For the past few months, there have been a few specific at-home manicure items that I've had trouble hunting down. After finding them all online at NailPolishCanada.com, I decided to make my first purchase. Shipping was free, no minimum, and the package arrived within 3 business days. The site has a points program, which allows you to cash-in points for products. Needless to say, I was very impressed with my shopping experience. Here are the items I found,
Items linked from left to right:
My nails have been incredibly weak and peel-y for the past few weeks, so I decided that this would be the ideal time to try out OPI's famous Nail Envy. I decided to get the matte version of this strengthener since I plan on using it as a base coat, and polishes adhere to a matte base better than a shiny one. This is an expensive product ($18) but I have only read rave reviews on it. A good base coat will truly extend the life of a mani/pedi, eliminating chips for the first few days of wear. Since this is at a similar price-point to Butter London's Nail Foundation, I'm really looking forward to testing them out side by side to see if one holds on to polish longer.
I first saw a swatch of this pretty pink polish at my hair salon, but decided against the impulse buy until I did some more research on it. I adore the look of Essie's Guchi Muchi Puchi, but my bottle is nearly ¾ of the way down and now ridiculously thick, which is what happens to most Essie polishes. After completing a comparison, I have to admit that this is a fabulous dupe of my favourite pink. I'm quite happy with the under $10 price tag also.
After hearing some great reviews of this top coat by Makeup by Tiffany D, I decided to try it out for myself. Back when I used to do some really funky nail art, Seche Vite was my go-to top coat since I would layer on so many coats of polish. One bottle didn't last very long since the product goes on so thick and truly dries fast. Although I have been loving the Butter London Hardware top coat, I'm looking for some cheaper alternatives. I really like how this top coat has a slightly blue tint, which will make polish colours just a touch more vibrant against my warm-toned skin.
Now this is not a nail product, but I couldn't resist adding it to my cart when I saw Real Techniques brushes up on Nail Polish Canada. For just over $10, Real Techniques brushes are phenomenal. I was tempted to get a few more, but I am well stocked with all of the standard brushes to achieve any type of makeup look. This round, tapered fluffy brush is so unique and unlike any brush I currently own. It fits beautifully into the contours of my face to apply both powder cheek products and all-over setting powder. I've gotten a lot of use out of it these past few days and I'm loving the results. The synthetic bristles clean quite easily with Dr. Bronner's magic soap and the brush can stand upright for storage.
I don't buff my nails often, but when I do, I go for a pretty rough scrub. That being said, I don't attack my nails in a way that they become too weak, but I do find that typical buffing blocks can be a bit too soft. I decided to try out this $2 spongy block from the site, and I really like its gritty effect. Nail polish, or paint in general, sticks much better to a slightly rough surface. I find that the combination of buffed nails and the application of some rubbing alcohol before polishing makes for a very long-lasting manicure. If you use a buffer block similar to this one, be gentle but consistent for the most even smoothness.
I like to apply hand lotion and lip balm at night time, so that my hands and lips will be soft and moisturized in the morning. Since my cuticles and nail beds have been quite dry and creepy looking, I decided to try the raved-about Healthy Hoof treatment. So far, I've been loving its extra-hydration and light lavender fragrance, which is much more effective on the cuticle area than my typical hand lotion. I will definitely need a few more weeks of use to determine if this product truly improves the strength and appearance of my nails.
Overall, I'm very impressed with my NailPolishCanada.com experience. Fast shipping, easy PayPal checkout and high quality products at a reasonable price point. These are all items that I could not find at Shoppers Drug Mart, so it's nice to know that there is an easy online resource for all of our nail-polishing needs.
Happy painting!
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