried everything over the years - pills, lotions, creams, swabs. Nothing has completely helped. I read someone suggest using the Head & Shoulders shampoo as a body wash - they claimed it completely got rid of their bacne (gah, I kinda hate that word). I've used it for a week now and even in just 5 washes I've noticed a huge difference with the skin on my chest. I was seriously shocked that it worked as well it as it did for a product that is in no way geared towards clearing acne. Apparently the pyrithione zinc is the magic ingredient so make sure whatever kind you use (I'm using the 2 in 1 classic currently) contains it. I smooth it on my skin and let it sit for about 2 minutes at the end of the shower.
aluminum foil to remove glitter polish:
I love to do my nails, but I hate removing the polish, especially glitter polish. I scrub and scrub with completely demolished cotton swabs trying to get it off. I learned this trick on Pinterest. You just soak half a cotton ball in polish, place it on your nail, and wrap the whole thing in a stripe of aluminum foil. Then you wait for 5 minutes, and all the polish wipes off clean! I have no idea why this works, but it does. No more scrubbing!
coconut oil as a make-up remover:
I finally jumped on the coconut oil train last month, and when I asked on instagram what people use it for, Jentine from My Edit said she uses it to remove eye makeup. Girl, what? You want me to put something I fry eggs with on my face? I had been using the Neutrogena remover wipes for about 9 months and while they worked fine, I was sick of spending $8 a month just to remove make-up so when my pack ran out I gave the coconut oil a try. I rub just a tiny amount (not even pea size) between my fingers to melt it, and then I rub it all over my eyes for about 30 seconds. You'll temporarily turn into a crying LC lookalike, but all the eye make up will come off easily. I splash some water on my face (just like in the commercials! ha) to remove some of this make up residue and then follow up with a cleanser to remove the remaining make up and oil. It works so well for so little money that I don't think I'll ever go back to spending $8 on wipes that don't even work as well and just fill up my garbage quicker. The coconut oil is also very moisturizing so I feel it's better for the skin around my eyes, and there is less tugging and pulling as there was with the wipes. I have also been making an exfoliator mask once a week with the coconut oil by mixing a little bit with baking soda and the scrubbing it all over my face.
Are there any unconventional beauty products you use? I'd love to hear about them so I can try them out for myself!
Friday, December 28, 2012
under the sea
Blue: Essie Mezmerised
Blue Glitter: Julep Ivy
Green Glitter: Julep Harper
Ring: borrowed from Karoline {adorably similar}
Linking up with the Nail Files and Mani Monday
Sunday, December 9, 2012
gift wrapped
I really liked last week's manicure but the thing that gets me with glitter nail polish is how horrible it is to remove it. If you follow me on facebook you will have seen that I tried out the aluminum foil technique and I'm so mad that I never tried it before because it worked so well! For those of you who don't know about it, you put a cotton swab with nail polish remover on your nail, cover your finger tip with aluminum foil, wait ~3 minutes and it all wipes off clean. No scrubbing, no swearing (in my case usually) involved!
After soaking my fingers in nail polish remover and then buffing all of my nails, my fingers needed a little rehab, so I used the Julep Glycolic Hand Scrub and then Julep's Glow on Age Defying Hand Brightner* that Julep provided me with as a part of their Holiday Products Campaign. The scrub helped remove any last pieces stuck on my nails, and the hand lotion definitely moisturized my hands in this dry air. If you are looking for something to get you through the winter, I highly recommend it!
So a few weeks ago one of my favorite nail blogs Nailed It featured these little nail sequin things called glequins and after finding out you can buy 12 color pots for $6 (including shipping!), I went ahead and ordered some. They took a while to get to me (they come from China) but now I'm so excited to play around with them! Instead of covering an entire nail (or all 10...), I used them to make a little bow on my middle finger. It's like a gift wrapped present on my finger nails :)
Red: Julep Sharon
Glequins: Born Pretty
*Julep provided me with the hand scrub and lotion. I was not paid for this post. All opinions are my own.
Monday, December 3, 2012
wrap it up with a bow
Pink: Sally Hansen Shell We Dance?
Glitter: Julep Vivien (from December's box)
Ring: Forever 21
Linking up with Mani Monday and the Nail Files.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
First Snow
No, it unfortunately (fortunately?) has not snowed in Madison yet, although it seems that much of northern Wisconsin was covered in snow this past weekend. I'm not a huge fan of snow on the ground anyway, but I do like the idea on my nails!
