It’s always good to have some “good to have around” products, like these five nail products for lacquer lovers. I love them all!
1. nail Tek Crystal file ($16.50)
I’m not kidding; I’ve had this same Crystal file by nail Tek ($16.50) since, oh…it to be at least 2002.
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This same ONE.
I bought it eons ago at a Pure beauty store at the Embarcadero center in SF… I still remember the day because I walked in and asked a sales associate to recommend the “best damned nail file” they had, and she recommended this one. and even though it practically killed me at the time to pay however much I paid for it (can’t remember how much it was), I got it anyway because she said it would last forever.
And you know what? She may have been right, because 13 years later, it’s still doin’ fine.
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Come Z-Day/zombie apocalypse time, this is the nail file I’m bringing with me on the road, and not just to file my nails — although seriously, what else am I going to do with my downtime?? We won’t have the Internet — but also because it would make a fabulous zombie-fighting emergency shiv.
Some crystal nail files wear down, but the nail Tek stays gritty. It really smooths the edges of my nails and doesn’t leave them jagged. LOVE. IT.
It’s available now online and at Ulta stores and salons for about $16.50.
2. CND Solar Oil nail & Cuticle Conditioner ($11.50)
I’m so dedicated to CND Solar Oil ($11.50) that I keep one bottle on my work desk and another bottle on my nightstand by my bed.
‘Tis my jam.
A conditioner for nails and cuticles, it contains sweet almond oil, jojoba oil and rice oil. I swipe it on my cuticles, and then massage it in, a few times throughout the day and then again at night.
It keeps my nails nice and soft and generally less raggedy.
It’s available now online and at salons, drugstores and Ulta for about $11.50.
3. Essie naturally clean Purifying nail polish remover ($16)
I’ve been using Essie naturally clean Purifying nail polish remover ($16) for years, and there’s always a bottle somewhere in my bathroom.
For me, I think it’s the best nail polish remover around because it removes everything, from the palest pastels to the deepest, richest reds, blues, plums and even black shades, and it does so quickly. I can remove all of the polish from all of my fingers with a single saturated cotton pad.
It’s also tough enough to handle glitter polishes, but it does take a bit more work — no surprise there. You know how it is with glitters… They can be a big pain in the butt! naturally clean still gets the job done, but sometimes it’ll take two or three soaked cotton pad.
QUICK tip FOR YOUR TIPS: You’ve probably already heard this before, but it’s usually easier to remove your nail polish right after you get out of a bath or shower.
This stuff also has a scent, and I really like it, which I know is weird…since nail polish removers are usually super stinky, but this one smells like baby powder.
It’s available now online and at salons and Ulta for about $16.
4. OPI Drip dry Lacquer drying drops ($13.50)
About a billion years ago, a manicurist recommended these to me while I was getting my nails done. They’re the OPI Drip dry Lacquer drying drops ($13.50), and I’ve been using them ever since.
When you apply one or two drops of the liquid on top of your topcoat while it’s wet, it speeds up the drying time. When I use it, my nails are usually completely dry in about five minutes.
Um…I’d still try not to bump into anything for a little longer than five minutes after you use them, though, because you can still end up with small nicks on your nails… I try to be careful like a nails ninja for a good half an hour after I use them.
They’re available now online and at salons and Ulta for about $13.50.
5. OPI top coat ($9.49)
Ah, the Old Faithful of top coats… OPI top coat never lets me down.
I love that wide brush, the shiny finish and the sturdy formula. This one’s an oldie but a goodie, and a terrific thing to have in your nail supply stash.
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It’s available now online and at salons, Ulta and Sally Beauty…and pretty much everywhere else for about $9.50.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen