new obsession: nail polish!

I used to only paint my nails for weddings, which totals about 4 times in the past 6.5 years... but while photographing the steps for Style School projects, I got a little bored of my plain nails in photos, so I picked up some yellow polish from the walmart. And holy cow, I love my hands with color on them... it makes doing EVERYTHING more fun!! All I wanna do is paint my nails and buy more nail polish! I want to find banana, orange and olive green nail polish next...and all of these colors :) I'm hooked and majorly inspired by the crazy little artworks & combos girls do... as soon as I can sit & let them dry, I'm gonna try ninja turtle nails! :) (lachiva 5) (grapesgrapes) ...amazing flickr photostream too! (hello nails) (all lacquered up) (carolantunes) (Tiny Tangerines) (color me katie) (the clothes) (audrey kitching) (all lacquered up) Nail Polish Resources: how to give yourself a mani all lacquered up e polish f yeah nail art hello nails Questions: 1) Why do people often have a different looking nail on their ring finger (like this)? 2) Whats the best way to avoid getting paint on your skin? (I'm right handed so my left hand gets really messy... but I wash it off my skin with warm water once it's dry. Is this avoidable?) 3) How do you get a buffed look like this? 4087218289_d79e4e8aa1_b (marinaoust) 4) What's your favorite color and style? 5) Do you know which retailers sell the Essie brand? LA

54 comments:

  1. i am a mini bit obsessed with nail polish right now too! i love the multi hued looks i am seeing everywhere. i'm afraid it'll make me look like i'm 12 but i think i'm going to paint mine this weekend :)

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  2. Nail polish seems to be coming back with a vengeance! I can't seem to get enough of it lately. I'm still trying to figure out how not to get it all over my skin... If you find out any tips, do share! =)

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  3. Hey LA! I recently did some nail posts on my blog (www.sassandcraft.blogspot.com)

    1. Just for fun!
    2. I posted a little polishing technique picture on my site :) I also have a trick for removing the excess! (I still have troubles too): When you put a top coat (clear coat) on, try and mimic your action so that the top coat covers the polish. Then take something with a point (like a cuticle pusher) and gentley remove the excess :) Works like a charm!
    3. Its the type of polish :) a "matte" polish.

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  4. Oh and the Tiffany colors are my favorite! The first image has "For Audrey" by CG- favorite polish I own.

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  5. Ah, sorry so many comments but a better link: http://sassandcraft.blogspot.com/2010/01/tea-for-tuesday-pt-2-give-yourself-mani.html

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  6. I'm loving the dots and plaid! I don't even know how people do that stuff. My sister does her nails with swirls and sparkle bead things and it all goes over my head lol

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  7. 1.) The ring finger thing is a fad. But I think it's kinda cute, and nail polish is totes temporary, so it might be fund to try.
    2) If you put a teeny bit of lotion or aquaphor or something creamy on your cuticles, then swipe off your actual nails with polish remover (to de-grease!) then any excess polish you get on your skin comes off super easy. I'm a super clutz painting my right hand, so that trick always comes in handy to make my two sets of nails match in precision.
    3) You can use matte top coat to make any type of nail polish look that neat frosted look. I have essie matte about you and love it!
    http://www.beautynewline.com/servlet/the-3259/ESSIE-MATTE-ABOUT-YOU/Detail

    I'm loving mint green right now. Essie mint candy apple is a beautiful color, and i like the way Essie polish paints on, but I also really like this color from american apparel which is not on their web site but is in stores. I haven't bought it yet, so I don't know what the polish is like, but that color is gorg.
    http://images1.chictopia.com/photos/AmericanApparel/2728335787/green-american-apparel-accessories_400.jpg

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  8. Oooh! I'm loving it too. I have a really fun spring green (with a hint of blue) that I'm loving right now.

    http://onegladmorning.blogspot.com/

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  9. i love matt/dull pastel colours. you can see my favourite nail ploshes at my blog :) http://marysza.blogspot.com/

