Natural nails are good too

I wore my nails all natural for two months. Mostly out of laziness and I was running your of gel.

Seemed liked a good time to go natural and still paint them of course ♥

Here are some from August. I really should remember to post these...

Here you do :) 

Thanks for visiting!

The start of Dark Polish ♥♥

Olay Pro-X Microdermabrasion + Advanced Cleansing System, 4 pc

I have been wanting to get a Clarisonic for some time now. I really wanted to see if it would help my skin. I have really dry skin and I can break out with a few 'face demons' every now and then. I don't have acne prone skin. It's mainly during that time of the month or when I'm really stressed out.

Which does seem to be all the time now a days. (Catch my Bunny reference up there?!? wink wink)

And when I work out, cause I'm so big and go hard, I sweat A LOT!! (Eww lol)

Anywho, I did a ton of research. Read a ton of reviews, watch a bunch of videos... 

The main reason I was hesitant to buy one was the price and not knowing if it would help me.

I have super sensitive skin and the say using brush heads like the Clarisonic can make your skin even more sensitive, especially in the sun.

So after 2 whole days of looking at my phone and computer, I found something I think will help and at a fraction of the price I was going to spend!

The Olay Pro-X System!!

The Clarisonic Mia and Mia 2 are $99 and $149 and they both come with a sensitive brush head and their chargers. They come in various colors and the Mia 2 has 2 speeds and buzzes when you need to move on to the next part of your face. That's about the only differences.

The Pro-X I got was from Wal-Mart and I paid just under $30...

HUGE difference in money, I know.

"Well, you get what you pay for... Don't expect much..."

Actually for said $30 I got the system with 3 speeds, 2 brush heads, 2 sample cleansers and 2 AA batteries.

The only bummer thing is that it does run on batteries but it's not that big of a deal to me.

I have been using it every day at night and my skin was so soft after one use. The extra dry bits around and on my nose, where it flakes a lot, are almost non visible.

I can still see them because I know what I'm looking for. No flakes. No big spots. And the redness I would get from it being irritated is gone too.

I also have a couple more bumps and zits? since using the first day. They said that was normal. I'm not sure. I do know that it is that time of the month (lol) but I'm going to keep using the system and the cleansers it came with for the next month and see what my skin looks like then. And how it feels to me. Also, I plan on buying the Olay Foaming Face Wash for Sensitive skin after I run out of the Pro-X Renewal Facial Cleanser that came in the pack.

It's about $5 at Ulta and Wal-Mart.

 I'll post a picture of the product and a link to where I got it. I will also link the cleansers as well. They are only 1oz samples and a tad spendy to repurchase. 

I will be posting a before and after picture and review in 1 month. We shall see :) ♥

Thank you for reading.

Olay Pro-X Microdermabrasion + Advanced Cleansing System:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Olay-Pro-X-Microdermabrasion-Advanced-Cleansing-System-4-pc/24808072

Olay Professional Pro-X Exfoliating Renewal Facial Cleanser, 6 fl oz: 

 http://www.walmart.com/ip/Olay-Professional-PROX-Exfoliating-Renewal-Cleanser-6-fl-oz/13060325

Olay Pro-X Microdermabrasion + Advanced Cleansing System Refill, 2 pc:

(I couldn't find this sold without the brush head...)

  http://www.walmart.com/ip/Olay-Pro-X-Microdermabrasion-Advanced-Cleansing-System-Refill-2-pc/24808071

P.s. Sorry for not posting in a long time :/

Nails on My Right Hand

I get a lot of questions about my right hand.

Do you paint your nails? Do you use gel? Acrylic? Why don't you post photos of them?

And on and on...

I don't mind at all. I happily answer the best I can. So here is some info on my right hand lol

Do I paint them at all?

Yes, I do. While it can be more difficult for me and a lot more time consuming, I do like to make them as pretty as I can and math them with my left hand.

Do you use Gel or Acrylic on them?

Yes. I used to. I would do the same to my right hand as I would my left when it came to Gel and such.

Now I leave them bare and natural. 

Why?

Well, firstly, when I swatch a color for someone or a new polish, I get some people saying that I can show its true color or application because I am putting it over Gel nails and not 'real' nails. Now I can show it on both. Gel for my left, Bare for my right!

Why don't you ever post any pictures of them?

I try. I'm very shaky when it comes to taking pictures with my phone and using my left hand :)

But I have done it and I will have pictures below.

What do they look like bare?

Just like everyone's nails. My natural nails are very thin and sharp. I have been known to cut my other fingers with them on accident or scratch my hubby too hard during sex lol

  *wink wink*

That's usually why I had Gel or Acrylic on them as well as my left hand.

Gel or Acrylic?

Both. But Gel is my current favorite right now and I like them more because they last longer on my nails than Acrylics do.

I love to get my nails done professionally with Acrylics. 

And with that, I recently tried Acryli-Gel technique on my right hand. I will show that below as well.

What shape do you have?

