Tag: manicure

Wednesday On The Web

I have definitely fallen off the manicure bandwagon. But this manicure above makes me want to get back in the swing of things and on a mani routine again. Speaking of getting things in order…

Not sure if it is Spring Cleaning or an upcoming official entry into my late thirties, but I am getting antsy about home goods. My wine glasses, towels and pillows need a refresh but it was overwhelming to think about replacing all at the same time. Enter One Kings Lane – not a new find but I forgot how great this site is! Such amazing values. I have my eye on this line for throws and pillows. Bonus points for online shopping because the last thing I want to do is hunt down affordable home goods in Tulsa. I’d rather spend my time surfing the web and finding gems like these:

I ordered this jacket because I’d seen it all over fashion blogs and it looked great in photos. Alas, I found it cheap and with a funky fit. So I ordered this dress instead.

I’ve always been a Laurel fan and was thrilled to read her update here.

Blown away by this trick to avoid lipstick/wine glass yuckiness!

This new collaboration is so well curated and sophisticated – I want it all!

This one goes out to Katy and Suzie: What People Really Mean On Tinder.

A burner phone number generator for texting those Tinder men (even though we are obvi totally over Tinder).

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Nails Inc + Victoria, Victoria Beckham

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I have to admit this was a welcome blog break – sorry for my sudden disappearance. I was in a bit of a holiday funk. Don’t get me wrong – I had a lovely time with family. I just wasn’t as jazzed about sharing looks or routines. And having analyzed my 250-ish posts in 2014, I can safely say those are your favorites, dear readers. So rest assured, you will see more in 2015.

But for now, let me share a new mani that is supremely chic. I admit to being a huge fashion admirer of Victoria Beckham and am thrilled that she has made some starts into the beauty industry. Her latest is my favorite yet.

The London-based Nails Inc. and Victoria worked together to create two limited edition bottles to sit with the label’s spring collection. Bamboo White is a sophisticated nude that I cannot stop wearing. I get an opaque and bone ivory with three coats and it lasts a good three days (a New Year’s Miracle on my little nails).

The other shade is Judo Red – think a deep tomato red inspired by Japanese culture. I might just have to nip this holiday funk with a manicure in this cheerful shade for New Year’s Eve.

The shades are housed in Venetian glass by art director Fabien Baron and customized by Beckham herself. They are truly a collector’s item for the 2015 beauty buff.

Available at NET-A-PORTER and Nails, Inc.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++

Tis’ the season and for me that means loads of hand cream. Working in an office, I am borderline nutso about washing my hands – I really really don’t want to get sick this winter. So you can imagine my little paws get really dried out. While I had been using some more stronly scented versions, I kinda wanted something more work appropriate.

Supergoop! Forever Young Hand Cream Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++ does it all – not a huge fragrance bomb but it smells good nonetheless. It also packs a protection punch. This has been on the forefront of my mind as I am trying to pay more attention to my hands and signs of aging.

I have a dear friend who deals with sun damage on her hands, and I feel like I have stumbled on a perfect holiday present for her. She has always taught me to remember the damage sun can do while we are driving, and this high-powered SPF is perfect to protect against photoaging while on the road.

Above and beyond that, the formula contains antioxidants to keep skin looking young. Sea buckthorn works against sun damage and spots that have already made their way to your hands. And meadowfoam seed and argan oil keeps skin moisturized without being greasy – crucial as I pound away on my keyboard.

And that subtle scent – it includes cardamom, eucalyptus, and tangerine. But to me it just smells natural and clean.

Cruelty-free. Available at Sephora.

Probelle Touch N’ Grow Plus Nail Strengthener

I’m on this endless cycle of a couple gel manicures in a row followed by a break in which my nails heal themselves. While I don’t think gels are necessarily bad for your nails, for some reason, my nails become super weak after a couple gel manicures. It can be a necessary evil if you are traveling or have a big event. But I just know I’ll pay for it in the end.

So at the end of June, I decided to go bare and regain long and strong fingernails. A new product was in my rotation to review so the timing couldn’t be better. Probelle was born out of founder and CEO, Leon Kohn’s concern for his mother who suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis and was on medication that caused stunted nail growth.

