Nine Inch Nails

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There are lots of options for those of us who choose to use nails as an accessory. Some are bold points are view and some are subtle. Some are fake and some are… well, not so fake. 

The types of nail enhancements you choose, or don’t, can be a reflection perhaps of your personality, or maybe your profession for sometimes, yes, we are bound by what the massa says, and so even though we may want to wear neon green on our finger nails, that wouldn’t go over very well with Boss Lady. 

Just a run down of the types of nail enhancements out there today, well at least the more popular ones. There’s a 3D “Hello Kitty” Nail Art that I saw come out of Japan, but we aren’t exploring those here. Maybe one day, but not today. 

Nail Enhancements

Acrylic Nails

Now considered to be very old school. Very damaging on your nail health, and because of the fumes associated with it’s application, on your general health as well. If you are an acrylic nail addict, consider making the transition over to gel nails.

 

 

Gel Nails

An excellent alternative to acrylic nails. Durable, unmistakeable  nails can be created, an acrylate-free gel system that is hypoallergenic and odor-free.

Though there is still some damage that may be done to your natural nail (because there is still filing of the nail involved) Gel Nails are not AS damaging as an acrylic nail enhancement. 

As with all nail enhancements, gel nail applications are both customizable and technician specific, i.e. the final outcome of your nails will depend on the technician’s skill level and experience. You can end up with fantastic nails that look like they’re naturally yours or can just as easily leave with thick, blocky looking square tipped, ‘fake-looking’ ones. 

There are also various tips and tricks to minimize the amount of filing that occurs on your natural nails, so shop your technician smartly. 

NATURAL NAIL  TREATMENTS

For those among us who aren’t quite into the ‘fake’ nails scenario there are a few ways well to jazz up the nail plate other and mix things up a bit. If you’d rather not be classed in one of the four categories of chicks:

- Classic french,
- Siren red,
- Vampy darks or
- Sophisticated (some read this to be ‘Plain Jane’) nudes,

 Here are a few options for you. 

Minx

 

 

From it’s release almost 2 years ago, this trend has grown tremendously, possibly because it has become a celeb favourite.

Fully customizable, it’s pretty much like plastic stickers that are cut to fit the size of your nail exactly, and are adhered to the nail bed with the help of a heat lamp.

The best thing about Minx Nails is that you can flaunt the most intricate nail designs on your nails. From full on true metallic, to intricate flower power or other such designs – you can even get your “Grrrrr” on – there’s no limit really to the look of your nails as the designs are printed on the sticker rather than painted on by a nail art technician. 

Word has it that you can now send in your designs and get one custom made for you. Sounds important doesn’t it? But Minx nail treatments definitely gets full points for the ‘wow’ factor, and are supposed to last for up to 2 weeks. 

 

UV Nail Polish

 

 

This revolutionary product is the wake up that the Nail Polish Industry needed.

It’s a gel?… It’s a polish?… It’s a hybrid nail polish that is a part polish/ part UV gel polish system that wears as is for up to 14 days, without chipping. There is no buffing or filing of the natural nail bed involved, so it is a much less damaging than regular nail enhancements. 

It paints on like a normal polish application with a base coat, color, top coat – and is cured in a UV light so there is zero dry time. Paint on and put your feet in closed shoes. No smudging, no problem. 

Removal takes about 10 minutes and involves wrapping nails in individual Remover Wraps. No soaking, drilling or filing is necessary. 

However, this hybrid system would be recommended only for those who wish to extend their nail colour wear,  and is not meant to replace gel nails, as although the gel-like polish does provide some strength enhancement to the natural nail, it’s no where near that provided by a normal gel nail application. This system extend also doesn’t extend your natural nail. 

This type of manicure typically runs about 50% higher than whatever your normal manicure would cost at that particular salon. 

 

Nail “Effects”

 

 

CND (Creative Nail Design) has a variety of nail polish combos that alter or give various ‘effects’ to a standard nail polish base color. Choose to mute bright colours, oxidize dark colours or add a sparkle pop to bold ones. Various base ‘Effect’ options can be paired with even more ‘Colour’ options for a myriad of colour outcomes. 

 

Neons

Bored of your usual manicure? Try neon polish. It’s all the rave for Spring/ Summer 2010. I’ve always owned the neon orange, but was sent the entire range of colours to to try well over a month or so ago.

Just got around to trying them. Yeah, not sure if you can tell but the last few weeks have been crazy mad hectic… this post, minus this neon section, was written 6 weeks ago.

Anyways, back to Neon Nailpolish.

I’m wearing a Neon “Baby” Pink – it’s more light and bright, pastel-esq I suppose, rather than dark and bold, on my nails, and the startling purple on my toes.  Even though I’m not a ‘pink’ girl, pure fyah still.

Will try the blinding yellow and the electric blue combo on the weekend.

Barbados, represent. 

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So the question is, designs are one thing, but for nails longer than 5mm (the white of the nail, the part that is not attached to your finger)…

 

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