Dear (some of the) Nail Art Community, I see you and your selective hate.

Now I'm sure if you've been hanging around the nail community for a while you remember that whole hoopla about bullying other people about things like not cleaning up. Everyone and their dog made a huge deal out of it. Now I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that, but one thing I have noticed increasingly amongst people in the nail community is:

Being a bully is bad, if you don't like something don't look or comment. UNLESS the majority of us don't like what we see. In that case feel free to make whatever comment you like, because it is no longer bullying, it is a personal opinion.

Honestly a nail newbie could show how they did a simple flower dotticure for the first time, and their application could be horrific. If one person even dares question the application they are suddenly thrown out to the dogs. Another person could post their intricately done duck feet nails and 90% of the comments would simply be "Ew that's gross".

BOTH these people worked hard, and chances are BOTH these people were proud of their work. Enough so to share it with other people. So why is it ok to put down one?

I get that everyone has a say on things. You are not obligated to like everything you see, but know that just because it is not something the majority of people are into doesn't mean there's not someone out there who likes it a lot. If you don't like something, great. It's easy to not say "Ew," or "That's really ugly." And honestly if you feel the need to comment something as simple as "This isn't something I would do, but you did a great job/it's very creative" goes so much farther. You get out the point that it's not your thing, AND at the same time you show that you are respectful. Depending on the manicure even saying something like "That's insane!" goes a lot farther than "Ummmm no."

Art as a whole is subjective. Like what you like and don't like what you don't like, but do not make others feel bad because what they like is not what you like. Nail art can be pretty, it can be ugly, it can be sparkly, it can be dull, it can be plain, it can be detailed, it can be practical, or impractical. There is no right or wrong box. Nail art is an expression of someone's creativity. When no one is getting hurt I think stifling someone's creativity is one of the worst things you can do.

South Africa was pretty amazing...

So as of a few nights ago, I'm home from South Africa!  Sorry I didn't have more posts for you while I was away, but we moved literally every 3 days, and most people didn't have a reliable internet connection!  But I'm sure you'll forgive me.. I hope?

I can't lie, I definitely miss my new friends and family, most of whom I was meeting for the first time on this trip.  It was so strange after years of skype and voices on the phone and photos on facebook to be able to actually sit with and talk to all these people.  

I met my dad's two sisters and their kids, and I got to see my dad's brother and my aunt for the first time in 15 years and their daughter for the first time since she visited us in high school.  I got to meet one of the families who hosted my mom when she was on exchange there 40 years ago.  Not to mention, being the crazy foodie that I am, I got to experience some of the best meals of my life.  Of course it was also pretty great to see my mom get emotional with friends she hadn't seen in the 24.5 years since my folks moved here.

I had a nice dinner with Kas and Robyn just after I got home, which was great.  This was probably one of the longest times I hadn't seen or really talked to them in during our crazy-long friendship, so it was nice to catch up!

I promise I'll return to regular posts after this one, but since some of you asked on a previous post, here are some teaser photos from the trip(I still haven't downloaded the 600+on my digital cam, so for now you get instagram!).  I hope you like!

This is Ben, the wriggliest puppy ever who belongs to friends of my parents. 

Franskraal, a gorgeous beach-type town where we spent three days with one of the families who hosted my mom when she was an exchange student 40 years ago.  

I told Kas and Robyn about this seal at dinner the other night: The whole time we were eating at Live Bait, a restaurant in Kalk Bay, this guy was swimming and flipping around outside.  He was SO HAPPY.

We visited the penguin colony at Boulders Beach(and another one at Betty's Bay!) and oh my goodness they are so cute.  I should add there's no zoom used here, these guys were just really chill.

View of the Simon's Town Harbour, where my dad spent a lot of time when he was in the SA Navy as a young man.

Completely unedited and unfiltered photo of the sunset during dinner at our hotel in Oudtshoorn, in the Klein Karoo.  What say you to a manicure inspired by this?  Methinks it might have to happen.

Me on top of Table Mountain overlooking Cape Town.  Which is a pretty amazing city, in case you were curious.

View of the moon and mountain from the home of my mom's exchange family in Somerset West.  Seriously, almost everyone we stayed with had an amazing view.  Here my view is trees, which isn't bad, but I can't lie, I miss being able to always see mountains.

And because who am I kidding, you're here for nails, I got some pretty new Inglots :D I promise I'll swatch soon, since there are precious few swatches of any of these online.

So there's a taste of my trip, I'm sure I'll show a few more pictures here and there :)

I promise regular posts coming again starting tomorrow :)

Best. Haul Post. Ever!

So in our Butter London Christmas Giveaway one of the options on the Rafflecopter was tell us what you want to see on this blog.  One of the more popular answers was to do haul posts.  There's actually a reason you haven't seen one since my last one in June.

This is what I have bought since then.

Nothing.

Yeah, you heard me.  I haven't bought a bottle since June.

6 months.

Well technically I have.  But they have all been gifts.  But nothing for me.

Prior to June I bought some polish but not a lot as I knew I was going on vacation.  I was saving up money not only for that(And that included polish $$$).  July and August I just didn't buy any.  When it comes to polish I'm like that child who's a super picky eater.   Rarely do I think "Wow I need this entire collection!".

Anyways after September is a different story.  My friend drinks Coke EVER DAY.  And I always bother him about it.  I told him I bet he couldn't go a few months without coke.  He said he could and would if I gave up buying polish (with the exception of gifts) till January 1st 2013.  Since I had already been doing it for a few months prior I said yes.

It's a bit harder to resist during the holidays though.  If there's any collection I'm going to fall in love with it's going to be a Christmas/winter collection.   Not only that but the sales...*groan*.  So I don't look unless it's for a gift.

I think it's well worth my friend not getting diabetes right?

