After yesterday's blurry picture fail, and several others that are not posted, I have decided to try my hand at making a light box. No swatches today, since I have to redo all of them for better quality. I don't think it is my camera, although I suppose it is possible. 7 megapixel and 7x digital zoom, BUT it's five years old. Maybe it's time to invest in a new camera!
I'll be using a cardboard box, poster board, and tissue paper for this project. Wish me luck!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Mardi Gras Mani
How do you celebrate Mardi Gras? Do you head to Bourbon Street, Galveston, or some other place to show what you got and collect beads? Does your family host a party and eat King Cake? I don't *really* celebrate, but I always love a theme for manicures. I haven't even cleaned this one up yet (can't seem to find my paintbrush...), but I'm dying to show it. I think it's my most festive manicure ever!
This is two coats of Milani Purple Gleam and one coat of Milani Gems, both from their Fall 2010 Rockstar collection.
So, what do you think? I had to use two coats of Seche Vite Dry Fast Topcoat just to keep everything even on top.
Happy Mardi Gras! Try not to get too blasted tonight :)
This is two coats of Milani Purple Gleam and one coat of Milani Gems, both from their Fall 2010 Rockstar collection.
So, what do you think? I had to use two coats of Seche Vite Dry Fast Topcoat just to keep everything even on top.
Happy Mardi Gras! Try not to get too blasted tonight :)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Getting Started in Nail Care ~ A Biter's Guide
This is the most difficult part of nail beauty for biters. Whether you will choose to grow them out or keep them short, your nails have been nibbled to nubs and you need to start somewhere.
I go through these steps every time I "relapse" (and yes, you will, too!).
Steps 5 through 7 should be done one hand at a time.
Step 1: File your nails
This is tricky when your nails are bitten to the core. Be very careful! Crystal and stone files can be too thick to reach super-short nails. Use a thin metal one instead-- my favorite is a file made by Revlon, seen here. For now, use the "finishing" side only. Softly, gently file your nail tips to remove any snags or sharp edges. Shaping will have to come later; this helps with getting rid of the temptation to bite.
If your nails are long enough to shape (basically, when you see white edges and it doesn't hurt to file them), I recommend using the same file to round the sides inward with the "shaping" side. Don't use the "shaping" side on the central part of your tip, though-- you want to keep as much white as possible, and that will get rid of it fast! Use the "finishing" side to smooth them out when you are done shaping them.
I do not recommend square nails for nail biters. Having corners on your nails is a huge temptation to bite, especially when they hit something and break. Round them out to make them stronger and less of a biting temptation!
Filing the tips may seem silly, especially if yours are super thin from nibbling the layers. However, this helps make your nails look more presentable, and the work you put into it is what makes biting harder.
Step 2: Remove dead skin and push back cuticles
Another tricky step. I bite my cuticles, too, and the idea of pushing them at all when they are wounded seems crazy. If this is too painful, skip using the orange stick and go for a cotton swab instead.
Do not clip your cuticles off. Cuticles keep toxins and germs from entering your body through the nail bed. Clipping can also cause infection, and it makes your skin turn red and swollen.
Buy some orange sticks with tapered edges, like these. You can find them at Sally Beauty Supply or any salon-products store. Also invest in an Alpha Hydroxy Acids, or AHA, cuticle remover. The one I use is by Blue Cross, which you can also pick up at Sally. It's a huge bottle, but it's fairly cheap and you really get your money's worth! Another good one is made by Sally Hansen, which you can find at any Walgreens.
When you're ready, put a few drops of your remover onto your nail. I do mine one at a time to prevent spills. Rub it into your cuticle with your fingers for about twenty seconds. Then, take your orange stick (or cotton swab, if your cuticles are sore) and gently do a sort of pushing/scraping motion along the cuticle line and the sides. A layer of skin should come off of the sides of your nail and out from under your cuticle. If it doesn't, try another dose of cuticle remover, and that should do the trick. I will post a video of myself doing it soon.
When you're done, your cuticles should look smoother, farther back, and more rounded!
Step 3: Use the bathroom and wash your hands!
This is an essential step in nail care! Skipping this is a big mistake I have made in the past. I was a bridesmaid in my best friend's wedding, and, to save time, I skipped doing this and painted my nails. Well, guess what... I had to go. Needless to say, I had to re-do them and was almost late for her wedding!
Once your hands are completely dry, head to the next step!
Step 4: Cure your nails
No, not cure biting, sorry :) Use a cotton ball soaked with nail polish remover and gently swab each nail. This gets rid of any dirt or germs left behind after washing, and helps your base coat really grip the nail. I actually use straight up white vinegar for this step rather than alcohol, as it isn't as harsh.
Note that if you have open wounds from biting, this WILL sting, even with vinegar!
