Happy April 1st! Today, we'll be talking about piercings. I personally think that piercings are a great way to express one's body, and one's beauty. People can really pull it off, and I just adore it when it happens. Unfortunatly, the work force that I want to go into doesn't approve of many piercings, but I do have some "hidden" ones that I enjoy all on my own. =)
First off are the products that I use with my piercings. Two of which, I cannot live out and has almost become a daily thing.
I use H2Ocean. I couldn't tell you who makes it, but most piercing shops carry it. If not, then you can find it on Amazon. =) They have small cans (like hairspray cans) for $7, and larger ones for $15? If I'm correct. I always order the larger one because per ounce, you save money. And I use it very often. It's a salt water solution that helps skin heal, idealy after a piercing. But don't get me wrong, this stuff is part of my first aid kit as well. Because it works AMAZING on cuts. My boyfriend gets burned all of the time, and spraying this solution on three times a day stimulates the healing process, moisturizes the wound, and promotes healthy skin growth. It's just a great thing over all, because cleaning a new piercing by hand can be very painful especially when it's fresh.
Another thing I often have is a sterilizing solution. Most piercings I get done at a piercing shop. It's the healthiest, safest way to have a piercing done. But sometimes I don't always wear my piercings and my piercings close up. I have a steriliazation kit, as well as various sizes of needles and proper hygenic needs to repuncture (mainly for my ears, because I hardly ever wear earings) the holes that close up. If you're not safe with it, you don't have to go through with it. But on my favorite website, which is Bodyartforms.com, they sell a needle kit for about $11 and the best thing is you can send in things to be sterilized for $5. I highly suggest getting the sterilization whenever buying piercings on sale or from a sale lot off of the site. You never know if they've been worn or not.
Bodyartforms.com has the most extravagant selection of piercings that I have ever seen, with reasonable shipping, and really fast shipping at that as well.
Some things to consider before getting pierced is...
1) What do you want to do as a career? Do piercings fit into the idea employee?
2) What would your family think? Are they excepting? Some piercings have a very long healing process, and it's always great to have that support from family.
IF you're looking into getting a piercing, it's best to go shop around before making any appointments. Some tattoo shops might look nice, but the piercers might not be educated. Some could be just starting. It's okay to ask just to talk with one of the piercers to see what their background is like. After all, it is your body. You have every right to know who and what is going through it.
If any of you have any questions or personal questions about piercings, I'm no expert, but I've had a ton of experience with piercings including stretching and plugs, belly rings, dermal piercings, and ear piercings. Leave a question in the comment box if you have a question. =)
Friday, April 1, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
The Stained Nail Delima/Makeup Haul
Current Nails: Basic French Tip with Konad's stamping of a rose design (sorry guys, forgot the plate name...) This is with a polish called Inner Beauty, which I'll be bringing up later in this post. I have suffered from horrible staining. It's gotten to the point where I've not only resorted to products to get rid of it and prevent it, I'm also hiding it. But with this little weapon of China Glaze, my nails appear as bright and beautiful as they are seen.
This is going to be a duel blog because I just recieved the greatest gift ever from my boyfriend's mom. She went out and got me all of this new makeup, and I'm SO excited, I must show the world. But not until I talk about stained nails.
I always have paint on my nails so it's hard to avoid the "stained nail" look. I have my own personal ways of removing, hiding, and preventing those nasty stains on your natural nails.
First off, you should know that stained nails do not mean unhealthy nails. Nails can be stained pitch yellow, but still be as hard and strong as they should be. Staining, mainly, comes from polishes. The older the polish, the more staining will occur. The darker the polish, the more staining will occur. Staining can also come from smoking.
Removal of Stains
So now you have these nasty yellow stains..what are you going to do? There are many products out there that will aid you in removing, or at least reducing, these stains.
First is buffing. A normal nail buffer can run from $0.25 to $3, depending on where you get it and what it's made of. Buffers literally buff off layers of your nails. Slowly and gently. Most buffers also come with a shiner, as well, which will give your natural nails that unnatural shine that is appealing. It'll also provide a smooth surface for application of polish. Buffing gently can reduce the amount of stains on your nails if your stains are due to polishes and not wearing a proper base coat. After using remover to remove whatever polish is left on your nails, wash hands, buff gently, and then wash hands again. You don't want to over-buff because it weakens your nails. Buffing should only happen about once a week for results. The more buffing, the weaker your nails will become.
