The Monday Mani

Pictures are taken on Lauren Conrad's 'Beauty'

One of the perks of acrylic nails is only having to paint them once a week, as colours seem to last a lot longer on thin sheets of plastic that just don't move. So with the habit of my doing my nails three times a week now changing to a once a week event, I tend to reserve a little more time for it. 

I start with removing my old polish with any old acetone free remover before applying some cuticle remover. I have a super fast acting one that only takes about twenty seconds before it's ready to be wiped off. I then treat my suffering cuticles to a bath of OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil. I'm still using this nifty 'on-the-go' version, but I'll be purchasing the full size when it runs out. 

I rub my hands with a thick layer of Lush Dream Cream, which has a funky scent but great moisturizing properties. Then I put on some cotton gloves and sit around waiting (or watching YouTube) for about ten minutes before taking off the gloves. As a result my hands and cuticles are perfectly moisturized and soft. I take a tissue and clean the nails. Greasy nails makes it harder for polish to adhere, so clean nails are a must. 

For this week's manicure I chose Muchi Muchi by Essie. One of my all time favourite shades. The soft pink looks great against most skin tones and gives the hands a feminine, elegant look. It's also really easy to combine with other colors, so you'll never have to deal with your nails not matching your outfit. Because it is such a light colour, two layers are needed to achieve nice coverage. 

On regular nails I'd apply a top coat to help last the polish longer, but I have found that that is not necessary with acrylic nails. Polish lasts much longer and looks better, because there are absolutely no imperfections on the nail. Little disclaimer, I am not claiming that acrylic nails are good for your nails. You are essentially shielding the nail from taking in any oxygen, making the nails soft and brittle over time. I do not recommend to always wear acrylics. I usually wear them a few months and then have one recovery month. 

And that is my once a week hand pamper moment. It's great to just reserve some time during the week to relax and paint your nails. Every girl should do it.