Step 5: Base Coat
Whether you are using nail polish or not, this is necessary. It seems that different base coats work for different people. Whatever you choose, do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT use a combination base/top coat. Those are a total waste of money and do not work. Base coats and top coats serve two completely different functions!
The base coat I use is China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base Coat. No matter what brand of polish I use, this stuff keeps it on my nails. You can find it at your local Sally Beauty Supply.
Before you put it on, make sure there are no tiny hairs or fuzzies on your nails. You can use a paper towel to get them off. Then, apply a small drop of base coat and smooth it over the nail-- first the middle, then each side. Don't be alarmed if you get it on your skin-- it really isn't a big deal.
Step 6: Apply Color
This is the toughest and most frustrating step of nail care for somebody who is not used to it. I know. But you will get the hang of it, and you will love the way your nails look in the end, I promise!
Since you most likely do not want to draw a lot of attention to your nails just yet, I suggest pale, somewhat transparent colors. Nude nail colors actually make your nails and fingers look longer! Pale pinks and mint greens also look stunning. I suggest OPI Funny Bunny or China Glaze Innocence. As for guys, if you would like to wear nail color, I suggest looking into BB Couture For Men. They have lots of great masculine colors!
When applying polish, leave a small space or gap between the edge of the color and your cuticle. If you don't, the color cakes up against your skin anf dries crusted. Use a small drop, and make sure another drop isn't falling down the brush! :) If that happens and your nail gets flooded, use an orange stick to scrape out excess color in the side creases. Place the drop toward the back of your nail, press it down a little, and paint toward the tip down the middle. Then, go back, press the drop again, and bring in down the side, then the other. This is your first coat! Huzzah! If there is any polish touching both your nail and your skin, go ahead and scrape it off with an orange stick before it dries.
Wait about five minutes for your first coat to dry. As you paint your nails more and more, you'll notice drying times vary. When you're ready, do your second coat! If you would like to do a third, go ahead!
Once your polish is dry, it is time for the top coat.
Step 7: Top Coat
Use a fast-drying one. I suggest Seche Vite ("sesh veet") or Poshe. Check your local Sally, Sephora, or Ulta for these.
If you didn't apply color, this is your next step.
You will paint this on just like you did with your color. It is really important that this doesn't "connect" your nail and skin! It will dry strangely if you do that. Note that top coats generally have a thicker consistency than color. If you think you have made a boo-boo and the top coat is well on its way to drying, just trust me and leave it alone. Many a manicure have been ruined just by going back and trying to fix some minute detail.
Wait about twenty minutes to touch anything, and ta-da! You're done!
If you still have a lot of gunk on the skin around your nails, I suggest using a manicure corrector pen. You can find these for pretty cheap at Walgreens, Sally, Sephora, you name it.
I guess there should be another step. Use something to moisturize and condition your cuticles! I heartily suggest LUSH Lemony Flutter cuticle balm. It's a wee bit expensive, but it is worth every penny.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please take pictures of your first manicures and send them to me, no matter how butchered they might be! I want to make a collage.
Good luck! :)
I go through these steps every time I "relapse" (and yes, you will, too!).
Steps 5 through 7 should be done one hand at a time.
Step 1: File your nails
This is tricky when your nails are bitten to the core. Be very careful! Crystal and stone files can be too thick to reach super-short nails. Use a thin metal one instead-- my favorite is a file made by Revlon, seen here. For now, use the "finishing" side only. Softly, gently file your nail tips to remove any snags or sharp edges. Shaping will have to come later; this helps with getting rid of the temptation to bite.
If your nails are long enough to shape (basically, when you see white edges and it doesn't hurt to file them), I recommend using the same file to round the sides inward with the "shaping" side. Don't use the "shaping" side on the central part of your tip, though-- you want to keep as much white as possible, and that will get rid of it fast! Use the "finishing" side to smooth them out when you are done shaping them.
I do not recommend square nails for nail biters. Having corners on your nails is a huge temptation to bite, especially when they hit something and break. Round them out to make them stronger and less of a biting temptation!
Filing the tips may seem silly, especially if yours are super thin from nibbling the layers. However, this helps make your nails look more presentable, and the work you put into it is what makes biting harder.
Step 2: Remove dead skin and push back cuticles
Another tricky step. I bite my cuticles, too, and the idea of pushing them at all when they are wounded seems crazy. If this is too painful, skip using the orange stick and go for a cotton swab instead.
Do not clip your cuticles off. Cuticles keep toxins and germs from entering your body through the nail bed. Clipping can also cause infection, and it makes your skin turn red and swollen.
Buy some orange sticks with tapered edges, like these. You can find them at Sally Beauty Supply or any salon-products store. Also invest in an Alpha Hydroxy Acids, or AHA, cuticle remover. The one I use is by Blue Cross, which you can also pick up at Sally. It's a huge bottle, but it's fairly cheap and you really get your money's worth! Another good one is made by Sally Hansen, which you can find at any Walgreens.
