A few weeks ago, I did a guest post over on the Scotch Naturals blog inspired by the polishes they sent me at the end of the summer.
Scotch Naturals is a non-toxic nail polish brand that is not only 3 free, but also free of ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, nitrocellulose, acetone, and heavy metals. The polish itself is a water-based polish, and they also do a kids nail polish line. (How fun!)
Read MoreI don't know about you, but I have a tendency to avoid nail polish remover. So much of it is smelly (oh, the chemicals!) and the whole removal process is such a chore. I'm sure this is obvious to you, as I've frequently sported severely chipped nails here on BB.
At some point, I landed on a now discontinued nail polish remover from the Sephora by OPI line that didn't smell horrible and worked quickly. Once the Sephora by OPI line was discontinued last summer, the search was on for more natural removers.
*PR Sample
Then came some sort of nail polish epiphany when I discovered Priti NYC Soy Nail Polish Remover Wipes. These individually wrapped wipes are lightly citrus scented and somehow also remind me of olive oil, but one wipe will definitely remove more than 10 fingers worth of polish. I haven't tested it out on glitter yet, and I do prefer to wash my hands after due to the oily texture, though the lemongrass oil is meant to help moisturize. (Which it does!)
And when the Space NK Spring GWP landed on my doorstep, I received the Rococo Nail Polish Remover Tissues* and were equally as thrilled with them. These have a more conventional (though subtle) remover scent with a hint of floral, perhaps as a result of the rosehip oil. They work effectively and don't leave any residue behind.
I'm quite pleased to have discovered these nail polish These are perfect to toss in my bag for an emergency chipped polish removal. (Seriously, I've been known to leave on chipped manicures many weeks past their expiration date.) I will never be without one of these nail polish wipes again!
I’ve talked about glass nail files before, but I haven’t really talked about them. Seriously, if you’re using pretty much anything else on your nails, you’re doing yourself a disservice.
After converting to the things a few years ago after reading about these Mont Bleu Swarovski encrusted files on Makeup Withdrawal. I was excited when the company reached out to me a month or so ago and offered to send me files to try.
*PR Sample
Look at them - aren’t they so pretty? But seriously, they're not just pretty, but they are super functional as well. I have little glass nail files stashed everywhere now - Sephora has some great travel size ones - but these are by far the prettiest in my stash.
As a girl who breaks nails frequently and has a bad habit of ripping off the broken bits, nail files are a must. Without them, I just spend the rest of the day picking at my nail trying to smooth them out (ew). Standard nail files take quite a bit of effort and time to smooth out broken edges, but glass nail files can clear them up in just a few swipes!
These glass files from Mont Bleu perform just as well as the others I own. They also come in a little pouch, which makes it convenient to toss into a purse or makeup bag. And what I love most about glass nail files is that they seem to last forever... or at least until I lose them or manage to somehow break them. I definitely plan to take care of these pretty ones!
Those of you who know me or have been reading the blog for a while may know that I am absolutely terrible when it comes to manicures. Not only am I terrible at applying polish myself, my nails just seem to repel the stuff. (Seriously, I've had manicures done that chip within the day!)
After chatting with Gummy on multiple occasions, she pushed me to add a few more steps to my manicure routine - a primer that tempted us both and her favorite topcoat.
So, I grabbed the Deborah Lippmann 2 Second Primer, newly available through Sephora and dabbed each nail with a drop of the stuff. Meant to really clean the nail to prep it for your manicure, this stuff really seems to work. I followed it with a coat of my trusty Nail Tek Foundation II base, and my glossy nails were ready for color. The Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat is brilliant too - a shiny, hard coat to protect, and boy does it keep that manicure on. When I talked about Essie Full Steam Ahead in this post a few weeks ago, I was wearing this bulletproof combo, and my photo is from TWO DAYS after I did my nails. EPIC I tell you.
Have you tried any of these for your manicure? What manicure secrets really work for you? I'd love to know!
All products in this post were purchased by me. This post contains affiliate links.