Sunday 6 June 2010

Weekly manicure essentials...

Yes I know weekly essentials...lol I do a full manicure once a week, deep clean and all. When I do a polish change(which is very often!!) its a 15 minute job..no muss or fuss!!

Will do this in sections, hopefully its useful to someone!! hehe

Deep cleaning
  • Firstly I remove polish - Using acetone or for creme polish Marks & Spencer non acetone
  • Thoroughly wash hands using soap (Lemslip from lush normally)
  • Using a small bowl, fill it with hot water and pop in 3 Denture tablets
  • I then soak and using the toothbrush gently clean the nail, gently doing the undersides - at this point you can use whitening toothpaste also, gently clean the nail plate with it
  • Wash thoroughly and slather in a rich hand cream - usually leave this for 10 minutes to soak in
Optional - Removing Cuticle
  • IF YOU NEED to remove cuticles - I have been skipping this step for the past month, I use Elegant touch Cuticle remover- apply, wait 50 seconds, push back and wash hands well
  • I have been instead just moisturising and gently pushing back the cuticle with orange stick, Using the Sally hansen Cuticle refiner occasionally - massage in gently and rinse- this has a fine pumice in it, gently gets rid of any old skin (yuk!)

Basic Polish change
  • Firstly clean the nail plate well - I either just use Antibacterial gel or acetone
  • Usual steps for me are - Base, Sticky or other (Thickener currently) 2-3 colour, topcoat
These are the products I am currently using

SH NQ

This is HG for me lol... When I spot it, I grab it up!! Smooth finish, keeps nails looking great, hydrated..dries fast.. applies thin like water and dries Gel like

I heart it!!


Bonder

This stuff is magic, keeps mani not only on but NO Tipwear..only downside is discolouration...so am giving my nails a wee break from it.. but I still love it!!

Barielle Thickener

I only just got this product, have used it 3 times, so far I am liking it a lot, thickens, smooth finish for applying polish. I don't have ridges so I cant comment on if it fills those. But it does what it says..nice!!

SV


I apply lashings of this wet.... I was hating it, but since I got Seche restore, I love it again!! No shrinkage at all now, think its just getting the hang of it!

Intensive Hand cream

This is cheap and chirpy Glycerin cream - 2 for £1 at Poundland, I use this one just for weekly manicure - During the week I use Avon cuticle balm and Lemony flutter ( I finished my sample pot hence no picture!!!) - I have asked the bf for a pot for my bday..then I will be using Lemony flutter all the time!

Hope that was informative and maybe gives some ideas..share with me your favourite products :-)

oooo another thing...Competition suggestion

Am considering doing a LUSH contest, but am thinking that scent is a very personal thing.

Perhaps if the winner chooses say 3 soaps and 1 hand care product, it might be nicer! Let me know what you guys think and I will get it out there!!

TTFN lovelies xoxo

4 comments:

  1. I don't really know what thickener is or how you use it. I do have ridges so it sounds as if I need it. What else does it do, please?

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  2. If you have ridges- I would say to use a ridge filler Barielle do one, Nailtek is meant to be the best ridge filler

    Thickener will add thickness and in time should thicken the nail also - its pricy here..SH have just launched one actually. Purple bottle

    I just put mine on over basecoat - its probably unnecessary for me but I like them thick as possible!!

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  3. ooh! a LUSH contest sounds awesome! and thanks for being one of the first to enter mine! xoxo

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  4. this was a really helpful tutorial.

    Lush. I love love lush...except the solid shampoos. I just can't figure it out. =( I need to get the lemony flutter everyone is talking about.

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