Nail Regimen

One of my favorite things to do in my spare time has always been my nails.  It relaxes me and allows me to be creative.  When I was young I bought a book that showed different designs and directions on how to create them.  I've always found doing my nails as a stress reliever, but lately I've found it hard to make the time to paint my nails.  Letting each layer dry took 10 to 20 minutes which felt like forever to just sit still.  I did some research and found a solution to this and wanted to share my regimen with everyone.


Here are the items you will need:


Nail Polish Remover・Hydrogen Peroxide・Baking Soda・Old Toothbrush・Mixing Bowl・Nail Clipper・Nail File・Buffing Block・Lotion・Soap・Base Coat・Nail Polish・Top Coat

The first thing you want to do when doing your nails is to remove any nail polish that may be on your nails.  The nail polish remover I have been loving is the Zoya Remove Plus Nail Polish Remover, I buy mine at my local Ulta.  This formula is nice because it's moisturizing to your nails since it contains glycerin.  It also doesn't have the typical acetone-y nail polish remover scent.


Once I've removed any old nail polish from my nails, I like to whiten the nail surface.  To do this I mix 3 teaspoons of baking soda with 1 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide.  Once I mix the paste I apply it to my nail surface and use an OLD toothbrush to scrub the nails in a circular motion.  This process tends to be messy so I would do this over a sink.  I then wash my hands of any excess paste.



Next, I shape and polish my nails to prep them for the polish.  I typically use my nail clippers and nail file to shape my nails to have a square edge.  My 4-Way Buffer Block is one of my favorite nail care purchases.  It smoothes the nail surfaces and gives them a sheen even before any polish is applied.


I then work on my cuticles.  I apply a bit of lotion (and sometimes a drop of oil) to each nail and massage it in.  I then use my nails to push back the cuticles on each finger.


Using a cleansing soap, I wash my hands to strip it of any oils that may be on the nail surface.  Once I do this, my prep work is done.  This sounds more time consuming than it really is.


To start my nail painting process, I first apply 2 thin coats of the Gelous Nail Gel base coat.  This polish is meant to strengthen fragile nails.  I absolutely LOVE this nail polish because it gives the look of a gel manicure without any of the dangerous UV rays used during the process.  I then alternate between 1 coat of my nail polish and 1 coat of gel polish (2 coats of gel, 1 coat of polish, 1 coat of gel, 1 coat of polish).  Instead of waiting for each layer to completely dry, I wait until they are] just starting to dry and then apply the next layer of polish.  The nail polish I chose to use for this post is fairly sheer so I painted 3 coats of color.

2 Coats of Gelous

1st Coat of Nail Polish

3rd Coat of Gelous

2nd Coat of Nail Polish

Once I have painted the last coat of nail polish I apply a top coat.  The top coat I recently found is a bit controversial, but I still choose to use it because of the great results it gives.  This top coat is the Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.  The reason this polish is so controversial is because it contains the chemical toluene, which is very toxic to the system.  I suggest using this in a very well ventilated area if you do choose to purchase it.  You may wonder why I use Seche Vite knowing the potential dangers it poses.  The reason is, the top coat is able to dry my numerous layers of polish within 5 minutes.  I also like this polish because it gives the highest shine finish that I've ever seen.

Artificial Light

Natural Light, After 1 Week

Essie: Petal Pink

I've found that this regimen allows my manicure to last about a week.  And the final look is salon quality.  This regimen gives me the best results, my nails look healthy and feel noticeably stronger.

Here are some other examples of my nails done with the same technique:

OPI: A True Ab-Original

OPI: Austin-Tatious Turquoise

Accent Color on Ring Finger Ulta: Love Fern

Black & Silver Look

Note: There are many dangers in doing your nails, so I suggest you do research on each product you use to know exactly what you are putting on your nails and inhaling into your system.

Happy nail painting!

❤ Temi