Several have e-mailed me asking what I bought from Sephora for the VIB Rouge/VIB 20% off sale which ends tonight at 11:59 PM PST online. I went in store last week with a list of items I wanted to restock. I should have ordered items online because I tend to get easily distracted in store, but it is always fun to play with the items and see them in person.
What I picked up:
Shiseido Eyelash Curler – I used this many years ago, the design appears different from I remember it to be, but I’m not 100% sure if it has changed. I’ve heard good things about this one (the Chanel artists I buy from say they buy the Shiseido ones). I’ve decided to give it another try.
Phytojoba Shampoo – this is my all time favorite shampoo, I haven’t repurchased in a while, but the sale seemed like a perfect time to buy a replacement.
Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment – this is a replenishment purchase. One jar has lasted me since the August summer surge event and I really like this mask for clearing up the skin. I find it super effective at drawing out dirt. It is gentle enough for my sensitive skin. I bought it back in August because a friend recommended it as the best one out of all the Glamglow masks, I haven’t tried them all yet, but I really like it.
Glamglow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment – this is something I tried 2-3 years ago. I received a sample but the tingle sensation really freaked me out so I removed it immediately and ended up giving my jar to a friend. I received a small sample packet that I tried again recently and found the tingly (slightly burning) sensation disappeared after 30 seconds and didn’t cause a bad reaction like I had expected. The skin was left with a tighter feel and felt refreshed. I will have to do more testing to compare the two masks, but this one works well for me too.
Bite Beauty Mix N’Mingle Lip Mini Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Papaya – this was an impulse buy I picked up while waiting in the checkout line. It was too cute to pass up. I contemplated the larger Mix N’Mingle Set too but decided to wait.
Marc Jacobs Beauty Twinkle Pop in Volver and Au Revoir – both are cream shadow sticks that come in a twist up tube. Volver is a sparkling peach and Au Revoir is a shimmering taupe. Both are very sparkly but looked really really pretty. I’ve played with these numerous times at Sephora but never caved. I’ll have a review after testing these over the next few days.
Urban Decay Naked Basics – After I did a feature on my Urban Decay favorites, many of my readers insisted that I check out the Urban Decay Naked Basics. I decided to give this a try because of so many raves. I’ll have a report as soon as I have it tested. It does look promising.
NARS Tasmania Lip Gloss – This was an “oops” buy. I already own this color but did not remember that I did. (Swatched here.) Not a problem though, I have a friend I know who will take this off my hands happily.
Dior Addict Fluid Stick in Vertigo – This is a gift for my mom. She likes brighter colors, this is a mix of plum and fuchsia and pink which is right up her alley.
Urban Decay Urban Obsessions 500 Point Perk – this palette has four shadows in Skimp, Bust, Guilt and Oil Slick with a mini Zero Pencil. I believe it was available online as well to redeem points for but I just checked and didn’t see it.
What I also thought about but didn’t pick up: Beautyblenders, NARS Virtual Domination palette and a couple more of the Dior Rouge Baumes (first round of picks and swatches here). I have them sitting in my virtual shopping cart online, I’m going to probably pass and think about them some more.
If you’re shopping online, the sale ends tonight at 11:59 PM PST, use code GIFTROUGE at checkout if you’re VIB Rouge or code GIFTVIB if you’re a VIB.
Did you buy anything during the Sephora sale? I’d love to hear about your picks!
I’m a huge fan of Formula X line and have been particularly impressed with the way The System works to extend manicure wear. Several of you have asked for a follow up post to my original one back in May wanting to see nail shots of my Formula X manicure through the course of a week. I’ve put the color in Blazing to the test for the Formula X Challenge. My manicure lasted quite well for almost an entire week. My husband and I have been busy packing boxes and bubble wrapping fragile items for our move and my manicure still managed to survive. For those new to the Formula X System, it’s a set that comes with four easy to use items:
Nail Cleanser – An essential step that frees nails of residue and oil,
optimizing base coat and lacquer adherence
Base Coat – An advanced
adhesive primer containing essential bonding agents that form a sticky
layer to fuse with your lacquer
Nail Color Of Your Choice – Choose from
over 200 Formula X shades and effects
Top Coat – A super glossy,
state-of-the-art, long-wearing final step that enhances your lacquer’s
shine and performance, this helps extend your nail polish like no other
The color I’ve tested is Blazing which is a rich shimmery wine-red. It applies very smoothly with two coats. The first coat will look a bit sheer, but it levels out perfectly with the second coat. Even though it’s more of a metallic, it doesn’t have visible brush strokes which is a huge plus for me. It has a multi-dimensional look because there are different colors of shimmers infused throughout the polish. There’s a mix of deep red, bright red, pearl and plum. It looks different depending on how the light hits the nails. Sometimes it’s clearly red. Other times it looks more cool-toned and more plum. I’m obsessed.
