I nailed it

With my nail technician away for the summer, I have had to be more inventive with my nails for the past couple of months. I never thought I would say this, but I have really enjoyed painting my nails, trying new colours and styles. Nail art has really exploded again recently and it has been really enjoyable trying different techniques for myself. I now own a great deal more nail polish than ever before, as well as a vast array of nail oils, cuticle creams and scrubs! I will never be fully converted though, as I enjoy the luxury and ease of having a professional take care of my nails, however, its good to know I have back-ups!

One such nail experiment that I have been particularly pleased with is the application of nail foils on my toes. You may remember that I blogged about my minx toe nail foils here, back in June. I was so impressed with the look of these foils, and the way they stayed put for a good 5 to 6 weeks. I was therefore keen to try the at home version when my friend told me that she had bought some. They are available to buy in Boots and Superdrug, as well as Ebay which is where she purchased hers from. Just like with Minx, they come in many designs, and cost a very reasonable £9.50 for 5 designs.

Step 1 - Clean off any old polish and residues with nail polish remover.

Step 2 - Select the size of foil that fits best for your first toe and blast with a hair-dryer to soften for about 5 seconds. When soft and malleable, lay the foil down on the toe nail.

Step 3 - The foil will be much too long so use a pair of nail scissors to trim off the excess. When this is done, you can file the edge of the foil and nail to neaten and to seal the edge.

Step 4 - Use a cotton bud and roll over the nail to ensure good adhesion and smoothness.

Step 5 - Check the nail, and repeat the steps above until all toes are complete.

Ta-da! Your nails should look something like this when finished! These foils should last at least a month, however, if you wish to remove to change design, they are easily taken off by blasting a hair dryer on each one to soften. They will then simply peel off.

That's everything for today, hope you are all having a nice week : ) Until next time xoxo

Shellac is my new best friend

I have worn acrylic nail extensions for as long as I can remember (it must be a good 9 years now). I think nails are important and say a lot about a person. I certainly feel a lot more professional and groomed when my nails are perfect and sporting the latest colours. Recently however, I have had an about-turn in terms of the way I want my nails to look. I have started to prefer the shorter, squoval look - more natural and smarter looking too I think. I guess working in a secondary school, I have grown tired of the look of mega long talons with super sharp edges (the kids adore these!) and I guess also, as we get older our tastes change.

So, I took the brave step of having my fake nails removed. Deep breath, breaking out into a sweat, gulp! I then researched nail artists in my area and found a fabulous local lady who specialises in all kinds of new techniques over from the US, in particular Minx and Shellac. I have since had Minx on my toes and Shellac on my nails. And I am converted, one hundred and ten per cent! The Minx on the toes (a foil that comes in a gazillion designs, melted with heat and applied to the toes, lasts at least a month on feet) is so special looking and has earned me many admiring glances and comments. The design I chose literally looks like molten gold - so gorgeous on bronzed feet in the summer! The shellac on the fingernails applies like a polish but cures like a gel. It does not smudge or chip and lasts a full two weeks (when you need a replacement due to re-growth). This comes in many colours and of course the classic french mani. Today I had my colour changed over to a gorgeous warm red shade called 'Hollywood' (see photo).

If you haven't tried Minx or Shellac yet, give them a try - they may just change the way you do your nails forever!! xx