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  10. ha! i should bring you some of mine... i was cleaning out my bathroom cabinets the other day and realized i actually have an entire BIN of nailpolish colours... at least one of just about every colour you could imagine. i really was quite shocked at how many i had (not to mention perfume bottles, but that's a whole other issue :)
    i have no idea why people would paint the ring finger a different colour but i'm liking the idea!
    as for the buffed look - i think it depends on the type of polish... some glittery ones aren't actually all that shiny... and lately i have seen "matte" polishes. i bet you could create the look yourself by waiting until the polish was almost dry and then pressing on it with some tissue paper or something... ? maybe not.
    and i wish i knew how to tell you to avoid getting polish on your skin... i think it just comes with practice and patience :)

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  11. You totally inspired me to paint my nails later. I usually don't because it feels like it takes too much time to dry, and I hate not being able to use my hands. However, it looks too cute!

    I used to be into wacky colors big time in 5th grade. I even tried making my own colors by putting food coloring in white polish. I think it worked ok but stained my nails big time!

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  12. I just came home from buying a couple new shades. So pretty!! I bought a matte color a couple weeks ago, too! (And 2 others then, oops...)

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  13. I am a nail polish nut too! I just bought Essie's Matte About You Top Coat and I LOVE IT!! I makes any nail polish matte. The ring finger bling is so cute!

    I am loving everyone's tips! Thanks!!! :D

    http://jaimeiscrafty.tumblr.com/post/345540120/diy-manicure-i-am-no-manicurist-but-while-at-ulta

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  14. My ring finger nail on my right hand is mishapen because that's where I hold a pen! It rests against that finger and has made it look odd, while the other ring finger is normal. Weeeeird! haha. Right now I'm loving black fingernail polish with gold sparkles (OP for Sephora) and I am soon going to try white and nude!

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  15. I went through this phase in high school where I HAD to change my polish color EVERY NIGHT. I had this huge sand pail full of polish!

    I'm getting a pedicure this Saturday and I always bring my own polish (I get the kind with out the really bad chemicals, from Sephora) and this time I've picked out this sparkly golden yellow and I want them to top it with either dots or hearts. And since I only have the one foot, they don't charge me for the decorations!! Tee hee!

    I've been noticing your super fab polish colors lately and I really do like them! They scream, "I'm a Maverick!" ;D

    I love you for ever! <3

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  16. i buy a new opi color every other week!
    addicting!
    xo
    love the seahorse photo! ur so cute.
    thanks for sharing and inspiring!

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  17. I've never seen someone with there ring finger paint it a different color...getting my nails done today. I might have to try it ;)

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  18. i love yellow nail polish! it's definitely a favourite. it's in my plans to paint my nails red, pink, white and grey today. i hope it looks cool.

    elycia


    loveelycia.blogspot.com

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  19. My nails are currently a tealish blue and everytime I look down it makes me happy. I used to paint my nails all funky colors, but stopped for years. I am so glad wild nailpolish is coming back! I haven't painted them all different colors yet. My students do though and love to show me how cute it is.

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  20. i'm obsessed with my turquoise blue i got going on... i seem to always turn to it when i need something on my nails!

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  21. How funny - I did a post about nail polish last night too! Love all of the bright colors people have been wearing!

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  22. Ooohh yes, nail painting. I was never really into it growing up because I was a serious tomboy, but now I think of it as fun and totally not so girly. I love bright and random colours. Right now my nails are mint/jade (they look different according to the light).

    But to answer your questions
    1. I think some women do that as a way to show they're taken. Kind of like an engagement/wedding ring. Well, my theory.
    2. When I paint my nails I ALWAYS brush off the excess paint in the bottle to ensure no paint on the skin, but in case that I ever screw up, I have q-tips dipped in polish remover. Also, it helps to pull back any skin as you paint.
    3. A buffed look, I think you have to do that BEFORE you paint. I don't really do it because I like how my nails are not entirely smooth.
    4. My favourite colour? Well, I love bright red/pink, but right now I REALLY love mint. I just dropped $5 on a little bottle of it at Urban Outfitters, which is pretty serious for me. I always get Bon Bons nail polish for 88¢ at the local Walmart. For style, I just aim for cute and short. (I'm one of those girls that HATE long nails).

