Nail Tale

I have found my holy grail of nails (or should I say grailS). As I play both guitar and piano, I make a slight effort to keep my nails looking presentable to the public eye - I mean, most of the time they're just short and boring, even when they are freshly painted. To me short nails exhibit a more demure, innocent look compared to long, luscious nails which scream "SEXY!" I'm all for either one but unfortunately in my case, the latter is far too impractical for me to rock since I don't have the personality. But I digress.

Behold my NAIL TALE...

Ace of the Base

 

 Jin Soon Power Coat

I bought this base coat on a whim at Sephora. I didn't know what else to get - I hadn't tried their X-Formula polish and didn't want to take any chances, so I decided to go with this one. And then I FELL IN LOVE.. This is the best base coat I've tried so far. It does a great job at preventing/delaying chips and it makes your polish stay longer on your nails!

The Queen of Hearts

Nails Inc. NailKale Illuminator in 'Bright Street'

I may have an issue with buying things on a whim, but at least I end up falling in love with them. My heart was stolen for the second time under the influence of such whim. What ON EARTH is an Illuminator??! The first thing that caught my attention was the sturdy packaging. It's heavy and doesn't feel plastic-y. I thought that was enough to earn my trust from the get-go. Moreover, the iridescent glow reminds me of healthy skin's luminous finish, but on nails. When I swatched the sample at Sephora, I'm pretty sure I went to nail heaven and never came back down. So I bought it.

Welcome to the Club

Dior Gel Coat

... the Housewives' club, where everyone has had their nails perfectly manicured! This gel top coat gives you just that. If you are obsessed with the gel look, but unwilling to spend (waste) your $$$ on below-average, low-satisfaction manicures, then this is the perfect item for you to invest in! You can modify your own manicure/pedicure according to your liking. Personally for me, it isn't the best top coat per se, but it does what it claims to do. It gives you that amazing thick, cushiony gel finish you've always longed for. BUT, give it about 2-3 days for the gel to start "shrinking" and cracking all over your nail. It's your call!

Shine Bright like a Diamond

 

Chanel Laque Brilliance Extreme

What in the world did those experts put in the formula??? THIS, my friends, is the real deal. Its high-gloss finish is brilliant, but also understated at the same time, and spells S-o-p-h-i-s-t-i-c-a-t-i-o-n. It does not provide the same gel-like surface as the Dior top coat, but the shine effect lasts 2-3 days more than that of Dior. I personally prefer this over the Dior top coat just because the finish looks so much simpler in my opinion. Do I think it's worth the $30? Heck yes. Do I recommend it? Certainly. Your life will never be the same.

Last but not least....

The Magic Trick

Sally Hansen Dry & Go Drops

Don't let the silly packaging fool you because this may be the smartest thing man ever invented for our nails. I remember my first time using this and being utterly and pathetically impressed at how convenient this little guy is! For those of you who don't know, this crazy miracle dries fresh manicures in only 60 seconds. I usually put 3 drops, depending on which nail I'm applying it on. Life is so much easier with its handy presence. The ingenuity is strong in this one.

That concludes my nail tale hail. Made up your mind yet? Let us know in the comments if you have any input and/or recommendations!

From our Punnyland,

Hazel xox