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Welcome! So glad you stopped by my little bit of blogdom. Here I share my hobbies of nail polish, nail art and glue-on nails.


Monday, July 11, 2011

Mani/Pedi Tips

mani/pedi tips

I got this link in an email. It's an interesting picture presentation.  Here are a few I picked out for discussion...

I'm not sure I totally agree with this statement:

"Avoid quick-drying top-coat formulas; they can seal the outermost layer before the other coats have had enough time to dry, causing polish to chip sooner. Instead, use a regular top coat and let your nails dry thoroughly -- about 20 minutes."

I remember, back in my caveman days, when we didn't have quick drying top coats. And it took FOREVER for some nail polishes to dry. I do agree that one should wait a few minutes to apply the fast drying top coat, but I don't think they should be avoided.

What do you think about quick drying top coats? Do you use them?

Dip to Dry

"Ice water helps set polish more quickly. Fill a bowl of water with ice and let it chill (do this at the beginning of the manicure so it's ready by the time your nails are painted). After applying a top coat, immediately dip fingers in the water for about 10 seconds."

I've never tried this. Have you?

How to Fix Chipped Polish
"1. Dip the pad of your fingertip (not the one with the chip) in an acetone-based nail polish remover, and dab it over the chip to dissolve the polish in that spot only, smoothing the edges of the chipped area. Let dry a few seconds.
2. Fill in the bare patch with matching polish, then apply a fresh coat of color over the entire nail. Finish with a top coat to protect the polish, and let dry for 10 minutes or until the enamel sets thoroughly."

Read more at Marthastewartweddings.com: How to Fix Chipped Polish

Again, I've never tried this. What about you?

Smart Storage

"The trick to preventing nail polishes from thickening and becoming lumpy is to keep the solvents in them from evaporating.

After each application, clean the neck of the bottle with nail polish remover, and twist the top tightly to ensure a good seal. Store polishes in the refrigerator; bring to room temperature before using."

I don't keep my polish in the fridge. Do you?

I'd love to know what you think of these tips. Do you use any of them? What tips of your own do you have?

Thanks for stopping by. Hope your Monday is going good!

6 comments:

Olivia C. said...

I don't think I have the patience to let a manicure dry for 20 minutes... and I don't think it's ever taken that long unless it was an older polish? And the ice water! I've heard that a few times, but I've also heard that it doesn't work. I need to test that. And LOL to storing polishes in the fridge! I'd need a few refrigerators for that haha. But I have heard of that, so maybe it works! This was really interesting! Especially the nail chips part. Thanks for sharing! :)

Kay said...

When I was a kid, it took 20 minutes or more for a polish to dry. And either there was no top coats or I didn't know about them. So the reds, if I accidentally rubbed them against my notebook paper, would leave marks. LOL Now I don't have patience for drying time foolishness.

If you test the ice water, let me know how that goes. There's no way I'm giving up food to put the polishes in the fridge. Ha-ha!

Thanks for stopping by Olivia!

Natalie said...

I remember when quick-dry top coats didn't exist either. I use drying drops,which to me,work better than top coat,also they moisturize the cuticles and nail.

I have tried the dip in ice water thing...it didn't work. I had dented nail polish on every nail.

As for storing nail polish in the fridge, I've heard that it is a no-no,and then some people swear by it,so who knows.I haven't done it!

Kay said...

I'm going to look for those drying drops. I never heard of them before I started blogging. Good to know they work. Ice water and refrigerated polish just seems way out there.

Thanks for commenting! :D

Natalie said...

There are lots of different brands. I use Nicole by OPI drying drops. OPI has them too. I believe Orly and so does China Glaze. I only picked up the OPI one a couple months ago,because it was part of a buy 2 Nicole polishes get 1 free at Ulta. The drying drops were my freebie!

Kay said...

Thanks for the tips Thalie! I'll definitely be on the look out for drying drops.

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