walkin'

walkin'

Monday, February 23

perfect 10



I love painting my nails. I wish I had more time to paint them more often but it's almost a no-go these days with two little monkeys running around! And going to the salon to have it done? Like a beautiful, rare, now extinct creature. Gone for good (or at least until they start school).
Before I broke up with full-time nail painting I perfected the art of the perfect brushstroke by carefully observing my beauty therapist's technique during manicures. I will share with you what I have gleaned.
Here's what you'll need:


I'm using Barry.M gelly nail paint in "Greenberry". I absolutely LOVE Barry.M nail polishes! Love!! They have the best variety of the coolest colours..and the all-in-one top/bascoat is the best I've ever used. I switched for a while, kind of before I realized how devoted I was. I ran out and decided to try another brand (a more expensive brand, might I add!). Fail! I bought another Barry.M clear coat without using the "other" clear coat ever again, and I haven't looked back.

So we have a base/topcoat, nail polish in a colour of your choosing, some trusty cuticle oil as well as polish remover and a q-tip.


First you gotta shake the sh*t outta your polishes. I like to do it with one in each hand to save time. Pow. You need clean, dry and UN-moisturized hands (obvs, but hey, gotta say it!). Painting on top of oil or cream will make the paint go all weird and wiggly and it won't stick to the nails. I am constantly using hand cream during winter so I had to consciously stop myself putting it on about for 30 minutes before this mani! Now a base coat. This helps the colour stick to the nail but also prevents staining.


I always paint right to left and leave my thumbs for last. In my mind it seems to make sense and I smudge less using this method.
 TIP: Don't start a nail job too close to bedtime. Your nails will be tacky for at least four hours (!) and will be all crisscrossed and smudged in the morning. Boo.

When the base coat is nice and dry, it's time for colour! Wipe the brush so you have a decent amount of paint on it, but it's not dripping down the brush. You only need 3 strokes to cover the whole nail. Do not be tempted to do more! This keeps the polish even and smooth and shiny! The only exception to this rule is possibly the thumbnail as it's a bigger nail. Start at the centre of the nail and push the brush flat before you stroke up and away along the nail. Make sure you don't go too close to the cuticle; you want to create a line of polish that follows the cuticle but doesn't touch it. This is what gives your mani a professional look.

Middle stroke first..
Now repeat this stroke on the left side of the nail by overlapping your first stroke. This will build coverage ready for the second coat.


Repeat again by overlapping on the right side of your nail, like so:


Push the brush down gently as you polish to get a thin even coat, and leave a space between the edge of your finger and your paint. This creates a nice clean line and minimizes the amount of polish around the edges of the nail. Wait 1-2 minutes before polishing your other hand. The first coat will look a little thin. Don't worry about any patchy bits; they'll get cleaned up in coat #2!

Here's what the first coat will look like.
Once you have finished the first coat on both hands and given a few minutes to dry, it's time for coat number 2! Repeat the method above, using three strokes to apply your second coat. You can use a bit more polish for this coat to smooth out anywhere that looks a little thin, but stick to the 3 strokes! That is the key here.


Uno
Dos
Tres

Once you have finished your second d coat, relax for a few minutes (good luck if you've got kids around!!) and don't touch anything! You don't want to ruin all your hard work so far. Next, top off your colour with a clear topcoat, being sure to paint up and over the tops of your nail to seal on the paint and prevent chips.


I managed to finish all my nails without smudging or bumping the skin around; this time! If you were not so lucky, this is where your cotton bud and polish remover come in. Use a tiny bit of remover on the q-tip; do not soak it! If it's too wet the liquid will drip into the nail bed and ruin your manicure! A tiny bit will work. Scrape off any booboos you made while polishing and just let the liquid dry on its own. Once your nails have completely dried you can wash off any residue and properly moisturize again.

Now finish off by brushing oil along your cuticles and let dry some more. Nail painting is a waiting game. If you are not patient it ain't gonna happen! For the perfect finish don't do ANYTHING for at least an hour! Have your phone/tablet next to you or the telly turned on BEFORE you start so you don't have to dig around in your bag or in the couch for the remote! The longer you leave 'em drying, the longer they'll last. If I do a really good job I can get a week out of one colour which i could say the same about any professional main I've had done.


I would like to mention that I did not give myself a proper manicure before polishing, so if my dry cuticles offend you, well, sorry. I would recommend giving your hands a proper once over before polishing, but as a busy mama even managing to get polish on is a bloody miracle sometimes! I will cover a hand scrub and buff on StyleSurround some time, but as this is the last post in my first ever Beauty series, it's gon hafta wait! So here they are, finished product. Hope this helps you get a better finish on your nails!


If you think you might like to see this in a video, please let me know (and I'll consider it!) ;)
Adios!

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