So basically I want to learn as much as I can. This is where you come in ;) I would like to trade 3 brand new (never been opened) nail polishes against a bit of your expertise on the realm of nails. Here is what you could win:
From left to right: Nyx Cosmetics, Midnight Dream, which is a shimmery dark purple.
Elite, Luxe Laque in Red, orange based red.
Nyx Cosmetics, Roasted, which is a shimmery golden rusty orangey red. You don’t really see the shimmer on the photo. It reminds me of a shimmery tabasco sauce
I don’t know which finishes they are but the look very pwetty ^_^
I have taken some close-ups below.
What to do: leave a comment on this blog, on any tips you would like to give me about nails (fave polishes, varnish application, cuticle stuff, anything… I am a total beginner, so please don’t feel you might be patronising or give ‘obvious tips’ that everyone knows about. (For example: I only learnt the other day the trick of putting your soft eyepencil in the freezer so that it doesn’t always break when you tried to sharpen it)
If you are stuck for inspiration, I have written below a tiny little paragraph of things you might want to talk about.
Rules: You just need to a subscriber/follower of my blog.
Giveaway starts Sunday 14 March 2010 and ends on Sunday 21 March 2010 Open Internationally.
What to win: I will send the lucky winner the 3 nail polishes.
You don’t need to have to write loads, the winner will be chosen at random but if you want to brag about your knowledge of nails, now this is your chance. I am a total beginner, so please don’t feel you might be patronising or give ‘obvious tips’ that everyone knows about. If you want to advertise your own blog and other blogs, websites, YouTube videos, that’s also totally fine by me. Spam away haha.
Below some suggestions you could comment on. Please don’t let the following list put you off, these are just questions I am asking myself, and areas I would like to improve on. If you by any chance, written an article or blog post about any of the points below, please feel free to include your link :)
Brace yourselves people, here comes the mighty list of inspiration o_0
Shopping & Inspiration
- When buying nail polishes online, where do you shop?
- Have you ever bought nail polishes on eBay, any sellers would you like to recommend?
- When buying a nail polish in a normal shop (i.e not online) how do you know it’s not going to be streaky or take 4 coats to have something decent showing?
- If you had to list your favourite ‘nail resource of information/inspirations’ website or blogs, what would say?
- Do you know any polishes at all which only need one coat, or do you apply multiple coats anyway?
Favourites
- What are your favourite nail polish brands and why?
- Which nail polish brands you really can’t stand and why?
- What are your 5 ultimate nail polish colours?
- What cuticle product do you swear by?
Application, Maintenance etc. - Thinking back on what you used to used to do when you started painted your nails, what did you think you were doing wrong?
- What were the typical mistakes you were doing before?
- Do you always use a base coat and an overcoat at the end? Wouldn’t the nail feel heavy after all that?
- Do cuticles *need* to be cut, or can I just moisturise them a bit & use a wooden cuticle pusher to push them a bit?
- Is it normal that it hurts when you have your cuticles cut by the beautician, or are they not doing their job properly?
- Is the secret to beautiful looking nails not to apply it too close to the cuticles?
- What is the longevity of a bottle of nail polish after you’ve opened it? Are you not scared when you buy a nail polish, someone has opened it before therefore altering its freshness?
- Do expensive polishes become goopy & thick too?
Thank you very much for reading. There are no minimum number of participants for the giveaway to run. Even if there is only one person who comments, then I will send the very kind soul the 3 polishes.
xx liloo
14 comments:
I'm not sure if this will be helpful to you but a little tip I have learned is that when you use glittery nail varnish and you want to remove it then you should soak a cotton pad with nail varnish remover and hold it on the nail for several seconds. Glittery nail varnish can be a PITA to remove if you don't do this. It's also a way to remove all kinds of nail varnish that is kinder for your nails. Most people seem to dab or wipe briefly and expect that to be quick, efficient and painless. x
Hi my sweet Liloo! I agree with what tousledkitten said but for even easier removal you can rap your fingers in foil! Yes, just be like an alien for a few minutes and then the polish is all gone!
I would also like to recommend an ebay seller from whom I bought some OPI polishes, really cheap: it's enchantedbeautyspot (I'm not affiliated with them in any way!). I like OPI much more than Zoya I must admit. But I have also come accross some really cheap - no name - polishes to be very good.
Right hunny, Im going to do this the simpliest way I can think of and answer all the questions you asked above. This could take a while haha.. but here goes!
- When buying nail polishes online, where do you shop?
For online Polishes. I mainly use ebay and this store:
http://stores.ebay.com/enchantedbeautyspot
Its so cheap for decent Polishes like OPI, Essie, ORLY. The shipping is also really really cheap and they combine shipping if yourequest an invoice.