The System is super easy to use and apply on your own. I’ve found the nail cleanser makes a huge difference in helping your polish adhere better to the nail by prepping the surface of your nails. Below are Steps 1 through 4 to apply polish with the Formula X System:
Below is my Formula X manicure over the course of 6 Days. Your mileage may vary with polish lasting power depending on nail length and everyday activity. I usually cover the end/tip of the nail with a thin dab of polish and smooth it with top coat over the edges to help the color last longer. If you type a lot for work, longer nails may be subject to tip wear faster, especially if your nails tend to hit the keys frequently. I try to keep mine on the short side and hold my hands relatively flat when I type, but the tips of my index and middle finger have more surface contact compared to my other fingers and end up getting tip wear first.
Day 4 and still perfect:
On Day 5, I started to see slight tip wear on index and middle fingers, I attribute this to packing boxes and extensive use of bubble wrap and tape for our move:
I’ve had really good results with the Formula X nail colors and System set. I know many of you have chimed in with comments on past posts and also raved. I highly recommend a visit to their dedicated website www.formulax.com. It’s a nail art destination for Formula X fans to browse images and get inspired. It’s filled with clickable images of nail products and looks. You can also click on any interesting color palette for ideas on Formula X shade color combinations. Formula X fans can then upload their own nail looks right to the website, or with tag Instagram images with #myformulaxpic and have their nail look appear on the inspiration grid.
Right now, you can visit their website for a chance to experience The System yourself with the Formula X Sweepstakes. They are giving away 150 Formula X System Kits (terms and official rules apply). Entries will be collected through October 28, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. PST (must be a US resident and 18 years or older).
To stay up to date with the latest and for more inspiration be sure to follow Formula X on Instagram @formulax, Twitter @formulax, Facebook or Pinterest.
Have you tried Formula X? What colors are your favorites?
Many thanks to Formula X for sponsoring this post. For more information, refer to my Disclosures page.
I stopped by Sephora a few weeks ago and picked up two of the Formula X Translucent nail polishes in Remarkable and Wonderous ($10.50 each for 12 ml/0.4 fl oz). I’ve been putting them to the test and they’ve held up extremely well. Both lasted 5 days before any tip wear started to show when used in conjunction with Formula X Base and Top Coats from The System set.
Remarkable is a sheer beige pink that applies more like a pale ivory on my nails. It’s extremely sheer like the name implies but applies very smoothly on the nails. With two coats the whites of my nails show through. I applied it with three coats on my own to get more coverage. With two coats I had some uneven spots but overall it was still pretty smooth.
Wonderous is a sheer transparent pink. The color is also very sheer but it applies smoothly with two coats. I had an easier time getting this one on the nails with a flawless smooth finish. It gives the nails a very sheer polished and natural look.
Overall huge thumbs up. I’ve been really impressed with all the colors I’ve tried so far from Sephora’s Formula X line and the Translucent shades I just tested prove to be just as good in terms of lasting power (see more of my reviews, swatches and details on brush by clicking on the Formula X tag).
For more inspiration and swatch photos of more colors, I recommend you check out FormulaX.com which has a collage of swatches and photos of nail art. You can buy Formula X polishes online and instores at Sephora.
Do you have any favorites? I’d love to hear what shades you’ve tried!
