All Nails

Getting Started

Here is the post about Stampers that I told you I was going to do. I am sorry it took me so long. The reason why is that I went out and purchased what I needed to actually try these out. If you are artistic in any way, you are going to want to get these. Foils are pre-made patterns that you apply. Stampers are designs that you pretty much make yourself and then apply.

To begin you are going to want to make sure you have these items:

• Design plates
• Stamper
• Scraper
• Cuticle pusher
• Brush
• Acetone
• Desired nail polish colors

When you first get everything ready you are going to make sure everything you have is clean. The design plates will usually come with a plastic film that you are going to have to remove before you use them. Clean your stamper with a lint roller. This will get rid of any dust and using acetone on them tends to damage them over time. Hint-a clear stamper works best because you can see through it to place your image properly.

As a basic beginning, clean up your hands and nails to get them ready for your designs.

Stamper DIY

You are going to want to start with your base coat. This protects your nails and prevents any staining. Then paint your desired color. White is usually the best but, as you get better at this you can try different colors.

Make sure you have your desired image plate, stamper and scraper. Paint half of your selected design with your chosen color and use your scraper to scrape the paint through the rest of the design. This will fill in the image and remove any excess paint.

Pick up the image with your stamper by pressing it on the plate where you have applied the paint. Quickly apply the image on the stamper by pressing it to your nail.

Clean up any polish that has ended up on your finger with a brush dipped in nail polish remover. Let it dry completely. Apply your top coat and you are finished. Pretty simple.

Different Designs

Ombre – Blending two different colors on one design.

Cover half of the image you would like to stamp with your first color. Cover the second half with your second color. When you scrape these colors move your scraper up and down a little to blend the colors in the middle. Then pick up the image with your stamper and apply to your nail. You can try this with three or four colors if you like. Finish with your top coat and clean up.

Reverse stamping

Paint your design with your white polish. Scrape it once or twice with your scraper. Pick up your design with your stamper. Paint your design on your stamper with your desired colors. You don’t have to stay in the lines, you will see that it doesn’t matter when you put it on your nail. After the colors have dried add a top coat ( to the stamper ) and let it dry completely. About 15 to 30 minutes. Peel it off with your tweezers.

Paint your nail with top coat over your base color and wait just long enough for it to be sticky. Press your image gently onto your nail. Use a cuticle pusher to secure the image around your cuticle and use a brush dipped in acetone to remove any excess.

Another Reverse Stamping

Put your desired color polish on the design plate. Scrape once or twice with your scraper. Pick up the image with your stamper. Color in any parts of the image that you like. Once again paint your nail with top coat and wait just long enough for it to be sticky. Apply the stamper to your nail, gently so it will peel off the stamper and stick to your nail. Clean up any excess on your fingers with your brush dipped in acetone.

Marbleized Design

Start with adding spots of three or four colors directly onto your stamper. You must do this process fast so that your polish does not dry before you are done. Once you have all of your spots tap your stamper onto your nail lightly and you will get a marbled look. You can finish with your top coat or wait for it to dry and add a design on top using the marbled look as a base color. Clean up with your brush dipped in acetone to remove the excess.

Artistic or Not

Now that we have gone over a few design techniques you can see that you do not have to be an artist to have beautifully designed nails. With a little bit of practice with your tools and all of your colors you too can enjoy stamping.

A few things for you to remember. Different designs require different techniques, so play around with your tools and have fun with it. Sometimes you are going to want to roll your stamper onto your nail and other times it might be better to dab. Try different stampers to find out which style works best for you. They are not that expensive. There are stamping polishes out there that work great, but, you can use your favorite polish. Try them out on paper to see how they turn out.

If you would like some choices on a few stamping kits to start you out just click HERE.

I hope you have enjoyed having fun with stampers. In my opinion, Foils are an easy to do, already made design and Stampers are a design that you can create yourself. You will have to choose which one you like better. Let me know what you think in the messages below. Here is to having beautiful nails and Blessed Be.