Next, there are products out there to help with stained nails. Tons of polishes to apply to nails to get that "instant white" nail look, but I prefer Bubble White. Bubble white is a solution that comes in a jar (or even a single package, if you're just trying it). It's a weekly manicure system that you add to water, it bubbles, you soak nails for five minutes, clean your nails off and your nails are clean, white, and bright. Results aren't immediate, so after I soak and wash my fingers, I like to wait around for an hour or so before applying polish to my nails. There is a difference, but it wont be anything truely godly until incorporated into your routien for about a month (once every week, for four weeks). The individual packets which are good for a one-time deal are $2 at Sally's. I have yet to see them anywhere else. There are jars with the solution as well that go for $10, that obviously have more solution in them. I just bought the jar to save the extra trips (and extra bucks, since I do tend to pick up more than what I need at Sally's) and it lasts for a little longer than a month.
Hiding Stains
What if your stains haven't completely gone away? We can mask it for a few weeks. You can mask it by applying normal, solid polish, but what if you don't want to wear solid polish?
I suggest going to Sally's (or anywhere else that sells Chinaglaze) and get Inner Beauty by China Glaze. It's a polish that is sheer (meaning that it's more transparent than opaque) and goes on as a cloudy pink color. The color doesn't seem to do justice with just one coat, but after a second coat, WOW. Your nails look natural and the stains are hidden by the easy-to-remove, non-staining polish of China Glaze. I often use Inner Beauty to do finished French Manicures, but if you're not into the bold white tip, then just sport the Inner Beauty. It's a natural way of hiding stains and escaping the solid colors for a bit.
Preventing Stains
Stains happen because the nail is not protected from the pigments of the polish. Using a quality base coat and careful polishing-practice, the base coat will protect your nails from the harsh staining of certain polishes. I use Seche Clear, which is an all-around base coat that does just what it needs to do. I apply two coats of Seche Clear, but one coat is efficent enough. Seche Clear acts as a border between your nail and the polish, while securing the polish onto the nail as well.
NOW! My lipsticks. =) <3 I love lipstick. I really do. It's just as much of a fetish as my nails are. XD
(I don't know why I cut out the Chanel one...but it's at the farrr right, and it's where I'm starting.
From the right: Coco Red (Chanel), Pink (Bobbie Brown), Pink Beige (BB), Roseberry (BB), Putty (BB), Roseberry doup (BB), Toasted pink (BB), Redwood (BB), Scarlet (BB), and Tea Rose (BB).
Out of all of these, I really do love the pink beige, it's a neutral with a shimmery pink shimmer to it, and it's just really very pretty. I also like Tea Rose, as a light natural pink. =)
And she got me a pallet. I love Bobbie Brown's pallets. They're great because they come with eyeshadows that MATCH well with a lipstick. This pallet is the Sexy Glamor Pallet, and starting from the right is Charcoal eyeshadow, Pewter Shimmer Shadow, Galcier Shimmer shadow, and Cassis Lip color.
I always have paint on my nails so it's hard to avoid the "stained nail" look. I have my own personal ways of removing, hiding, and preventing those nasty stains on your natural nails.
First off, you should know that stained nails do not mean unhealthy nails. Nails can be stained pitch yellow, but still be as hard and strong as they should be. Staining, mainly, comes from polishes. The older the polish, the more staining will occur. The darker the polish, the more staining will occur. Staining can also come from smoking.
Removal of Stains
So now you have these nasty yellow stains..what are you going to do? There are many products out there that will aid you in removing, or at least reducing, these stains.
First is buffing. A normal nail buffer can run from $0.25 to $3, depending on where you get it and what it's made of. Buffers literally buff off layers of your nails. Slowly and gently. Most buffers also come with a shiner, as well, which will give your natural nails that unnatural shine that is appealing. It'll also provide a smooth surface for application of polish. Buffing gently can reduce the amount of stains on your nails if your stains are due to polishes and not wearing a proper base coat. After using remover to remove whatever polish is left on your nails, wash hands, buff gently, and then wash hands again. You don't want to over-buff because it weakens your nails. Buffing should only happen about once a week for results. The more buffing, the weaker your nails will become.
Next, there are products out there to help with stained nails. Tons of polishes to apply to nails to get that "instant white" nail look, but I prefer Bubble White. Bubble white is a solution that comes in a jar (or even a single package, if you're just trying it). It's a weekly manicure system that you add to water, it bubbles, you soak nails for five minutes, clean your nails off and your nails are clean, white, and bright. Results aren't immediate, so after I soak and wash my fingers, I like to wait around for an hour or so before applying polish to my nails. There is a difference, but it wont be anything truely godly until incorporated into your routien for about a month (once every week, for four weeks). The individual packets which are good for a one-time deal are $2 at Sally's. I have yet to see them anywhere else. There are jars with the solution as well that go for $10, that obviously have more solution in them. I just bought the jar to save the extra trips (and extra bucks, since I do tend to pick up more than what I need at Sally's) and it lasts for a little longer than a month.
