The Monday Mani #3

This week's manicure is Gosh's Crispy Coral. I was in need of something light and fresh to counteract the dramatic week I have had. My dad's accident, busting out my knee and the exhausting workload. Positivity is essential to keep my head clear and focused.

The reddish coral lifts my skin tone and sets of great against my predominantly monochrome wardrobe. It's the pop of color that really defines a look. Gosh has some nice on trend colors, and their formulas are good as well. They also make the best matte top coat in the world. It's important to clean the bottle's nozzle to maintain a proper close. Not closing your nail polish can result in the formula thickening and the polish becoming useless.

I'm not sure if I'll keep this colour throughout the week. Our magazine is in its printing week. So we're just finalizing our articles, gathering the images and preparing for the final stretch before it goes to the printers. No official interviews and looking presentable this week, but still, it might be a little too in your face for appearing 'under the radar' this week.

I'm just finishing up a feature on the ten essential items for reporters, writers and bloggers, so I'll get back to work. Have a lovely week, guys!

The Monday Mani #2

Looking at the weather forecast for the following week I think it is safe to say that fall is back with a vengeance. I'm just about to pack away all my summer frocks and claim the season has ended. This makes it the perfect time to bust out the fall colours to paint my nails. This new cream finish navy polish by ANNY is a dream to work with. I saw a girl on campus wearing navy blue polish and fell in love. I had to have it. So I slightly stalker-ish I tracked her down and asked her what she was wearing, and she pointed me to this gem. Because I really needed another nail polish. 

ANNY has a massive selection of colours that might actually rival that of Essie's. Although Miss Essie Weingarten still takes the crown in in cream finishes, ANNY did a great job with this one. The colour is fitting for the colder months and the formula makes it incredibly easy to apply. Two coats warrants perfect coverage, with a pretty fast drying time and a layer of lacquer that will last a good week when paired with a no chip top coat. You will be left with great shiny nails to last you through the week. 

Another bonus, navy blue goes great with my usual choice of wardrobe. Get ready for fall, girls. I can't wait to wear chunky knits, leather and my favourite... faux fur. 

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.