I hope everyone had a great week. I spent the last couple days in Los Angeles to visit with family, preview the new Hourglass store in Venice Beach and meet up with Edward Bess at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills. I’m a bit behind on reviews but am working all weekend editing and photographing for posts to be published this week. Right now I’m in love with (left to right):
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette is one of my holy grail powder highlighter palettes with three shades of their Ambient Lighting Powders in Dim Light, Incandescent Light (exclusive to palette) and Radiant Light, it is something I find perfect for travel and it works for both eyes and cheeks
Charlotte Tilbury Blondie Lip Lustre is the perfect soft pale pink that doesn’t wash out the complexion, lasts for hours and is also lovely as a layering color
NARS Himalia and Subra Dual Intensity Eyeshadows are my go-to shades when I want something easy to wear that goes with just about any color of lip/cheek or clothing (if you just get one, Himalia is a must-check-out)
Tatcha Travel-Sized Beauty is my latest obsession, their minis of Beauty Oil and Classic Rice Enzyme Powder Cleansers are what I bring with me on weekend getaways (the packaging of the travel sizes are just as good in design and quality as the full size, huge plus for me)
Guerlain Waterproof Mascara has been a must-have all summer for volumizing and holding the curl, I just bought my second tube of it
L’Artisan Mure et Musc is my favorite scent of the moment, I just purchased my second bottle after my last one accidentally broke (I knocked it off my desk and it shattered)
Edward Bess All Over Seduction is my holy grail cream highlighter, some asked me for a recommendation on a liquid/cream version that doesn’t interfere with foundation if you put it on top, this one is THE one to try (Sunlight shown above, but I also adore Afterglow the darker peachy bronze version)
Some weekend reads and videos I think are worth a look:
Three of my favs RaeViewer, Essie Button and Vivianna Does Makeup take us behind the scenes at Burberry’s S/S 2015 show (plus tutorials on the Burberry Beauty looks)
Temptalia has some dupes of Tom Ford’s Negligee lipstick
I’m in that in between mood of summer and fall for beauty. I’m loving the vibrant bright colors for summer but also craving colors that are either more subdued or darker for fall. Right now I have an obsession for grey nail polishes. Here are seven shades of grey, some newer and some older colors that I’ve been loving.
All swatched side by side along with Chanel Eastern Light which is a pure white for a baseline reference on color:
Each color close up and swatched on the nails. JINsoon Kookie White is a super pale white grey with cool tones. It’s almost a pure white but the hint of grey prevents it from looking too harsh. I love the clean contrast it has with the skin. It applies very smoothly with two coats on the nails as long as you have a good base coat underneath. (Roundup of all my nail essentials and favorites here.) It’s fully opaque with two coats, but as with most white colors, you need to take extra care to apply precisely around the edges and near the cuticles.
YSL La Lacque Couture in Gris Deco #23 has been on my wish list for ages ever since YSL revamped their nail polishes. It’s a gorgeous pale grey with blue tones and has a slight hint of pearl mixed throughout. On the fingers depending on the light sometimes it looks more blue, other times more white or grey. It’s truly beautiful and clean looking. The pearl gives it a bit of dimension. This one was a bit sheer so I prefer it with three coats.
Sephora’s Formula X is another favorite of mine (more thoughts on Formula X here). The Sephora team sent the Formula X in Extraordinary for review and it surprised me. It looks so basic and plain in the bottle but it applies very smoothly with full coverage. I like that it’s a pale grey but has color in it so it doesn’t look white on the nails. I like the blue tones in it which brightens the color. I love beige-greys but sometimes they can make the skin look sallow or dirty.
Burberry Storm Grey is another dove grey with blue tones. The brush is on the thick side which made it a bit difficult for me to get a clean application. It’s not impossible though. The formula is smooth, rich and opaque – it just takes a bit more time to apply. The color has the perfect blend of blue and grey mixed together. On the nails it’s a non-shimmer.
Dior Gel Shine Nail Lacquer in Junon is a powder blue color with a hint of grey. On me it leans more blue but I still see hints of grey tones in it. The Dior Gel Shine Formula is amazing. It has a lush cushy look with a high shine. Lasting power is really good and these are super easy to apply flawlessly. It’s shown below with two coats.
Dior Metal Montaigne is also in the Gel Shine formula. It’s a metallic gunmetal color. Being a metallic color you can see brush strokes when applied but it’s on the subtle side. It also applies very smoothly. I like that it’s a darker color that isn’t too dark.
Last but not least, I’ve featured Chanel Frenzy again. Many think of this as a classic grey color. On me it pulls more beige as it’s a warmer-toned grey color. It has a sheer jelly finish so I need three coats for this one. It’s an understated classic neutral.
If I had to pick one favorite, it would be impossible. Each grey has different nuances in the undertone that make them all very unique. I am quite smitten with the pale opaque grey nail lacquers at the moment although I also love a good dove grey color. Do you like grey nail polish? What are your favorite greys for nails?
Sephora and JINsoon provided polishes for review consideration. All others purchased by me. For more information, refer to my Disclosures.