Hiding Stains
What if your stains haven't completely gone away? We can mask it for a few weeks. You can mask it by applying normal, solid polish, but what if you don't want to wear solid polish?
I suggest going to Sally's (or anywhere else that sells Chinaglaze) and get Inner Beauty by China Glaze. It's a polish that is sheer (meaning that it's more transparent than opaque) and goes on as a cloudy pink color. The color doesn't seem to do justice with just one coat, but after a second coat, WOW. Your nails look natural and the stains are hidden by the easy-to-remove, non-staining polish of China Glaze. I often use Inner Beauty to do finished French Manicures, but if you're not into the bold white tip, then just sport the Inner Beauty. It's a natural way of hiding stains and escaping the solid colors for a bit.
Preventing Stains
Stains happen because the nail is not protected from the pigments of the polish. Using a quality base coat and careful polishing-practice, the base coat will protect your nails from the harsh staining of certain polishes. I use Seche Clear, which is an all-around base coat that does just what it needs to do. I apply two coats of Seche Clear, but one coat is efficent enough. Seche Clear acts as a border between your nail and the polish, while securing the polish onto the nail as well.
(I don't know why I cut out the Chanel one...but it's at the farrr right, and it's where I'm starting.
From the right: Coco Red (Chanel), Pink (Bobbie Brown), Pink Beige (BB), Roseberry (BB), Putty (BB), Roseberry doup (BB), Toasted pink (BB), Redwood (BB), Scarlet (BB), and Tea Rose (BB).
Out of all of these, I really do love the pink beige, it's a neutral with a shimmery pink shimmer to it, and it's just really very pretty. I also like Tea Rose, as a light natural pink. =)
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The Three And Konad
These are three unique items that I will keep their prices a secret until the end of this post. I haven't really touched up on makeup in this blog yet, but I will. Especially now when I'm trying other alternatives to different makeup. Specifically, I'm cutting my MAC addiction. It's far too pricey, and to be honest, their makeup makes me feel a little oily. So I'm starting back at square one with searching for the right makeup. I came across these three items.
First up, I'll get it out of the way. It's an LA Color nail hardener. I am a fan of LA Colors because they go on in a solid coat, and the colors themselves remind me of China Glaze. Oh, and the fact that they're all only $1. I picked up this hardener for a dollar as well from the local Dollar Store. It's blue, instead of pink or yellow like the other hardeners that I've used. I put it on, and man, my nails are hard. I love things that actually work, especially for a buck! I love the brushes, and I love the application. The hardener is no different, and I highly reconmend it. You cannot go wrong.
Tip: The hardener acts as a base coat, so no need to get an expensive base either. =)
Next is the 12 color eye shadow pallet from LA Colors (see a trend?). They are the colors under the Urban collection. I didn't get a chance to try them in the store, obviously, but when I got home I did some swabs and the colors are true and do not seem to have that dusting effect that other shadows of mine had. The colors are actually more lighter in application than others, as well. I personally like it because I don't really appreciate the blunt purple eyes, but a hint of lavender on my lids can be an awesome Spring look. I'll do my makeup tomorrow and show you all what they look like. =) For a $1, who can go wrong?
Last, though, was a surprise. To me, really. In the same section as the polish and eyeshadow. I saw foundation (Donna Michelle's Makeup Foundations Light 1). I'm running low on my foundation (I use Revlon's photo ready) and I figured why not spend yet another dollar on something new to try? And I'm glad I did. This stuff is practically water. It's awesome. It's water that makes your skin flawless and all one color. Color was really the only problem I had. There are three shades, light, medium and dark. I figure that these three shades are not going to compliment every skin tone, but for mine, I got the light. The foundation, actually, seems to be somewhat transparent so that your true color comes through anyways..just with a smoother look.
These three items I highly suggest for you to try out and use. And if you do get the chance to, please let me know how they worked for you! =)
NOW: Konad time.
I have yet to recieve my polishes (getting slightly worried) yet but I couldn't help but dig into the kit anyways and try it out with normal polishes. China Glaze works pretty nicely on stamping kit and I now have lovely-designed nails! =)
As you can see, I'm not perfect at it yet, but I do believe it is quite adorable. The base is LA Color's Bright Pink (one coat, too!) and then stamped using interchangably the BM20 and BM21 plates with the ivy designs from the Bundle Monster collection that I purchased instead of the individual plates. I personally love them...though they are a bit messy with application. Added a very thin coat of Seche Vite, because I'm pretty sure these things are coming off once I get the Konad polish. XD
That's it for today's blog post!
Updates from earlier:
I'm not entirely sure when this nail polish rack is going to get done. We didn't finish it yesturday and Stevan left for work. Hopefully I'll get into it this weekend so that I can finish it myself. Haha.
