Nails

I love painting my nails! Love. Love. Love.


I love the action of clearing off the old polish, clipping, filing and moisturising and then starting the process again. I love taking my time and taking care, painting each stroke trying to avoid blobbing and splotching...and especially trying to avoid getting dark colours down the very side of the nail. Ugh - takes yonks to get that out.

BarryM's Pink Flamingo

I usually do mine on an evening. I'm not good at just sitting. So, I get out my trusty case filled with my nail paraphernalia, plonk my bum on the rug, find something to watch on the box and then, I begin.


First there's the base coat - I always use a base coat - at the moment I'm using Nail Magic because it also cares for your nails as well as providing a layer of protection from the colour itself.


Next up is the colour. Oh the choices! I love the way the colour can affect my mood, and vice versa. Some days I will paint them bright...a lovely pop of colour...to pull me out of a grey mood. It works too! I can see them flitting about in front of my eyes all the next day, spreading cheer as they type, wipe, pick and point.


Then I finish with a top coat - I've been using the same brand for years now...Revlon's Nail Care Top Coat. It helps my nails to dry quickly and leaves them all glossy and pretty. And it never fails.


I find the whole process very therapeutic..just lost in the routine with the TV show or film chatting away in the background. Bliss. Brain dead bliss.

BarryM's Foil Efftects Silver

My top tips:

1. take your time -
   rushing it will only bodge it and make you have to do them again or live with dented or scuffed nails for a day or two. No satisfaction in that. Oh no, no, no.
2. take care -
   file from the outside of the nail in for both sides, and then quickly file the very end in one direction...my lovely friend and super manicurist Sue taught me this - it reduces the chance of splitting
   if, like me, your nails aren't keen on over-filing, clip first with good quality nail clippers - i.e. ones that cut cleanly, straight through rather than chewing the nail off ~ then file the pointy bits off and to get a good shape
3. change your polish often -
   nails need to breath...leaving polish on for weeks isn't good for them
4. condition your nails -
   products such as Nail Magic are great for this, but there are many other options on the market...which do you recommend?
5. paint on clean nails -
   once you've taken the polish off and filed and shaped your nails - go give them a quick wash and dry before painting
6. splodged on your skin? -
   fear not! Wait for the polish to dry and then go and put your hands in some water for a minute or two, and you'll find that the polish simple peels off the skin. Works brilliantly for splodged toes after a shower.

I'm a plain nail kinda gal myself, but there are some fabulous nail art designs out there - Pinterest is filled with top DIY tips for glamming them up, spots n stripes, bunnies (!) and some very cool ombre effects. I've pinned a few myself if you want a peek.


So, which is your go to nail polish brand? Me? I'm a fan of BarryM for a quick fashion colour fix...especially the creme colours...Berry Icecream is divine and Pink Flamingo is making typing this post just so much fun...dance little fingers, dance! The Foil Effects in silver is pretty magnificent too...great for a night out with matching tootises and wedges. I also like Essie though I've only tried a couple of colours and find them quite thin.

Ciate's Bon Bon

I recently tried Ciate as it was free with Marie Claire...the shade I got was called Bon Bon and is divine...nude without being nowty...I lovely lilac tinge to it, and by goodness it lasts for days chip-free and shiny. I'll definitely try more of theirs though I couldn't find Bon Bon on their site so maybe that one has been discontinued.

Gold glitter over Bon Bon

Are you a painted nail fan? Do you have any tips to share?


Cheers,
Sarah
x