Usually I'm not a huge fan of Mondays but I'm trying to be grateful for each day so instead of complaining I'm just going to be cheery and annoying. Okay with you? Hope so :) . Lately more than anything else I've been really obsessed with everything related to nails. So, I have a nail care product review for you guys today! Some of this stuff I got back in February for my birthday and I'm finally going to show it to you! Actually, I just realized all of it was a gift from my grandmother for my birthday. My family knows me so very well.
Nail Tek Crystal File - Let me just start by saying this is my first crystal/glass file and I truly absolutely love it. It works so, so, so amazing. It comes with a case to protect it and is small enough to fit in your purse or cosmetic bag so you can easily whip it out at a moment's notice (without fear of it breaking!). The size I have (I think it's the middle size but not positive) features a pointed end which can be used to clean under the nail. I can fit it under my nail to clean it if need be but warning, it is thick. Huge plus, I read somewhere that as long as you don't break it or anything like that you never need to replace your file! Obviously emery boards get dull and need to be replaced often but supposedly glass files do not! And, they are so easy to clean, if you feel they aren't as gritty or are full of nail shavings, just take a toothbrush (hopefully unused) or a nail brush with some antibacterial soap and brush it rinse it off in warm water and you're done. SOOO easy! This file also works great because as it shapes and files your nails it seals them too so you don't have to worry about scratching yourself or anyone with your jagged nail tips. Overall, I would recommend this in a heartbeat, it's the perfect size, can be cleaned easily, and works very well.
Badger Cuticle Care Balm - I haven't tried many different cuticle oils/balms but out of the ones I have, this one is most effective. It doesn't have a very distinct overwhelming smell which is nice it's sort of just there. Basically, if you were to put your nose up to it and inhale you could smell a hint of lemon or something similar but it's subtle. I for one can't stand it when lotions or moisturizers are greasy but this one doesn't bother me much. When you put it on (I use a lot since I always use acetone) and rub it in slightly there will be some shiny residue which can get on things if you're using the tops of your fingertips (not sure what that would be...) but I happen to like it for this certain product because I really feel like it's working. Eventually is will be absorbed by your skin but it does leave some residue for a little while so remember that. I feel it really works, my cuticles are never really, really dry when I use this and that's exactly what I was looking for.
Tweezerman 6-Way Shape and Shine - At first I thought this was a buffer but after looking it up I realized it was so much more. It actually contains one side solely designed to shape and file and the other to buff and shine. Exactly what we need when prepping our nails! I'm such a dork, I actually wrote down what each color is for on card stock to put in my nail case. Here's what each color is designed for and what I use it for:
White - heavy duty filing. I use this for my toes because my nails are so thick and I don't need to be so gently with them. If you want to take down a lot of length this works really fast but it is really rough so I wouldn't use it on my fingernails.
Black - shaping. This works very well, however I don't use it very often because it's rougher on my fingernails than my crystal file and my crystal file seals my tips as well which the black side does not.
Blue - finishing. This side is actually for sealing your tips which I just mentioned my crystal file does so I don't use this side very often either.
Pink - smooths out ridges. This side is designed to do exactly what I just wrote, smooth out your ridges. It takes a little while to smooth out all the ridges of my nails but it does work.
White - buff. I usually use this first to take off the stains left from polish on my nails then use the pink side if my nails aren't smooth enough. The buffer works very well and even when my nails are really stained bright (gross!) it takes almost all of the yellow off.
Grey - shine. I don't think this side of a buffer ever doesn't work. Basically it just creates a shiny healthy sheen to your nails.
Overall, this works very well. If you don't buff your nails every and you have a file you use on a regular basis then I wouldn't tell you to go out and buy it right away. I love how it works and I love having it but like I said, if you already have products you like that do the same thing, then you're set.
OPI Drip Dry - Really I should just tell you to go out and buy this right now. These drops work so fantastically well it's ridiculous. Sadly, they get used up pretty fast, not as fast as I thought they would but I kind of wish it was a bottom-less bottle. I love the little case, it's a small glass bottle with a black rubber drip to thingy (not sure what it's called). I really like the fact that the "dripper" or the thing that collects the liquid is glass. I'm not sure why I like that so much but I do. A big plus to this is that it contains jojoba so it actually moisturizes your cuticles while drying your polish; talk about multitasking! I was so afraid at first to use more than one drop on each nail because I didn't want to waste it but I for one do in fact need two drops on each nail for full drying coverage. OPI states "Dries nails to the touch in one minute, completely in five..." I fully agree with this. In fact, I think it dries even faster. A scary little secret, I sometimes put this on over SV (which already dries fast) if I'm in a huge hurry and it really is scary how fast it dries. Also, it has no smell! You'd think it would smell like something but I put my nose practically in it an didn't smell a thing! I think you need to go buy this right now. Even if you have SV you still need this.
I was so surprised to be in love with all of these products but I seriously think they all work great! I hope you guys find this useful next time you're buying some nail care products. I'd love to hear your experiences with these!
- xoxo Alexis Leigh