Tip: The hardener acts as a base coat, so no need to get an expensive base either. =)
Next is the 12 color eye shadow pallet from LA Colors (see a trend?). They are the colors under the Urban collection. I didn't get a chance to try them in the store, obviously, but when I got home I did some swabs and the colors are true and do not seem to have that dusting effect that other shadows of mine had. The colors are actually more lighter in application than others, as well. I personally like it because I don't really appreciate the blunt purple eyes, but a hint of lavender on my lids can be an awesome Spring look. I'll do my makeup tomorrow and show you all what they look like. =) For a $1, who can go wrong?
Last, though, was a surprise. To me, really. In the same section as the polish and eyeshadow. I saw foundation (Donna Michelle's Makeup Foundations Light 1). I'm running low on my foundation (I use Revlon's photo ready) and I figured why not spend yet another dollar on something new to try? And I'm glad I did. This stuff is practically water. It's awesome. It's water that makes your skin flawless and all one color. Color was really the only problem I had. There are three shades, light, medium and dark. I figure that these three shades are not going to compliment every skin tone, but for mine, I got the light. The foundation, actually, seems to be somewhat transparent so that your true color comes through anyways..just with a smoother look.
These three items I highly suggest for you to try out and use. And if you do get the chance to, please let me know how they worked for you! =)
NOW: Konad time.
I have yet to recieve my polishes (getting slightly worried) yet but I couldn't help but dig into the kit anyways and try it out with normal polishes. China Glaze works pretty nicely on stamping kit and I now have lovely-designed nails! =)
That's it for today's blog post!
Updates from earlier:
I'm not entirely sure when this nail polish rack is going to get done. We didn't finish it yesturday and Stevan left for work. Hopefully I'll get into it this weekend so that I can finish it myself. Haha.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Things To Come
So everyone! I have exciting news! I just recieved my Konad stamping kit with the stamper, 21 plates, and my two Konad special polishes. I am ALSO finishing up with building my new nail polish display rack. Stevan split the wood, so we just might have to redo it...just depends on how we can really pull it together. I'll be posting a blog about the display, and a blog about the Konad. Both with plenty of pictures.
I tried out the Konad stamping kit and one thing you might want to keep in mind before ordering yours is that normal nail polishes do not work as well as the Konad special polishes. This is because Konad's special polishes are 5X thicker. It's practically plastic. I recieved the stamper, plates, but no polishes when I got the package yesturday. (I contacted Konad and it was just and order problem, so they're sending them). Super, super fast shipping. You can purchase the Konad separate or in kits at Www.wowsocool.com, or on Amazon.com where they have great bundles (I like Amazon instead of Ebay, but I'm sure you can find this stuff on ebay as well). I got the bundle from Bundle Monster on Amazon and it came with 21 plates. These are nock-off plates, but they're still the same concept, and it was only $17.99 with free shipping. Normal image plates on the Wowsocool website start at $7.99 individually, so I really did save with getting these.
The only polish that had a good effect with the Konad stamping kit was china Glaze. Their lighter colors wont work, but the darker CG colors can show up. Not as greatly as the Konad, but still...duable.
Another thing about the Konad (Sorry, I'm just SO excited about this) is that the plates that I ordered verses the plates that are on the Konad website are different sizes. The plates that I ordered have smaller designs compaired to the Konad designs. What does that mean? If you have larger nails, these patters just might not cover your entire nail. My nails are relatively small, short, and thin...so the pattern can cover it just perfection. My thumbs kind of push it, though. But as far as the individual designs, they're pretty close in size.
As far as an update on the nail polish rack, it's coming together. Stevan is getting frustrated and hopefully we can finish it off today before he leaves for work for another week. It would be nice to finish, but I don't want to push anything. I'm still undecided on the color that I want to paint it. I was going through different crafts that I had in this huge art box, and I'm just not sure. I'm thinking pink...or him and I might be getting a wood stain and doing something more...neutral? With perhaps a splash of pink? Not completely decided, obviously. Any suggestions? Comment below. =)
Hope you all have a lovely week!
I tried out the Konad stamping kit and one thing you might want to keep in mind before ordering yours is that normal nail polishes do not work as well as the Konad special polishes. This is because Konad's special polishes are 5X thicker. It's practically plastic. I recieved the stamper, plates, but no polishes when I got the package yesturday. (I contacted Konad and it was just and order problem, so they're sending them). Super, super fast shipping. You can purchase the Konad separate or in kits at Www.wowsocool.com, or on Amazon.com where they have great bundles (I like Amazon instead of Ebay, but I'm sure you can find this stuff on ebay as well). I got the bundle from Bundle Monster on Amazon and it came with 21 plates. These are nock-off plates, but they're still the same concept, and it was only $17.99 with free shipping. Normal image plates on the Wowsocool website start at $7.99 individually, so I really did save with getting these.
