WHICH COLOR?? Why choose just one??

 

  Last night, I decided my nails needed a color change. So I dug into my collection* (I have way waaaaaay too many nail polishes, I had to get a storage system...) and started grabbing colors. I ended up with 5 in the same color family and the same brand.

Butter London lacquers are fantastic, they go on beautifully, (I put on 3 coats of each just to have complete coverage) and I've never had a problem with any of them.

The list of colors, from pinkie to thumb are:

Snog, Trout Pout, Dahling, MacBeth and Jaffa.

My entire nail routine is as follows: Melt-Away Cuticle Eliminator by Butter London, then I push back my cuticles (gently!) and nip them with the Mini Nail Rescue Kit by Tweezerman from Ulta.com, then I use OPI Chip Skip to clean my nails. Then I use OPI Original Nail Envy to treat my nails, since they tend to bend and peel on their own. I use Orly Bonder rubberized basecoat, it's the best one I've tried, it helps me keep the polish ON my nail instead of all over my finger. Two or three coats of my chosen color, then this amazing topcoat Glisten & Glow fast drying topcoat which works even faster than the Seche Vite topcoat but without the "pulling" on the polish (when the polish pulls back from the tip and exposes the nail underneath). And it's incredible! It dries fast enough that I can paint all 10 nails, then go straight to bed. I love it! 

My nail polish usually lasts 4-5 days, if I'm not impatient and change them first, which is nearly always the case!

The lacquers were purchased by me via EBATES and Ulta.com, and the topcoat was purchased at Glisten & Glow. 

Do-it-yourself cuticles that even I can do!

I have an admission. When I'm left on my own to take maintain the cuticles of my fingernails I pick. And then bleed. I'm a bit of a masochist apparently. I don't know when to stop. I have a loyalty to a nail salon near my home and they are wizards with my nailcare. But that kind of upkeep takes it's toll on the pocketbook.

Now, I can extend my time between salon appointments myself by using a quick and easy cuticle remover, an orange stick, and limiting my usage of a cuticle clipper.



This little beauty really does work! Following the directions, I do one hand at a time, putting the gel directly on my cuticles. Gently pushing back the gel/cuticle with the wooden stick (I used a metal cuticle tool and oops, scraped some of the top layers my nails off. That remover is POWERFUL stuff and I pushed too hard.). Immediately after I use the orange stick I immediately wash my hands, trust me, get that stuff off your hands as soon as you can. It works really fast and really well. The little bits that need to be clipped off are easy to see and super soft so they come right off when...well, clipped!

Since I purchased the Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover, I've been able to give myself mini-manicures every two weeks since my last manicure which was easily two months ago. While a professional manicure is always the best, I'm very happy with the results. I don't recall precisely what I paid for it, but I believe the cost was under $5.00 US before taxes.

Do you have any handy finds for maintaining your nails?