Kari

We all tend to be a little busy but, we still would like to have beautiful nails. This is going to be a review of 5 different LED gel nail curing lights. Some good, some not so good and in no particular order. Lets jump right into it.

Emma Genius Rechargeable LED Lamp

Details:  

• Dimensions–11.2 x 4.1 x 12 inches
• Shipping weight–3.9 pounds
• ASIN–B07G7GSDPP
• UPC–672047126595
• 1 Lithium battery required  ( not included)
• Warranty–Contact the manufacturer for details.

Benefits:

1. Works with all brands of gel polish.
2. Optional flip-up posts for foot elevation.
3. Lightweight with a portable handle.
4. Open design; no bottom plate.
5. LCD displays the curing time and battery life.
6. Has 4 time settings; 30,45,60 and 90 seconds.
7. Includes replaceable adapter and charger.

The cost of this LED lamp is $104.21 and does not have very good reviews. Actually I only came across 1 review. The problem they had was that it did not hold a charge for as long as it was advertised to. As a result they only gave 1 star.

Personally I do not think that this would be a style that I would use. The price may be nice but you get what you pay for. The portability does not make up for the quality that is needed. I do not recommend this LED lamp.

OPI Dual Cure LED Light GL902 with Adapter

Details: 

• Manufacturer–Butore Nails OPI
• ASIN–B07GVNR1L2
• Warranty–Contact the manufacturer for details.

Benefits:

1. Works with all OPI light cured systems.
2. Small and compact making it easy to travel with.
3. Can be used with all gel polishes.

With the cost on this LED lamp being $199.68 it might be a difficult choice. There are zero reviews on this LED lamp because it is the newest one on the market from OPI. If you are a big fan of OPI this might be the choice for you. Right now for me it is not the one that I would recommend. Maybe after it has been used by a few more people and a few nail technicians then we can decide if we like this one.

Kiara Sky Beyond Pro Rechargeable LED Lamp

Details:

• Shipping weight–3.6 pounds
• Item weight–2.2 pounds
• ASIN– B0792LQQT2
• UPC–600300687057
• Warranty–Contact the manufacturer for details.

Benefits:

1. Comes in two colors, pink or white.
2. Best selling rechargeable cordless lamp.
3. Sensor light on/off feature for battery life saving.
4. Can be used on both hands and feet.
5. 4 different settings; 15,30, 60 seconds and a 90 second low heat.

There is one issue with this LED lamp, it is a bit small so most of the time you have to do fingernails separately.

Overall this LED lamp has a cost of $174.98 and has great quality. With a 4 star rating by most users, this one is a pretty good choice. Both for personal use and for the professional this Led lamp is one that I would recommend.

CND LED Lamp

Details:

• Dimensions– 1.6 x 1.2 x 2.8 inches
•  Shipping weight–2.8 pounds
• ASIN– B00WVOS6Ek
• Item model number–CNDJF00131
• Warranty– Contact the manufacturer for details.

Benefits:

1. Gives you a long lasting color layer to your nails
2. Can be used on both your hands and your feet.
3. Cures all of your fingers or toes at the same time.
4. Uses mirrors to target exposure to the nails.
5. Optimizes light energy and time for a maximum shine and durability.
6. 3 different settings; 10 seconds for base coat, 60 seconds for color and 60 seconds for top coat.
7. has the ability to add up to 4 more days of wear to your nails.

You are going to want to make sure and use the indentations for the fingers. If your fingers are too far forward the light will not hit your nails correctly. This will result in uncured nails.

There are a couple of issues to dealing with this LED lamp. If you have large hands, they will not fit properly and you will have to do each nail individually. Extra long nails do not dry properly either. The main complaint that I have seen with this LED lamp is that if you are not a professional they will not honor the warranty.

All around this LED lamp is of good quality but with a price of $299.00 you might want a second choice. Very good reviews with a 4 and a half star rating. I would recommend this one. I have seen it used before and works very well.

