Nail School Part 1

So I started nail school this past weekend.  Yes I actually learned a few things.  I learned about proper sanitation and how to perform a basic manicure.  I did 4 basic manicures yesterday to practice, including one on my devoted (clearly, ha) boyfriend:

Although I've mastered painting my own nails now, I clearly need some practice painting others'.  I painted two coats of OPI's Suzy Loves Cowboys here.  I've been using Soak off gels for so long now that I've become used to the fact that it doesn't dry and I can continue to play with it to perfect it.  But with regular polish it dries so much faster and I'm having a hard time with it.  So practice practice practice is what I need.

Speaking of soak offs, I'm so glad I decided not to re-shellac my nails this week.  I had a hunch we may be required to do our own nails during school and I was right.  So the day before I painted my nails in something light and easily removable:

2 coats of OPI DS Desire with no top coat.

We had to partner up at school and perform basic manicures on each other.  The girl who did mine didn't really do a good job at all so I didn't take a photo of it.  She did alright with the filing but she skipped steps and rushed through it, plus the polish was not great so it came right off as soon as I got home.

This is 2 coats of China Glaze Refresh Mint.

I added a coat of Nubar Black Polka Dot to it and I love it, it reminds me of mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Next week we learn nail extensions and I'm really not happy about having to put them on my own hands :(  It looks like I'm going to have to take a 5 week break from soak offs too...sigh.

Later
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Bad Girl

I know I've been terrible with posting lately but this time the break was unintentional.  I had some medical issues last week and was laid up for several days.  I think we're pretty much good to go now though.

This is 3 coats of OPI Gelcolor in My Private Jet.  It was very sheer and not really all that similar to the regular version of it.  So I decided to compare it:

I painted one coat of OPI's My Private Jet regular nail polish over my index finger.  I have the brownish non-holo current version.  You can tell that it's quite a bit more brown than the Gelcolor.  This mani only lasted a week for me before it chipped, but then it happened while I was scrubbing out the hot tub so I'll have to try another wear test on this sometime.

During the last couple of weeks I've done a bit of shopping:

I picked up a set of 6 acrylic molds from the website that shall no longer be named due to it's spamming of my blog when I mentioned it in the last post. (But I'll still continue to shop there because it's cheap lol)

Each mold is made of a soft rubber and is about an inch and a half long.  You just place a little bead of acrylic in the mold, work it in to get any bubbles out and then pop out your little decorations in a few minutes.

These would be fun with a little coloured acrylic in them.  I like the seashell ones a lot and they are probably the only ones I'd actually wear myself.  The others are just a little too girly for me but I'm hoping I'll get to use them on someone in the future.

In other news, my nail course starts this weekend and I'm pretty excited about that.  I've also been working on an in-home nail spa that's just about ready to go.  I'm curious to see how this all pans out.

Later
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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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