This two step system is comprised of two products: Touch N’ Grow and Touch N’ Grow Plus. Touch N’ Grow original formula cures and strengthens nails while the Touch N’ Grow Plus maintains healthy nails. I was intrigued by the Plus formula as it has a green shade and contains lime and garlic (two of my favorite cooking ingredients – great… now I am hungry for Vietnamese food). Touch N’ Grow whipped my nails into shape in a jiff… the peeling and weakness was remedied in a couple weeks. Touch N’ Grow Plus ensures that my nails aren’t discolored from polish and prevents bacteria growth caused by prolonged nail polish wear. And Touch N’ Grow Plus is totally transparent despite the shade in the bottle.

If you are concerned about nail strength or just want to ensure healthy nails, I can’t recommend this duo enough. These guys will be part of my at-home manicure kit permanently. Available at Pro-belle.com and Amazon.com.

Tips For An At-Home Manicure

Sure, I’d love to have a professional mani/pedi weekly and let’s go ahead and add on a couple blowouts and a massage (or two). But that just isn’t possible for us regular folks. So, I will continue to pursue the perfect at-home blow out and beg for a back rub when I can. But I have had enough practice to pretty much master an at-home manicure which makes me feel pampered and will give my nails a professional, clean look. And I am excited to share those tips on Great Day Green Country this AM – we changed things up this week and will be doing my usual Friday segment on Thursday

Quick side note on my polishing skills: I have lots of trouble getting polish to remain chip-free for more than two days. I know even the illustrious Eva Chen admits to repolishes every couple of days. So I’ll settle for working my way through my endless nail polish collection with a switch up more often. I’ve had gels for a couple months. With my returned natural nails, changing up shades right now is kind of refreshing. With that said… here is my routine:

Start with clean, dry nails. Remove older polish with a nourishing remover. Make sure to double check sides of nails for any rogue polish. Splurge on specialty nail cottons because they are particularly absorbent and abraded.
Shape nails with a glass file. A glass file is gentle on delicate nails and avoids tugging or breakage. Squoval is the universally-flattering and classic shape but we have been seeing editorial-shaped nails like pointed on runways for a couple seasons so go for any look you desire!
Soak nails in a bowl of warm soapy nails to soften skin. Sometimes, I jump in the shower at this point to kill two birds with one stone.
Apply a cuticle remover to remove dead tissue from the cuticle area. Use a wooden nail tool to push back cuticles. Resist using those dreaded nail clippers. Cutting skin can breed bacteria. And that skin also serves a purpose protecting the delicate cuticle area and can prevent redness. Cut any hangnails if you must.
Thoroughly rinse cuticle remover ensuring it doesn’t stay on skin too long. Nourish dry hands with a rich hand cream like Nuance Salma Hayek Super Brightening Hand Cream (which is cruelty-free and can help with the appearance of age spots) or Library of Flowers Coco Butter Handcreme.
Wipe nail beds only with alcohol or a nail primer like Deborah Lippmann 2 Second Nail Primer to ensure oils from the nail bed are completely clean. Use specialty cotton to avoid any residual threads that could ruin polish application. Or try Q-Tip Precision Tips Cotton Swabs if your nail beds are on the small side.
Apply a strengthening base coat like Essie Grow Stronger and allow to completely dry. If you have trouble keeping polish on, try Orly Bonder. Then use two coats of colored polish, starting with a swipe down the middle of the nail followed by one on each side. Finish with a quick dry, no chip top coat. Right now, I am loving Debroah Lippmann Hard Rock.
Maintain your manicure by applying a new top coat every other day. In the evenings, keep cuticles looking healthy with hand cream or specialty designed cuticle and nail balm.

China Glaze Happy HoliGlaze

Ready to get your glitter on? This holiday collection from China Glaze is chock full of it. While I am normally not a glitter girl, there are some pretty fun and festive “top coats” for your regular winter mani. I particularly love the more opaque, yet shimmery shades in the collection. Make sure to ready through for a chance to win some polish!

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