Gelish Harmony 18G Pro LED Curing Lamp & Fantastic Four

Details:

• Dimensions–10 x 8 x 6 inches
• Shipping weight– 4 pounds
• ASIN– B01HBXCIUI
• UPC– 816268029024
• Warranty– Contact the manufacturer for details.

Benefits:

1. Cures all five fingers at the same time.
2. Can be used on both the hands and the feet.
3. Magnetic tray for easy removal and cleaning purposes.
4. Cuts your drying time in half.
5. Useful with any gel polish
6. Finger stopper guide for proper placement.
7. Your gel will stay on for up to 3 weeks with no chipping or peeling.
8. Base gel creates the adhesive bond between your nail plate and your gel product so it will not damage your nail.
9. Removes with Gelish soak-off remover.
10. Fastest curing lamp in the industry.
11. Comes with a patent pending eye shield for your protection.

This is a kit that contains, 1 Gelish foundation based gel,  Gelish top it off sealer gel, 1 Gelish pH bond nail prep and 1 Gelish nourish cuticle oil.

This LED lamp will cost you about $219.89 and is by far the best one that I have seen. I have one myself. All the reviews out there are also 5 stars. It is definitely up to you but this is the one that I highly recommend.

I hope this has been a big help in your decision for an LED lamp. As always, here is to beautiful nails and let me know which one you might prefer in the messages below.

Blessed Be. Kari

Nothing Fancy

Some of us get so busy that we just don’t have the time to get our nails done or even have the time to do them ourselves. So this is going to be a quick post on how to keep your nails nice looking without to much trouble or wasted time.

You are going to want to start with the basics. Using some lotion to start. Getting your hands moisturized and ready to display your beautiful nails. Then of course shaping and cleaning up your nails themselves. Click HERE for some manicure sets to choose from.

After your clean up make sure you wash your hands to remove the oils from your nails and the little messy bits left behind. You are already almost done. From here you are going to want to choose your favorite top coat. I prefer Sally Hansen’s from the Color Therapy collection. Click my Top Choices for some other great options.

Give your fingernails one coat of clear top coat. Let them dry completely. If you like that extra shiny look then you can give them a second coat but, it isn’t necessary to do so. Clean up any spots that hit your fingers with a       Q-tip and nail polish remover. You are now finished with gorgeous natural nails.

Feet

Of course you are going to want to do the same for your wonderful toes. Follow the very same process and  your feet will look like you can eat with them when you are done. It is just as important to take care of your feet as it is to take care of your hands. After all they are the ones that take us everywhere we need and want to go.

I hope this made it simple for you. If there is anything you would like to see or if you have any questions please leave a message and I will reply soon. Blessed Be, Kari

What are Nail Foils?

Nail foils are an easy and inexpensive way to get great designs on your nails. With a wide variety of designs to choose from, you could do your nails every day for a month and never get the same effect twice.

Nail art foils can also be used on acrylics or extensions.

The removal process is as easy as removing nail polish colors, just use nail polish remover.

Here is what you are going to need if you are going to do foil nails:

1. Nail foil adhesive (nail glue)
2. Transfer foils
3. Nail polish (a darker shade works best)
4. A cotton ball

To get started you are going to want to moisturize your hands with your favorite lotion. Then prepare your nails by cleaning, shaping and of course pushing back the cuticles to make your nails a perfect pallet for your artwork.

• Apply your base coat and let it dry completely.
• Apply your desired color nail polish. Keeping in mind that different colors will produce a different effect. Let it dry completely.
• You can cut your foil to fit the shape of your fingernail but a nice little square piece is easier to work with. Apply your nail foil adhesive. Let it dry completely. It will go from creamy to clear. Then apply your cut piece to your fingernail. This is where the cotton ball will be helpful in smoothing out the foil on your nail.
• Remove the foil from your nail and the pattern should stick to your fingernail. If there are any bare spots on your nail you are going to want to start that nail over.
• Once your nail is completely dry you can apply your top coat to protect your artwork.

