I never thought I’d have a real nail fail ~ because I’m generally a “neutral polish only” person. I prefer the convenience of a quick-dry formula in a so-light-if-it-chips-nobody-will-notice color.
My polishes come with names like Sheer Satin Slip, Mellow Marshmallow, Pure Putty and (surprise!) Clear. One coat of any of these quiet shades beautifully refines my fingers and toes. And when I’m ready for a change? All I need is a small cotton pad and a little light remover to clean off the barely-there color.
But things changed a few weeks ago; and I found myself in a bit of a quandary….
While out on the beach, I ran into a friend. The day was unseasonably warm; and she was barefoot. As we walked along the water’s edge, I noticed her incredible pedicure polish: It was pure glitter.
Oh, how it sparkled in the sunshine. Shiny and bright, her tootsies shimmered and glimmered and glowed! It was positively blingasmic.
I knew right then that I would have to try my own pedi-pedi-bling-bling. So I picked up a bottle of silvery glitz and made with the twinkle toes.
It was a welcome change. I absolutely loved the effect. I enjoyed my flashy footsies so much, I only wore shoes when absolutely necessary. And all was well with the world ~ until a week later when I was ready to upgrade to a colorful confetti-ed glitter concoction called “Happy Birthday.” My usual gentle remover and single cotton pad? Well, they weren’t quite cutting it.
I was halfway through a specially-bought bottle of I-thought–this-stuff-was-supposed-to-kick-your-acetone polish remover and an entire sleeve of cotton pads when I seriously considered a trip to the garage for a hammer and chisel. The glitter polish wasn’t going anywhere.
I took a break and thought, “Gee, I wish I could Ask Ellbee….” Except I pretty much AM Ellbee. And this time, I was drawing a blank. So I did what any other desperate social media-savvy person would do: I tweeted. I posted on Facebook. And I waited, refreshing the pages every 30 seconds or so.
(Many thanks to the BFF for capturing this image from her Facebook account!)
It didn’t take long for my tweeple and Facebook fans to come to the rescue. Many of you, my little blog peeps, offered help. And I was both impressed and grateful when the solutions (not to mention great tips and recommendations for future uses) appeared on my Twitter feed and Facebook timeline.
Know what? You totally nailed it.
The most highly recommended method of removal for the stubborn glitter polish called for felt pads saturated with acetone remover and secured onto fingertips with foil. You told me to keep the pads and foil on my fingers for 5-10 minutes, then follow up with a vigorous (sc)rubbing.
A few of you suggested warming the acetone. Nobody clarified exactly how, but the science nerd in me knew that it was probably not prudent to use a microwave, burner or open flame without goggles, a rubber apron and an emergency response team handy. So I simply slipped the bottle into a bowl of steaming hot water and warmed it that way.
There was still plenty of elbow grease involved; but the felt, warm acetone and finger foiling got the job done.
Many of you also offered precautionary application techniques. You specifically advised brushing on a thick double base coat or two heavy coats of a complimentary color before glamming it up with the glitter. This would act as a barrier, protecting the nail bed when it came time to use the acetone remover.
May I just say brilliant? (“Brilliant!”) I have since tried this technique and, though the glitter polish is still tough to remove, those extra layers really DO preserve nail health.
Thanks for the rescue, little blog readers. Thanks for all the fabulous brand and color recommendations, too. Most of all, thanks for caring and for taking the time out of your day to help this little blogger.
Hmmmm. What else ya got?
Share your best beauty tips and you could be the lucky winner of this Lucky bling!
Since last month’s nail fail rescue, I’ve been thinking about our little blog community.
I wonder how many beauty experts are reading regularly? And I wonder how a little blog told me can access and share their knowledge, too?Do you have a beauty tip you’d like to share? If so, post it below.
Don’t be shy. Because one little blog poster will win what’s in this Lucky box!
Post now; and post up to three tips for three chances to win! little blog will select a winner on March 20th.
Good luck. And thanks again for helping me “glitter done!”
UPDATE!
Congratulations to Jeanne Stewart ~ little blog’s lucky winner of Lucky Brand bling!
Many thanks to all for posting so many wonderful beauty tips….
Want gorgeous sharp lines defining your eye shadow in just the right spot?
Apply a piece of scotch tape from the corner of your eye to the end of your eyebrow, apply eye shadow, and remove tape. Voila’, sharp,p, make-up like the professional’s apply it!
Homemade facial masks work great and are cheaper than store bought! Here is an example (instructions from where I first found out about this mask) :
Apple and Honey Mask
Grate one apple and mix with honey. Apply to your skin and let sit for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Apples have pectin and vitamins that soothe and clarify your skin and honey has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
PS – make sure and wash the cloth you use from removal shortly after use, the honey dries and it is a bear to get off of the cloth.
I like this idea ~ using the old “hair set tape” ~ which is still available at places like Sally’s Beauty Supply!
I have absolutely no beauty tips, but I adore your blog!