Julep sent me* this beautiful dark teal as well as a few other colors I'll post about soon. I've been a long time fan of the brand, and the colors I received did not disappoint. For those of you who haven't heard of Julep, they are a nail polish company that can be found online, in Julep parlors across the country, and Sephora. If you become a Julep Maven, each month you are sent a box of 2-3 nail polishes as well as a few extras (I've received glitter pots, hand lotion and nail polish remover pads). The thing that drew me to Julep versus other beauty boxes is that you get to see what you are going to receive each month, you can switch to a different box if you don't like the one chosen for you, or you can opt out completely of that month if you decide you don't want anything that month.
If you are interested in becoming a Julep Maven, you can take the beauty quiz here to get started. If you are interested in purchasing nail polishes separately from the Maven program, you can use the code VIP20 to receive 20% off any purchase greater than $20.
Teal: Julep Donna, c/o
White: Julep Eileen (dots made with dotting tool)
Linking up with the Nail Files and Mani Monday.
*This is a sponsored post. I received nail polish for free, but all opinions are my own!
Saturday, October 13, 2012
Color Run Manicure
Yellow: Sally Hansen Mellow Yellow
Orange: Essie Tart Deco
Blue: Essie Aruba Blue
Green: Color Club Age of Aquarius
Orange: Julep Natasha, c/o
Linking up with Mani Monday.
Only a few days left to win your choice of a silver or gold plated tube bracelet!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
U-Rah-Rah
Enough sob stories, here's the manicure, all ready for a weekend of celebrating my alma mater.
White: Julep Eileen (this month's Julep box)
Red: Sally Hansen Cherry Red
Glitter: Essie Set in Stone - looks green because of my yard :(
Speaking of Julep, congrats to Ashley M for winning a Julep Maven Intro Box by liking Franishh on facebook. Be on the look out for an email from me! If you didn't win, remember you can sign up for a box for just a penny using the code MAVENINTRO. Sign up here - and let me know if you end up signing up so I can thank you properly!
Linking up with the Nail Files and Mani Monday.
U-Rah-Rah
Enough sob stories, here's the manicure, all ready for a weekend of celebrating my alma mater.
White: Julep Eileen (this month's Julep box)
Red: Sally Hansen Cherry Red
Glitter: Essie Set in Stone - looks green because of my yard :(
Speaking of Julep, congrats to Ashley M for winning a Julep Maven Intro Box by liking Franishh on facebook. Be on the look out for an email from me! If you didn't win, remember you can sign up for a box for just a penny using the code MAVENINTRO. Sign up here - and let me know if you end up signing up so I can thank you properly!
Linking up with the Nail Files and Mani Monday.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Twinkle Toes
Tips: Essie No Place Like Chrome
Ring: Karen Walker
12 days left to enter the Julep Maven Giveaway!
Linking up with the Nail Files and Mani Monday
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Summertime Sadness
Linking up with the Nail Files and Mani Monday
Glitter: OPI Traffic Stopper Copper
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Julep Maven Giveaway
I received my first box right before the 4th of July and was immediately a fan. The polish goes on smoothly, it is long lasting, and best of all, it is toxin free. I also really like the brush - it allows you to make very clean and straight lines. You can see my first two manicures from my first box here and here.
This manicure was made used Natasha and Oscar from June's Bombshell box*. I think the colors are perfect for summer! I used Natasha as the base, waited for it to completely dry, used scotch tape as a guide and then used 3 layers of Oscar on top.
Linking up with #SawPinnedConquered (as it's inspired by this pin), The Nail Files and Mani Monday.
I have teamed up with Julep Maven to offer you two ways for you to try out Julep nail polishes for yourself:
1. You can get your own box by taking the beauty quiz here and then get your first box for only a penny. What do you have to lose? Use the code MAVENINTRO for the penny special.
2. Julep Maven and I are holding a giveaway to give you the chance to win a beauty box! It is open to all US and Canadian residents. All you have to do is enter below. Good luck!
*Disclosure: I received a free Julep box as compensation for this post. All opinions are my own - I really do love this nail polish!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Nailed It! Giveaway
Grey: Essie Chinchilly
Glitter: Wet n Wild Sparked
Chevron: Made by Munchie's Mama