Tag: beauty
The Arsenal – Graham HandsDown Ultra Cosmetic Pads
I get a lot of questions and comments regarding the tools and treatment products I use to keep my nails healthy and in tip top shape. Since my routine changes as I test new products, I’ve launched, The Arsenal, to share with you the items that are “must haves” in my nail kit.
A cotton pad is a cotton pad, right? Not in my world. For years I went the cheapo route buying whatever bulk cotton pads or balls where the least expensive even though I continued to be frustrated by the little pieces of lint left behind, the polish stains on my fingers and how easily they disintegrated. Enter Graham HandsDown Ultra Nail and Cosmetic Pads. To my nails, they’re like the air I breathe, ESSENTIAL!
What’s so fab about them? For one, the plastic barrier and easy grip tab on the back of each pad. I can easily remove polish from just one nail without messing up the rest of my manicure. I can easily swatch polish without messing up a brand I’m testing on my non-swatching hand.
What else? Well they are lint-free which is a HUGE plus and they hold remover well so you use less product. With cotton pads, my fingers would end up wet which is bad for your skin and a waste. Thanks to the plastic backing, they are also very sturdy so you can remove polish from multiple nails without them falling apart.
Grahams HandsDown Ultra Pads can be purchased in a 60 ct package at Sally Beauty for $4.99 ($4.49 with Sally Card) or do what I do and order the big 240 ct bag from Head2ToeBeauty.com for $12.95.
Compared to drugstore brand cotton balls they are a bit pricey but considering you only need 1 or 2 per manicure, it’s worth the cost.
How many of you are HandsDown Ultra converts? Do you agree that they’re worth the extra coin? What’s your favorite nail polish remover pad?
Manicure Trick – Wrap Your Tips
Much like wrapping the perfect present, a flawless, long lasting manicure requires a little wrapping of its own. Wrapping the free edge of your nail with polish helps extend the wear of your manicure and should become an essential step in your routine.
I’m sure most professional nail techs consider this part of their everyday manicure service but it’s not as well known in the consumer world. Since we discussed this technique in the comments of my Quirius review, and there were multiple requests for details, I figured a quick tutorial was in order. Read on to see my step-by-step guide to wrapping your tips and get a look at one of American Apparel’s latest nail polish releases. It’s GREEN! |
Quirius Nail Polish Swatches and Review
A month or so ago, a reader emailed me asking about a brand of nail polish called Quirius. As much as I try to stay on top of all the brands out there, it seems there are new ones popping up every day and I had no clue what she was talking about. A quick Google search brought me to the QRS Beauty website and what looked like some fun blues, greens and purples. You know, my core color group.
The low prices and fun shades drew me in so I placed an order. The polish arrived a week before I left for The Makeup Show in NYC so I figured that would be a great time to test the wear. The color I chose was gorgeous and received many compliments but did it live up to the test? Read on to find out. |