    I hope that helped you out a bit.

    -Jenni Loo

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  23. i too am obsessed with colored polish. your yellow nails haven't helped, SO CUTE!!

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  24. man this makes me wish so bad i could kick my nail biting habit! i love the polka dot ones the most :)

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  25. I'm another chick who's addicted to buying new OPI colours :) I'm currently wearing very pale lilac colour, so pretty!

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  26. This may have already been shared I didn't get to read all the comments left: to get the messy polish off the sides of your fingers - I usually use one of those nail polish remover tubs. (they are usually stored by the remover section and they look like a plastic jar with a sponge inside - you're supposed to dip your finger in to get polish off of your nails but I don't recommend this. The nail polish remover is VERY drying - instead I take an orange wood stick (long wooden sticks w/ pointed and flat ends) and I rest the flat end in the sponge with the remover. As you work on each finger remove the stick and clean up the edges around your cuticles. (The wood soaks up the liquid and works as a great agent to do this).

    They have also started marketing these great "remover pens" and you can usually find them where the nail polish is sold. It's like a magic marker that removes the mess ups.

    You can also wait until the polish is all dry and try to use an orange wood stick, wrapped tightly with a bit of cotton ball dipped in remover but you have to be extra careful not to slip and smudge your whole nail and all your hard work!

    I used to do nails for a living and admit I really miss doing this on a daily basis. Painting designs on people's nails, the chit chat and all the FIRST DIBS on great colors. :)

    Love your blog!

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  27. it's so funny but i got back into it in september. i wish i could find a good yellow. my nails dont stay painted for a long time since i work in a pool. so i get to paint them a lot. have ever look at japanese nailart?

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  28. My friends and I are starting to get excited about the nail thing and we've decided that we're strangely becoming girly. I like the shimmery nail polishes best and right now my nails are a glitter dark blue. c:

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  29. i'm obsessed with nail polish too and i love the new colors that essie is coming out with for spring. i love the yellow color you have in your style school photos.

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  30. ha. you make me laugh.

    when i was late elementary school aged, my older sister was in college...she used to paint only her pinkie nail on one hand. don't know why, and i still don't know why.

    but i thought she was soooooo cool. so i did it too. all of the kids used to make fun of me and ask if i ran out of nail polish. so i would stick my tongue out at them and say "you don't know anything about fashion, do you?"

    happy nail-painting.
    xoxo andie...

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  31. after reading all of these fun comments, i went straight to the store and bought some yellow polish! :)
    and i have never seen the ring finger painted a different color before, but i think it's a cute idea that i may have to try soon!

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  32. Thanks for all the TIPS and Comments everyone!!! (Get it, pun... tips...ahahaha) :) You answered all my questions, now i wanna change my color again to try them out! :) eeeek :)

    andie: that's awesome :) ;)

    zabelle: Try the sally hansen insta-dry polish at walmart for yellow :) I've seen the nailart, but I'm not too into glue-ons or long nails... but it's sure neat, so talented to do that stuff!! :)

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  33. Thanks for all the cool polish inspiration. I just got back into painting my nails, too. I have been wearing a dark gray color by Sally Hansen. It's kind of a cool alternative to black, and I've been getting lots of compliments!

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  34. Wow - totally love this post as I have an addiction to nail polish too!!! Just removed my yellow polish yesterday to apply my bright blue!!! Thanks for the cool pics.

    http://www.paisleyjade.com/2010/02/wordless-wednesday.html

    http://www.paisleyjade.com/2010/02/favourite-things-friday.html

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  35. thanks for featuring me! love, hello nails.

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  36. Ok wow some of those are just hot!

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  37. Check out sally Hansens "Xtreme Wear"...The colors are sooo pretty and you can get some of them at walmart! which means cheap! I am currently in love with "Blue Me Away" ahh so pretty!

    http://www.sallyhansen.com/product.cfm?product=75

    Steph :)

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  38. thanks for all the great tips! looks so fun.

