Fancy Fingers - Amanda's Nails and Spa Review

I am officially done with my first year of college -sheds fake tears of joy-. Thank the heavens that it's over. Compared to last semester, I did quite well. 3.2 GPA.

I'm back home now, and my granny gave me some extra spending cash just because (you gotta love cash giving grannies), so that plus my academic success, I decided to go and get muh nails diiiiid~

Can you tell that I'm excited? I am, because my fingers are fancy AF and it didn't cost me my entire life savings. I got them done at a little rinky dink salon so blandly named "Amanda's Nails and Spa". Yes, the owner's name is Amanda. I discovered this nail salon after scrolling down my facebook news feed. I their page on my dash and they plastered pictures of not just manicured nails, but UNIQUE nails with 3D nail art!

Out of all the salons in Houston, only a fraction actually offer 3D nail art. I was instantly intrigued. 

Queen of the Jungle - Sally Hansen Salon Effects

I've tried these before through the Influenster program, and they so kindly sent me another pair-- and if ya don't know already, they send free beauty products to test, so if you need an invite, contact me! Anywho, so they sent these to me again because I won a challenge! This time I was sent the print called Queen of the Jungle, and for a giraffe print, it's a wonky name, because well...giraffes don't live in jungles, and when you think of Queen, which is opposite to King, I'd say the lion comes first. But let me stop being so critical! (My Public Relations Major is showing)  

As stated in my last post about these nail strips, I like these, but not enough to actually go out and buy them. They're really conveniant, you get a professional design with out seeing a professional! The first time I tested these, I hated the application process, it was very tedious and I kept screwing up. But the second time around was much different. Practice and patience is key. It comes with a mini nail file/buffer and a stick to further help the strip stick to your nail. It also comes with a visual! 

The price has lowered to around 7 or 8 dollars as opposed to 10, so that's great! Buuuutttt, I still think that's a but much for a one-time use nail product. They only come with 16 strips! Adding 4 more little strips couldn't hurt any one...right? That would make the product much more worth the money.

Annnnd, here's the final product! I'm not to crazy about the design. I feel like it matches my skin tone almost to perfectly, so it just looks like I have on a crackle brown polish. I'm sure they'd pop more on ladies with lighter or darker skin tones than my own. But I am happy that I found out a way to lengthen the life of these, by adding a gel top coat and curing it, I assume that it'll be chip resistant for 2 weeks or more.

Mint Chocolate!

Get it? Because my nails are mint and my skin is chocolate? I'm lame. I know. :'(

But this new nail color of mine is not! It's minty cool.

Okay. I'll stop with the corny jokes. For real this time. :D

Finally, I am on time with a trend. I walked into Forever 21 a couple weeks ago and was amazed at all the mint clothing items that had. Like, this color is around every corner, in every store, plastered all over Seventeen Magazine, being constantly reblogged on tumblr. And I don't mind. It's pretty. Much better than Orange "The color of the year", Sephora, I'm looking at you.

The color is Re-Fresh Mint by China Glaze. I purchased my bottle from Sally Hansen for $4.99. I'm a Sally member, so they took a dollar off.

Looking at the bottle alone, the color is extremely pale and faint. But apon application and after drying, it darkens a bit. My camera does not do the color any justice, sorry about that. But I'm in love with the color.

And China Glaze is such an amazing brand. I've had this polish on for 5 days with no top coat, and still not chipping. Worth Every penny.

And my brown skin makes the minty color pop even more.

Perfect Winter Color.

What cha think? Do you have any mint items?!

Gel Nails Tutorial~!

Why go to a nail salon when you can do that ish at home?! I mean like, seriously, why go to a place filled with fumes of acetone where the stylists does a lousy job while talking shit about you in her native language?

IDK about you, but I much rather be at home in my Spongebob PJs, feet up, sipping tea, watching Pretty Little Liars as I do my nails myself!

Let me show you how to do your nails like a pro!

What you will need:UV Nail Dryer
Nail file
Nail buffer
Cotton Balls
Primer
 Gel Base Coat
Gel Nail polish
Gel Top Coat
Alcohol

Step one: File your nails down to your desired shape.

Step two: Buff your nails not to much tho, we just want a slightly textured surface so the polish will stick!

Step three: Take your favorite primer and prime your nails, one thin coat will suffice.

Step four:   Now take the gel base coat and apply one generous coat. Make sure to even it out so it isn't to (c)lumpy. Wait for it to dry a bit.

Step five: Press the automatic timer button and stick your hand under the UV dryer. When the light goes off, you may take your hand out. Should only take about 45 seconds to a minute. MY UV nail dryer is by Nailene, and can range from $45-60 dollars. You can purchase it on amazon! :)

Step six: Apply your gel color coat in one coat, and wait a bit for it to dry.

