Save Your Lifting Or Outgrown Manicure

Happy Wednesday, y'all!!

I hope this hump day is going more than well for you! If not, the week is halfway over (silver lining??) 

If you are anything like me (half frugal, half smart shopper?), you know the guilt I feel paying for these gel manicures - like yo! How are they getting more and more expensive year?! - and then the anger and frustration when they start to either grow out or lift in the following 1 - 2 weeks after the manicure.

If I am paying $30 - $50 for my manicure, it better be on my nails looking fresh for a while!!

It is a blessing and a curse that my nails grow quick. Anyone else?!

So instead of shelling out $30 - $50 every two weeks for touch ups or redos, I follow these hacks to keep my manicure going strong for long! 

OUTGROWN MANICURE:
Like anyone else, my nails start out all fresh and banging once I leave the nail salon, but then that freshness will only last for so long. 

Two weeks later, nails are still intact but the nails are growing and the gap between the cuticle and the polish grows wider and wider. The rest of the polish is still fly though. I can't just get it redone two weeks later. Or filled! A fill is still money!

After staring at the annoying gap, I realized and learned that I can just fill it in with regular nail polish at home. 

See the picture below:

TA-DA!!!

I love it!!! What do you think?

This look is actually a style in the manicure world. It is called reverse French manicure. As you know, the typical French manicure has a tip at the end of the nail that is a different color than the remainder of the nail. The reverse French manicure has a the "tip" at the top of the nail by the cuticle. 

It's actually a thing! "Reverse" French because the small tip of color is reversed in position. Get it, get it? :D

LIFTING MANICURE:

I have hit the two week point of my [first time with] dip powder manicure (I LOOOVE IT). For the most part, it is still going strong. However, it is starting to lift by the cuticle and y'all know what that is like - hair getting stuck in our nails in the shower or just hair getting caught in them out of the shower. WHAT A PAIN.

So when my manicure below started to grow out and lift, my heart began to sank. I've been wanting to try this look for a while and I was nowhere near ready to let it go.

Fresh coat

Yes, they are two different colors on each hand. I was undecided. LOL.

How did I fix the lift? I put a clear top coat on the edges of the manicure where it is lifting and filled the gap (basically a top coat reverse French manicure). The nail polish colors are nude so the gap isn't too noticeable or bothersome. 
As you can see, there is some top coat residue on my skin by the cuticles. To be honest, I rarely clean those mistakes. I like to naturally let them wash away. And they always do. 

And that's all folks!

So ladies and gents, SAVE YOUR MANICURE. 

You did not pay all that money to just get it done in two weeks. Oh no, honey! Not on my money-saving time! I got chuuuu.

<3<3<3

Yay or Nay: Colorful Striped Nails

I did this manicure a few months ago and never posted it. I was not sure how I felt about it. Just recently, I was  clearing out pictures from my phone and found these pictures. 

They were inspired by a picture I saw on Instagram. There was more to it, but I just couldn't get the final step so I left a what it shows above.

They remind of me a wallpaper. I do like how my thumbs came out. I'm torn. 

Let me know what you think.

Yay or nay?

Nails of the Week: Valentine's Day and Nail Salon TRAUMA

Aloha!

This is a late post, but not too late. I'm still figuring out my personal life stuff which has definitely slowed my idea train and writing.  Thankfully, this post is coming only a few days late. Forgive me? :)

These are my nails for the week of Valentine's Day. I call it the "You Make My Heart Race" nails because it resembles the hospital heart monitor.

The picture on the right is my muse. I saw that photo on Pinterest in 2013 and I just had to mimic it for Valentine's Day! The picture on the top left is my recreation in 2013 and the bottom is from this past Valentine's Day. 

It's definitely improved from last year if I don't say so myself?

OH! And please excuse this year's grown out nails. I got my nails done the last Monday of January. My FIRST time getting my nails professionally done. I know, I know, late bloomer, but I absolutely LOVE doing my own nails because it's therapeutic, fun and if I ever get bored of the color or design, I can change it!  

I decided to get gel. I must admit I do love the sturdiness of the gel nail and the nonstop shine it gives. The color I chose was a deep gray with purple flecks that you can't see in the picture. Although I loved the result of the gel, I did get bored of it! The picture above is my third week of having gel nails.

OH OH! My first experience of getting my nails done? TRAUMATIZED! The woman cut my finger right above my cuticle on my left middle finger. I was so scurrrrred. I feared infection. I've heard stories!! Evermore reason for me to never get my nails done...but you know what? I am going to give the nail salons the benefit of the doubt. This definitely won't be a regular thing at all.  The next occasion for me to get my nails done is in April when I go to the Philippines. It gets SO hot that nail polish tends to melt. Hopefully the gel will be able to withstand the heat.

Alright, enough of the babbling.

I hope your Valentine's Day was special with or without a significant other

<3 <3 <3