manicure monday: god's gift to nail art

slight overexaggeration? possibly, but it's pretty great. now I was perfectly content with my makeshift nail art tools (bobby pins, eyeliner brushes, and brushes from old polish), until I noticed that sephora had quite the little nail art kit on sale (thanks sephora app!) and decided that I deserved an upgrade. the sephora "art at your fingertips" nail kit has everything that you need to create so many of my favorite (and easiest!) looks. everything from brushes (for painting small designs using your favorite polishes and cleaning up any stray marks on your cuticles) and dotting tools (for making the perfect polka dots or scalloped edges) to black and white stripers (for making straight lines and zebra print or adding details to any design). it even comes with an info card with different uses for each of the items if you're new to nail aren't and just aren't sure where to start. use this with my other mani must haves (check out that blog post here) and be prepared for everyone to ask where you got your nails done.

how are your nail art skills? are you a diy type gal, or do you prefer to leave it to the professional?

xx, marissa

manicure monday: nail polish brands

as a self professed nail polish addict, I have my favorite brands/colors that are tried and true. there are certain brands (cough, cough chanel) that the ridiculous price tag is not justified. but there are polishes with a hefty price tag that I can totally justify shelling out top dollar for. each brand that I use serves a purpose within my collection, and while some brands are great in one area, they aren't necessarily a brand that I love as a whole.

for dark colors & interesting dimensions: OPI is the big winner. I'm definitely someone who prefers a cream finish to the majority of my nail polish colors, but come fall and winter, the deep and dark colors that OPI has just can't be touched. they do "so dark it's almost black" better than anyone else on the market. my top picks? lincoln park after dark, russian navy, you don't know jacques, jade is the new black, and black cherry chutney.

for sheer washes of color & nuetral tones: essie wins, no contest. since the brand was created as a way to layer their sheer colors to create the perfect match for you, it makes sense that they still create some of the best sheer colors; including ballet slippers and mademoiselle. my classic go-to manicure when I want to look clean and professional has always been fiji, or for a bit less baby pink, marshmallow is another great option. other colors that are worth mentioning from essie are mint candy apple (possibly my favorite color of all time!), chinchilly, lilacism, and haute as hello.

for glitter & fun topcoats: it's a tie between deborah lippman & formula X for sephora. all of the glitters from deborah lippman are amazing and for $20, they better be. but they take a basic manicure to the next level. the different sizes/colors/shapes are unlike most things out on the market, and I am obsessed. my favorites would have to be across the universe, mermaid tears, and happy birthday. formula X for sephora is amazing for their xplosives line; which give the effect of splatter paint and graffiti (without all the mess that comes with nail art). these topcoats are the type of polish that will make people stop you and ask what's on your nails. my hands down favorite is wham!, but the whole line is pretty cool.

what are some of your favorite nail polish brands? do you have certain brands that you favor for certain things, like me?

xx, marissa

manicure monday: must-haves

you could definitely call me obsessed when it comes to my nails. as soon as one has the tiniest chip- it's all over for me. I love spending time doing elaborate nail designs, but regardless of what's going on with polish, glitter and patterns, these are my tried and true must-haves every single time I do my nails. this cuticle remover is amazing! just apply a little bit, let it sit for a minute or two, and push them back before clipping. some people aren't fans of clipping, but my cuticles grow so fast and strong I have to. a sharp cuticle clipper makes a huge difference. to remove my nail polish, and clean between steps, I always use cotton rounds with some texture to them. it makes taking off glitter polish a bit easier (because we all know that's QUITE the pain) and doesn't leave cotton fluff all over your nails. when it comes to files, I always assumed a nail file was a nail file. when I was in Hawaii a few years back I randomly bought a glass file (who knows why) and have never gone back to a standard cardboard file again. not only do they stay sharp for-basically-ever, but they're less flimsy and allow me to be more precise with my edges. always remember to file in one direction, not back and forth like a saw! I also always use a multiple sided buffer file. these work great to smooth any rough edges, buff away any crack or peeling nails, and help get rid of any stains from dark polish. if you're someone who wants well manicure nails, or is looking to let their nails breath for a bit, using these can give you a shiny polished finish without any polish. and finally, the pièce de résistance of ALL of my manicures- this top coat. people often think that my nails are fake, or a gel manicure because of how strong and shiny they are, but honestly it's all thanks to this top coat. I've also found that it makes even the cheapest, more difficult to apply polishes look like a dream. if you're someone who always ruins their manicure with smudges or pillow lines- you need to try this. it dries so fast that I can do my nails 15-20 minutes before bed and make up with a perfect manicure.

what are some of your manicure must-haves?

xx, marissa