Step seven: Stick your hand under the timed UV.

Step eight: Apply another coat of the gel polish, wait for it to dry again.

Step nine: Stick your hand under the timed UV.

Step ten: Apply your gel top coat. A thin coat will do. Wait for it to dry a bit.
Step eleven: Stick yo hannnnd under that UV light.

natural light

flash

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! PROFESSIONAL NAILS THAT'LL LAST YOU 2 WEEKS OR MORE!

 SAVE TIME AND MONEY AND DO YOUR OWN GEL NAILS AT HOOOOOME!

Sally Hansen's Magnetic Nail Polish - Red-y Response

This product was sent to me to review from Influenster

New nail polish craze: It's not magic, it's magnets!

NEW! Sally Hansen Magnetic Nail Color is summer’s hottest nail trend that allows you to create a gorgeous 3-D nail art effect in just seconds. This unique formula has been specially developed with metallic particles – just hold the built-in magnet over wet polish to reveal a unique design on the nail. Seal with a topcoat for extra shine! Learn more at www.sallyhansen.com

Easy steps
STEP 1 
Shake and Apply 2 coats

STEP 2

• Hold Magnet for 10 seconds over wet nail polish
• Make sure the roll the magnet from side to side so that the design covers the entire nail
• Instant Attraction!
• Let dry and seal with a top coat for extra shine

Where to Buy

Available at chain drug stores, food stores and mass merchandisers nationally.

Suggested Retail Price: $9.99

Take a look-see

Cute right?

I'm glad this was sent to me for free, because for $9.99, I'll pass. Application was tedious as well, I kept accidentally smudging my nails with the magnet. Tho, I must say, the actual quality of the nail polish is top notch, it is pretty much resistant, I've had my nails done with this polish for the past 5 days? And still, it's holding up strong. But still, 10 bucks for a single bottle of nail polish? Although inventive, I do not think I'd repurchase, my wallet would kill me. ;)

Sally Hansen Salon Effects - LACED UP

Thank you to Influenster for sending me this product to review. You guys need to go sign up for that site, like, right now.
Moving on. Included in my Spring Beauty VoxBox was Sally Hansen's Salon Effects nail strips.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

Don't Get Stuck With a Sticker!

Nothing feels or wears like real nail polish. Now Sally makes it easy to get Salon Effects anytime, any place using real nail polish – with no dry time! Don’t settle for plastic imitations that peel off. We’re the real thing. Just peel, apply & file! Learn more at www.sallyhansen.com

• No dry time

• Lasts up to 10 days
• Removes easily with nail polish remover

• 40 must-have styles

Where to Buy

Available at chain drug stores, food stores and mass merchandisers nationally.

Suggested Retail Price: $9.99

These strips come in a variety of colors and prints.

I was randomly sent 360- Laced up

Inside the box includes 16 strips, a wooden stick for your cuticles, a nail file, and instruction pamphlet.

TIP: These are better for people with small nail beds. I was born with wide nails so the strip did not cover the entire thing :/ Length wouldn't be an issue as long as your nails are excessive. Y'know?

Application can either be really tedious or fairly simple if you know what you're doing.

Step 1: Prep Nails.

Step 2: Peel the strip off the plastic

Step 3: Place onto nail bed

Step 4: Press down firmly with smooth side of file,

And lastly, with the the textured file, scrape away excess, and viola, you have beautiful, professional looking nails.

I wish that the box came with at least 4 more strips so that I could do my nails twice instead of having useless strips lying around. It makes more sense that this would be worth 5 dollars instead of 10. These are really cute, but I most likely wouldn't purchase these in the future because these are just to expensive. Cute. But Expensive.

So which is better: Paint or nail strips?

Gel Nails~

Mhmm, I finally got my nails did with my minimum wage paycheck $$$

And of course I went to Wal-mart to get them done, because...well...that's where I got my check chased and I can do that. Anywhoo, for about a solid 15 bucks you can get gel painted on your fingers with the promise of no chipping for a good 2 weeks or more.

Lime green, yeeeahhh~ They really didn't have many colors to choose from, just a bunch of pinks, reds, black and this green.
They're on the messy side. My manicurist decided that she wanted to gossip with her friend instead of pay of attention to that she was doing. I'm not to much of a perfectionist, so I still like them.

The gel had to be hardened under a UV light three separate times, and when it was dry, had the consistency of plastic; and that is where the anti-chip feature kicks in. I like that they don't damage your nails like acrylic.


So far, they haven't chipped and it's been a week. Considering I use my hands at work a lot, scrubbing tea jugs and counters and everything else at work, they're still in good shape.

Would I get these again? Sure. 

Pay more than 15? No.

Diff. place? Definitely.