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  39. It's probably already been answered, but I get my Essie polish at Beauty Brands ... I don't know if they have them in Canada. So really, I didn't offer any help! :\

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  40. wow, those turtles nails are super cute. :)

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  41. such beautiess!!!! unfortunately my nail polish applying skills are... well fail :(

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  42. I've bought Essie polish at Shoppers Drug Mart -- I live in Toronto but they probably have it at Shoppers in other cities/provinces. Hope that helps!

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  43. Check these sites out:
    www.8ty8beauty.com
    www.transdesign.com
    www.head2toebeauty.com
    www.scrangie.com

    I am a nail-a-holic, I have about 250 bottles of polish and just ordered more last night. *shame* Have fun! It really is very calming to do your nails on a Sunday night before the week ahead, and look down and think "PRETTY!"

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  44. Yes, I live in a smaller town in Ontario (i.e. not Toronto) and our Shoppers Drug Marts also carry Essie nailpolish-- $11 each -- don't you love how Shoppers is starting to carry really cool cosmetics? (I bought Benefit blush there the other day!)
    leanna x

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  45. Thanks for sourcing me and for the sweet comment!

    <3

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  46. (i didn't read all the comments..so idk if anyone's answered these but..)
    my nail salon sells essie nail polish. and if yours carries it I'm sure you can tell them which color you want and they can order it for you along with their orders. last time I bought one it was under $6. and they last FOR-EVERRR!(like don't get all goopy and sticky and gross..lol)
    when I do my own nails I always leave my thumbs for last. my aunt taught me this trick.. you do your other 8 nails with 2 coats of polish, by leaving your thumbs without polish, you can use them to get any smudges out of the corners of your other nails. then do your thumb nails and if you get any on those, get a toothpick & wrap it with a thin layer of cotton, and dip it in nail polish remover and rub it gently on the edges. it always works for me!
    good luck! XO

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  47. For the nail art, check out http://www.wowsocool.com

    You basically stamp the images in a special polish, over your regular polish. Very cool!

    I'd also highly recommend Seche Vite topcoat. It pretty much insta-dries your nails so you're not waiting for ages for it to try, and leaves a really smooth finish. Takes a bit of practice to get the application technique down, but it's worth it!

    For getting polish off around the edges of my nails, I use a polish remover pen, or just the warm water trick if I'm not in a major hurry!

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  48. i can't help but smile at your post. i used to never paint my nails, and all of the sudden i am obsessed with it. my brother asked me the other day "what's up with all of the new nail colors?" my response, "doesn't it simply make you happy?" so, this post, simply makes me smile! have a great day!

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  49. I love nail polish too! My current "go-to" fave color is hot pink (Cream Pink by Sinful Colors). They carry Sinful Colors at Walgreen's and they are only $1.99! The polish is good quality for the price. It's a great way to treat yourself to fun and trendy colors without spending a ton of cash. I treat myself to a new bottle every time I'm there. :)
    http://www.walgreens.com/store/store/product/product_details.jsp?skuId=sku1550514&id=prod1550389&color=Cream%20Pink

    My fave topcoat is Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Anti-Chip top coat. It's the BEST, in my opinion.
    http://www.sallyhansen.com/product.cfm?product=50

    You can get Essie at Ulta, if you have one of those nearby.
    http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2077678&productId=xlsImpprod1320170&navAction=push&navCount=1&categoryId=cat80068

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  50. LA! It's Elisa from Black Chandelier... I saw that diner turquoise nailpolish you had (in the picture with the yellow polka dots) last week at Ulta and it gave me butterflies!!! i bought it and now i have happy pigs! Best color ever :)

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  51. I am loving nail polish too, I match it to my clothes!
    My latest is using rubons on them- my fav is mint green with brown rub ons. But nothing beats red polish with white rubs.

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  52. I love the red with the hearts!!! perfect for v-day:) glad i saw this today, maybe i'll get it done on my lunch break.

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  53. you can get essie brand on Amazon.com!!

    i heart my grey nailpolish right now.
    and the BEST nailpolish remover can be found for $1 at e.l.f cosmetics.com

    great post idea!

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  54. Hey freckles :-)
    You can get Essie at Shoppers Drug Mart..it is in the flyer this weekend :-)

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