The only polish that had a good effect with the Konad stamping kit was china Glaze. Their lighter colors wont work, but the darker CG colors can show up. Not as greatly as the Konad, but still...duable.
Another thing about the Konad (Sorry, I'm just SO excited about this) is that the plates that I ordered verses the plates that are on the Konad website are different sizes. The plates that I ordered have smaller designs compaired to the Konad designs. What does that mean? If you have larger nails, these patters just might not cover your entire nail. My nails are relatively small, short, and thin...so the pattern can cover it just perfection. My thumbs kind of push it, though. But as far as the individual designs, they're pretty close in size.
As far as an update on the nail polish rack, it's coming together. Stevan is getting frustrated and hopefully we can finish it off today before he leaves for work for another week. It would be nice to finish, but I don't want to push anything. I'm still undecided on the color that I want to paint it. I was going through different crafts that I had in this huge art box, and I'm just not sure. I'm thinking pink...or him and I might be getting a wood stain and doing something more...neutral? With perhaps a splash of pink? Not completely decided, obviously. Any suggestions? Comment below. =)
Hope you all have a lovely week!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
I Am SOO Excited!
My nail polish collection is starting to grow, wayy past the capacity of the shelving system that I created. I don't have anymore desk space to really put another one of those things, so Stevan (My boyfriend) and I were brainstorming as to what we were going to do about this. I have quite a few polish bottles just clustered under my lamp, on the bookself, and some older ones in bins. I want a way that I can just have them all up on my wall so that I can see them all.
What we had come up with was we stopped by Lowes and found these 8ft by 1ft boards already detailed and treated. They're smooth pine, and very nice. We're going to cut them down into pieces to make sort of a shelf that will hang up on my wall. =) It was $8 for the whole sheet of wood, and when we crunched some numbers, we are able to have the board fit 65 nail polish bottles. =) Which is a great start to some great storage. =) I'm super excited, especially, because not only are we going to build it, but I get to paint it. When it's completed, I'll show you all what it looks like. =)
Also bought a new nail polish at the dollar store. I got the LA Colors Bright Pink bottle. I needed a pink because my last one was..well, crap. And I only have one pink, verses...many other shades of the other colors.
What we had come up with was we stopped by Lowes and found these 8ft by 1ft boards already detailed and treated. They're smooth pine, and very nice. We're going to cut them down into pieces to make sort of a shelf that will hang up on my wall. =) It was $8 for the whole sheet of wood, and when we crunched some numbers, we are able to have the board fit 65 nail polish bottles. =) Which is a great start to some great storage. =) I'm super excited, especially, because not only are we going to build it, but I get to paint it. When it's completed, I'll show you all what it looks like. =)
Also bought a new nail polish at the dollar store. I got the LA Colors Bright Pink bottle. I needed a pink because my last one was..well, crap. And I only have one pink, verses...many other shades of the other colors.
Flea Market and Other Bargaining Heavens
With some polishes of nailpolish reaching $8+ each, it's hard to really have a collection that you love. Especially when it comes to wanting a collection. Here are some suggestions as to where I save a few extra dollars.
Flea Market
It's not rare to be able to find a bin somewhere filled with old nail polishes. It's also not rare for whoever is selling those old nailpolishes to simply want to get rid of them. What does that mean for you? You're more than likely to be offered to have two for the price of one. (Literally, it happens to me every time)
Normally they'll sell these old, crappy polish bottles for $1 each, but they wont hesitate to drop it to .50 a bottle. That's a penny for every ounce of nail polish.
Now, you're probably thinking "I'd rather get nail polish new and not old and icky".
Wrong. You can fix this up easily. With all of that money you're saving, you can go out and splurge on a nail polish thinner (about $2-$3) and drop a couple of drops in each polish and shake it up. You'd be surprised how smooth and silky your "old" polish will become.
Dollar Store
Dollars stores are new for me. I never really went to them because they were always out of the way. But right next to my Sally's is now a dollar store! Dollars stores, in their beauty department, will have makeup, LA nail colors, and art deco pens for just $1. They also sell nail tools such as cuticle pushers, toe nail clippers, cotton balls, cotton cloths, cases to put your cotton balls, q-tips, and makeup sponges.
Dollar stores are great for their collections, though sometimes it might be limited. Most of my nail set up is from the dollar store. This would be a great place to get organization for your nail station.
Sally's Beauty Club Card
For those of you who actually have a Sally's Beauty Supply near or in your town, investing into becoming a club member just might pay off for you. Oh, I promise it will. What it is is, a yearly subscription to Sally's "Club". It's $5 to get into that club. From that $5 yearly fee, I've recived $5 certificates, $10 off, 15%-25% off, free shipping, and many, many more coupons that have well-paid off. It's a great thing to invest in.
