Beauty Blog » Nail Care

If you follow celebrity fashion or keep in touch with the latest music videos, you might be wondering why the nails that the ladies are sporting look extra spunky these days.  It is thanks to a revolutionary new nail treatment called Minx made from flexible film strips applied to the nails using a heat lamp.  The high gloss, long wearing coating takes about 15-20 minutes for application and needs absolutely no drying time, therefore avoiding accidental smudging or denting.  They are supposed to last for 1-2 weeks without chipping.  To remove them at home you just warm up the film with a hair dryer and peel it off.

So, if you are tired of your run of the mill, timid polishes and can’t stand fake nails either, check out Minx’s stunning array of selection.  The solids are anything but boring (think gold metallic like Beyonce in “Single Ladies” or chrome silver) .

The patterns range from intricate, delicate bridal laces to bold and brash animal prints.  You could even custom design a favorite photo into a nail coating.  How is that for a choice?  If you are worried about any harsh chemicals in the formula, you can relax.  Since it requires only heat for application and removal, it contains no harmful substances and is totally eco-friendly.

This hot new trend sported by the likes of Beyonce, Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Pink, Fergie, Christina Aguilera, Victoria Bekham among others, can now be found at Spa Nordstorm Escape. Or, to find a Minx nail salon in your part of the country, try the spa finder at Minxnails.com.  At Nordstorm , getting a minx treatment would cost you $50 including manicure and just $30 without manicure.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more manicure supplies.

Yesterday at work, a woman came into my shop and asked if we carried “all natural mascara“.  I declined unfortunately because not only does the store carry hardly any eco-conscious cosmetics (it has mostly cool art and eco-friendly home stuff), but I have yet to see a mascara that would fall into this category.  What it did bring my attention to though were the eco-friendly, chemical free nail polishes and nail polish removers that we sell.  I never paid much attention to this line of products while working.  I guess because I am not completely convinced that chemical free nail polish removers work really.  Either way, it sparked an interest in the company that makes them and I started to do some research.  Priti is a New York based company that creates organic, chemical free skin and nail care.  Kim D’Amato, the founder of Priti has a 100% eco-friendly, sustainable, non-toxic, organic spa in New York’s Lower East Side.

The spa offers manicures, pedicures, facials, massages and waxings using only organic products and non-toxic polishes.  In 2005, D’Amato launched Priti Polish, a line of nail polishes that are formulated without DBP and formaldehyde.  The polishes are $12.50 and come in fun colors like Magic Man Iris, White Ballet Dahlia, plus the bottle is completely recyclable.

Along with the polishes, Priti makes a soy-based nail polish remover that is 100% biodegradable, derived from farm crops and does not contain any petroleum ingredients.

4 oz. Soy Polish Remover: $11.25

All products available at PritiNYC.3DCartStores.com

Maintaining your nails can be a chore in itself.   Makeover your nails in minutes with Talika Instant Manicure.  This unique powder gives you fresh, white nails in just minutes.  No long drawn out steps here!  Simply add the powder to warm water, soak hands for 3 minutes and dry.  Your new nails are revealed!  Plant botanicals help improve circulation, remove stains and soften cuticles. Talika Instant Manicure promises to leave a nice, light scent on your newly-refined nails.  At $33 for 8 packets I am dying to try this product.  My current budget doesn’t include a trip to the manicurist, so at $4/packet, this product is already a winner for me!   How about you?  Have you tried this product before?  What’s your routine for keeping your nails beautified?

Shop Smarter.com for more manicure supplies.

Neon bright colors continue to be a recurring theme not only in clothing this season, but beauty trends as well. Last week we explored electric blue eye shadow with nude lips, a great combo. This week, bring the color to your fingers and toes with a shocking burst of neon pink, purple or lime. Essie has issued a ‘Neon’ Mini Nail Polish 4-pack for a decent price. Essie nail polishes normally retail for about $8 per bottle, so taking advantage of this mini bargain isn’t a bad idea. The colors were created out of inspiration from fashion and art–bold, bright colors like these were seen on the red carpet recently. Check out Michelle Monaghan’s hot pink Versace dress at the Star Trek premiere on May 1st.

Then there is also the technicolor graffitti craze that has been influencing fashion for quite some time now. A great street style that reflects back onto fashion, clothes, style and beauty. Last spring, neon yellow and lime nails were popular. An interesting look to pull off, being both bold and daring. This summer, definitely expect to see bright nails and toes again, but I feel like neon pink is going to be the more popular choice over the others…or perhaps I am just being partial since that is the color I would choose. Nail polishes don’t really come cheap anymore, when they do you can usually expect chipping of sorts. This is a great deal for four colors–Funky Limelight, Flirty Fuchsia, Perky Purple, and Punchy Pink– that will be big all season long.

