Beauty

[WhateverLolaWants]

Hello Lovelies, and Happy Saturday!

I'm not even going to mention the weather, since I see on the news it's a sore subject for many. I just hope it improves shortly! I guess Valentine's Day is another touchy subject, depending on just how thoughtful one's significant other has been, although I must say, mine's just about perfect.

This week's mani was a total surprise to me -- I never expected to try a sand textured polish, but loved the look of this mani, so I bought OPI Bond Girls Collection "Solitaire". I had assumed it would be difficult to remove, a la glitter polish, but it was not. One thing, instructions say not to use top coat, so I couldn't apply my daily coat of Nailtiques Formula 2, but it wore quite well for five days when there were some corner chips and I removed it.

I began with Nailtiques Formula 2 as a base coat,

Two coats of OPI "Solitaire"

Accent Nail: OPI "Aspen Snow" stamped with Color Club "Pretty in Platinum", MoYou London Traveler Collection 07

It's very subtle and you have to look closely to see the fleur de lis stamping. I tried the stamp in several colors of silver, one lighter and one darker, but settled on this middle-ground shade.

For my tip this week, I'll show you the glass files I've been using for about a year. There are many brands on the market and these are from a Czech manufacturer, Mont Bleu, who decorate them in many styles and colors of Swarovsky crystals. Just one of life's little pleasures, lovely to look at and use. These are €10 (about $20) for the 5" size.

[RunnerMom]

WoW! Your nails look like sparkling crystals. Very pretty.

[mzlg]

Hi WhatEverLolaWants, I'm happy to hear that you had a great day with your 'just about perfect' partner and that the weather has been good to you, as well. I spent the day with my grand-children - movies, eating, talking and playing with their puppies and cats, a great day. The weather, here in So. Calif. which I wish I could package up and send to others, was great too. I still "lurk" .... reading what others post and what others comment. There are so many times that I want to make a remark (especially to the negative ones) but I don't because it wouldn't change a thing. I always check out your post and photos, even though I don't comment .... and as always I like your artistry, your explainations and your helpful hints - terrific looking glass files, I'd have those out on display on the vanity in a vase. This fleur de lis design is just what a Judith Ripkanista could/would/should wear. Have a terrific weekend.

[willdob3]

Lola, this is a nice look. You amaze me at all the different styles you come up with!

The single stamped nail really is a good accent. This makes me think of sitting in front of a fireplace at a ski lodge after an afternoon of skiing... lol...

I use a crystal file, too. once tried, you just don't go back to other files.

[WhateverLolaWants]

Hi and welcome, RunnerMom! There was a nice, low-key sparkle from the "Solitaire" polish. I recommend it. Not too rough-textured either, as I imagined it might be.

What a pleasant day you had yesterday, mzig! We're [mostly] lucky with our weather, aren't we? I do keep my files in a crystal old fashioned glass I use for my makeup brushes, how did you know? LOL. So you caught the nod to JR? I hesitate to say, I consider myself fortunate to have had positive comments on NOTW, so we try to keep it sweet here. I appreciate your stopping by and leaving a comment. Enjoy your weekend too!

Hi wildob3, thank you, but I can't take creative credit because most of my nail art comes from ideas I find surfing the web. Maybe one in ten are from my imagination. I find I'm much happier with the result when I duplicate a design I already know I'll like. The glass files are so gentle and kind to the nails and I like that they're washable. You just have to be careful not to drop or sit on them! Knock wood, I haven't broken one yet.

[Tigriss]

I picked up the Ruby Stone you spoke of. It is super fine and works to change the edges of my nails. They are super smooth now and feel different somehow. I'm hoping that I will be able to keep a manicure longer than I have. I wrapped the tips and kept it for two days with all my typing and use of my hands at work. If that doesn't hold, I bought a gel kit, Sensationail, at WM to use over my nail polish after it has cured 24 hours. I prefer to use my current polishes instead of the expensive gel ones, but those are dropping in prices as well. I did pick up a bottle of LED cured Fuse gel polish at WM when I got the kit. I didn't get the gel cleaner because that is just isopropyl alcohol, so I'll use that to clean the stickiness. It is what my salon uses instead of the branded stuff. I did pick up some FingerPaints nail polishes that I hope to do your glitter fading from the base techniques. Didn't you use a small makeup sponge to drag the polish from the base where you dotted it?

[maestra]

Another winner, Lola! I love the subtlety of the sand polish and the decorated ring nail.

[Tigriss]

I just got done using the Sensationals Gel Nail Kit (light $24.95, primer/base/top coat $9.98) and used a color I picked up in the same section that is LED light set as well by FUSE, ($7.98 a pale pink with a bit of sparkle). It was easy but took time since the light is really only big enough to cure your thumb, then your other fingers. This actually works best since when you put your hand in it, you thumb is more sideways than face up. The kit recommends doing your thumbs together, which I did holding the light in my hands so my thumbs could be flat. Then I did the others one hand at a time. The color is somewhat transparent, so after two coats, I think when I use it again, I'll do three, though I hope three isn't too much for the nail. I also picked up some pretty pale pink shades in FingerPaints regular nail polish I will try when this comes off. I'm not going into the office until Tuesday, but will have a humdinger of a week of work since many changes will be going on, so my gel nails will get quite the workout. I'll see what they look like by Wednesday night. Hopefully they will last the week, if not two. I'll report back how using regular polish works with it when I do one in a few weeks time.

[Angel1948]

Hi Lola, this weeks mani is very pretty, I didn't know if I would like the sand texture polish but since you said it really wasn't very rough , I might try it someday. Love the accent nail ! I forgot to mention the glass files, they are very pretty, aren't they?

[WhateverLolaWants]

tigriss, you sound like a Crusader in search of a lasting manicure! I hope you find a combination that works for you. Yes, the gel polishes are usually longer lasting, but I've found the removal does lasting damage to my nails. I hope you have better luck.

I'm glad you like the Ruby Stone file. It does do a great job, and gently. Do take care not to drop it, because it will break. Did you know, you can hold it from the narrow end and it will shape more quickly, then hold it by the handle to finish the edge.

For the glitter gradient mani, there are three methods, maybe more:

You can use the brush in the glitter polish bottle to drag the drying polish toward the tip of the nail. I find this difficult because too much glitter seems to be deposited.

You can use the corner of a wedge makeup sponge to drag the glitter.

Or, the method which works best for me is a sponge eye shadow applicator. You can pat on more glitter where you need it as well as dragging the glitter up the nail.

Let me know how yours turns out.

Hi maestra, thank you, you're very kind, and I'm so glad you like this one.

Hello there, Angel, yes, the sand polish was a surprise to me -- I thought it would be matte finish, but this one at least had enough sparkle to give it "life" and interest. Let me know how you like it if you get it.