Review- Gel Nails

I have always admired gel nails, from seeing them on Instagram to Pinterest, but have always been a bit nervous to try them because I have been told that they can ruin your natural nails. However, I was still very interested in getting them done. Last month I was going to Spain for a wedding, so I decided what better opportunity to get them done than then, so myself and my mom popped into Fifth Avenue Nails in Cork City to get them done. 

First of all, she completely cut back all my natural nails, which to be honest, made me want to cry as my nails are naturally quite long and strong, so this absolutely killed me. She then buffed and filed my nails so that they were in a suitable condition to apply the gel.
She then applied a form, which is kind of like a stencil for applying the gel extensions on each nail. The first layer of gel she applied was to act almost like a base coat. I asked for an almond shape, so for the second layer, she dipped the brush into the clear gel, which was quite a thick consistency, and applied it to the nail and the form into the shape and length I wanted. I then had to place my nails into a UV light to cure the gel. 

Once this layer was hardened, the form was removed so that she could continue working on building up the gel to make it stronger. (Just to warn you if you are getting these done, once you place your nails into the UV light, it feels like its burning while the gel is hardening. It actually hurt quite a bit for me!)
She then added another layer of gel, and once this was dry, she cleaned the nail and fixed up the shape by filing it gently. Once the gel extensions were ready, the shellac was applied as it usually would be. 

This all cost €56 which didn't include removal later on. I kept my gels on for 4 weeks...yes, I know this is probably way too long and my nails had grown out so much, but to be honest I was just too lazy to take them off. After about 3 weeks, the tip of the extension on my thumb cracked off which was quite annoying, but at least it was just the gel and not my natural nail!

I removed the gel myself, by buffing the surface of the nail, soaking cotton wool in acetone, placing it on the nail and wrapping it in tinfoil. I left them soak for 40 minutes and then used the scraper to gently scrape off the gel. 

To be honest, this is what ruined the whole experience for me. I loved the nails when they were on, but once I took them off my nails were damaged, weak and brittle. I now have them cut back with nail strengthener applied, so hopefully my nails will recover soon. 

As much as I loved them, I don't think I would be in too much of a rush to get them done again, unless I was to get them done for a special occasion. In future I think I might just keep my natural nails long and get shellac applied instead, as this doesn't do as much damage.

This is all totally my opinion, and obviously some of you might agree, some disagree, but I thought I would just share my thoughts on the whole experience seeing as it was my first time getting them done.

Thanks for reading!
BTW, I may have something exciting coming soon, so keep your eyes peeled...😉

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Henna Tattoos- What are they?

Henna tattoos have always been something I have wanted to try, and am always admiring them on Instagram and Pinterest. The beautiful tattoos range from small, intricate details, to larger more detailed designs. So while I was on holidays recently, I decided to bite the bullet and try it out. I opted for this simple design on my hand, as I didn't want anything too big or extravagant.

What are Henna Tattoos?

Henna is a type of plant, in which the leaves are dried and crushed, and made into a paste. The henna paste is placed in a squeeze bottle, and squeezed out and painted onto the skin like a marker.
How long does it last?The longer you leave a henna on, the longer it will last. Leave it on for a minimum of 2 hours, but leaving it on overnight is preferable. Once your henna is ready to be taken off, brush it off with your hand. The stain will have transferred to your skin. I was told it would last 2-3 weeks, but unfortunately it only lasted 8-9 days before it started to fade. However, it lasted this long with me going into the pool, putting on suncream, lying in the sun and having showers etc. which is probably a reasonably long enough length of time.

How much does it cost?

The price of a henna can vary based on the design and the size of it, but mine was €12.

I thought I would do this quick and simple post on hennas as it seems a few people are not too familiar with what they are, like I was before I got it done. So I hope this might have given you a better insight into the details on henna tattoos and maybe even get one done yourself! 

See you next time!

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Get the Look- Gigi Hadid Festival Inspired

Gigi Hadid is the queen of festivals, so with festival season in full swing, I had to recreate the nails she was seen wearing at Coachella. She had a different design on each nail, so I chose my favourite 4 designs to recreate.

Step 1
Start off with a base coat

Pinky Finger
Paint your pinky finger black. Once it is dry, add a top coat and dip your finger into a pot of beads. Mine are 'Nail Rock Nail Caviar'

Ring Finger
For the palm tree, paint your nail blue for the sky in the background. Using a brown striper, create a thin curved line coming from the cuticle to about half way up the nail. Using a green striping brush, create small, short, thin lines feathering out from the brown line

Middle Finger
Paint your nail nude. Using a white striper, create a semi circle at the cuticle. Outline the white with a thin line of black. Using a black striping brush, create small curved lines along the white curve for the eyelashes. Dip a large dotting tool into orange and create a large circle inside the white. Dip a small dotter into black and create a small black dot inside the orange

Index Finger
Paint your nails white. Add a floral deisgned sticker of your choice

Step 3
Seal in all your designs with a topcoat

I hope you liked these designs and enjoy any festivals you may be going to this year!!

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DIY At Home Salon Pedicure

It's that time of year again, where the sandals and flip flops are being whipped out, and the shoes and boots are being put into hibernation. So with that, our feet may need a little bit of TLC, however, salon pedicures aren't very budget friendly, which is why I have decided to put together a simple and inexpensive DIY at home pedicure.👣

Step 1
Remove all nail polish from your nails

Step 2
Add some scented bath salts to warm water and bathe your feet for ten minutes. Not only is this relaxing, it cleanses and softens the skin, prepping it for exfoliation

Step 3
Exfoliate your feet to remove any dead skin cells, gently massaging them in circular motions, focusing on places with tough or hard skin

Step 4
Gently massage moisturising foot cream into the skin. I love Soap and Glory's Heel Genius, as it isn't too expensive, but very good quality. The luxurious cream softens and moisturises the skin in just one session

Step 5
Trim the nails with a nail clippers. File the nails to remove any sharp edges to the nail

Step 6
Apply cuticle oil to the cuticles, and gently push them back. This will also remove any dead skin on the cuticles

Step 7
Apply a base coat to your nails

Step 8
Apply the nail colour of your choice. Clean up around the edges with a small brush or cotton bud dipped into nail varnish remover

Step 9
Apply a clear top coat to the nails to add that salon finish shine

Simple as that! Your feet are now beach ready without the expense of a salon pedicure!
See you soon💓

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Get the Look- Perrie Edwards 'Power' Music Video

Power has to be one of my favourite Little Mix songs, and definitely one of my favourite music videos, so when I saw Perrie sporting these nails in the video, I was inspired to do a festival type design. I know these are not exact copies of her nails as I didn't have similar nail gems to hers, but I was inspired to do a similar design with black tattoos.

Step 1
Start off with a base coat

Step 2
Paint all your nails white and allow to dry for 15 mins

Step 3
Choose a temporary tattoo of your choice and carefully cut it out with a scissors

Step 4
Peel of the clean layer of plastic over the tattoo and place the tattoo face down onto your nail

Step 5
Gently press a damp cotton pad over the tattoo for 10-15 seconds until the tattoo has transferred completely onto the nail

Step 6
Seal in your design with a topcoat

Again, I know these aren't exact copies of Perrie's nails, but they are so simple to recreate, especially for festival season.
I hope you like this design,

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