Essie ‘Neons’ Mini Nail Polish 4-pack: $9.49

Find at Smarter.com: Shop for more neon nail polish.

We are officially one month away from summer, which means it will soon be time to reveal those pretty little feet of yours in some great sandals. If you’re feet aren’t looking too pretty, don’t fret. And try not to go out and spend 25 dollars on a pedicure that may not be all that sanitary. Not to gross you out, but it’s better to be safe than sorry! Doing your own home pedicure is easy, fast, and simple. It will save you money in the long run, and its convenient. I know, I know, going out and getting your toes did is like a little luxury, a treat for yourself right? I agree, but doing the pedicure yourself is fun!

Besides, the more you do it, the better you become.

1. First start with the soaking. Foot spas are great for cracked heels, the water stays warm, there’s little bubbles and jets to turn on sometimes, and there are usually textured surfaces on the bottom to massage the heels of your feet. Foot baths like the HoMedics Pedicure Spa Salon Foot Bath with Heat are actually pretty luxurious, and one soak in this thing and your feet will be soft and relaxed.

HoMedis Pedicure Spa Salon Foot Bath with Heat: $59.99

Foot baths and foot spas are perfect for DIY pedicures, but they aren’t mandatory. You can easily create a little foot bath in your own tub at home, or in a big bowl of warm water. I always like adding epsom salts, or lavender oils to the water also. Soak feet for about 5-10 minutes, then begin to either scrub or pumice. I prefer the pumice stone especially natural ones like this Earth Stone Lava Pumice by Cuccio $5.95 from BannerTherapy.com.

This will definitely make your feet ultra smooth by gently buffing away dead skin.  If you want to do both, which I often like to do for that little extra something, pumice first, then use a foot scrub.  I’m curious to see how this Sephora Brand Super Foot Scrub works, it’s $22 and has a built in massage head applicator for extra exfoliation.

This would probably be a good purchase since you could use it quickly in the shower or take it while you travel if you didn’t have time to pamper your feet beforehand.  So you’ve soaked, scrubbed, and now its time to moisturize and polish.  Finding a good foot creme isn’t hard, but it’s always good to go with something that has nourishing ingredients like shea butter, or almond oil.  Bliss makes fabulous bath & body products that always smell good like the Aloe Leaf and Peppermint Foot Patrol Creme $26.

I also love the L’Occitane Relaxing Foot Cream in Lavender ($20.50).  I have had fantastic results with this stuff.

Now, time to polish.  Try a bright shade from OPI’s Spring/Summer 2009 South Beach Collection.  My two top shade choices are Feelin’ Hot Hot Hot! ($1.75)–a bright Flamingo Pink and OPI on Collins Ave ($1.75)–a bright red-orange color.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more foot spas, foot creme and foot scrubs.
Discounts on nail polish.

Summer is coming, so you want to make sure those toes are in tip-top shape so you can proudly sport your favorite sandals and flip flops.  For a typical pedicure or manicure it can cost between $15-$30 just depending on the service you get, plus all the products and decals they try to up sell you.  Imagine you spent $40 on a mani/pedi every two weeks (as some do).  That adds up to $960 per year!  Crazy, huh?  Imagine what you could do with all that dough?  Imagine all the staple pieces of  clothing you could have purchased that you could use for a while?  Imagine how many drinks you could have bought yourself vs. letting some guy buy you a drink and feeling obligated to talk to him. Lol!

Here are some great mani/pedi sets that will help you do your nails yourself and put the saved money away for other resources:

Royce Leather Framed Manicure Set: $32

Tweezerman Manicure Solutions Kit: $51

Baekgaard Manicure Set: $18.99

FootSmart Pedicure Set: $7.99

Ms. Pedicure 101, 9 Piece Set: $4.60

Come on…don’t be lazy!  Grab your favorite nail polish and get to painting!

Find at Smarter.com:   Shop for more manicure sets and pedicure sets.
Discounts on nail polish and nail polish remover.

