Ink Shellac

This week, after my dismal results with the Lina, I finally got around to making the switch to shellac. I had heard great things about Shellac, but with over $200 invested in Brisa nail gel two years ago, I felt compelled to use it up before making any kind of switch. For this switch I went to my favorite local nail supply place. They have everything ever imaginable for nails there, and I love browsing. The last time I had been there another one of their customers accosted me and asked to see my nails. She was scandalized and appalled that I had used white tips and nail glue. She told me in no uncertain terms to stop doing that, it was ruining my nails, and to switch to the shellac. She promised me I would never look back. Ok, so her words sunk in. I went back and picked up the Ink brand shellac in two different colors, base coat, and top coat. One of the colors was supposed to be a champagne color, but on my hands it looks like a deep tan, not a very flattering color on me! The other is called denim, it is blue, and I love it.
It went on just like nail polish, no sculpting necessary. I just did plain blue on my toes, and then experimented with Swarovski crystals in the top coat on my finger nails. So far, so good. I have lost one of the crystals on my thumb, but I put nine crystals of different colors on there, so missing one isn't such a deal breaker... Also, the greatest thing about this shellac, is that on the back of the bottle it said "cure 2 minutes under UV, or thirty seconds under LED". With a base coat, a top coat, and two color coats, on four nails on each hand, then my thumb nails together at the end, I cure an average of 24 minutes a session. Since I do it myself, I can't dfo one hand while the other is under the light. It has been taking me the majority of an afternoon to do my nails, and longer with the gels because they had to be filed as well sometimes. Ack! With an LED light that curing time will be about 4 minutes. I went on E-Bay and ordered the LED light. Saving 20 minutes each time I do my nails, not to mention lower electricity costs to use the light, well, that makes it definitely worth buying a new light for me! Plus, my old light was looking pretty beat up after almost three years of continuous use!
Now to figure out how to do a french manicure in shellac. I don't have the white or clear yet, so those will probably be next week, the lady in the nail place was telling me all I need to do is make the white line, then use a small detail brush to sweep away any excess shellac before I cure, then add the clear. She said it won't destroy my nails anymore, and if I can get it right it should look even better than the white tips I had just started experimenting with. Anyway, big changes this week! Pictures to follow!

Lina follow up

Lina nail gel from E-bay totally sucks! Two hours after the photo was taken in my last post, it started lifting. The Brisa lasted a week, as usual, the Lina just started lifting and chipping off and was almost totally gone a day later. I wouldn't waste my money on any more of that stuff!!

CND Brisa gel versus Lina gel from E-Bay...

It is new nails Tuesday! Yay! I just did my nails and I was running low on my CND Brisa gel in clear, which has lasted me like two years (it is old, so take that into consideration...), so I decided to do one hand with the Brisa, and one hand with the Lina. I ordered the Lina on E-Bay for $1.54 - shipped... a whole lot cheaper than the $18 or so for the Brisa, and the container is larger.

I also used some other stuff on my nails today... 

I did a clear layer over white tips just to make doing a french manicure easier.

The white tips I used are Lamour French tips from Lamour, CA USA. I get them 50 for $1 at a local nail supply store (next to LeeLee's market if you happen to be anywhere near Phoenix, AZ).

I used KDS nail glue, purchased on Amazon, it is $7.40 shipped for 10 of them, and I will never use another nail glue again after figuring out that this one is the one my favorite nail place that went out of business used to use:

I also used Swarovski crystals ordered from here.
Also, I used Fimo hearts ordered from here. They were 99 cents with free shipping, and so adorable on an accent nail!
And, finally, I used IBD intense seal top coat from Sally Beauty Supply. I have the entire Brisa kit from CND, and it came with top coat, but it just isn't as shiny as the IBD one I already had.

Here are the differences I have noticed between the Brisa and the Lina...

Packaging - the Lina packaging did leak a tiny bit in shipping, the Brisa was shipped to me through Amazon, and has been through a move, and has never leaked.

Heat - The Brisa rarely ever heats up under the light on my nails, the Lina got a bit hot, almost uncomfortably so.

Ease of use - My Brisa is old and almost empty, and it goes on a bit lumpy. I can't remember if it was always this way, but it seems to me that it was, it just doesn't self balance very well. The Lina on the other hand, almost perfectly smooth first try with no problems.

I will take another picture in a week and let you know how it all fared!

Of the two hand photos at the bottom the top one is the Lina hand, on my left, and the one with the ring is my right hand with CND on the bottom... and I am not liking the look of my hands! They say the truest indicator of a woman's age is in her hands, and from these photos I can see exactly what they mean!!

NAILgasm - a documentary about the global obsession with nail art

Go HERE to see a very interesting video on this topic, help with her fundraiser, and help raise global awareness on this fascinating topic!

Swarovski Crystal Nails

Katy Perry tweeted a pic of this manicure a few months ago. I think it is Minx silver wraps, with maybe a gel top coat, and then applied Swarovski crystals. I love it, but there are 137 crystals on just her thumb nail. We are talking massive amounts of time to do it right!

I love this too!! Again, highly labor intensive, but very eye catching!

The Blonds Fall 2012 Runway Show – Biker Babe Manicures

The Blonds Fall 2012 Runway Show – Biker Babe Manicures

This is the manicure I had in my head when I ordered the mosaic tips... not exactly the same thing, but perhaps it can be made to work...

Mosaic Nails

I ordered these cool textured tips from E-Bay for doing Mosaic nails. They go with the colored gels to make these cool nails:

Of course, I do not really like my nails that flashy, so mine will have to be subdued. I have noticed with my St. Patricks Day nails that it is a little too easy to make the nails too complicated and tacky without intending to.