Click here for a selection of kits or click the image below and there are many more foil choices for you.

In my opinion these foils are easier to use than the stampers. You might want to give them both a try and be sure to let me know what you think in the messages below.  Be on the look out for the review on the stamper so you can compare. As always, here is to beautiful nails and Blessed Be.

Kari

How Many Different Types of Nail Kits?

From what I could see out there, there are approximately 9 Types of nail kits. Let me give you a list of the ones I could find and then you can choose which one you would like to investigate more.

• Manicure kits
• Pedicure kits
  • Manicure & Pedicure combo kits
• Gel nail kits
• Acrylic nail kits
  • DIY Acrylic nail kits
• Nail stamping kits
• Nail art kits

I am going to give you a review of one product from each of these categories along with a few more for you to choose from if you like. So let us get right to it, shall we?

Manicure Kits

I love manicure kits. I even keep one in the car for when I am waiting on someone. Perfect time to clean up the nails a little.

Cater Manicure, Professional grooming kit

This kit includes the following items: Nail clipper, toenail clipper, diagonal clipper, multi-purpose scissors, cuticle trimmer, eyebrow tweezers, ear pick, peeling knife, nail file, double-sided push stick, v-shaped push stick and a black head needle and loop remover. To me this is a lot to have in a manicure kit.

All those extras that are for facial grooming are seemingly not necessary in a manicure kit. However, it is only 3″ by 6″ in size, comes in a stylish portable leather case with an easy to close snap and it is 100% satisfaction guaranteed. No questions asked and you get a full refund. Each one of these are checked by a strict quality inspector.

Pedicure Kits

Okay most pedicure kits are also manicure kits, but if you have someone in the house that needs specific detail brought to their feet then this is for you.

MintfootProfessional Pedicure Knife set

This kit includes the following items: Nail knives, pusher, exfoliator, tweezers, trimmer and lifter and a file to buff or shape. Professional salon quality, surgical grade stainless steel tools. This means that they are easy to clean and will not rust.

They are very sharp so you must be careful. This kit does not come with an instruction manual and you might want to soak your feet first. Soaking your feet first always helps to make the task easier to manipulate the toes for an easier trimming. This kit is a good addition to your grooming needs.

Combo Kits

It’s like killing two birds with one stone, why not have both fingernail and toenail grooming in one kit?

Professional Fingernail Clipper Grooming Kit

This kit contains the following items: Fingernail clipper, toenail clipper, angled clipper, scissors, nail file, toenail nipper, three knives with different angles, two ended-two angled cuticle pusher, two ended-two angled pusher for toes, two specialty trimmers for cuticles, ear pick and a facial stick(blackhead remover).

This multi functional tool kit is for facial detail as well as for finger nail and toe nail cleaning. All made from high quality material. Stainless steel so they will never rust. Black polished anti-skid technology and a great little carrying case. A great portable 15 piece kit.

Gel Nail Kits

Gel nails are beautiful and long-lasting. This kit is a great one.

Modelones Gel Nail Polish Starter Kit

This kit includes the following: 6 beautiful color gel polishes, base coat, top coat, toe separator, nail clippers, cuticle pusher, cuticle trimmer, cuticle oil, 2 nail files, storage bag, buffer brush, puff brush, alcohol pads, gel removal pads and an LED portable nail dryer.

The nail dryer lamp has two timer settings, 45 seconds and 60 seconds. Very efficient and easy to use. It does have to stay plugged in while you use it, but it is small and lightweight so it travels well.

This product is recommended by several people including myself. It was easy to get started. Simple to use. Great for the beginner.

Acrylic Nail Kits

This kit has a lot to it for the price. Great value.

Ophanie 11 in 1 Portable Acrylic Nail Kit

This is an electric nail drill kit with 26 sanding bands, 11 drill bits, nail cutters, angled nail cutters, nail brush, nail file, scissors, cuticle pusher, cuticle trimmer, scraper and of course the AC adapter and manual. The nail drill itself is very quiet and has a forward and reverse setting.