I recently went on an all-girls road trip to San Francisco, CA and had a hard time deciding what to wear. This may be fashion season in all other areas of the world, but to S.F., this is foggy season (as it is cold 8 months out of the year there). Thus, girls have to have several different types of outfits on hand: scarves, gloves, and long jackets for daytime wear, sweaters and jeans for after work, and cocktail dresses with a dressy sweater or short jacket for the evening. Although packing my outfit was not my biggest issue; I also had to decide on one polish that could rock EVERY outfit, especially with many different types of accessories & shoes. So what’s a girl to do? Do you take your sultry red polish, sleek black cherry, or a fun pink?

Well all my prayers are answered with FINGR’S nail stickers. Now I’m not talking Lisa Frank looking stickers, with ponies and tons of color, think more along the lines of tattoo’s or decal art for your nails. Yup, Fingr’s has a line called “Edge” for the hardcore nail fanatic. The designs are fabulous and upbeat and they were reasonably priced too! I couldn’t be happier in such a time crunch, since the application process takes only minutes.

I had wished I would’ve known about these little babies for our first night in the city by the bay. We went to Ruby Skye, a chic/hip night club which has a dress-to-impress atmosphere and is located right downtown. I had sported a short black dress with long boots and smoky eyeshadow. Since too many accessories would have been overkill, I could have quickly stuck on some heart shaped press on’s with skull designs or styled some bleeding hearts with wings. And for the super shy in the city, these would definitely have been some conversation starters! Let’s be honest here, ladies, we all know a drink in the hand calls attention to your nails. These would work especially well in a situation where you just got off work, friends want to meet up for happy hour, yet you have no time to make your hands look pretty. Wah-lah, nail beauty with a hip twist!

This new find is not only for the ladies though. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they have a line for little girls, called Little Fingr’s “Girlie Nails”. My daughter will be so excited! She absolutely loves coming along for a mani/pedi anytime I hit the nail salon. Since she is only 4 years old, this is way more appropriate (and not to mention cost effective). They come in petite sizes for the little ones and also have age-appropriate stickers, with french-style manicures that have just the right amount of glitter or flowers, so your child’s hand looks classy and not trashy. I am a new big fan of the “California Girl” style also, which come in short lengths for those that are active but conscious of their manicure. Their website shows different fashions for different season’s as well, so check it out and have some fun.

Well I have been coveting Rihana’s colorful nails for quite some time now but I wasn’t sure if I could pull off the look. The way I see it “life is short” why waste time wondering, I decided to give it a shot!

The color that caught my eye was orange, purple and maybe blue. Those were the colors I was willing to experiment with initially. Well due in large part to the marketing genius who created the following tag line: states that it looks lovely on “dark or olive skin”. Well I fall into the latter category.

So I did some snooping and came across this great deal from Nubar Nail Polish…

“The Get Hot Tech Kit”

The kit contains all the colors I was willing to try plus 4 more I can play with. The colors included are:

• orange
• fusia (pink)
• yellow
• lime green
• blue
• purple
• and a shade that reminds me of grapefruit
• all the shades are very bright and summery, plus they do not contain any carcinogens or Formaldehyde (Hi, barf! I did not know that some nail polishes even used this stuff. Isn’t that the chemical they pump into corpses to preserve them…Good grief!)

Here comes the great news!

Was $48.95 On Sale $39.95

To shop or browse the Nubar Nail Polish Selection, click here.  

So here I go, my favorite posts are those inspired by real life…

I was in the nail salon and the lady next to me was getting fake nails attached to her TOES! Dude! Call me sheltered but I was pretty much stunned. Not only was she getting fake nails attached to her feet but they were LONG to boot!

Now I consider myself fairly worldly and I understand that “beauty” is often defined by region, culture, ethnicity, social economic status and so forth, however from a purely practical perspective long toe nails is simply poor form. How can you wear supportive or functional shoes? Apparently this lady works in flip flops all day, every day!

That said, I will admit that the fake long toe nail trend is a rarity. (Thank Goodness!)

But a more common occurrence, is the super LONG fake nails on hands! I have seen variations of these bad boys since I was little and they don’t seem to be going away. Am I alone in the notion that this looks simply repugnant! The word Witch and Medusa come to mind. And again from a purely functional perspective how does one type with such monstrosities attached to your fingertips. How do you zip up your jeans, button your blouse, fix lunch?

This featured set isn’t as bad as what I saw at the nail salon, but it is an example of my second point.

When does originality and artistry stop and creepy begins?

Answer: When it looks like you can slice someone with your jagger like claws! Ha!

On the bright side at least her toe nails are real. What do you guys think? Am I being too harsh? Are super long nails and fake toes, pretty?

YouTube - Watch 

Check out this video of the comedian Anjelah Johnson who re-hashes the common experience to your local “Happy Nail Salon”!