Cheap Tricks: Manicure Saver

I am notoriously impatient when it comes to nail polish. I put it on and will definitely have it smudged within about 90 seconds. While I almost never wear polish on my fingernails -- I have a wicked nail biting problem -- I almost always have my toes all polished up. Problem is that when I do get a spare minute to do my nails, I end up getting up and having to get someone a cup of chocolate milk or something and I get it smudged. And I haaaaaaate smudges.

So imagine my happiness when a friend introduced me to this $5 wonder:

It's called Seche Vite and it's literally the best top coat that you'll ever use. Not only does it make your nails super shiny -- it even works on matte polish -- but it dries rock-hard in 60 to 90 seconds. My favorite part is that you can put it right over wet nail polish. HELLO, time saver! Then, it makes your nail polish last forever. I got five to seven days without chips on my hands and up to two weeks on my toenails.

Even when I have my pedi done at a salon, I rush home and slick this stuff on top. It makes my pedi last longer, which means saving money. And at home, it saves my frustration level when I don't have to use nail remover and start again after my kids drag a stuffed animal over my toes while they're driving.

For $5? Totally worth it.

P.S. I am not getting reimbursed for this post. I just love this so much that I would name a child after it.

P.P.S. Don't really do that. It's French for "dry fast."

P.P.P.S. That's the extent of my six years of mandatory French.

Awesome Nail Tutorials and Ideas

So I'm basically the worst nail biter in the history of nail biters. It's completely stress-related and I usually don't care because my nails are just not a priority for me. Plus I have obscenely childlike hands. When we were getting married our photographer wanted to take a ring picture and my husband and I were both like "NO!" because he has giant basketball hands and mine stopped growing at age eight.

But a couple weeks ago I was more stressed than usual and I was taking it out of my nails like usual when I was like "OMG Jae you are being gross." So I decided to stop chewing my nails to give them a break for a week. Now, when I'm not biting my nails, the only thing that's stops me is prettiness. Because I am so vain that I won't bite if it ruins my nail polish. Enter my obsession with cool nail design on Pinterest. Have you seen some of the stuff people do? It is mind blowing!! I've been testing out a few designs and I'll share my faves with you. If there's an available tutorial, you can click the picture... otherwise I'll give you a quick how-to rundown? Then you'll have the awesomest nails when you head out to Thanksgiving tomorrow. Good? Great.



(Tutorial)

Marble Nails:

This is what I have on my nails. Me and my cute daughter spent an afternoon playing with colors and swirly patterns and I loved it. I did a navy blue with an iridescent pink and it came out looking like awesome acid wash. The nail polish creates this flexible film on top of the water that is picked up my your nails when you dip. Cool, right? Just have lots of nail polish remover on hand to get at the messy bits.


(Tutorial)

How freakin' pretty would this be for holiday parties? It's just a glitter polish layered over a regular one in monochromatic colors. You could also do this with loose glitter, but I'm way too spastic for something like that.



I love this idea! Graphic nails are pretty but can be a leetle overwhelming. By mixing two patterns, it calms down the graphic prints and would look crazy adorable for a garden party or bridal shower.


(Tutorial)

These are SO brilliant and an excellent way to use up all of those expensive scrapbooking papers that are currently sitting in a forgotten tupperware in your basement... not that I have any experience with that whatsoever. But seriously. Scrapbook paper teamed up with rubbing alcohol transfers awesome patterns to your nails. Who knew?




This is going to be my next style I try. My bathrooms are painted like this -- the same color, just shiny over matte. Something like this is high style while still being subtle and I LOVE dark nail polish. These tips make the look less Queen of Darkness too. Also, did you know that if you stretch an elastic band over your nail, you can paint over it to create a perfect French tip? The things you learn on Pinterest!! (We're friends, right?)



(Source)

I love the idea of doing eahc nail a different color or design, but it's going to look juvenile unless you stick within the same color family. These peach tones with a bit of sparkle? Adorable and still adult while being super fun.


(Tutorial)

If you're a massive word nerd like me, these newspaper nails probably make you inexplicably happy. And they're super easy to create with newspaper and rubbing (or real) alcohol. I want to try this desperately on my toes but we don't ever buy the paper unless it's Thanksgiving, so I'm gearing up to try it tomorrow with my Black Friday paper! WOO!




How awesome is this modified French tip? It's created by using a sponge eyeshadow applicator of all things. Just dip the tip into a nail polish color and start dabbing on your tips, lightening your hand as you move down the nail. These are super pretty and professional without being too stuffy.

Alright, so are you going to try any of these? Once I get over the awesomeness of my acid wash swirly nails, I definitely want to go with the matte/shiny French tip. What's your fave?



Just as long as it's not these....