When you're ready, put a few drops of your remover onto your nail. I do mine one at a time to prevent spills. Rub it into your cuticle with your fingers for about twenty seconds. Then, take your orange stick (or cotton swab, if your cuticles are sore) and gently do a sort of pushing/scraping motion along the cuticle line and the sides. A layer of skin should come off of the sides of your nail and out from under your cuticle. If it doesn't, try another dose of cuticle remover, and that should do the trick. I will post a video of myself doing it soon.
When you're done, your cuticles should look smoother, farther back, and more rounded!
Step 3: Use the bathroom and wash your hands!
This is an essential step in nail care! Skipping this is a big mistake I have made in the past. I was a bridesmaid in my best friend's wedding, and, to save time, I skipped doing this and painted my nails. Well, guess what... I had to go. Needless to say, I had to re-do them and was almost late for her wedding!
Once your hands are completely dry, head to the next step!
Step 4: Cure your nails
No, not cure biting, sorry :) Use a cotton ball soaked with nail polish remover and gently swab each nail. This gets rid of any dirt or germs left behind after washing, and helps your base coat really grip the nail. I actually use straight up white vinegar for this step rather than alcohol, as it isn't as harsh.
Note that if you have open wounds from biting, this WILL sting, even with vinegar!
Step 5: Base Coat
Whether you are using nail polish or not, this is necessary. It seems that different base coats work for different people. Whatever you choose, do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT use a combination base/top coat. Those are a total waste of money and do not work. Base coats and top coats serve two completely different functions!
The base coat I use is China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base Coat. No matter what brand of polish I use, this stuff keeps it on my nails. You can find it at your local Sally Beauty Supply.
Before you put it on, make sure there are no tiny hairs or fuzzies on your nails. You can use a paper towel to get them off. Then, apply a small drop of base coat and smooth it over the nail-- first the middle, then each side. Don't be alarmed if you get it on your skin-- it really isn't a big deal.
Step 6: Apply Color
This is the toughest and most frustrating step of nail care for somebody who is not used to it. I know. But you will get the hang of it, and you will love the way your nails look in the end, I promise!
Since you most likely do not want to draw a lot of attention to your nails just yet, I suggest pale, somewhat transparent colors. Nude nail colors actually make your nails and fingers look longer! Pale pinks and mint greens also look stunning. I suggest OPI Funny Bunny or China Glaze Innocence. As for guys, if you would like to wear nail color, I suggest looking into BB Couture For Men. They have lots of great masculine colors!
When applying polish, leave a small space or gap between the edge of the color and your cuticle. If you don't, the color cakes up against your skin anf dries crusted. Use a small drop, and make sure another drop isn't falling down the brush! :) If that happens and your nail gets flooded, use an orange stick to scrape out excess color in the side creases. Place the drop toward the back of your nail, press it down a little, and paint toward the tip down the middle. Then, go back, press the drop again, and bring in down the side, then the other. This is your first coat! Huzzah! If there is any polish touching both your nail and your skin, go ahead and scrape it off with an orange stick before it dries.
Wait about five minutes for your first coat to dry. As you paint your nails more and more, you'll notice drying times vary. When you're ready, do your second coat! If you would like to do a third, go ahead!
Once your polish is dry, it is time for the top coat.
Step 7: Top Coat
Use a fast-drying one. I suggest Seche Vite ("sesh veet") or Poshe. Check your local Sally, Sephora, or Ulta for these.
If you didn't apply color, this is your next step.
You will paint this on just like you did with your color. It is really important that this doesn't "connect" your nail and skin! It will dry strangely if you do that. Note that top coats generally have a thicker consistency than color. If you think you have made a boo-boo and the top coat is well on its way to drying, just trust me and leave it alone. Many a manicure have been ruined just by going back and trying to fix some minute detail.
Wait about twenty minutes to touch anything, and ta-da! You're done!
If you still have a lot of gunk on the skin around your nails, I suggest using a manicure corrector pen. You can find these for pretty cheap at Walgreens, Sally, Sephora, you name it.
I guess there should be another step. Use something to moisturize and condition your cuticles! I heartily suggest LUSH Lemony Flutter cuticle balm. It's a wee bit expensive, but it is worth every penny.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please take pictures of your first manicures and send them to me, no matter how butchered they might be! I want to make a collage.
Good luck! :)
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me... and I'm feelin' good.
As my profile description indicates, I am a nail biter on a quest to share my story and knowledge of how to make short, bitten nails (and cuticles!) look beautiful. In this blog, I will give helpful tips, share my tools of the trade, and swatch the latest nail polish colors. None of my pictures will be airbrushed or edited to make my hands look prettier. My first swatches will go up on January 1st, 2011. Until then, I will edit the look of this blog and post tips and tricks articles. I am so excited about this new hobby and adventure!
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