8ty8beauty.com
This is a website that I love. First off, China Glaze polishes are $2.88 each. That's right! Just $2.88. The shipping, however, is normaly $7. But if you order three or more china glaze bottles, you've already saved. Also, when they ship to you, they ship it with REAL Chinies newspaper. I find that just soo cool, and worth the seven dollars. They normally have a ton of other nail polishes super cheap. I know color club is only $3... ORLY is $3? The best part of them, though? They hold every collection possible. Granted, some collections run out, but they're great. They also sell manicure supplies such as bowls, cuticle tools, cremes, ect. Overall, they're a great online source to shop and save money.
Ebay!
Ebay is great. Really. Paypal is required to do a majority of their payments, but it's worth it. There are things called "lots" (for those of you who are new to this, they are just large collections) and if you search for nail polish lot, you'll see polish lots from 3-1000 nail polish bottles, all for a reasonable price. One friend of mine managed to get 65 nail polish bottles for $30. They are mostly gently used, but I don't really mind that, especially with the savings!
Trades
Another great way, simple and doesn't cost a thing, is to trade with friends! If your friend has a polish color, ask them to do a trade. =) Or just switch off for the week. It's a really simple and fun way to experiment with different colors, without paying a penny.
Flea Market
It's not rare to be able to find a bin somewhere filled with old nail polishes. It's also not rare for whoever is selling those old nailpolishes to simply want to get rid of them. What does that mean for you? You're more than likely to be offered to have two for the price of one. (Literally, it happens to me every time)
Normally they'll sell these old, crappy polish bottles for $1 each, but they wont hesitate to drop it to .50 a bottle. That's a penny for every ounce of nail polish.
Now, you're probably thinking "I'd rather get nail polish new and not old and icky".
Wrong. You can fix this up easily. With all of that money you're saving, you can go out and splurge on a nail polish thinner (about $2-$3) and drop a couple of drops in each polish and shake it up. You'd be surprised how smooth and silky your "old" polish will become.
Dollar Store
Dollars stores are new for me. I never really went to them because they were always out of the way. But right next to my Sally's is now a dollar store! Dollars stores, in their beauty department, will have makeup, LA nail colors, and art deco pens for just $1. They also sell nail tools such as cuticle pushers, toe nail clippers, cotton balls, cotton cloths, cases to put your cotton balls, q-tips, and makeup sponges.
Dollar stores are great for their collections, though sometimes it might be limited. Most of my nail set up is from the dollar store. This would be a great place to get organization for your nail station.
Sally's Beauty Club Card
For those of you who actually have a Sally's Beauty Supply near or in your town, investing into becoming a club member just might pay off for you. Oh, I promise it will. What it is is, a yearly subscription to Sally's "Club". It's $5 to get into that club. From that $5 yearly fee, I've recived $5 certificates, $10 off, 15%-25% off, free shipping, and many, many more coupons that have well-paid off. It's a great thing to invest in.
8ty8beauty.com
This is a website that I love. First off, China Glaze polishes are $2.88 each. That's right! Just $2.88. The shipping, however, is normaly $7. But if you order three or more china glaze bottles, you've already saved. Also, when they ship to you, they ship it with REAL Chinies newspaper. I find that just soo cool, and worth the seven dollars. They normally have a ton of other nail polishes super cheap. I know color club is only $3... ORLY is $3? The best part of them, though? They hold every collection possible. Granted, some collections run out, but they're great. They also sell manicure supplies such as bowls, cuticle tools, cremes, ect. Overall, they're a great online source to shop and save money.
Ebay!
Ebay is great. Really. Paypal is required to do a majority of their payments, but it's worth it. There are things called "lots" (for those of you who are new to this, they are just large collections) and if you search for nail polish lot, you'll see polish lots from 3-1000 nail polish bottles, all for a reasonable price. One friend of mine managed to get 65 nail polish bottles for $30. They are mostly gently used, but I don't really mind that, especially with the savings!
Trades
Another great way, simple and doesn't cost a thing, is to trade with friends! If your friend has a polish color, ask them to do a trade. =) Or just switch off for the week. It's a really simple and fun way to experiment with different colors, without paying a penny.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
First Post! Woot Woot!
I am so very excited to finally have my own blog up and running. =) Hopefully, this will be consistant and helpful to those who wish to view it. Mainly, this blog will be about beauty secrets (majority nail care) that I find along the way, casual hauls, and great tips that I have found useful.
I'm so glad to have a collective place to post all of my progress. Let's dig right in, shall we?
