Hi my Lovelies!
Well this week has turned cold & blustery and has really made it feel on the Winter side of Autumn!
As I was giving myself a little manicure I realised it was time to pop my pastels and brights to the back and bring out the dark nails! So aswell as posting some pics I thought it would be a good idea to give some tips on how to make your winter polish stay put for as long as possible - the dark rich hues are bang on trend for this A/W and we all know how unforgiving dark nails can be for even minor chipping and wearing away at the nail end. My manicures tend to stay put for at least 5 days minimum with the steps I take.
Keep on reading to see what you can do to keep your polish in tip top condition! Here's a little pic of my finished mani and the products I used...
Well this week has turned cold & blustery and has really made it feel on the Winter side of Autumn!
As I was giving myself a little manicure I realised it was time to pop my pastels and brights to the back and bring out the dark nails! So aswell as posting some pics I thought it would be a good idea to give some tips on how to make your winter polish stay put for as long as possible - the dark rich hues are bang on trend for this A/W and we all know how unforgiving dark nails can be for even minor chipping and wearing away at the nail end. My manicures tend to stay put for at least 5 days minimum with the steps I take.
Keep on reading to see what you can do to keep your polish in tip top condition! Here's a little pic of my finished mani and the products I used...
1. Firstly, do any tidying up needed, cuticle removing, filing into shape etc. The last thing you need to do before you start is to use some acetone on a lint free pad and wipe across each nail - this makes sure any grease or oils from your fingers are completely removed, which helps all the products adhere to the nail.
2. I like to go for a "gel look" finish, so I add a coat of Bourjois So Perfect correcting Base Coat. This helps level out any ridges to give a smooth surface. Base coats dry slightly tacky in order for the nail polish to adhere to it, and of course it protects your nails from staining, which is especially important when using dark colours.
3. Next I applied Essies Smokin Hot nail polish, which in some lights looks a browny black but has a gorgeous aubergine undertone which my pictures show. I love polishes that look like two different colours in different lights! I did one thin coat, allowed that to dry and then added a second, thicker coat.
4. I allowed my nails to dry for a good ten minutes - there is nothing worse than smudged nails! Then I applied a generous coat of Rimmel 3D Topcoat Clear. I use this top coat first because it really gives a smooth gel like finish with high gloss. I always recommend two layers of top coat to give a high gloss finish & to protect the mani.
5. I then applied a second coat of top coat, but I used a different one! I use Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat which is literally the holy grail of top coats! It has something in it which encapsulates all layers of base coat, polish and any other top coat, nail art etc., and it dries it through to the base. Your nails will be totally touch dry with no tackiness within 2 or 3 minutes BUT as you've used so many layers underneath, if you try to use your nails for anything, or catch them, they can still smudge for a little while, so if I have the time, I make sure my nails just sit for about 15 minutes before I try and do anything. If you should happen to make a mark, because the top is totally dry you can just try to press down gently and re flatten the polish, it WILL work! While I'm sitting there I always add a drop of oil to the cuticles.
6. The last step in keeping your mani chip free is to add another top coat the following day. Another thick layer of the Seche Vite, and this time it really does dry within minutes as the layers beneath are completely solid and dry.
The bottom picture in the image above is a recommendation for Autumn/Winter nails. Its so easy to liven up a dark nail by adding dots of gold or silver, or add a glitter accent nail, so this kit has all the gorgeous winter dark shades, aswell as metallic shades for a bit of nail art, and some gorgeous glittery top coats too. The best thing is that this Nyx Nail Polish Set in Decadent Delight is available HERE at Next for the bargain price of £20, and as you know, they offer next day delivery slots and if you order on time you can even order same day delivery, which is amazing! They also stock a really impressive range of beauty products and make up now and the prices are some of the lowest prices for some of the items I've seen for sale. Got to love Next! 😍
So enjoy your winter manicures, let me know if you've noticed a longer life on your mani using the steps above, or if you've found any ways yourselves of prolonging the life of your polish!
Take care my Lovelies!
Loz 😘 X x X
2. I like to go for a "gel look" finish, so I add a coat of Bourjois So Perfect correcting Base Coat. This helps level out any ridges to give a smooth surface. Base coats dry slightly tacky in order for the nail polish to adhere to it, and of course it protects your nails from staining, which is especially important when using dark colours.
3. Next I applied Essies Smokin Hot nail polish, which in some lights looks a browny black but has a gorgeous aubergine undertone which my pictures show. I love polishes that look like two different colours in different lights! I did one thin coat, allowed that to dry and then added a second, thicker coat.
4. I allowed my nails to dry for a good ten minutes - there is nothing worse than smudged nails! Then I applied a generous coat of Rimmel 3D Topcoat Clear. I use this top coat first because it really gives a smooth gel like finish with high gloss. I always recommend two layers of top coat to give a high gloss finish & to protect the mani.
5. I then applied a second coat of top coat, but I used a different one! I use Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat which is literally the holy grail of top coats! It has something in it which encapsulates all layers of base coat, polish and any other top coat, nail art etc., and it dries it through to the base. Your nails will be totally touch dry with no tackiness within 2 or 3 minutes BUT as you've used so many layers underneath, if you try to use your nails for anything, or catch them, they can still smudge for a little while, so if I have the time, I make sure my nails just sit for about 15 minutes before I try and do anything. If you should happen to make a mark, because the top is totally dry you can just try to press down gently and re flatten the polish, it WILL work! While I'm sitting there I always add a drop of oil to the cuticles.
6. The last step in keeping your mani chip free is to add another top coat the following day. Another thick layer of the Seche Vite, and this time it really does dry within minutes as the layers beneath are completely solid and dry.
The bottom picture in the image above is a recommendation for Autumn/Winter nails. Its so easy to liven up a dark nail by adding dots of gold or silver, or add a glitter accent nail, so this kit has all the gorgeous winter dark shades, aswell as metallic shades for a bit of nail art, and some gorgeous glittery top coats too. The best thing is that this Nyx Nail Polish Set in Decadent Delight is available HERE at Next for the bargain price of £20, and as you know, they offer next day delivery slots and if you order on time you can even order same day delivery, which is amazing! They also stock a really impressive range of beauty products and make up now and the prices are some of the lowest prices for some of the items I've seen for sale. Got to love Next! 😍
So enjoy your winter manicures, let me know if you've noticed a longer life on your mani using the steps above, or if you've found any ways yourselves of prolonging the life of your polish!
Take care my Lovelies!
Loz 😘 X x X
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