TUTORIAL: How to do a Basic Manicure At Home --- includes before & after pics

Hello, Beautiful!

I sometimes get emails asking me how I do my nails (all the steps before polish). I've wanted to create that tutorial for months now and I finally decided it was time to pull it together when I gave myself a mani earlier today.

This is my basic manicure... something I do at least once a week. If I have more time I will include a hand soak, hand scrub, and massage lotion into my hands. If I'm in a rush I will do steps 1 through 6 and polish from there. I also change up the products I use, but right now this is my current routine.

If you have any questions just leave a comment or email me.

Here is a photo summary of everything I do in my basic manicure.

Full detailed photos and instructions are also shown in this post.

My Basic Manicure Before & After Pictures

(please ignore the staining)

TUTORIAL:

How To Do A Basic Manicure At Home

Now you're ready to paint your nails!

OPI - Crown Me Already! from the Miss Universe Collection

Hello, Beautiful!

I think I may have found my new favorite silver polish... OPI's Crown Me Already! from the Miss Universe collection. This silver glitter polish is just beautiful, especially in person. I almost didn't even want this because I thought 'eh, just another silver glitter' but it's not; it stands out! I should also mention that my husband bought this for me (along with OPI's Swimsuit...Nailed It!) as my "flowers" to apologize for being a jackass. He knows I would much prefer nail polish over flowers and I love him for that. It's a pretty way to say I'm sorry. Of course I forgave him :)

Anyhow...
Crown Me Already! is a brighter, clearer, more true silver. The way light hits your nails is just stunning. The pictures really do NOT do this shade any justice. In the bottle this shade is pretty but on the nails this shade is beautiful!

I used 3 coats for all the photos below, but I probably could have used just 2 coats. I was apply this in a room with low-lighting so I couldn't tell how opaque it was, since I have some staining on my nails I just went ahead and did a third coat for good measure. I should also mention that this shade dries extremely quick, but then again most glitters do.

OPI - Crown Me Already! (NL U02)

[From the Miss Universe collection.]

Shade Description: Super micro silver hex glitter in a clear base with small, medium and large silver hex glitter. Opaque in just 2 to 3 coats.
# of Coats & Other Polishes: 1 coat of Nail-Aid 3 Minute Artificials (as my base coat), 3 coats of OPI's Crown Me Already!, 1 coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.


































Now let me know what you think...
Do you own this polish shade? If so, what are your thoughts on it? If not, is this a shade you want to own? Just leave a comment below or send me an email.



NOTD: Fall Watercolor Feathers (H&M + China Glaze)

Hello, Beautiful!

Today I took some time to update my nails, inspired by a new H&M polish set I picked up this past week. The polish set included 5 shades, all great for fall. I used three of them in today's NOTD. I call it my "Fall Watercolor Feathers" because I think the design looks kind of like watercolor paint and also kind of like feathers. I'm really not sure what to call it, but I like the design and I really love the colors. It seems lately I've been really inspired by fall shades (which to me are deeper, metallic and/or more jewel toned shades).



To re-create this NOTD:

• 1 coat of Nail-Aid 3 Minute Artificials (used as my base coat)
• 2 coats of China Glaze polish in White On White - applied just to the ring and thumb nail
• 2 coats of H&M polish in Purple - applied to all the rest of the fingernails (this Purple shade is different from a previous H&M polish, also labeled as Purple; this is a deeper, jewel toned purple)
• 1 coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat on all nails
• Use a striping brush to create the feather design. I put a drop of each H&M polish on an index card - shades: Purple, Petrol, Mustard - and applied the design starting with the teal shade (Petrol), and immediately adding the other colors until I was happy with the design (continue to add colors to your preference). Work on each feather design one nail at a time so the colors really blend together for a watercolor effect. Do the design on just the ring and thumb nails.
• 1 coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat on the ring and thumb nails