Nailed It.

Recently I've taken an interest in doing my nails. Since I was young I've had this bad nervous habit of peeling the skin around my nails and I knew that until I could break this habit, painting my nails would be in vain; the bright colours would just bring unwanted attention to the atrocities I called my fingers! I've almost broken the habit thanks to a lot of hand creams and cuticle oils, which prevented the skin from being extremely dry and flaky. For the past month, I've been changing my nail colour every week; I paint my nails on a Monday night and remove the polish on a Friday night, which allows my nails to 'breathe' over the weekend.

The two products I have been loving for caring for my hands and fingers are the Sukin Hand & Nail Cream and the Essie Apricot Cuticle Oil. I mentioned the Sukin Hand & Nail cream in my haul post, and I've been using it everyday since. It is extremely moisturising, is absorbed quickly, and is non-greasy. At night (when I remember to do so), I slather my hands with this and a bit of sweet almond oil and put on a pair of cotton gloves. I find that this makes my hands feel very nourished and prepped them for painting.

Now onto the O.P.I products…

O.P.I Chip Skip
This thin liquid acts like a cement for your base coat. It doesn't have the consistency of nail polish; it is a very thin liquid which dries almost as soon as you apply it to your nails. I find that this extends the life of my painted nails for about a week and a half to two weeks before it starts to chip off. Chip Skip also helps prevent peeling from the 'inside' part of your nails (where the cuticles are). Be warned, this smells a little like paint thinner….

O.P.I. Top Coat
This is a basic no-frills and no-fuss top coat. I have used the Sally Hansen Insta-Dri topcoat before (in the red bottle) and I know a lot of people rave about that one, but I personally like this one better. It's not gloopy and hides minor streaks in the colour layer.

O.P.I Natural Nail Strengthener
I was honestly impressed by this product. I use this as my base coat, but it can also be used on its own. I started using this about three weeks ago and when I removed my polish, I noticed that my nails were a lot stronger and didn't peel on the edges when they grew a bit longer. This came in a pack with the Drip Dry. I would definitely recommend this if you have brittle nails!

O.P.I Drip Dry Lacquer Drying Drops
Finally we get to the star of the show. This little dropper bottle dries your nail polish like nothing else. All you need is 1-2 drops (depending on how big your nails are; I use 2 for my thumb) and you're good to go. This doesn't completely dry your nails, mind you, but what it does is it allows you to move around and continue with your life while your nails dry further. To best describe it, I guess you could say that this dries the top coat but won't prevent any smudges or dents. You still have to be careful, but you don't have to walk around with your hands in the air for the next hour or so! This product is definitely an investment you should make if you paint your nails often!


Do you guys have any 'must have' nail products?