First off, my main collection. Before you learn what I will buy in the future, you should know what I already have and how I keep it all together. Here is a picture, but I'll break it down for you into what exactly I use and why. This will be a bit longer of a post, and it might be easier to just look at the pretty pictures. =)
Introduction to my nail story:
I have had a horrible habit of biting my nails due to my struggle of overcoming my anxiety. Now that I'm getting my anxiety squared away and taken care of, I can't wait to finally do so to my nails, as well. Growing nails out is a chore, and you'll have to baby them for a little bit. But with the right program, you can have long nails in a matter of a couple months!
Fact: There is no such thing as "growing nails faster". Your nails have a set rate at which they grow. Adding protien treatments to your nails, is similar to using a hardner on your nails. The difference between the $15 protien treament and the $6 nail hardener? The protien treatment will settle deep into your nail, actually causing the nail to change and thicken. Hardeners just sit atop of your nails for protection, but when removed, it will be your normal nail unchanged.
Grand picture of everything (roughly).
First off, you can't really tell in the picture, but I bought this desk for $30 on Amazon. It was an amazing buy. I didn't want to take a picture of the shelves on the side, because it was far too messy to show to anyone. This desk is great and serves perfect as a mini manicure station. Completed with an overhead light ($15 at office depot), and my little hot pink dude.
Starting at the close, left. You will see my nail polish remover, cuticle creme, and a nifty little box. The box holds all of my nail necessities such as my nail buffer, pumice stone (for feet, obviously), files, nail art brushes, dotting tools, clippers, and cuticle pusher. The little crowded area is where everything is condensed. The cuticle cream is really the only thing I have to rave about. I use Super Nails cuticle creme. It works wonderss!! And at Sally's, it's only $2.50 a bottle. And trust me, this bottle will last you quite a while. I only do my cuticles about once ever two weeks. I don't like over doing them, and I don't like under-doing them. Daily, though, I use Sally Hansen's Nailgrowth miracle cuticle oil. It's good to moisturize your cuticles.
As far as nail polish remover goes, I normally use an Acetone base remover. I've never really had much luck with non-aceton based removers. And from the facts, the worst thing it does to your nails is weakens them...but I use products daily that strengthen them...so it's not a real concern of mine. Also, I have about a gallon jug full of acetone remover in an "excess" tub under my bed. The excess tub has cotton balls, cotton pads, and all of the extra stuff like nail files and such that I would normally run out of. If I find a good deal of something like those items, I normally get them.
Moving onto my collection~!
Nail polish is something that I've only really gotten into a bit. I used to wear the same color, everyday. I never changed it up, simply because I was never good at designs. But now I'm getting into it again, and slowly rebuilding my polish collection. A huge majority of my collection is China Glaze and Revlon. I loooveee China Glaze. It's great. Nothing bad to say about any of their polishes, except for their neons. Their neons take like, seven coats to show some color. But other than that, no other complaints.
Revlon, however, I hate. I really do. I hate it with a burning passion. I really want to just throw away all of my Revlon polishes, but I feel like I'll need them right after I throw them away. I have a hard time separating with them. But no, I hate them. They are the worst. First off, the pigment and the liquid that it's in doesn't stay together for like, A DAY. And their colors always change. After a while, they'll turn lighter or darker...it's so frustrating. And also, they're a PAIN to remove. I'd rather remove glitter polish than Revlon. I guess it's okay if you like wearing polish for like, a month. But I change my polish every four days or so... so it's frustrating to have polish that dries like glue. And yes, I do have the complete crackle collection. =)
Need color details? Just comment and let me know and I'll do my best to tell you the color of the polish. =)
Fact: I made that nail display rack using styraphone, felt paper, and zebra ribbon with a shoe box.
Moving on to under my lamp....
I've been trying to find a spice rack, recently. I want to get a super cheep one that I can paint and stuff. But I haven't had time to really shop (or even to paint my nails). Anyways, under the lamp I have all of my art deco colors, a couple polishes that didn't make it on the display shelf. I also have my other cuticle oils which are CND which are best for when you're cleaning and soaking your nails. I have Essie's formula "Grow Faster" which is crap. Even as a hardener, it sucks. It's sticky and smells bad. Overall, I'm not a fan of Essie. I have my Seche top and base (The BEST top and base everrr), and my clear-base with glitter because, no one can really have enough glitter.
Fact: Soaking nails in water actually dehydrates them, so it's best to wear gloves when washing dishes and moisturize your hands after taking a shower or swimming.
I paint my nails on a towel that I got at the dollar store. I love the dollar store. <3
That's it for this post. I didn't want to overwhelm you all with words and explainations. Can't wait to do color of the month. =)
I'm so glad to have a collective place to post all of my progress. Let's dig right in, shall we?