I LOVE the square shape for my 'fake' mails and the rounded for my 'real' nails.

I also recently tried rounded for my Gel nails and it lasted a little over a week lol

Pictures below.

What do you use on your bare nails to keep them strong?

I am still working on that. I use Burt's Bees Cuticle Cream everyday, several times a day.

I also use the Milk and Honey Hand Cream by them as well.

If I don't have polish on them, I put two coats of Nail Life on them and sometimes a Matte topcoat.

I'm not too big on shiny, bare nails :)

I also am a bad nail bitter and I'm still struggling with that. I try to file them when I get a dent it they peel and buff them lightly.

I hope this helps and answered all your questions. If you have anymore, please leave me a comment below. Thanks for reading.

-Kayla

Natural Nails Painted. Mimosas for Mr & Mrs by OPI

Bare Nails after Acryli-Gel removal today.

My Acryli-Gel Attempt

Small picture was right after Gel removal and Big picture is 3 weeks later

My usual beauty routine minus my Honey and Milk lotion

 

 

 

My left hand with rounded nails and what they look like today

New changes

I changed my blog a bit. Actually a lot. It looks nothing like it did before and I'm still adjusting!

I wanted a little change and went all out. I do that sometimes. I'm still not sure if it will stay this way.

My blog is very much like an online journal with some random advice, hauls and such thrown in.

Yeah, an online journal :)

I have been super busy for the past month it seems getting ready for the Bikini Series and getting my life organized and goals set. One of my goals it to blog at least twice a month. Aiming for once a week. I want to start organizing my home better and I have some ideas for that. I might write some posts about it. Before and after kind of thing. I have been working on my photography and doing more nail art lol as always.

I will be posting more 'How-To' posts and might be making pictorial videos?!

I need to locate my other camera to see if filming is better on that.

I still have my left hand covered in Gel, and changed the shape of those too, and my right hand is bare. I have been using Burt's Bees cuticle cream and wearing gloves doing dishes. I also leave at least tow coats of something on my nails. No breaks, No chips, and they feel stronger than ever! I have to keep reminding myself to take vitamins. I need to set an alarm or something :)

I have a couple posts in the making, I cannot wait to share them. People still ask me to do certain things, especially concerning my nails, so I wanted to make some tutorials on those. There are tons of them out there, I'm not going to try to be different or anything. 

Just having fun and hope others might learn from it...

I think that's about it for now.

Thank you for reading!

(Late Post) Took my Gel off

Original Date: November 20th

Okay. I took off my Gelish gel nails, just wow.

I usually don't have them on for very long but this time they lasted just over a month and two fills.

My nails, when I get hem done Acrylic or Gel, never really hold up that well. they usually start to peel and separate after a week or two. I did file them a little more than usual and did a different technique to do the Gel Foundation. 

This was my Process. I use the Gelish Soak-Off Gel Kit.

http://www.sallybeauty.com/gelish-starter-kit/SBS-724842,default,pd.html#q=gelish+kit&start=2

(I will try to see if I have pictures)

Step 1: File and prep your nails.

I remove all polish. File and lightly trim. I file down the top layer of my nails and clean with some Alcohol. This is all pretty general lol

Lightly buff all nails and sweep gently with the Ph Bond that comes in the Gelish Kit.

(If you want to apply tips to lengthen your nails, add them before the ph bond)

Step 2: Apply a thin layer of Gel.

Wipe off most of the Gel from the brush. Almost all of it.

I start at the top of my nail near the cuticle and slowly wiggle the brush up towards the cuticle and back and forth.You want it to seep into your nails and by wiggling the brush and 'massaging' the gel into your nails makes it a better bond. Do all 4 nails. Cure for 15 seconds.

Step 3: Thicker gel.

I don't have any builder Gel so I make do lol

For this step you have to apply the Gel and cure ONE finger at a time. I use the LED cure lamp that came with the Gelish Kit.

Take your brush out of the bottle and wipe just one side.

Blob the rest in the middle of your nail and let it settle for 1 second.

Flip your hand over and have your nails settle towards the middle for 2-3 seconds and place under the lamp to cure for 45 seconds.

Doing this may make your fingers a bit warm cause the light has to go deeper to cure the Gel. It is does start to feel like your nail is getting hot. Remove from under the light and place back under when your temp returns to normal. I had to ask about that lol

Step 4: Correcting

After you finish all 4 fingers. This is the time to make any corrections or fill any small gaps. I have to say that I did not have very many. Some small gaps near the sides of my nails but that was it.

To do this just apply gel where needed and small blobs where there might be a bigger gap.

Add a thin layer of Gelish Top It Off.

Cure and wipe with a cotton ball soaked in Alcohol.

Repeat on other hand and then thumbs.

That's it!! Now you can apply any regular polish or nail art or a Gel polish!

It worked for me but might not work for you. I don't know. I am not a professional in any way and I suggest you follow the instructions on the box or online from the Gel company you are using!

Here are some pictures of my Gelish Gel nails and after I took them off.

Getting ready for fill...