- Have you ever bought nail polishes on eBay, any sellers would you like to recommend?
Oh crap.. just answered this one above! haha.
- When buying a nail polish in a normal shop (i.e not online) how do you know it’s not going to be streaky or take 4 coats to have something decent showing?
Start reading a few nail blogs or people posts when they do a NOTD post and you will soon learn which brands are best to go for ansd which are to avoid.
- If you had to list your favourite ‘nail resource of information/inspirations’ website or blogs, what would say?
To be honest I normally just google for a swatch of the certain nail polish and colour that Im interested in buying. Normally a blog will come up as a result, therefor you get a good idea what application is like etc.
- Do you know any polishes at all which only need one coat, or do you apply multiple coats anyway?
Its all down to personal taste sometimes. Many OPI's ive tried, I could have got away with one coat, but I always do 2 anyway.
- What are your favourite nail polish brands and why?
OPI when bought from America though. The prices are much to dear over here. Rimmel always do quality polishes at a reasonable price. Barry M polishes never ever fail, always a winner with them and Im currently loving George @ Asda polishes.
- Which nail polish brands you really can’t stand and why? Im not too keen on L'oreals Polishes and MAC's. MAC's are well over priced and the one I just bought needed 4 coats to be opaque.
- What are your 5 ultimate nail polish colours? Purple, Pink, Nude, Taupe, Orange/Coral
- What cuticle product do you swear by? Im quite fortunate that my cuticles never really suffer with any problems, so I dont currently use any treatment.
- Thinking back on what you used to used to do when you started painted your nails, what did you think you were doing wrong?
In the past I never used to use a basecoat really and most of the time I dont actually now. This can cause the nails to turn yellow so I should really use one. Also I never discovered how good and usefull a dry fast topcoat is, I'd never be without one now.
- What were the typical mistakes you were doing before?
Think I just answered that one above again haha.
- Do you always use a base coat and an overcoat at the end? Wouldn’t the nail feel heavy after all that?
Just explained about the basecoat and the topcoat. I always use a Topcoat, they help to prevent chipping, plus just a nice finish.
- Do cuticles *need* to be cut, or can I just moisturise them a bit & use a wooden cuticle pusher to push them a bit?
No idea about this one to be honest.
- Is it normal that it hurts when you have your cuticles cut by the beautician, or are they not doing their job properly?
Never had it done hunny :( Im not being much help now am I?
- Is the secret to beautiful looking nails not to apply it too close to the cuticles?
I never apply too close to my cuticles as it ends up looking tacky ha.
- What is the longevity of a bottle of nail polish after you’ve opened it?
Oh fuck.... no idea again! :(
Are you not scared when you buy a nail polish, someone has opened it before therefore altering its freshness?
Ha, never thought about this one.
- Do expensive polishes become goopy & thick too?
Not neccesarily, the cheap ones can do this too.
Hope Ive helped in some way hunny.
Jo.. xxxx
Ooo I love this idea.
I have a thing about cuticles! They are natural so there is no need to ever cut them or remove them. Or even push them back. The only thing I do is put cream on them now and again at night to stop them looking dry.
The only thing I would suggest you get is a 4 way buffer/nail file. They normally come in a block with different sides and you can buff out all the ridges and also polish your nails so they are shiney like glass! Making your nails look really nice and healthy. It also makes applying nail polish easier and it goes on smoother.
Also you mentioned about the longevity of nail polish - I actually wrote a post about expiring makeup recently and how nail polish is actually one of a few products that is pretty much sterile from all the chemicals that make up the polish.
You can read about it here if you like -
http://makeupsavvy.blogspot.com
Hope these tips help :)
Fee x
Bonjour d'une nouvelle "followeuse"
The two things I can advise you to do are:
- to use a good cuticle cream - I use Lemony flutter from Lush, and it is really good at softening cuticles.
- And also to get yourself a bottle of Sèche Vite dry fast top coat, it is amazing! It makes your polish dry instantly, I hate having to waiyth for 20 minutes for my polish to dry!
I always use a Mavala hardener treatment, then Sally Hansen's maximum growth nail polish, then my coloured polish, (1 or 2 coats) and finally sèche vite!! But I haven't got strong nails so I need all that to keep my nails hard!
Lucie xx
Hey sweetums!
Like I said, I am quite a nail noob too.
But a fab cuticle product I use is LUSH's lemon fluttery cuticle butter! It's lovely and smells nicey and softens your cuticles like a dream.
