What is your polish shade?

http://www.seventeen.com/fun/quizzes/beauty/nail-polish-quiz

Click on the Link to take the quiz!

Why a base coat?

Why should you use a base coat?

There are several reasons why you should always use a base coat, and never put colored polish on without one.

Base coats including protein, aloe vera, vitamin e, and/or calcium can replenish nails that are brittle and dry, restoring the moisture that nails need in order to be healthy. This in turn promotes healthier nails, and prevents breakage and other damage, including splitting and peeling.

http://www.essortment.com/nail-basics-use-base-coat-60192.html

Taking care of your nails.

Fingernails: Do's and don'ts for healthy nails

Are you taking good care of your nails? Here's what you need to know to keep your fingernails in tiptop shape.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Take a close look at your fingernails. Are they strong and healthy looking? Or do you see ridges, dents, or areas of unusual color or shape? Many less than desirable nail conditions can be avoided through proper fingernail care. Others indicate an underlying condition that requires attention.

Fingernails: What's normal, what's not

Your fingernails — composed of laminated layers of a protein called keratin — grow from the area at the base of the nail under your cuticle. As new cells grow, older cells become hard and compacted and are eventually pushed out toward your fingertips.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nails/WO00020

Who said jewelry was only for your body?

If you want to add a little extra sparkle to your nails, you can always find gems to glue on them and add that little something that is missing.

Have you heard about stamping?!

These are kits that you can purchase online and do your self, they are very intricate and would have many of your friends wondering how you did it.

Cartoon Nails

If the newspaper one seems too simple for you. You can also use the comic strip from the newspaper , easy and fast!

Newspaper Designs

Try this easy fast trick on your nails, and have everyone wondering how you did it. 

Acrylic Vs Gel?

Let's get to it... What is the difference between gel and acrylic nails?

Alrighty, the difference between gel and acrylic nails. I don't care how strongly the nail tech at the 'Asian' salon explains that gel nails are made from pink and white powder. They are not telling you the truth. Gel nails are made from gel acrylic. It starts as a gel in a small pot and can be clear, white, pink or any color really. It is applied in very thin layers and is cured between each layer in a UV light. It must be applied in this manner and when complete, you end up with very thin nails. They can do any kind of decorative nail designs in conjunction with the gel acrylic. Rhinestones and other items can be encased in the gel. In the reference section below is a link to a YouTube video for Brisa Gel. Brisa is one of the top names in gel nails and you can see in this video that she is not working with powder.

Acrylic nails are made from powder mixed with a monomer liquid. The nail tech will apply a false tip to your nail, it can be white or clear or any color. If a colored tip is used, then they will apply a clear or slightly pink tinted acrylic over the nail and false tip. Whether they apply a false tip or not, you will see them dip the brush in the liquid and then in the powder and then they will smooth this over your nail. It cures fairly quickly and doesn't need a UV light. When this is dry, they will file it with the nail drill or hand file it with a nail file to shape and polish the nail. Once this is done, they may apply a UV top coat that has to cure in a UV light. This is typically what they are referring to as gel nails.

http://torilyn73.hubpages.com/hub/What-is-the-difference-between-gel-nails-and-acrylic-nails

Gel Manicures

Many of us women love to get the Gel Manicure, this is because it is long lasting and does not chip as easily as regular polish. It is mostly used on natural nails to give em a more vivid color that will stay shinny and won't have to be redoing them very often. The gel is hard to remove; it makes a cover layer on top of the natural nail.

Gel manicure UV light dangers

UV Nail Lights Pose Danger

The health dangers of acrylic nails

Many of us when putting on acrylic nails don't think about the dangers of it, we just care that they look nice. The acrylic powder that is used mixed with the liquid hardener can be very harmful for the body if used excessively. 

What's the big deal?

Well, first, the chemicals used to apply acrylic nails are notoriously unhealthy and include such offenders as resins and formaldehyde, which have been shown to cause cancer. Exposure to these chemicals through your nails over a long period of time can result in complete nail loss by destruction of the nail matrix.

Also, an artificial and natural nail has a much stronger bond than the one between a real nail and nail bed. If the nail rips from the nail bed, that gap, or space, provides a rich, moist, warm environment for bacteria and fungi (e.g., an infection) to grow. Prolonged time on the nail allows infections to worsen. With acrylics, the opposite – drying out of natural oils – can occur,...http://www.sheknows.com/beauty-and-style/articles/1013073/the-health-dangers-of-artificial-nails

Why Acrylic Nails.

For many women it might be hard to grow their nails out, so they put on the acrylic nails. These are meant to look like the real nail. These are easier to draw designs on them free hand because the nail polish dries faster and there is more room than a nail that is not as long.

Acrylic nails

Acrylic nails are also known as fake nails, false nails, fashion nails, or nail extensions, they usually are fitted to the natural nail and glued at the tip and then filled in with the acrylic cement to make it look like a real nail.

How Airbrush Designs are done...

Here is a video that shows a step by step design with airbrush.

Air Brush Designs

For those people that love perfection, airbrush is the way to go! Making almost any kind of design possible; from abstract images to full on landscapes.

Another kind of Marble..

If you don't want to do the whole abstract look, you can always try doing a line marble.

How to do Marble...

The first time might not come out perfect, just remember it has to be done quick and gentle so that you don't take out the dry polish off the water. Good Luck!

What you need to make the Marble Design

To make this great design you will need:
*a clear container with room temperature water
*as many different color nail polishes as you would like
*a tooth pick
*nail polish remover
*q-tips
*vaseline or tape
*patience

Marble Designs

This are some very unique and abstract nail designs that we can do, called a marble design. No two nails will ever look the same!!

 

French Manicures are not always just a a white line.

If you don't like the white try some black.

Maybe a sparkling blue with flower designs on it. 

Have them match your joyful mood, make them colorful!

Maybe you wanna show of a wild side with some animal print.

Mix and match colors, anything you want!

Make a Fancy French...

If the simple white line is not enough for you, here is video to give make it a little more fancy.

How to do French...

Here is a tutorial on a perfect French manicure. Try it!!

French Manicure

 

This design is very settle and easy to do, but fancy at the same time.

 If the design seems too plain for you, it can always be complimented with a small flower on the 4th finger.

Or if you want it to pop up a little more, we can add a little of color into a design.

Nail Art

Many of us girls just love to look nice, even small little things like nail art can complete a whole look. There are many ways in which we can do nail designs; we can do hand paint, airbrush, colored acrylics, and gel. There are also many reasons why we would want to do a nail design; it could be that we are going to a party, wedding, rave, dinner, meetings, or just to look nice. Here you will see different ways in which you can do nail designs; different nail designs, and much more.