If you visit a Sephora store soon a massive redesigned nail bar featuring their new Formula X is bound to catch your eye. It’s a hard-to-miss wall of color stocked with tester, pull out clear adhesives for swatches along with nail polish remover and cotton. I’ve featured Push the Limits Nail Lacquer and The System / Delete. Today I’m featuring a new shade that was released for summer Wunderkind Formula X ($10.50 for 12 ml/0.4 fl oz).
Wunderkind is a dark shimmery blue with a slight purple tint. It caught my eye at the store and I swatched it immediately. The first coat is very very sheer but the formula is smooth and easy to apply. The second coat transform the color into a full coverage smooth slightly milky blue pearl. I like that it’s a dark blue with a hint of purple but that it’s not so dark that it turns black on the nail. The blue actually shows through making it more true to what you see in the bottle.
Here it is on me with two coats along with the Formula X Base Coat and Top Coat. The manicure looked fresh through Day 5 without any tip wear or chipping (I took it off on day 5 to swatch other colors). Here’s quick snapshot of the brush as well – the white cap pulls off.
Overall love for the formula, wear time, color and in particular love the reasonable price point. Wunderkind ($10.50) is part of The Cut Summer 2014 collection. Available now at Sephora.
Have you tried anything from the Formula X line? What did you think?
The most frequently asked questions I’ve received have been focused around hand and nail care. I review lots of nail polishes and change colors frequently and taking care of my hands has always been a must. I’ll go through my hand and nail care routine and answer some questions that I receive on a regular basis.
I’ll share a bit of background on my nail/hand care routine and history. I played the violin when I was younger and kept playing through through college. This required me to keep my nails extremely short with only a sliver of the white tips showing. Out of habit and personal preference I’ve always kept my nails on the shorter end, although in recent years I’ve started growing them a bit longer. You can see the difference then in 2010 vs. now in 2014. For everyday hand activity I’ve had a diverse work history that has required a lot of typing from number crunching and market research. I tend to type with my hands at an angle (rather than having finger more at a 90 degree angle) so my nails don’t tend to hit the keys as much as someone who holds their hands at a more perpendicular angle to the keyboards. Some frequently asked questions:
Are your nails always professionally manicured? Or do you maintain them yourself? My manicures are a mix of both professionally applied nail polish and DIY. For the longest time I couldn’t properly do my own nail polish for a full manicure. Being able to paint one’s nails doesn’t always come naturally, it takes lots and lots of practice. I would say my manicures are 50/50 done myself versus at a professional salon.
How often do you get professional manicures? It varies depending on what I’m testing out, swatching, and also time constraints. I would say it ranges from every other week to once a month.
Your nail polish seems to have a long wear life without tip wear, I work at an office job that requires a lot of typing, how do you avoid tip wear? Tip wear will probably depend on how long your nails are, if they are on the long side there will be a lot of surface contact which can lend to more tip wear. I recommend keeping them on the shorter end to avoid breakage. Make sure you use a good base coat, brush the tips of the nails with a bit of color to cover the end of the nail, make sure your top coat covers not just the top of your nail but brush over the tip end as well.
What base and top coats do you use? I’ll go into what I use below, I usually use Deborah Lippmann Rehydrating Base Coat and Chanel Top Coat but it varies depending on what brand of color I’m using.
My nail polish never lasts more than 3 days, it starts to peel and chip no matter what brand, help? Several things could contribute to short-lived manicures. For prep, your nail might not be entirely clean. Even with polish remover, if you’ve used oils or lotions, there could be remnants of product still lingering on the nail. Use a nail cleaner or polish remover that helps clean (more below). You could be loading on too much color too soon. While it may seem to be a time saver to load up more color for 1 coat, don’t do it. Apply your polish in thin coats even if it looks uneven the first coat. The second or third (for sheerer colors) will smooth out the surface. You also might not be covering your entire nail tip with top coat – doing so will make sure you covered the entire nail.
What advice would you give to those who are a novice to DIY manicures? I would recommend getting your nails professionally manicured the first 3-4 manicures you have so you can observe their application technique in person. You really only need salon manicures every once in a while for a clean up. It’s easy to maintain your nails yourself in between salon visits. You don’t necessarily have to do it yourself, as some can vouch, manicuring your own nails can sometimes take longer and be more frustrating.
