Nail Talk

So, first of all let me say, I have a problem. My problem is with nail polish. I know I know, you are probably asking yourself, “What sort of problem could a woman have with nail polish?” Well to be honest, I think I have a slight addiction to nail polish. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to say when you have an addiction? Rule #1: Admit you have a problem. I absolutely LOVE everything about nail polish from the wide variety of colors, to the awesome textures and let’s not forget about the gazillions of creative and unique designs! The way I see it, your nails are that one accessory piece that you can never take off, yet, they are so versatile. So many statements can be made by just your nails alone; they are subtle yet so powerful at the same time.

Some of my polishes, not all could fit

Let's take a trip back down memory lane to where it all began. I believe I may have been 3 or 4 years old when my mom first painted my nails. Even as a child, I loved to play in nail polish. I would put 2 or 3 colors on one nail or mix my own colors. I probably even ruined a few of my mom's polishes from mixing so much, sorry mom. For me, the fact was I had discovered a new way to express myself and I became so obsessed with it. As I got older, I was introduced to acrylic nails. With acrylic nails, if you didn’t have healthy nails of your own, or if you just wanted to elongate your nails, you could get tips put on that would then be overlaid by this acrylic powder mixture to create a new beautiful nail. Well, let’s just say the addiction got worse in middle/high school. To me, acrylic nails made me look and seem more grown up. When I turned 16, I was allowed to get my first full set (acrylic nails on all 10 fingers) and from there, it was no turning back.)

While in college, I had a job on campus in food service that required us to make food and clean which required me to have polish-free nails. It was definitely a struggle for me, but in the end, I gave up fake nails which forced me to learn how to take care of my real nails. It also allowed me to give my nails time to grow out nice and healthy. Now that I've been out of college for a few years, I have not had fake nails in 5 years. I won’t lie, there are times when I get that urge and I am tempted to go into a nail salon and ask for a full set so I can walk out feeling like a million bucks, however, I have yet to give in. As women, we always get that new burst of life when we buy new clothes, shoes or a new purse and when we get our hair, nails, and eyebrows done. That is just a woman thing. Since going “nail natural”, I have began to get that new burst of life when I do my nails and freshen them with new colors or designs on my own nail without having my nails covered up by acrylic. It is so refreshing and let me just say that the addiction is stronger now than it has ever been. I want to share how I take care of my nails naturally so that you can start or enhance your “nail natural” journey. Keep reading…

Pictured: Cuticle cutter, nail buffer, nail file, nail clipper, cuticle pusher.

My At Home Manicure

1) Clean/ remove nail polish from nails

2)File/ buff your nails in any desired shape

3) Soak your nails in warm water for a few minutes (3-5 minutes)  *Note: I added coconut oil to soften my cuticles

4)After soaking nails, push back your cuticles then use a cuticle cutter to clean up your cuticles

5) Take a hot cloth and clean off hands or wash hands to get off excess oils

6) Once hands are dry, you can apply your base coat polish

7) After base coat is dry, apply your first coat of polish; be sure to switch hands between coats so nails have time to dry between coats

8) Apply second coat of polish

9) Allow nails to fully dry before applying a top coat

10) Once top coat is applied and dried ...you are good to go!!

* You can do this while watching your favorite week night show. I do not recommend painting your nails right before bed unless you want smudged nails in the morning.

 

* clockwise- The maroon is a American Horror Story polish, Essie: deep purple and a light purple ( can't remember the exact names), Julep:Cheyenne (matte metallic) , Julep: Kirby, and Essie: Perennial Chic

*Secret: If you are not good at polishing your own nails but still want the cool designs, you can always apply nail wraps to your nails. They are fast and easy and involve zero drying time. A tip to getting good at painting your own nails is PRACTICE! Over time, you'll be a pro!

                                                           Product Review

Julep- Julep is a beauty brand that offers nail polish, Korean skin care and beauty products. They have a monthly subscription program for $20 or 3 months at $70 called Julep Maven where they send you a mix of nail polishes and a skincare/ beauty products. To figure out your style, you take a quiz to see what your interests are and from there they curate your monthly box. You also have the option each month to switch out products or change boxes if you do not like what you have in your box or you can skip the box altogether. I have been a Julep Maven for almost 2 years now. Two of my friends that I have referred to the program have loved all of their products. I as well love all of their polishes and their beauty/ skin care products.Their products can be found at Nordstrom , Sephora, Ulta and Julep.com. 

Price Range $14-$28

* when you are a maven you get the full sized products at a cheaper price

Become A Maven  (find more information about becoming a maven)

http://refer.julep.com/v2/share/6258251375665274754  -  my personal Julep referral link

A few of my monthly Julep Maven boxes.

Essie-I like to use Essie brand polishes and they also have really good top coats that I like to use with my Essie & Julep brand polishes. Essie products can be found at Sephora, Ulta, or any local drugstore.

Price Range $8-$10

A few of my favorite Essie top coats (lft-rt Essie Gel Setter, Essie All In One, Essie Good To Go) 

Jamberry Nail Wraps- Jamberry is a type of nail wrap. Nail wraps are perfect for when you're on the go and want to switch up your nails without all the polish and wait time. The wraps can be applied by first heating the wrap up with a blow dryer to soften the wrap. Next apply to your nail then file off the excess. I do recommend using a top coat when using nail wraps. I have had issues where the a nail design would start to fade after a few days or start to peel at the edges. Jamberry nail wraps can be found online at Jamberry.com. You should be able to get at least two wears out of one set.

**This brand of wraps tend to be thicker when compared to Essie nail wraps.

Price range:$15

Jamberry Nail Wraps 

 I only used half of one strip per nail

Once the wraps were filed down this is the end result