You can also use it for carving, shaping, engraving, cutting, sharpening, mold grinding, sanding, polishing, removing calluses and you can use it for your pet grooming as well.

This product has many people recommending it. I believe it will help cut your acrylic nail time in half. With a 60-day money back or exchange you are going to have a hard time finding a better deal.

DIY Acrylic Kit

This one is not for the first timer. You might want to watch a video or two.

Kiss Products Complete Salon Acrylic Kit

This kit includes: 20 pro nail forms, 20 White tips, 20 natural tips, acrylic primer, acrylic liquid, clear acrylic powder, acrylic brush, nail blue, buff block, 2 way file, dampen dish and a manicure stick.

Now if you have already been doing acrylic nails for a while then this is a great kit for you. It gives you everything you need. Might even be the best way to go if you are going on a trip.

You will probably need a drill if you don’t already have one. The one thing that this kit does not include that you might want to add is some colored powder. You can’t have beautiful fancy nails without wanting to add a little color.

I think most of the reviews that I saw were saying the same thing that I feel about this product. If you know how to do acrylic nails and you already have a drill, this little package is perfect for you and that little trip you might be taking.

Nail Extension Kits

Okay so this one has a really long name so I am going to shorten it.

All in 1 Poly Nail Gel, Nail Builder, Extension Kit

This kit includes: 5w power 6 LED UV lamp, 100 model nail tips, 4 poly gels, rhinestone gel, 4 matte nail foils, base coat, top coat, cleaner, 12 colors dip powder, 12 colors rhinestones(1 box is 1400 pcs), 24 rolls 3D strip tape, 3 bag tip guides, sticker and 9 nail tools.

Long lasting poly gel nail extensions will last you anywhere from 15 to 30 days depending on what you put your hands through every day. You can cure your nails with the UV lamp for 2-3 minutes or switch to the LED lamp for 60-90 seconds.  Nice kit.

Nail Stamping Kits

Now these are great and easy to do yourself.

Makartt 12 pcs Nail Art Stamping Kit

This kit includes: 10 pcs nail stamp plates, 1 nail stamper and 1 scraper. There is not much to this kit. The stamper is clear so you can align your design easily.

For those who are not very artistic and have a difficult time drawing on small areas this tool can help you out. Fun for all ages. Easy to use. This is a great gift idea or if you just want something easy and different.

Nail Art Kits

So much fun. I love the art part of nails.

Joyjuly Nail Art Kit

This kit includes: 30 striping tape colors, 4 pcs striping roller box, 12 colors rhinestone box, 5 dotting pens and 15 brushes. So this is really everything you need when you are doing nail art. Of course it doesn’t come with nail polish colors or the base and top coats, but if you are looking into nail art, you already have some of those.

The 5 different dotting pens each having a different use on each end, gives you the ability to accomplish any design imaginable. There is a 100% refund or replacement.  All the tools you need to get your art going.

Kits Are Covered

Well hopefully I have helped you with some great choices on nail kits. You don’t have to be a professional to enjoy doing your nails.

As always let me know if there is anything I can help you with or if you have any questions, leave me a message. Thank you and Blessed Be.

Kari

Healthy Nails

Some of us are not blessed with nice long and healthy nails. I am sure we all know that what you put into your body effects your hair, skin and nails.

A few things that you can consume that will help your nails are as follows: Gelatin, Vitamin E and Keratin. Just these three items will help your nails grow stronger, healthier and shinier. I am going to give you some alternatives that you can do until your nails grow out long and beautiful.

Nail Tips

This is what we call false nails or acrylic nails. We have all used these at one time or another I’m sure. Best when somebody else does them for you because it can get awkward when you try to do the second hand. Of course the press on type are what we all try first or at a younger age.

You are going to need some tools for the application of these nails just like you have for your actual nails. Your basic nail files, clippers and buffers. You will also need acrylic clippers, glues and coarse nail files. Here are a few to choose from.

