Gel Polish

The latest craze and perhaps breakthrough product in the nail industry is the 'Soak Off UV Gel Nail Polish'. So what is this new polish you ask?

Here are some differences from Gel polishes and your traditional nail polishes.

Traditional Nail Polish	Gel Polish
Usually lasts a week before chipping Wide variety of colours Air dry Takes about 20 minutes to completely dry	Lasts 2 weeks without chipping or scratching Limited number of colours 'Cures' under a UV light Dries in 2 minutes per layer

When you're getting Gel Polish at a nail salon, you'd likely get the same procedures as a regular manicure. Cuticles are pushed back, nails are filed and buffed, and traces of oils will be removed from your nail bed for the Gel Polish to adhere. 

Depending on the brand of Gel Polish, "curing" time under the UV light can vary but the steps are pretty similar. The polish must be cured under the UV light for each coat applied.

Here are the steps to a Manicure Gel Polish:

1. Regular Manicure

2. Make sure the nail surface is free of any trace of oil

3. Apply Gel Base Coat

4. Apply two coats of Gel Colour

5. Apply Gel Top Coat

6. Clean sticky Gel residue off with alcohol

I've only ever tried Shellac and Gelish. Personally I prefer Gelish because of their range of colours. Both products offer the same results however, Gelish colours are more fun and different.  The polish does not chip and the shine is definitely lasting!

Gelish after 10 days

Gelish after 14 days

If you're always using your hands for work, I suggest you try Gel Polish. It's costs a bit more than a regular manicure but is definitely worth the price.

Here are the brands with Gel Polish products: Nail Harmony - Gelish, CND - Shellac, CalGel and many more.

credit: All Laquered Up

Channel your Chanel

This week is going to be a short work week and I'm already starting to procrastinate! With the amount of work ahead of me I'm expecting to play catch up for the rest of the week. Here's a fun video to watch while you enjoy the rest of your hump day.

The end of the video "credits" the 18 Chanel le Vernis nail polishes

What are your thoughts on Chanel nail polishes? They're definitely the trendy upscale ones. I personally haven't used them much because as a professional nail tech, we prefer brands like OPI or Essie; large collection of colours and still affordable for customers.

Here are Chanel's Fall 2011 nail polishes from their Illusions d'Ombre collection.

From left to right: Quartz, Peridot, Graphite

The colours are shimmery/metallic, perfect addition to a rather dull fall season.

Friday Fix

This weekend is Thanksgiving weekend. If you're getting together with your family for a Thanksgiving dinner make sure your nails are presentable! After all, nothing worse that chowing down on your food with bad nails, especially if it's your family in law. You'd want to look polished at all times.

Here is some nail trends to help you decide what kind of look to go for.

Zoya nails have launched their Fall 2011 nail polish collection focused on the colour palette of the season. This year we'll be seeing lots of jewel tones, muted shades with a hint of mauve, and splashes of metallics. I'm especially excited for the vibrant jewel tones and I can't wait to fill my closet with these rich hues.

I hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend with lots of laughter, good company, and amazing food.

Credit: Zoya

Digital Arts Daily

5 tips for strong and healthy nails

Your nails may be one of those things that are unnecessary to care for. What kind of purpose do they serve anyway? I mean sure some of us take great care of our fingernails but I'm sure most of us do so for beauty purposes but until something goes wrong: discolouration, fungal infection, ingrown nails, we don't seem to pay too much attention.

Nail problems appear gradually and can be an indication of your health. Believe it or not the way your nail looks, colour/texture can be warning signs for heart disease, blood count, and nutrition.

Here are some tips for not only well groomed nails but healthy finger and toe nails.

1. Wear rubber gloves when doing house work

Most household chores, from washing dishes to gardening requires you to use your hands extensively. To protect your hands from harsh chemicals and abrasion I recommend using vinyl gloves.

2. Keep your nails hydrated

I'm sure we've all noticed that white edge around cuticle area. Use a little bit of cuticle oil and apply it the the edge to keep your nails hydrated throughout the day! You can substitute with baby oil or better yet just pure olive oil.

3. Trim your toenails straight across


This helps prevent ingrown toenails. Trimming the sides too short may cause the nail corners to taper in.

4. Avoid wearing damp shoes

These can be your work boots or runners. Sometimes your feet may sweat and from the moisture, heat, and dark environment, your damp shoes could be prone to causing bacteria growth. This is the common cause of fungal infection.

5. Wear 100% cotton socks

These are the best for moisture absorption. Thus preventing your chances of fungal infection.

Credit: Medicinenet

Canucks Spirit

Here's my inspired Canucks nails. I actually did them myself during the summer when the Canucks were in the finals. It's definitely a fun way to be routing for the city's team.

Today I'm going to be at the Oilers vs. Canucks game.