Aw, thanks! Flattery will get you entered, too. Consider yourself IN.
Sleeping on two or three pillows at a time, or putting a wedge pillow under your regular pillow will help get rid of dark circles under your eyes
A swipe of Vaseline on the lips every night makes for a great habit. And the heels, and the elbows…
OK, so I have one but it’s probably common knowledge. Don’t waste money on those expensive deep conditioners. You can use what you already have. Leave your conditioner in after shampooing and put a shower cap on. Leave it in for up to an hour, then rinse with cold water.
M’kay- so I was thinking about this question last night. It was bugging me because while I use a lot of beauty “hints”, they are more common knowledge things. So, I ask myself- “Self, when do you feel truly pretty?” And my self said: When I am happy.
So therein is where my best tip lies. Be it clothes, makeup, nail polish, hair color, or anything! Use what makes you happy. I find that I have emotional reactions to colors… as long as I tune in to these emotions, I can ALWAYS pick out clothes and accessories at the store to go with outfits that are at home, know what color nail polish will work well on my skin tone, or even buy a pillow that will work with my comforter in my room because it will make me feel the way the other pieces do! Life is too short to spend money on so-so things. If you LOVE it, then try it!
I love the posts from the other ladies and can’t wait to try these new tips. Mine is pretty simple, but for years if I got mascara on my skin I would try to wipe it off right away and that just caused a big black smudge. Now I just let it dry for a minute and it flakes right off.
Ditto that! Lots of great tips coming in….
Feel free to post more, ladies. Each post (up to three) gets you a chance.
Any more than that may get you a column!
Most people don’t realize the key to great eye shadow application is blending, blending and more blending. Define the crease of your eyelid with a darker shadow color and lighter on the bottom and even lighter underneath the brow and BLEND. A professional brush will help with the blending. Don’t get intimidated by the blending, pratice makes perfect.
And to expand on the topic of hair conditioner – do you have one bottle that didn’t really work well? Use it for a moisturizing option to shaving gel or shaving cream 🙂
Thought of another one! Mix conditioner with water in a spray bottle and spritz on hair to keep curls and flyaways under control between washings.
For stay-put-all-day-long eyeliner, don’t use eyeliner. Use a deep, dark powder eyeshadow and apply it (wet or dry) with a flat, angled eyeliner brush. Bobbi Brown’s darker shadow shades are the best I’ve found to use as liner. I’m partial to Espresso and Mahogany. Your eyes will pop, and you won’t have to worry about smudging or vanishing eyeliner!
I combine equal parts hand soap and Vaseline with a teaspoon of sugar to “scrub” my hands back to soft!
If I’m in a hurry in the morning, I use my rosy blusher as eye shadow, too.
Try this tip for beautiful legs. Rather than using shaving cream or gel to shave your legs, use hair conditioner. After a smooth, clean shave, your legs will be soft and moisturized and looking so pretty. 8^)
If you’ve ever had nail polish that gets, well, “globby”, here’s how to solve that: keep your polishes in the fridge. Keeps it like new, goes on smoothly & no hardening or clumps in the brush. In winter, w/holiday leftovers crowding the fridge, I keep my polishes in a metal cookie tin in our unheated garage.
Another: Aquaphor is fabulous 4 several uses. Great for curing chapping on lips, or wind-/sun-burned cheeks. Dry heels. Wrinkles. Small cuts, esp. From shaving. Dry knees & elbows. A water-barrier, but scentless & non-greasy. Its just great stuff!
For shiny hair, I wet it & saturate w/maple syrup. Pure maple syrup works best, but the immitation stuff does the job, too. Once it’s on, I wrap my head in saran wrap, then a towel, (to keep the messy dripping under control!), and leave on for 20 mins or so. Rinse w/warm water. Definitely cheaper & better than using chemicals!
Baking Soda is a great beauty product. Add a cup to your bath water for clean, soft skin. This is especially great if you are sweaty from working out or if you have a smelly job (I’m a nurse that’s how I discovered this.) You can also use a paste of baking soda as a facial scrub. It is non-irritating. Finally, you can add baking soda when lathering your shampoo. This helps with oily hair or to remove product build up.
Do you want to get rid of puffiness under your eyes? It may seem strange, but hemorrhoid cream can reduce that puffiness for you. ;^)
Try baby oil or petroleum jelly. We’ve been told to avoid these products because they clog pores. But when your skin is seriously dry these are the products to turn to! When you get out of the shower or bath pat your skin dry then apply. This seals in moisture. You can also use these products to protect cuticles, remove eye make-up, or soothe seriously dry lips.
Sick and tired; constant blowing, sneezing, and wiping your nose…..GUESS WHAT?! You don’t have to go around with a sore, red, chapped nose. Just swipe a dab of Melaleuca (teatree) oil, it helps with congestion too on the septum and around the nostrils EVERY time you blow your nose. And at bed time, apply a coating of vaseline. I am thrilled with the results and you will be too!