Skip to main content

The Nail Epic

So, as some may or may not know, I am working on trying to master caring for my own nails after my economic situation has required me to cancel my standing nail appointment with the "Amazing Alison". I have realized just how hard a job it is! My nails were in dreadful shape after having fake nails for so many years. I have battled brittle nails, peeling nails, polishing issues....you name it, and I suffer with it.

The first was the peeling of the nail layers right after the fake nails were first removed. I attempted to "strengthen" them with nail strengthening products such as OPI's Nail Envy. I found out that strength was not what I was needing because that led to my nails being so "strong", they would break with the slightest pressure since the Nail Envy did nothing to help with the nail's flexibility to give without breaking. I then ordered Nail Aid which I STILL use as a basecoat (this product is still my number one!).

The polish issues, more specifically BUBBLING, are still present. I haven't figured out how to polish my nails to the mirror finish like I always got when I visited the Amazing Alison, so I call her. She informed me that my nails need to be clean and the brush cannot be too dry nor too coated when applying the polish. Also, she said that the polish needs to be set up between coats and that natural nails take longer to dry. She said that they will NOT be completely dry for 24 hours. I now polish my nails first thing in the morning, and find that, for me, splitting up my coats gives me better end results. I have split it up between two days (I wish I could do it all in one day, but I just can't without seeing bubbles). The first day I do the first two coats, the second day the last two to three depending on what color I've chosen.
So there you have it! My progress so far. I have a VERY long way to go in mastering this, but I've also learned that after fake nails, the only thing that fixes your nails is time (and in the case of polish....lots and lots of practice). There is no miracle product to fix the problem, but there are some pretty good tips and products to help mask it. Good luck to everyone out there and if you have any tips to pass along....PLEASE do!

Comments

Past 7 Days....

Wish You A Scary Christmas

Ok... this the last challenge over at The Burtonesque Dolls for 2010!!! Using any Nightmare before Christmas Images Create your best Christmas Project with that Burton Flair!ļ»æ This weeks winner will win... Three Exclusive Nightmare Before Christmas Images from Simply Betty Stamps . Oh man.... that's a HUGE prize! Head over to The Burtonesque Dolls and check out what the other awesome design team members created for inspiration. As for this one.... I KNEW I wanted to use the speckled grey cardstock for this one. I love how it resembles the granite of a gravestone. That's pretty Burtonesque, don't you think? I also found an awesome Engravers Font, but for some reason couldn't get it uploaded to my font folder. Too soon before Christmas for me to want to deal with glitches, so I just settled for an easy holiday font that I already had available. But for the record... the "Happy Holidays" in a tombstone font would have "NAILED" this project!!! Huh... I...

Gorgeous Leaves Just In Time

  So this week's Freebie Friday On A Monday projects are just in time to kick off tomorrow's Seasonal Sale with Stampin Up!  WHOO HOO!!!   November 16-18th, you can stock up and save 10% on cardstock, 15% on ink pads, and 20% on dies. Build up your collection of crafting basicsā€”and prepare for another year of top-tier projectsā€”with a steal of a deal on papercrafting products!  SHOP THE SALE: CLICK HERE! This week's party/host/hostess code is:   K2JZGAZW .   Be sure to use this code before checking out this week to get each of these three project make-n-takes for FREE!!! I mean, you might as well earn some free goodies while you're stocking up, right?!?   Okay.... so this week's first project came HIGHLY requested!  It is just the perfect gift the perfect time of year.  I mean, imagine this as a Thanksgiving table setting "Thank you for attending" gift!!!  And this is really easy to make, you could make up 5 or even 2...

Gorgous Leaves Bundle Revisited

Yestday's Freebie Friday on a Monday projects were so fun and this set is SO BEAUTIFUL in it's simplicity!  It reminds me of a long-retired stamp set from Stampin Up!.  I was inspired to re-create the projects that I made with it once upon a time.  So here we go.... SIMPLE projects when you need a quick "hello" or an even quicker heartfelt sympathy card: I was DEFINITELY on a Bumblebee and Cajun Craze kick yesterday!  I can't stop/won't stop!  LOL!  To be fair... I had extra leaves die cut and didn't want anything to go to waste!  A quick speckle backdrop in Bumblebee then a quick "hello" greeting from the Biggest Wish in Cajun Craze with the Cajun Craze leaf popped up on a Basic White cardbase.  PERFECTION! Okay, as with yesterday's projects, the sentiment is from the recently retired SAB Delicate Dahlia's set, but you could use ANY sympathy sentiment you have in your stash.  Unlike in the past when I had to mask off the center rectangle...