Do you need to stick with the same brand of polish and base/top coats? Or can you mix and match? I don’t think you need to stick with the same brands, although using the same can often be best. Different brands have different formulas and don’t always work well together for me. For example I’m super picky with top coats – I don’t like any sign of shrinkage where the top coats dry and shrink over the nail polish leaving a visible line around the edges. (Seche and OPI do that with Chanel for me). I like to mix and match.
The items I use are going to broken down into the following categories: Removers, Treatments, Tools, Base Prep and Top Coats. Like most beauty routines, I believe nail care items should be built slowly over time with testing or by researching reviews online.
I used to use cheap nail polish removers from CVS and Target, but after I started changing my nail polish frequently, I found that they made my nails and fingers extremely sensitive and that my nails started to peel (the actual nail). Based on reviews and recommendations I’ve found several new removers that are gentle for sensitive fingers but still very effective in removing all traces of polish. Items shown above described left to right:
Zoya Remove + Big Flipper is a 3 in 1 product that removes color, preps the nail and conditions. I discovered this thanks to the recommendation of Café Makeup – we discussed nail care, I shared my finger woes, she said try the Zoya, it’s “so good.” She was right. Read the reviews on Zoya or Makeupalley and you’ll see others agree. There are different size options, I like the Big Flipper because it has an easy push down dispenser.
Sephora Formula X Delete Nail Polish Remover is another love (reviewed here). This is another item I bought based on online reviews. It has a similar push down dispenser lid. I like this one because it’s compact and the design is very sleek and simple. The easy to use pump action makes it super handy – you don’t have to flip over the bottle and risk ruining painted nails if you need to clean edges or mess-ups.
Dior Dissolvant Abricot is an ultra luxurious and pricey non-acetone remover, it has a rich abricot scent formulated with ingredients to nourish, hydrate and strengthen. I found it was extremely effective in removing Dior’s Gel Top Coat and dark polish underneath. I’m not a fan of the price and those sensitive to fragrance may find this too heavy. I went through one bottle pretty quickly and repurchased a second. It’s the only remover I’ve tried that has a slightly moisturizing/hydrating feel. If the bottle were about 3-4 times larger I think I could justify the price for more frequent use.
Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Remover is the only cuticle softener that I’ve tried but I was lucky to find a really good one on my first try. It comes in a milky white liquid with a dropper. Apply to the cuticle area for a minute and then push back with a cuticle tool and it removes excess cuticle skin easily. This is a definite must for anyone who does their own manicures. It’s gentle but super effective.
I attribute good looking hands to good hand care. I’m almost always carrying one to two hand creams in my purse. I rely on L’Occitane because they come in travel sizes, a variety of scents and have fun packaging. Plus the formula is hard to beat. For extra care I’ve discovered layering oil into hand cream can help give an added boost of moisture. I prefer hand creams that absorb quickly into the skin and that aren’t greasy feeling so it doesn’t ruin paper, clothes or get everywhere you touch. My current loves, left to right:
Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil is as good as it gets (there’s a mini version as well). A little goes a long way with the dropper, you only need a little bit. It’s not greasy but can get sticky, I recommend applying this with precision to the cuticles and rub in quickly. It has Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil, Mineral Oil and smells amazing. I use this about once a week and it keeps the cuticles looking really good.
Caudalie Divine Oil is a must for me (review here), unfortunately they’ve changed the packaging of the mini size and it doesn’t come with the spray pump dispenser. When I visited the Venice Boutique, they had hand massage treatments and they mixed the oil with their Hand and Nail Cream (review here) which is another staple of mine. I can’t rave enough about these.
Tatcha Soothing Silk Indigo Hand Cream (review here) helps to soothe dry or irritated hands, it hydrates well and absorbs quickly into the skin, the packaging is compact enough to fit into the purse
L’Occitane Hand Creams have been a classic for me for years (check out the L’Occitane Hand Cream Bar), they can be on the pricey side for the side, but the formula is worth every penny, these come in a variety of scents and special formulas, my current favorites are the Shea Butter Honey (soothing and creamy) along with the new Vitória-Régia from the Viva Brazil collection (lush sweet floral). L’Occitane has monthly gift with purchase promotions in stores and online, it’s one of the few brand newsletters I subscribe to that I don’t mind receiving weekly (they have good deals). I’ve converted so many of my friends to L’Occitane as these hand creams make good small gifts or add-ons (just add a box of Godiva chocolate or small bouquet of flowers).
Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Hand Cream was a huge step-up gift with purchase from Neiman Marcus at one of the Estee Lauder events they had a year ago in store. I was a bit intimidated by the size and packaging as it looks like an intensive treatment. It is indeed an intense hand cream but still very gentle and is the best at smoothing lines. You can see the effects immediately and over time it does improve the overall look and appearance of your hands.
My tools are very basic, items were either found at local drugstores or Ulta. There are a wide number of tools out on the market, I’m sure there are more experienced nail experts who know more about tools, my picks were picked out without much research or planning.
Revlon Nail Clipper is an older version that I have, they’ve gone through a few revamps and upgrades in packaging design but the overall shape and size remains the same
Tweezerman Nail File I’ve picked up various nail files over the years, I find Tweezerman to be sturdy but with a rough enough surface to be effective on harder nails but not too harsh, the ones from Sephora that I’ve bought come with a plastic storage sleeve which is convenient for storage (and makes sure it doesn’t scratch your other products)
Ulta Crystal Nail File if you’re one who hates the feeling of filing nails, you need to check out Crystal Nail Files, a multitude of brands have these such as OPI and Sephora. These have a unique fine-grade glass surface that is good for sensitive or thinner nails, it gently smooths edges and also has a tapered precision tip to clean beneath the nail.
Tweezerman Pushy Cuticle Pusher is a smaller tool for cuticles, I prefer smaller shapes, although some prefer ones with larger curved tips to match the natural shape of the nails. I find the Tweezerman one to be small enough for my small fingers, it’s sturdy and effective for me. For any kind of cuticle removal or care, I recommend you proceed with extra caution. Don’t push too hard and be extra gentle with the cuticles – this is where I recommend you observe a professional several times before attempting on your own.
Revlon Cuticle Nippers are another basic drugstore purchase, I’ve had two from Revlon, both have lasted over 5 years, just make sure you clean them regularly with warm water and soap (I use antibacterial dish soap) or alcohol. I wouldn’t recommend using cuticle clippers regularly, I use them to clip hang nails or only use if the cuticles have been softened and properly prepped.
For base coats, I look for something that helps protect bare nails. I look for items that won’t turn the nails yellow, items that aren’t drying and that also don’t make the nails peel. I’ll highlight the ones I use briefly, let me know if you need more information on any of these, I find they all work well with other brands such as Chanel, OPI, YSL, Dior, Tom Ford and NARS.
Sephora Formula X Nail Cleanser (reviewed here) is a relatively new discovery for me but I find that having a completely clean nail surface before using base coat or color really makes a difference in the wear of nail polish
Sephora Formula X Base Coat (reviewed here) is a sticky formula that helps polish adhere well, I like this best with the Formula X polishes but I’ve also tried (and love it) with Dior, Marc Jacobs and Chanel
CND Stickey Base Coat is a classic that I’ve repurchased multiple times, it’s an affordable option that works well with all brands I’ve tried
Deborah Lippmann Rehydrating Base Coat is my most-frequently used base coat, I don’t usually have nails that peel except when I do a lot of swatching and comparisons on the fingers, this helps immensely
Sephora Formula X Shine Top Coat (review here) is an awesome top coat but is on the thicker side, it works best with Formula X brand nail colors, when I used The System and their Nail Color, I had a manicure last over 7 days without any tip wear or chipping
Creative Nail Design Super Shiny Top Coat is another beauty staple, some of the nail salons I go to layer this with a Revlon top coat for an ultra cushy look (I haven’t looked into the Revlon personally)
Chanel Laque Brilliance Extreme is my all time favorite top coat, it helps my polishes last long, doesn’t crack or chip and give a lush shiny gloss
Rescue Beauty Lounge Top Coat is another item I’ve repurchased (I’m on my third bottle), it’s just as good as Chanel, some say it’s better, mine has a pinkish tinge because I didn’t let my pink nail polish dry long enough and had some color transfer
Dior Gel Coat is a top coat I’ve found works best with Dior Polishes (Chanel v Dior post here), it works well over other brands for a gel-shine finish and lush look, but can be prone to cracking on certain brands
This sums up my hand and nail care favorites. I hope this give you a comprehensive overview on my personal hand and nail care routine. To recap, I definitely think you can maintain your hands and nails on your own but regular salon visits help keep hands looking better. You don’t need an expensive salon to maintain your nails, there are a lot of good ones that are more affordable.
This post contains some items that were sent for review consideration. Most items were purchased by me. Press samples include Sephora The System, Tatcha Indigo, L’Occitane Vitória-Régia. For more information refer to my Disclosures.
