Nailtiques

Yes, I knoooooooow I haven't posted in forever. I had a traumatic experience writing for another blog before the holidays. They were snotty and mean and I should have known better than to leave you guys for greener pastures. I know now; this is where I belong.

:: Nailtiques Nail Proteins ::

The tag line for this product is "nothing else even comes close"....and I would say they are not lying. I've been using this product for a long time, and there's nothing else like it on the market. I have never had acrylic nails, but I like to think that this product makes your real nails feel as strong and thick as those fake suckers. I like the way my nails look with a few coats of this: strong, thick, and righteously healthy.

There are different formulas. I recommend the Formula 2 or the 2 plus if your nails are dry, peeling, or weak. (They recommend you never start with 2 plus, but I am a warrior and I've done it. Nothing horrible happened to me.) 

I would start by trimming and filing your nails, doing a little at-home mani of sorts, and then apply this in one good coat, going over the tip of the nail to cover it as well. Apply one coat everyday, removing all coats every 3-4 days and starting over again. In a few weeks, your nails should look you are a QVC hand model. 

The one drawback is that a tiny bottle of this stuff is $10. It's well worth that price, but I have to flinch every time I buy it. Find it at salons and CVS.

Clear Plum Polish

:: Orly Beverly Hills Manicure Polish ::

I bought this on a whim because it just looked yummy in the bottle (think the color of the flesh of a plum mixed with the color of pink grapefruit flesh). It's a sheer, plum color that looks a bit more unique and polished than just using clear. It gives your nails a healthy, plump look, and by plump I mean it looks like the blood is flowing well into your finger tips. I also love that Orly polishes have a rubberized handle/grip. Great design.

*Pictured second from right.

Chick Flick Cherry

A quickie post today. Love this gorgeous red polish from OPI. I have to say, even when I was sweaty, dirty, and mosquito-bitten in Alaska, the fact that my toes looked fabulous kept me going. It didn't chip once, and I was wearing hiking boots almost every day.

:: OPI Nail Lacquer in Chick Flick Cherry ::

I've blogged about these polishes before. They are a tad more expensive than regular drugstore lines, but so worth the few extra bucks. They go on smooth, don't chip, and the bottle lasts a long time. This shade of red is deep but also sort of retro cherry-red at the same time. Brilliant.

You can find them in specialty beauty stores, and even grocery stores, which is where I got this one.

Giada's Nails

So my friend and I were watching the Food Network the other night and TOTALLY ORGASMING over Giada DeLaurentis' nails. She always has on a sheer, simple pink color that looks polished, refined, and sexy. We agreed that we wished we knew what polish she uses so we could get our hands on it.

I was eating lunch the next day and still thinking about Giada so I Googled "Giada DeLaurentis' Nail Polish" and imaginemysurprise that other women were curious too. I found a blog somewhere that a woman was at a book signing and asked Giada what polish she uses. She said she uses OPI Bubble Bath because it holds well for her when washing dishes/cooking/etc.

OMFG I totally HAVE and LOVE OPI Bubble Bath. It's such a classic color and I'm so psyched that Giada and I have one thing in common besides our amazing breasts.

:: OPI Bubble Bath Nail Laquer ::

Good things:

1. The sheer pink color is that perfect shade for YNBB (Your Nails But Better). It's creamy/milky enough to look sophisticated but not so milky that you look washed out.
2. One coat gives a subtle, clean sheen. Two coats is perfect for tailored, more opaque nails.
3. OPI brand polishes are notably fabulous.
4. Hello, Giada wears it. Enough said.

Bad things:

1. Probably a poor choice if you skin is darker than fair or medium. There are slightly darker colors in the OPI line that may work better.
2. Tends to pool in the cuticles a bit if you're not careful to apply thin coats. I thinned mine out with a few drops of remover.

Clearly Wet

There's nothing quite like the look of a nude, shiny, naturally healthy fingernail. Once a week or so, I will indulge myself with a self-manicure. It usually involves cleaning, filing, buffing, and finishing off with a shiny top coat. My favorite, by far, is:

:: Maybelline Wet Shine Wet Look Nail Color in Clearly Wet ::

Good things:
Your nails literally *do* look so shiny that they appear wet. Genius!
Dries fast and hard.
Lasts a long time, prevents chipping.
Cheap.
Makes all other nail colors look fabulous when used as a top coat.

Bad things:
The brush isn't the best, but what can you do?

I love some of the colors in this line as well, especially the Juicy Tomato on toes in the summer (a red that looks good even on my pale skin) and the I-Scream Ivory on nails under the clear coat. The shine is so perfect when it catches the light. It looks like a professional manicure.