NAIL UPDATE

Getting into nail art was bound to happen, and now it has. Thanks to all the fantastic Japanese nail art accounts on Instagram for convincing me to paint my nails more and to study Japanese to understand what they're writing/saying (I still don't understand Japanese.)

Static Nails

I previously bought some nail polish from Static Nails, which is quite expensive for what you're getting. I purchased Irene, a beautiful mauve-y, pinkish nude. I also purchased the top and base coat. I only have the base coat now because the others got too thick and gloopy. Probably could've saved it with some nail polish thinner, but I just recently learned about the magic of nail polish thinner. 

Then, I wanted to paint my nails red like one of my friends, so I purchased Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri in ASAP Red. Since I am pale and cool-toned, this shade looked terrifying on my hands. I mainly use this to paint my toenails poorly. I hate feet... I will probably use this for nail art (the squiggly patterns that are all over Instagram.) 

From left to right: 3 coats of N29 + N52, three coats of Rose Syrup, Deep Aqua, and Ok.

Then, I started purchasing more Canmake products. N17 is terrific for a subtle manicure, but I hate the brush. I love Static Nail's because it's flat, wide, and the edge is rounded for cuticles. Canmake's is rectangular, and the bottom fans out like a mermaid dress. It lasts about a week, but it can last longer if you're better at applying nail polish than me/wrap the tip. I also bought N29, milky white, and N52, a fine purple glitter shade with a subtle blue and gold shift. I love N17 with an N52 thin French tip. I also like N29 with some gold flakes buffed on. 

I like the Poshe Top Coat because it's shiny and dries quickly. However, I hate the skinny brush. I have wide nails, so I must redip/wait for the watery formula to flow down the brush and onto my nail. Definitely will try a different quick-dry top coat in the future with a wide, flat brush. I am considering Holo Taco, Orly, and OPI.

I love the Rom&nd Nail Polishes. I got shades Ok, Rose Syrup, and Deep Aqua. I like Ok and Deep Aqua the most. You need at least 3 coats to get an opaque color and to reduce the streaky appearance, but these colors are gorgeous. Sadly, they chip and peel off quickly, and I am not a fan of the squared brush!

I also use Orly's Tough Cookie Strengthening Okoume Treatment. Still not sure if I'm supposed to remove the previous coat before reapplying (they should improve their instructions), but I do. I notice that my nails are a lot harder and not as flexible as before. That may be a pro or con for some people. I love the rubberized cap because it's super easy to open. 

Nail Oils: Gelike's rose-scented organic nail and cuticle oil, which has vitamin B and E, was not my favorite Amazon purchase. It was cheap, but it has jojoba oil, so I expected it to hydrate my cuticles well; it didn't. I prefer Karlash's milk and honey cuticle oil: hydrating, dries relatively quickly and has a subtle scent.