I believe that a nail polish color reflects the mood of a person. When it comes to my days, nail polish is an accurate representation of my emotional state. Whether I go for reds, blues, or backs, it says a lot about how I feel. When I feel happy and upbeat, I go for bright colors mostly reds. When I am tired and have lots on my plate, I tend to pick nude or pastel colors, close to natural nail color. When I feel like a rock star, I go for sparkles!
Nail polish is an easy way to add character to any outfit. Any classic outfit will be revamped with bright red nail polish. If brights do not work the next day because of a work meeting, I quickly take it off the night before. Manicure is not limited to simple color; I see people do amazing things with designs, abstract drawing, powder, or gel.
I am not entirely sure when I fell in love with nail polish, but I do remember going through my grandma’s colorful tiny bottles imagining how it would look on my nails. I must have been around ten-years-old. At the time, I had no idea nail polish will become a staple in my vanity. During my younger years, my obsession was mostly due to my mother’s strict instruction not to use a polish. I admired colorful containers, opened and smelled their intoxicating charm.
Years passed, and my mom finally allowed me to start using a polish. I remember having a few colors on rotation during my high school years. Every week, sometimes twice a week, I would do my nails. At that time in Russia, I could not afford a nail salon, and I did not even know that there was one. I learned to do manicure through my mistakes and discovered tricks that worked for me.
Below are a few things to keep in mind.
- Water is the enemy number one. The more time you spend washing, cleaning, and cooking, the more fragile nails become. Sadly, I don’t have a solution for how to avoid all these tasks while also being a mom. You can try to wear gloves; I am not a fan of using them though.
- Use a good hand cream; it will help your hands & nails to gain lost nutrients. Lately, I have been using Clarins’ Hand and Nail lotion. I feel like it is doing a great job supporting and strengthening my nails.
- All nail polish varies in hold and color. Some nail polishes last longer and look better. However, in my experience, the more resilient polishes are the more expensive and toxic they are. Yes, toxic. I have tried organic types, but they do not hold as well — three days later and I have to redo the manicure. I don’t have that much time, so these are not the option for me. I stick to OPI polish.
- Layers — an important part that relates to polish’s lifecycle. Apply at least four coats: base, two layers of color, and cover. Applying all four layers will ensure a better hold, bolder color, and smoother surface.
I think the above covers the basics that I generally follow. There are a few more tricks that I use on occasion.
Since I have two children finding time to dry nail polish thoroughly can be challenging, at times; so I developed a routine. After I put little monsters to sleep, I remove the old polish, shape the nails, and apply the base layer and two layers of color; after, I let it dry completely and go to bed. Even though I thought that the polish dried through, in the morning, I notice that few fingers have a pattern imprinted from my bedsheets. Not to worry! I follow my usual morning routine. Then when I get into the car, I apply the last cover layer; this smooths anything that got messed up.
Another trick that I use when I have no time for perfection — I use nail polish with sparkles! Sparkles will cover up any imperfections and add a festive touch to your day.
Now, you ask what if I have nail polish all around the nail on the skin. No worries! Later in the day or next day, take a shower or wash dishes, the polish that got onto the skin will come right off. You will have the perfect manicure :)
Please do pay attention to the length of your nails. Hands look better when
- nails are roughly the same length
- nails are not broken
- nails are not too long
I hope you find my tricks useful!
Originally published at www.updateyourstyle.com.
