PSA - China Suppliers

If you've been reading my blog for awhile you'll know that I'm all about the bargains.  I've mentioned this before in a more subtle way but while I was browsing some nail products today and comparing prices I couldn't help but get a little angry at a certain chinese nail product supplier that is mentioned on pretty much a daily basis in the nail blogging world.  This 'store' is constantly giving out products for review to bloggers and always has 10% off coupons but even with that discount the 'store' is still ripping you off!  You can find the exact same products for often half the price!

I'm not linking to their site here so you can all go google to compare if you like but here are some examples:

100pc fimo canes is $9.41 (on sale) so let's be generous and say you have a 10% off coupon to make it $8.55.

http://www.mildeast-nails.com/goods.php?id=1606  This site sells them 50pc for $2.90 so 100pcs would be $5.80.  This is half of the regular price at the other store.

This site sells them in 25pcs. for $2.14 so that's actually the same price however, they also offer a 10% coupon so that knocks it down to $7.78 for100 http://www.buyincoins.com/new_en/details/25-x-nail-art-fruit-flower-animal-decoration-stick-tips-product-4207.html

(Who really wants to slice 100 friggen fimo canes anyways?  The store linked above also sells them in 5 or 10 for cheap if you just want to try them out with the commitment lol.)

12 Lace Strip Glitter Nail Art (pots of bar glitter) is $6.45 at the 'store'.  I'm not including the 10% coupon because the store below also has one.

http://www.buyincoins.com/new_en/details/12-color-lace-glitter-powder-nail-art-tip-decoration-product-2887.html  This site sells the same item for $3.36!

Oh and look, here's a pkg of 18 for $4.78  http://www.mildeast-nails.com/goods.php?id=117

Ok one more, acrylic molds on the site are $2.51 each, pick any design there are tons, some are even $2.26!

And here they are ranging from $1.09-$1.18, yeah half price http://www.buyincoins.com/new_en/details/flower-3d-form-mold-nail-art-diy-uv-carve-decoration-2-product-5530.html

Oh but wait, here's the one I actually bought that includes 6 molds for $3.99 and don't forget that 10% off coupon I used http://www.buyincoins.com/new_en/details/6-x-3d-acrylic-nail-art-mold-tips-decor-diy-design-different-styles-transparent-product-9236.html

I have found nothing in that 'stores' site that is cheaper other than by a few pennies.  I have ordered twice each from both of those sites I've linked above with zero problems and had my order delivered in 2 weeks.  They both have free shipping no minimum and the buyincoins site always has valid coupons with a quick google search.

I know a lot of girls think they're getting a bargain from that 'store' when they're really not so I'm hoping I can help my own readers save a bit of cash.  Oh and fyi, I always use Paypal when ordering from China ;)

Later
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Glitter Bomb

This is the post in which I dump all the glitter I own over my nails lol.

(In my best Julie Chen voice) But first....

I've been using Shellac/Soak offs for an entire year now so I feel I have to post a 'state of my nails' photo.  Just to prove that Shellac doesn't damage your nails:

I still have a very slight yellow colour to my nails but I am totally comfortable wearing naked nails now.  I haven't done any deep cleaning or buffing to them since my post from last October here: http://queenoffriggencrap.blogspot.ca/2011/10/chick-on-mission.html

My nails have always naturally been thin and weak due to 20 years of nail biting but the Soak Offs really haven't damaged my nails or made them weaker than they were previously.  I still have the same problem nails underneath - weak and peeling.  Wearing Soak Offs has helped for the most part to protect them and I don't have breaks as often as I used to.  I can't say enough how much I love this product!

So now on to the next Soak Off mani...

I started with one coat of LeChat Perfect Match in Hologram Diamond and added 2 shades of blue Martha Stewart glitter in a fade which isn't really visible here.  I then added a coat of Gelish Structure (clear builder gel) and added a few iridescent blue hearts and some silver hex glitter.  I topped it off with 2 more coats of Gelish Structure and finished it with Gelish Top It Off.  It's still not quite as smooth as I'd like so I may go back and lightly file down the bumps and add another coat of Top It Off.  You can't do that with regular polish!  Another reason to love this shit!

And then for no other reason than wanting to use different glitters, I did the same on my right hand in purple...

I like the purple one better except for the fact that I spilled the glitter a little too far down the nail on this hand.

So the trend-hater is starting a new trend lol...

I thought I would hate this and be afraid to go out in public but actually, I kinda like it.  Now let's see if anyone comments on my two different hands while out in public :)

Later
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Another packed post

So I'll start this one off with another regular nail polish.

This is 2 coats of OPI A-Taupe The Space Needle.  I added OPI DS Desire accents.  It's funny after wearing soak offs for so long I forgot how quickly nail polish chips.

