I have found that some of the products I have been using are awesome and some, well not so awesome. and possibly contributed to some of my nail art flopping. If you are in the market for some great products and wonder what others might think well I'm here to tell you what I think!
Let's start with nail polish:
I find myself on a budget so I'm always looking for good deals but some of the polish I bought may just get tossed in the garbage so they weren't a great deal after all.
L.A. Colors- I bought this particular brand of nail polish in a pack of 5 for around $6 in my local grocery store. There was one color in the pack that I needed for a beach scene I was going to paint on my nails. The brush was very small, short and skinny, and very plastic like, the polish thin and needed several coats to get good coverage. Stayed tack for too long. I used the clear that came in this pack also and it left bubbles around the cuticle area. I will definitely not buy this brand again.
Wet N Wild- I picked up just a bottle of the clear in this case and was very disappointed. Selling for only .97 cents I thought it was a steal. Again a very thin brush and the polish did nothing to help seal my nail art.
Nina Ultra Pro- I buy these at Sally's Beauty Supply and they are the least expensive polish they carry at $3.99. I always watch for their sales and stock up. This polish has a very wide brush that is soft and more natural feeling. Excellent coverage, vibrant colors, and dries quickly. This is one of my favorites.
Kleancolor- I get these through ebay since I can't find these local. I got a lot of 70 full size bottles for $68. This was a great price and I was very excited to see what I'd get. I was not disappointed. A huge array of colors, crèmes, glitters, and metallics. The brush is thin but long enough to still get good coverage, the coats go on smooth and the polish dries in a short amount of time. I was happy with this polish, and the price, well it could not have been better.
China Glaze- This polish is sold many places and even though the price is better than OPI it can still be pricey for around $5-$7 a bottle. I watch for coupons and sales. China Glaze has very good coverage, the brush is thin but not too much that it affects how it goes on. You can usually find a good array of colors also. I buy these when I find a good sale.
China Glaze Magnetix- I bought these on ebay because I could not find them locally and I had some of their magnets. I got a lot of 6 for $11.70, a great price. The colors from one magnetic nail polish brand to the other are very similar and that is too bad because I would love to have more colors. I like this brand and have been very pleased with how it works.
Princessa- I bought these strictly for the Glow in the Dark colors. Again another great ebay bargain. I got a lot of 24 bottles for $29.99 I never see this brand locally. This polish dries very quickly, but it DOES glow in the dark and in the color that it is not just that white glow. This does not work for water marble because it dries too quickly but it is such a fun polish. I painted my toes and later that night when laying in bed in the dark spotted orange glowing things under the covers only to discover it was my toes. So much fun to use.
Nabi Magnetic Nail Polish- Another ebay bargain at a lot of 12 for $14.99. This polish is so much fun. Excellent coverage and the magnetic properties do work. The polish dries quick and if it dries too much the magnetic effect won't work. I polish the nail and before replacing the cap on the bottle use the magnet, it only takes a few seconds. The closer you put the magnet to the nail the better the design will come out. The magnet is in the cap so you don't worry about losing it. I tried a magnet from China Glaze and it did not work, go figure.
Now a couple of my favorite tools and one not so favorite.
Nailene SensatioNail Gel remover tool- Oh my gosh how did I do nail art before discovering this tool. At a mere $4 I should have bought several in case I lose one because I can't live without it. Before when trying to remove my nail art or even just nail polish that was sealed with a UV gel topcoat over my acrylic nails was a long hard process. I did so much sanding that I usually had to rebuild the acrylic. Soaking the gel off was not possible because it would also dissolve my nails. I saw this tool in Walmart, thought why not, and voila, success! First I use a cotton ball saturated in pure acetone, swipe over the polish several times and then using the tool, with it's spoon like end the polish and any nail art comes off like hot butter. Love, love, love this tool!
Beauty Pro Curette Nail Cleaner- I bought this at Sally's Beauty Supply at about $7. I typically don't spend that much on a tool like this but I hate having anything under my nails and usually end up searching for a toothpick or bobby pin to clean under my nails when its not feasible to scrub with a brush and soap. I love this tool, it even gets that bit of stained acrylic you end up having way down under the nail so close to the skin. I need a couple more of these for sure.
ASP Manicure Saver Cotton Claw -I have a love hate relationship with this tool. Yes it does keep my nails from getting messed up, I love that, but because so much of the cotton ball is clamped in the claw what's left is not adequate for good polish removal, and that I hate. I spend a whole lot of time trying to get nail polish off of my toenails using this tool. Save the money, grab your cotton balls, polish remover and hit up your hubby, or a friend and ask them to help you get that polish off. 30 minutes of scrubbing this tool over my nails is way too long and I have other things to do. Nail art awaits and I am wasting precious time trying to get this tool to work for me.
Well I hope this sheds some light on some products for you. Save some money in some cases, spend a little more where you need to. Happy shopping. Enjoy your art!