I would agree with Jo, stay clear of MAC polishes. They are not worth the £££!
I have just done a rave on my blog about Barry M nail paints and they are only £2.95 so go and have a looksie at those! :)
x x x
Nooo. Don't cut cuticles. They actually say never cut cuticles. I don't even bother pushing them back tbh. But you can push them back if you want. But they're there to protect the nail. Cutting them is uneccesary!
If you're woried about people opening the front varnishes, take ones from further back, thats what I do. They usually have them things where you kinda have to take the front one out, I take the front one out, then the one behind it, then put the one I pulled out first back in. XD
I love the Barry M nail paints for plain but bright solid colours. They're like... invincible! Though seem to take a while longer to dry....
I should, but I never bother with a base coat. But when using things like red and green nail varnishes, they can stain the nail... I'm just impatient and lazy and don't wear it for more than a couple of days anyway!
I leave my nail sorta submerged in remover whether its on tissue or cotton or whatever, I douse the stuff and soak it and it comes off so much easier. And I just use a cheap 99p a large bottle remover too, so I can afford to be lavish with it. Though it can make your fingers feel weirdly cold.... you can use a cotton-bud/q-tip to neaten things up too if you want.
I copied and pasted that, I did write more but I'm not re-writing it all again. I figured it may mess up on log in and copied what I'd written but I'd added more on brands and stuff, nothing important though really. But didn't copy again when I was done. *le sigh* Had to sign in to my google account... forgot all about it. Lol!
Anywhoos, I hope some of thats helpful chick
~Pingu xx
Shopping & Inspiration [Answers to some of your questions]
[i]- When buying nail polishes online, where do you shop?[/i]
I would shop by brand~ For instance Revlon,L'oreal,NYX..ect..Illimasqua, however makes some great NP's.
[i]When buying a nail polish in a normal shop (i.e not online) how do you know it’s not going to be streaky or take 4 coats to have something decent showing?[/i]
It goes by the brand..In some cases, the more money you pay the better the polish~
[i]Do you know any polishes at all which only need one coat, or do you apply multiple coats anyway?[/i]
I've always applied 2 coats..
[i]Application, Maintenance etc.
- What were the typical mistakes you were doing before?[/i]
Always load your brush..I used to think less is best..but that's not the case..Load your brush up..and start at the tip of nail..and work back..!~..not the other way around.:)
- Do you always use a base coat and an overcoat at the end? Wouldn’t the nail feel heavy after all that?
[i]Yes they do..no matter what kind.
- Do cuticles *need* to be cut, or can I just moisturise them a bit & use a wooden cuticle pusher to push them a bit?[/i]
Trim your cuticles if u are a biter of them..for sure..and it ads more space..and makes them look cleaner..but not necessary..:)
[i]Is it normal that it hurts when you have your cuticles cut by the beautician, or are they not doing their job properly?[/i]
It should not hurt..
[i]Is the secret to beautiful looking nails not to apply it too close to the cuticles?[/i]
In some cases..I actually cover them..with polish..makes them appear longer too..
-Shouldn't keep a bottle more than 3-6months..However..I have kept mine much longer for sure..
My best advice for nail polish to you is..Don't wear it all the time..Over the years..you nails will go yellow..Give your nails a break from time to time..This is the honest to God's truth of it..Any polish will do that..~
Ubber lame tips I got for you =]
-If you don't have the nail pens you can always use toothpicks to draw on designs =]
-If you leave nail polish on for too long it turns your nails yellow! (ICKY)
I can't stand ardenes nail polishes! They are cheap and don't go on smoothly. They become goopy and gross! Even if you have had it for a few weeks. Ugh!
Ooh a giveaway! Hmm I'm a relative noob too, but for what it's worth, this is what I've found out:
1. Low-end polishes are just as awesome as high-end ones. Not all the time, but (as I'm sure you already know) the nail community doesn't go gaga over polishes just because they're expensive...In fact a lot of coveted HTF stuff is drugstore, like the Maybelline StreetWears or the Sally Hansen Prisms, or virtually unknown brands!
2. Yes! I LOVE polishes which are opaque in one coat! I actually found this Collection 2000 polish that was opaque in 1 coat, and I was thrilled cos it would be awesome for konading! (I really need to do a review on that thing. I can't remember the name offhand, but it's Moonlight (something)...) And although I usually apply 2 coats anyway, just to even out my application, I like 1-coaters because they are great for konading...