I got some more pearl powder samples from my boyfriend's dad's autobody shop.  I just scrubbed them over black polish. From L-R is Fine Blue, Violet, Red, Sunset Red, Copper, Green and Green-blue.  With all the buzz over the Shellac Additives lately, I knew I had to try these out...

This is 2 coats of Shellac Silver Chrome with Copper pearl powder scrubbed in.  I had a small haul of nail supplies from China and decided to try out a fimo slice.  I cut it as thin as I possibly could, but the raised edge is really friggen annoying.  I bought them to use on other people anyways, so no big deal.

Totally off topic but we went to FanExpo in Toronto last week.  I was really excited to see one of my favorite actors there:

It's Norman Reedus who most people will recognize as Darrell from The Walking Dead.  But to me he's one half of the Murphy brothers from The Boondock Saints :D.

And finally, my nail-biting mother ripped all her acrylic nails off and this time she wanted them shorter, more rounded and more natural looking.

I managed to correct a few things this time around so they came out thinner than last time but I need some work on my shaping skills.  It will be interesting to see what other tips and tricks I can get from the course next month.  I think once I'm certified that I will start out offering Shellac only at first since I'm already a pro at that.  Nail extensions are pretty damn hard, it's definitely an art form.

Later
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Shifting Gears

I've got a regular nail polish for you today.  I really haven't had much time to do another soak off manicure.

This is 2 coats of LeChat Dare to Wear Hologram Diamond.  I actually bought this colour in soak off gel but it came with a free regular polish.  It's just a medium sized holo glitter but I like it.  This will look great over my soak off gels.

A couple of weeks ago I was bored and swatched my soak off collection...

I have 59 in total!  Can you believe I own that many pinks?  Actually the pinks all came with sets I bought and they are great for my sister and also for everyone else I will soon start polishing because...

I am officially taking a Nail Tech course in September!  I've been doing soak off manicures on the cheap for friends and family only for a little while but I've recently been interested in nail enhancements too and after trying an acrylic set on my Mom I figured that I really should learn proper technique and sanitation so that I don't harm anyone.  The plan is after I'm done the course to start up a little side business as a mobile tech during evenings and weekends.  Maybe I can actually make enough money to pay for my nail habit!  Although I'm a pretty avid bargain hunter, I can safely say that I've easily invested thousands into my nail habit...ugh.  At 59 soak offs that probably average $12 each and over 700 regular polishes that probably average $3 each...yeah do the math.  Not to mention all the accessories - stamping plates, swatch wheels, crystals, stickers etc.  Holy shit am I insane?

So I forgot to post last time that not only did I buy an acrylic starter kit but I also scored some specialty glitter and holographic acrylic powders on Kijiji.

This is both the acrylic kit and Kijiji haul together and I paid $70 for all of it!  I've been a crazy woman on youtube and all over the internet reading up on techniques and creative acrylic uses and can't wait to see what's in store for me at the Nail course!  I'm hoping once I start getting clients and doing nails a lot more I'll be able to post a variety of manicure designs and get back to also posting a lot more often.

Later
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I'm still here

I was on holidays last week, my sister was here for a visit and I had a really bad nail break - that's my excuse, sorry.

Seriously, check out the shorties...

This was after about a week of healing.  My ring finger nail broke so badly it drew blood.  So I haven't painted my nails much the last couple of weeks since I don't want to get any acetone near them.  Anyways, this is 1 coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Jade Jump with an accent nail of the silver polish from the Borghese set I picked up at Winners...

I picked this up in the clearance section for $10.  Winners has their final clearance on right now.

I also picked up this Nailtini 4-pack for $5 and the Jessica Smoky Feather for $2.

Then I had a little US haul...

Orly Buried Alive for $2.69 at Sallys, Layla Ocean Rush at Ulta and I couldn't resist the price on that Kardashian set at Ulta for $2.49 plus an extra 20% off.

Meijers was clearing out their CND polishes for half price so I grabbed Amethyst Sparkle and Raspberry Sparkle for $5.50 each.  Walgreens had the Sally Hansen Salon in Loves Me Not in the clearance bin for $3 and the Insta-Dri's were BOGO 1/2 so I got In A Flurry and Freeze for $5.50 because I used a couple of coupons on top of that.  This was probably my smallest US haul in 2 years lol.

My sister also brought me some things I ordered online awhile ago which included a pro kit for acrylic nails since I'm the queen of DIY.  I attempted my first set on my mother who is a chronic nail biter:

I still need plenty of practice and I need to go back and fix a few things, but I think I did ok for my first attempt.  I used the reverse method here but I probably won't do that again since it shadowed pretty badly.

And finally, I let my sister paint my gel nails last week and this is about 5 days in.  She did ok but didn't cap my edges very well.  It's 2 coats of OPI Bogota Blackberry with 1 coat of Gelish Good Gossip and then I painted a coat of Layla Ocean Rush on my ring finger.

Phew, I hope this post made up for my absence :)  Hopefully I will be able to find time to polish more often again.

Later
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