First off, my main collection. Before you learn what I will buy in the future, you should know what I already have and how I keep it all together. Here is a picture, but I'll break it down for you into what exactly I use and why. This will be a bit longer of a post, and it might be easier to just look at the pretty pictures. =)
Introduction to my nail story:
I have had a horrible habit of biting my nails due to my struggle of overcoming my anxiety. Now that I'm getting my anxiety squared away and taken care of, I can't wait to finally do so to my nails, as well. Growing nails out is a chore, and you'll have to baby them for a little bit. But with the right program, you can have long nails in a matter of a couple months!
Fact: There is no such thing as "growing nails faster". Your nails have a set rate at which they grow. Adding protien treatments to your nails, is similar to using a hardner on your nails. The difference between the $15 protien treament and the $6 nail hardener? The protien treatment will settle deep into your nail, actually causing the nail to change and thicken. Hardeners just sit atop of your nails for protection, but when removed, it will be your normal nail unchanged.
Grand picture of everything (roughly).
First off, you can't really tell in the picture, but I bought this desk for $30 on Amazon. It was an amazing buy. I didn't want to take a picture of the shelves on the side, because it was far too messy to show to anyone. This desk is great and serves perfect as a mini manicure station. Completed with an overhead light ($15 at office depot), and my little hot pink dude.
Starting at the close, left. You will see my nail polish remover, cuticle creme, and a nifty little box. The box holds all of my nail necessities such as my nail buffer, pumice stone (for feet, obviously), files, nail art brushes, dotting tools, clippers, and cuticle pusher. The little crowded area is where everything is condensed. The cuticle cream is really the only thing I have to rave about. I use Super Nails cuticle creme. It works wonderss!! And at Sally's, it's only $2.50 a bottle. And trust me, this bottle will last you quite a while. I only do my cuticles about once ever two weeks. I don't like over doing them, and I don't like under-doing them. Daily, though, I use Sally Hansen's Nailgrowth miracle cuticle oil. It's good to moisturize your cuticles.
As far as nail polish remover goes, I normally use an Acetone base remover. I've never really had much luck with non-aceton based removers. And from the facts, the worst thing it does to your nails is weakens them...but I use products daily that strengthen them...so it's not a real concern of mine. Also, I have about a gallon jug full of acetone remover in an "excess" tub under my bed. The excess tub has cotton balls, cotton pads, and all of the extra stuff like nail files and such that I would normally run out of. If I find a good deal of something like those items, I normally get them.
Moving onto my collection~!
Nail polish is something that I've only really gotten into a bit. I used to wear the same color, everyday. I never changed it up, simply because I was never good at designs. But now I'm getting into it again, and slowly rebuilding my polish collection. A huge majority of my collection is China Glaze and Revlon. I loooveee China Glaze. It's great. Nothing bad to say about any of their polishes, except for their neons. Their neons take like, seven coats to show some color. But other than that, no other complaints.
Revlon, however, I hate. I really do. I hate it with a burning passion. I really want to just throw away all of my Revlon polishes, but I feel like I'll need them right after I throw them away. I have a hard time separating with them. But no, I hate them. They are the worst. First off, the pigment and the liquid that it's in doesn't stay together for like, A DAY. And their colors always change. After a while, they'll turn lighter or darker...it's so frustrating. And also, they're a PAIN to remove. I'd rather remove glitter polish than Revlon. I guess it's okay if you like wearing polish for like, a month. But I change my polish every four days or so... so it's frustrating to have polish that dries like glue. And yes, I do have the complete crackle collection. =)
Need color details? Just comment and let me know and I'll do my best to tell you the color of the polish. =)
Fact: I made that nail display rack using styraphone, felt paper, and zebra ribbon with a shoe box.
Moving on to under my lamp....
I've been trying to find a spice rack, recently. I want to get a super cheep one that I can paint and stuff. But I haven't had time to really shop (or even to paint my nails). Anyways, under the lamp I have all of my art deco colors, a couple polishes that didn't make it on the display shelf. I also have my other cuticle oils which are CND which are best for when you're cleaning and soaking your nails. I have Essie's formula "Grow Faster" which is crap. Even as a hardener, it sucks. It's sticky and smells bad. Overall, I'm not a fan of Essie. I have my Seche top and base (The BEST top and base everrr), and my clear-base with glitter because, no one can really have enough glitter.
Fact: Soaking nails in water actually dehydrates them, so it's best to wear gloves when washing dishes and moisturize your hands after taking a shower or swimming.
I paint my nails on a towel that I got at the dollar store. I love the dollar store. <3
That's it for this post. I didn't want to overwhelm you all with words and explainations. Can't wait to do color of the month. =)
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