3. Base coat and top coat are important! Of course some people will disagree, but I personally feel there is a difference when I use them and don't use them. With a basecoat I get much less staining (I'm just using Sally Hansen Double Duty), and a quick dry topcoat is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL so that the drying time is shorter! And if you get a good topcoat, it will help to sort of even out your polishing too, as it dries :)
4. Cleanup is important. I know you can tell from my swatches that I don't practice what I preach, but it's always a good idea to clean up after painting. I just take a small stiff brush with synthetic bristles (I use an unwanted eyeliner brush), dip it in acetone, or nail polish remover, and go around skin to remove whatever polish I painted onto my skin. It's a hassle, but it's worth the extra effort!
Annnd lastly - ALL polishes get goopy and thick! Some get thicker faster than others, so it's not a high-end or low-end thing. But polishes can always be saved with a thinner like Seche Restore if they get too thick, so don't let it worry you! :)
musicalhouses at hotmail dot com
When buying nail polishes online, where do you shop? On Ebay!
- Have you ever bought nail polishes on eBay, any sellers would you like to recommend? http://stores.ebay.com/enchantedbeautyspot
This e-store sells higher end varnishes, for a more affordable price, got 2 Essie polishes fromt here and she has an excellent customer service.
- When buying a nail polish in a normal shop (i.e not online) how do you know it’s not going to be streaky or take 4 coats to have something decent showing? Usually I research first, if it's a more expensive brand, and if it's an inexpensive one (i.e. Collection 2000) I give it a try for one shade, and if I like I buy more). Essie polishes have nail tester at shops usually, so you can check how opaque or the consistency, but testers in general get clumpy very fast.
- If you had to list your favourite ‘nail resource of information/inspirations’ website or blogs, what would say? I don't have a specific source, I tend to google nail blogs for swatches and dif opinions, but I like this blog in particular: http://www.scrangie.com/ . The blogger has good reviews from a variety of brands and good swatches.
- Do you know any polishes at all which only need one coat, or do you apply multiple coats anyway? yes, I've got one! Not that I bought because of that, it was a random purchase, but a happy one. It's the NYC in 243B (the squared bottles), and the shade is a dark midnight blue, kind of pearl finish.
Favourites
- What are your favourite nail polish brands and why? I like Hot Looks from Collection 2000 and Barry M.
- Which nail polish brands you really can’t stand and why? mhhh.. not really a hater of polishes, but I had bad experiences with the Rimmel ones. I wouldn't buy again.
- What are your 5 ultimate nail polish colours? I'm all into pastels now and flash/dirty colours. Nothing very bright.
- What cuticle product do you swear by?
None, I get my manicure products according to my surround offers...
Application, Maintenance etc.
- Thinking back on what you used to used to do when you started painted your nails, what did you think you were doing wrong?
Too much polish at one stroke is not good. I used to do it a lot when I was teenager.
- What were the typical mistakes you were doing before? Just said one and cut my cuticles DRY. oh my..I was a lazy teenager!
- Do you always use a base coat and an overcoat at the end? Wouldn’t the nail feel heavy after all that? I always use a base coat, because I feel they yellowish or stained from the paint if I don't use it. A top coat is optional for me, but I tend to use if I want them to last at least for 2 days in perfection.
- Do cuticles *need* to be cut, or can I just moisturise them a bit & use a wooden cuticle pusher to push them a bit? No, they don't need, and actually I find out that it's not healthy for your nails and cuticles, becasue you lose a natural protection and open it to bacterias. It can get nasty. But I do cut them when I have an excess - I mean, if pushing them back isn't enough - but never remove completely. The more you cut, the more they grow!
- Is it normal that it hurts when you have your cuticles cut by the beautician, or are they not doing their job properly? Not doing it right. They are getting in your flash, and that's a big no-no. You can get infections, and be sure she sterilizes her tools before doing your nails.
- Is the secret to beautiful looking nails not to apply it too close to the cuticles?
Not really, but it's less aggressive to your cuticles and it can look very good with a bit of experience.
- What is the longevity of a bottle of nail polish after you’ve opened it? Some come with a "best before" date, which is general 2 years, but it's up to you, if you feel it's still fine using it. They do get clumpy and thick with time, but you can get a polish thinner and get it renewed!
Are you not scared when you buy a nail polish, someone has opened it before therefore altering its freshness? Not really.. I don't really buy bottles that look so old at the shelves, so, if someone opened before, it will only for "a couple of" days..
- Do expensive polishes become goopy & thick too?
Yes, they may take longer to get to this point, but eventually they will get thicker. Again, you can always use a thinner, but the quality of the polish can get compromised.