A Product Review

 Makartt JD855 30000 RPM Nail Drill Machine

This nail drill is rechargeable and portable with a hook on the back for your belt. It is fully charged in 2.5 hours for 5 hours of operation. It does not have to be plugged in while using it and has a flexible cord. A very low vibration and noise, which is always nice. Also has a security protection system. The hand-piece will turn off to avoid the drill from overheating due to prolonged use. With a forward and reverse function to be able to change direction.

This package includes:

• 1 nail drill machine
• 1 hand-piece
• 1 silicon stand
• 1 user’s manual
• 6 metal grinding bits
• 6 sanding bands

There is a 6 month money back guarantee and an available 12 month warranty offer for quality problems and lifelong maintenance. Great for natural and artificial nails.

Here are some other ways you can use this nail drill: trimming cuticles, carving, polishing, engraving, cutting, removing hard gels, mold grinding, sharpening, sanding and even pet nail grooming.

When all is said and done, I do not recommend this particular tool for professional use, but it would be a great addition to your home tools.

For those of you that want to have the complete set and experience, these are for you. I searched out the ones with the best reviews that I have not tried myself for you to check out.

Clean-up

Nobody likes to do the clean up. However, we must clean up all of our bumps and mishaps along the way or it looks like a three year old got a hold of our hands. Q-tips(the pointy ones work best), cotton balls or pads, and your nail polish remover. Choices that I like.

So if you like beautiful nails and your trying to grow yours out or just want them now, I hope that I have helped you find what you are looking for. As always, here is to beautiful healthy nails. Blessed Be

Kari

A Beginning, Your Hands

Now I don’t know about you but, I can’t afford to go to the salon and have my nails done professionally every month. Everyone would love for their nails, both hands and feet, to look great all the time.

DESIGNECOLOGIST

(This is where I got that fabulous photo from.)

Doing it yourself can be an easy and not so expensive way to look and feel great. Needless to say, before you do your nails you have to start with your hands themselves. I will have some great lotions and skin cares available for you to check out on this site. Make sure before you do your nails that you heal your hands first, every time. Here are some great options to choose from.

The Next Step, Your Nails

After conditioning your hands you are going to want to clean up the fingers. This will include clipping your nails and filing them to the desired look.  Make sure you clean up your cuticles as well.  Choose your desired color or colors that you are going to be using.

Here are some great choices of color for you to pick through.

Doing it yourself will require a little bit of talent with the tools or practice as I like to call it. Sometimes I have to draw out what I would like or find a picture I can go off of before I begin.

You will want to have all the glitters, tapes and designs you are going to put on your nails ready as well. Don’t want to be looking for things with wet nails. The area in which you are going to be working should be clean. We don’t want a stray hair to get stuck on our nice pretty nails now do we. Find yourself a caddie of sorts to keep all your accessories in, like this one:

I turned a sewing carrier into a case for my nail accessories. Works great.

Artwork to Display

Base coat is not necessary but, it can make your nails look more smooth. Then you are going to apply your desired color or colors. Make sure you dry completely before each new coat, at least 10 minutes. Next comes all of your tapes, glitters and gems. Of course you finish with the top coat. Top coat will also help to keep all of those fancy things on your nails. Here are a few accessory ideas.

When you are done you may have something similar to this:

On to the Feet

Of course many of us like to have our feet done just like our fingers. In the same respect as your hands you are going to want to moisturize your feet and clean up the nails. Then of course you continue in the same manner as you did your hands and fingers. Some things you may need for the next step.

You can change the design or desired look to make your toenails different from your fingernails if you desire. Your body, your choice. Just make sure you have all of your required tools and accessories available before you begin. Don’t forget to start with a clean work area.

I have tried to give you some options with things that I have used myself. Leave me some ideas on the kinds of items you would prefer and I will be sure to get them on my next post.

Thank you and CHEERS to having beautiful nails.

Kari