ETA:  How long do you usually go without buying polish?

How I get my nails so damn sexy (using only a really expensive assortment of products including dragon elixer and pure magic). I'll also show you some n00dz!

So I really didn't have a post today so I just decided I would show you some naked photos...of my nails!  And just write a bit about how I take care of them.

Now before you read any farther keep in mind what I do works for ME.  And just because it work for me doesn't mean the same will work for you.  I am not a professional nail tech,  I'm an actor and writer.

Now I've seem other bloggers do post like this.  And most of them contain, oils, sticks, creams, and what I can only assume is something expensive created from the breast milk of Aphrodite. Mine contains none of those.  When it comes to nail care I'm kind of a hippie.  But I've been doing my thing for years now and it works like a charm.  Let's begin. I'm going to do this in list form.  I don't do enough lists.

1. I only buffer my nails for one of two reasons.  If I have a break and need to repair it with a tea bag.  Or if I stumbled upon a polish that I didn't know stained and can't get rid of the stain.  I don't find it prolongs the life of my polish.
2. I rarely cut my nails.  Generally I file them a tad using an emery board every time I do my nails.  About once every 7-10 days I use a stainless steel file and file a bit more than usual.  Then I soften the look with the emery board. NOTE: Some people say not to use a stainless steel file because it makes you more prone to breakage and peeling.  I don't have that problem. Never have.
3. I have NEVER used cuticle remover.  90% of the time I don't think I need it.
4. Vaseline or any other brand of petroleum jelly.  Now the palms of my hands do tend to get quite dry(mainly in the winter).  And my fingers get dry too (but not nearly as dry). So I use Vaseline.  I use it after I shower.  So once a day.  That's pretty much all I do to keep my hands from not drying out.  No special creams.
5. Base coat, base coat, base coat.  I always wear it.  I use Sephora by OPI Strengthener. Which is also a base coat.  It's the only base coat I use. 

If you were too lazy to read that let me sum it up for you. I don't buffer of do anything to my cuticles.  In my opinion I have no reason to.  If file my nails.  I use Vaseline.  And I always use base coat.

Questions?  Comments?  Take That?

Ps.  There should be a bloggers n00dz week.  Where everyone posts their n00dz (nails). :P

NOTE:  All these photos were taken soon after I removed my nail polish.  My nails are as naked as they get.  This is what they look like most of the time(without polish). As you can see they are a tad stained but really not that bad considering I almost always wear polish.

 Nothing fancy to see here folks!  Just my Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat (I use this 90% of the time).  My Sephora by OPI Strengthener. My Revlon stainless steel nail file and my 4-way buffer (File, buff, smooth, shine).  And my Seche Vite top coat (which I use maybe 10% of the time).

NYC Haul - Polishes, and Plays, and Nunchakus, Oh My!

So this is about 2 weeks to late.  Oh well.  But I had a great time in NYC! I ate a disgusting amount of boxed yakisoba, saw some AMAZING shows, hung out with Adri from Liquor, Lube and Lipstick, drunk...a bit, karaoked, and did a bit of shopping.

I actually bought less than I thought I would.  Mainly because I knew I wouldn't have space to put in when going home.  Anyways I figured since I actually didn't buy a whole lot of stuff I would just show you guys everything I bought!

(L-R) Sinful Colors Cinderella, Espresso, Rich in Heart and Secret Admirer.  And the last three were only 49 cents!

(L-R) Milani Chocolate Sprinkles and Cyberspace

(L-R) Ruby Kisses Blue My Mind, and NYX Girls Collection Noir and Robotic.

 OPI's Here Today...Arragon Tomorrow suede

And I didn't actually buy these when I was in America but I shipped them there to my aunts place eons ago because it was cheaper than international shipping.  

(L-R) Cover Brands Sticks 'N Stones and A England's Dragon.

I also bought 2 top coats and 2 base coats.

It's funny because my goal was to get more brighter colours but I couldn't help myself.  Even though I'm starting to warm to lighter shades I just LOVE darker shades. I am also excited to swatch these.  Well as excited as one get's when photographing their hand.

I Haven't Changed My Nails In 9 Days...

WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL AM I?!?!?!?!

I've been away for the past week or so (You missed me right? RIGHT?!?!).  I went to Montreal, and then I got sick right before I had to come home (Sick as in a bad cold.  Nothing to do with the booze I was consuming. That didn't get me sick.  It just made even the simplest of locks with security codes impossible to use). Which is why I haven't been on/blogging/commenting. But I'm feeling better now after a few days of nothing.

Anyways last Tuesday I put on some purple NYC polish.  It's a polish I've had for years.  It has no name. Just 120A. And to top that off I put on Max factor's Fantasy Fire.  Over the week I just put on more layers of top coat.  As I was either too tired, too sick,  or too drunk to redo my nails.

Even though I didn't swatch it when I put it on (I was far too lazy) I took photos after 7 and 9 days.  What do you think?  Not to shabby eh? Oh and I filed my nails down on day 9.  Not because they were looking worse than day 7 but because they were starting to look dull. Like I had been digging.

 

Day 7

 

Day 9

While I know this wasn't a real post I'm excited because I can use this post to say this part. I have some nail art ideas that I'm going to be doing soon that will blow you out of the water.  Literally.  So get in your tubs.

 

This is random, and it has nothing to do with nails.  But I've been making banana, strawberry, spinach smoothies the past few days(because all the food I ate in Montreal was beige and my arteries probably look like they're stuffed with cheese now) and these are AMAZING!  Don't let the green fool you.

Finally if you haven't been to Montreal* yet I suggest you go.  And if the picture above doesn't make you want to go I Don't know what else to say. 

*FUN FACT: On our first night in Montreal 517 protesters were arrested.