... When acetone is not your friend - Part 4 ...

Continuing on, I found these nail stickers in my collection and I was intrigued so let's give them a whirl. They are called Kiss Nail Dress and this design is called Cocktail.

I'm pretty sure this brand is from the US but I've definitely seem them in Australia at Priceline.

These have raised dots which I thought I'd find annoying as I personally don't like it when my polish isn't smooth but I didn't find it too bad. They didn't catch as much as I thought. I found myself rubbing my finger pads over them but I didn't pick at them which is what I'd usually do with anything that isn't flat.

I won't lie. I was skeptical about these. Especially once I took them out of the packet and realised that the non-pink was clear and my natural nail will show through. You could still see my bruise but from a distance it was covered up pretty well.

The hardest part of application was getting the tip right. Because of the raised gem dots, filing is not easy. In the end I grabbed some scissors to get it super close and then filed the edge.

Pros - Pretty, Easy to remove.

Cons - Not as easy to apply as others I've included in this series, No showers! The slightest bit of water makes them lift around the sides.  Not long lasting but would be great if you are in a rush for a 24 hour period.

Depending on your nail shape this could be a pro or a con ... I found that the stickers in this pack were on the larger side width wise. I don't have the smallest nails but I used up all of the smallest stickers in the packet. Out of a packet of 28 strips I am now left with 18 that I can't use and that also means no spares. Unlike the foils that I reviewed earlier in the week, these are a lot harder to be cut into the right shape if you need them.

But ... If you found that in the past, stickers haven't covered your nails entirely (especially thumbs) then this brand will work for you.

So for now that's the end of this series but I'll be back to visit it in the next 4-8 weeks while this is still going on. If you have any tips or suggestions please let me know!

... When acetone is not your friend - Part 3 ...

Quite a few people have suggested using peel off base on my injured nail. I love the idea that it's able to be removed easily without acetone but I've been trying to use it sparingly because of the deep dent/scratch. I don't want it to seep in or get stuck or cause more injury but if you just have a bruise or a cut on the skin then this would be ideal.

This is Femme Fatale Twilight Meteorite over a base coat of peel off base. Application is really easy on the peel off base, don't be shocked when it comes out white. Just remember the good old days of school and aquadhere! Just be patient and it will dry and become clear before your eyes. Once it's clear you are good to go and paint as normal.

Pros - Easy to remove! No acetone required! You can paint your nails as normal and no one will know

Cons -  If manage to get any peel off base on your skin or catch the polish it may peel off before your eyes in a big piece. This is not always handy when you are out and about.

I'll be back tomorrow with another suggestion! Any tips or hints? Keep them coming!

... When acetone is not your friend - Part 2 ...

If you missed yesterdays post, start there! It'll make more sense ;)

Today I'm just testing out some false nails to see how it goes on my injured nail. These are from the brand Elegant Touch and I found these in Priceline for under $10. I know a lot come with nail glue but as glue will mean I'll need remover, so I went looking for ones that just used those soft adhesive patches that just peel off.

It's been a long time since I picked out some false nails so I was surprised how pretty these actually were.

Elegant Touch seems to be a brand from the UK but I was really taken by their designs. These are pretty peacock feathers! We've come a long way from the standard colour falsies I remember of the mid 90s. I actually can't believe I found it hard to make a decision on which packet to get!

The pack consists of 24 nails, adhesive tabs, the instruction leaflet and a buffer. Very easy to apply. Find which nail works best on each finger, peel off each side off the adhesive tab and press the nail on top, break the little tab off and file smooth. Voila! Really easy and if you are in a rush these would be ideal!

The packaging claims that it could last up to a week but I think unless you are super careful that they would catch before then.  As always my pointer finger isn't quite the right shape so I have ended up with a gap that I found myself picking at.  They still lasted 24 hours while doing all housework and cleaning!

Pros - They are very easy and quick to apply. The hardest part is selecting the right nail for each finger! Also they are really easy to remove. Biggest pro is the design! I mean look at how pretty this one is!! Well worth a look.

Cons - These apparently are the "short" nails and for me they are definitely anything by short. My nails are quite long at the moment and the only one peeking out is my little finger. Also if your nail doesn't shape to the plastic then you'll have gaps.

I'll be back tomorrow with another edition - please keep the comments coming with suggestions on other things to use! I'll be only doing this series til Monday but as my bite is not quite  half way grown out I'll be back for round 2 soon!!

... When acetone is not your friend - Part 1 ...

[Seems I got a bit ranty ... sorry!!]

I've been in a bit of a polish rut lately *sad* I've been unmotivated, unmoved and unexcited about doing a manicure. It's a same as I've had some really great opportunities come my way lately and I've blown them off *mega sad face*

So why the major sadness?? Well cos of this ... (if you are squeamish look away now)

I'm growing out an injury - a cat bite to be exact (lesson learnt - don't hold a frightened kitten!)  While I've done some great growing on my nails (the original was right on the cuticle) and the bruising just seems to be a colour on the nail now, that white mark is a dent. A deep dent. It looks like a crack but I'm not proding around on it. My doctor said it's fine - I'll trust her judgement as originally I thought I'd lose my whole nail.

I naively thought nothing of it after it happened and did my nail removal as usual. Lets just say this happened.

It hurt. A lot. 

I think I even cried. Even the hardcore nail polish addicts would find this hard to bounce back from. Even non-acetone hurt.

So I've been avoiding polish, just so I could avoid removing it. Only painting 9 nails isn't fun and even painting one hand to swatch still means that you have to wear a glove on the other hand when removing to make sure nothing transfers over. Annoying. Too Hard Basket. Frustrating. Depressing. Blah!

Recently I went out to celebrate my birthday with my favourite polish loving friends and my beautiful mate Margie suggested wearing some Sally Hansen Salon Effects strips. Sadly those require remove to get them off but it got me thinking. Surely I'm not the only polish addict with a nail injury. Plus we've all had the ouch acetone feeling when it's gotten near a cut.

So ... here's a small series on suggestions on how to have pretty nails without resorting to swearing like a sailor or painting your nails with sharpies!

Thanks for the friendship acetone ... but it's time to part for us to part ways temporarily.

So first up on the test block are these - Salon Nail Foils from Pretty Woman.

I didn't buy these but I'm pretty sure I've seen them at Woolworths or Coles. The first thing that grabbed me about these is the fact it contains 16 foils. I get having a few spare but 16 just seems like an odd number!  The second thing is that it comes with some spiffy scissors, file and a pusher.

I've had zero luck with foils in the past so let's see how we go this time!! As always I manged to stuff them when putting on the nail but that pusher - man it works magic!!!

Seriously shiny and everything. Removal instructions are to wash hands in warm soapy water and to lift an edge of the foil and peel it off which worked really well.

Pros - Easy to apply, Look good, Easy to cut the right size, Super easy to remove!

Cons - Not long lasting. Can't wear in the shower or doing dishes. You could wear for a day/night but after that it will start to catch. Boo!

I was quite impressed though. I've had no luck with foils in the past and these covered my bite no problems and removal was so easy. Definitely give this a thumbs up.   I'll be back tomorrow with another gem!