Hello my love..I just read your blog today and realized I missed the deadline by 1 day. But I still wanted to take the time to answer your questions and share my tips regardless if the contest ended to show my support. So here is my answers as best as I can explain it. =)
- When buying nail polishes online, where do you shop?
http://8ty8beauty.com/
http://wowsocool.com
i'm hooked on the Konad stamping kits. It's so easy to use and requires no talent at all. Not only that, but the customer service is sensational. The shipping is super fast and Jessica at customer service is pleasant to deal with. Tutorial here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F3SeeWXuAc&feature=player_embedded
- When buying a nail polish (i.e not online) how do you know it’s not going to be streaky or take 4 coats to have something decent showing? I depend on reviews (YouTube) before purchasing anything. I like to see the process of when it's painted. I look for: streakiness, opaqueness, number of coats.
- If you had to list your favourite ‘nail resource of information/inspirations’ website or blogs, what would say?
My favorite YouTubers that do nails:
olavaolaspacca72 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqXCmNcTu2E
julieg713 http://www.youtube.com/julieg713
3TanjaJ3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhM_iM7OX0E
- What are your favourite nail polish brands and why? O.P.I is def my #1 but a little pricey. So my alternative is Victoria's Secrets Beauty Rush. Believe it or not but their nail polishes are REALLY good (but limited in color selections). I actually am putting up some pictures soon of some of them. I bought them during a 50% sale (paid $1.79) and was surprised they only required ONE coat. I bought it at the VS store, but did not see it on the VS online site. But i did find some on eBay. http://cgi.ebay.com/12-Victorias-Secret-Beauty-Rush-Nail-Paint-Polish-lot-/230429311697
- What are your 5 ultimate nail polish colours?
Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush - Berry Pretty
Sally Hansen - Pink About It
Sephora by O.P.I - Domestic Goddess
O.P.I. - Strawberry Margarita
O.P.I. - Bright Lights
- What cuticle product do you swear by? Vitamin E oil and rub it in ur nail.
- Thinking back on what you used to do when you started painted your nails, what did you think you were doing wrong? Filing your nails back and forth. Yes, it's faster but I was taught that it actually weakens your nails. If you have strong nails, then you might not even notice and can deal with it. But I used to have extremely weak thin nails so filing it back and forth just caused more damage. Also, since my mom opened up 2 Beauty Day Spas, I was exposed to a lot of information from the nail techs that work there and they taught me the proper ways and one of them was to file going one direction.
- Do you always use a base coat and an overcoat at the end? Wouldn’t the nail feel heavy after all that? Yes I use a base/overcoat. It only feels heavy if you don't let the product fully dry between coats. If you don't wait before applying coats, then you can get bubbles.
- Is the secret to beautiful looking nails not to apply it too close to the cuticles? Well, everyone has their own ways of applying nail polish. So long as you don't get it ON the cuticle, then you're fine. lol But a tip that you can do if you have a tendancy of getting nail polish on the cuticle or skin, is rub a thin layer of vaseline on the skin. Then when you polish your nails and get a little on the skin, you can take a cuticle pusher or even the side of a tooth pick and scrape it off.
- Do expensive polishes become goopy & thick too? Goopiness can be because if u don't use ur polishes regularly and they are just sitting there (like off season colors) then the ingredients can sometimes separate and cause goopiness. So it's good to give ur polishes a good shake every now and then.
This is comment 14, from someone called flufho who had problems posting on the blog: and i had this whole thing typed up so I thought I would share it anyway.
Hello. I used to do my nails every week but I have gotten lazy, too much yard work and such. If you have ridges I would suggest filing your nails to smooth them out. This will allow for smoother polish application and will make your nails look nice and shiny for when you are not wearing polish.
Cuticles depend on the individual but most choose not to cut anymore. simply push back slightly and then gently file away the excess that may be stuck to your nail.
Always apply base. As for base's ability to keep your nails from yellowing? I do not believe it. I think staining as well as lack of air exposure will yellow your nails. But just as in make up base will make your polish last much longer. Very sad to do 2 hours of work on your polish just to have it chip in 2 days.
When applying the color, do so only on the nail. Stay a millimeter or so away from the cuticle, otherwise you will get unsightly build-up and on top of that once your nail begins to grow out this will leave a huge ridge that will eventually lift and flake off your polish.
Try to paint your nail in 3 strokes, one in the middle and down each side. You do not want to constantly run the brush over the polish as this paint dries quickly and you will have brush marks. Then apply top coat.
Oh I could go on for miles about how to do french and this and that but I have run too much. And YES expensive polishes will goo also! White polish is the worst offender. Heres a tip, for heavily glittered polish, apply base, complimenting color, then the glitter polish. That way you get the look of the glitter without putting 4 layers of glitter which are a pain to remove :)
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