NAILS OF THE DAY - BE BERRY NOW!

I'm loving short natural nails lately, they're so easy to maintain and are much more practical in everyday life! But what I do find necessary with short nails is a layer of paint, it adds a feminine touch. 

Today I picked out a dark fuchsia shade, "175 - Be berry now!" from the essence colour & go collection. It paints on smooth and easy, and you only need two coats for complete coverage. The polish dries within 3 minutes. 

The only negative thing I can say about it is that the brush is quite wide, which can make it a bit harder to get the edges of your nails perfect, but it's just a matter of getting used to. 

You can find the essence colour and go polishes at the drugstore or online for €1,69. I would definitely recommend these polishes to girls who love to change up their nails a lot. 

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CLASSIC BLUE NAILS

To complement the grey/blue accents in my NYE dress, I decided to paint my nails the same color. Just for a fun accent I added a glitter blacklight layer to my ring fingers! 

I found these nail polishes at Kruidvat and they paint on very well. Two layers of the blue polish will do the trick, then one layer on the accent nail and you're done. Quick, cheap and easy!  

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HOW TO REMOVE FALSE NAILS THE RIGHT WAY

Long, strong nails are a matter of a patient mind, filing and good genes. When you are a nail biter or don't like to wear your nails long because you don't find them practical, you can cheat once in a while with false glue on nails for a special occasion. I'm a big fan of glue on nails because of their cheap price and easy appliance. 

HOWEVER, I did have a lot of problems getting these kind of nails off when I was sick of them. I tried cutting, filing and acetone to remove them but always ended up with ripped and damaged nails after. 

Until I discovered this product in my drugstore. It's from the same brand as my false nails, Broadway Nails.

The product consists of a pot with a dissolving liquid in it.  

These are the instructions 

My nails when I was about to remove them

Before using the product you will need to cut your fake nails shorter.

 Step 1

Dip your finger into the pot and leave it in for about 1 minute. After this, you start turning your nail against the pink plastic pieces of the pot. Do this for about 2 minutes.

Step 2

Remove your nail out of the pot. Check how your nail looks like. As you can see the false nail has been mostly dissolved, but not enough. Dip your finger in the pot again and repeat the first step. 

 Step 3 

Take a cotton pad with some nail polish remover and remove the final leftovers. 

Step 4

Use a nail file and/or buffer to clean your nails completely and to ensure their health. 

This is the final result, how my nails look after removing my falsies. They are a little bit shorter than before I applied my glued nails, but they're in a very good state and health. 

Thanks for reading! 

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NIVEA CALCIUM POWER SHOCK RESISTANT - REVIEW

The Nivea Calcium Power nail polish is a shock resistant polish with calcium for stronger nails. The Power Polymer System contains film formers that ensure a long lasting, durable, chip resistant finish. 

I didn't buy the polish for this reason, I wear false nails a lot so my nails won't benefit from the calcium. But I did love the color! Hot Coral is a very fresh color for spring and summer and very versatile in combining it with outfits. 

Other than that, the nail polish paints on very easy and even. I only needed two coats to get an opaque result. I painted my nails 5 days ago, and the color still lasts without any chips! 

 For those of you who love coral nails, I would definitely recommend the Nivea Calcium Power nail polish in 48 Hot Coral! 

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COBALT BLUE GLITTER NAILS OF THE DAY

Some quick nail inspo. A great nail look for a night out!

How to get these glitzy nails: 

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TUTORIAL FALSE NAILS - FRENCH MANICURE

WHAT YOU NEED

   

• Nail polish remover and some cotton pads
• A nail set - this one is from Broadway Nails, the Fast French Sensibly Chic (in medium length) 
• A nail file

 LET'S GET TO IT!

1. Remove nail polish (if) you have on. File your nails if necessary. Push back your nail cuticles with the "tooth pick" included in the nail set. 

2. Take out your fake nails and start fitting them onto your own nails. 

3. Lay your chosen nails out in a row, in order that you're going to put them on. Put a drop of glue onto the inside of your fake nail and spread it out. Place it on your natural nail, first close to the cuticle then on the edge. Press down your nail for 20-30 seconds to avoid glue bubbles under your nail. Finish off with a topcoat or any color of nail polish you want.

Between steps 2 and 3 it is possibly necessary to file down the sides of the false nails, this to make them fit better.

RESULT

These Broadway Nails can last up to 7 days, but I wear them for only 3 to 4 days. 

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BEAUTY FOOD

HAIR & NAILS

KIWI - Kiwis contain vitamin C, which is critical for circulation to the scalp and supports the tiny blood vessels that feed the follicles of your hair. 

SALMON & AVOCADO - Both ingredients are rich in protein and vitamin D, which are essential to get strong hair and nails. Both also contain omega 3, which are fatty acids the body can't produce itself, and is necessary to grow hair.

WALNUTS - Also contains omega 3, but besides that these nuts are rich in biotin and vitamin E, this helps your hair and nails from DNA damage. Walnuts also help to keep your natural hair color rich. 

EGGS - Not only are eggs great for gym fanatics because of the high level of protein, they're also great for your hair. Eggs contain zinc and iron. Which a lot of women lack of and is one of the biggest causes of hair loss amongst women. 

GREEK YOGURT - Contains protein and vitamin D (which keeps your hair follicles healthy). 

SKIN

YOGURT -

Low-fat dairy products contain lots of vitamin A which is important for healthy looking skin. But be careful with milk consumption, it has been shown that too much milk can lead to acne and clogged pores. 

WHOLE GRAINS -

High fiber foods help your body hold water and are the richest source of healthy skin promoting nutrients. Whole grains have compounds used to make skin firming elastin and collagen.

ALMONDS -

Almonds are packed full of vitamin E and healthy fats. They lower your cholesterol and keep your cell membranes strong and intact. They're great for youthful looking skin.

BLUEBERRIES -

These delicious berries are very known for slowing down the aging process.

SALMON -

Not only is salmon great for your hair, it also works wonders for you skin. The omega-3 keep your cell membranes healthy and the walls of the cells strong. This way the water is locked in the cell, making your skin look more plump and vibrant. 

SPINACH -

This under appreciated veggie helps repair skin cells and slow down skin cancer cells. It also restores cells that have been damaged by the sun because of the lutein, fiber and folate.

WEIGHT

COFFEE - Coffee can help improve physical performance and help burn fat. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and raises the metabolism. Of course you can't consume caffeine unlimited. An average of 2-3 cups a day is recommended.

GRAPEFRUIT - There are lots of crash diets using grapefruits as main ingredient. But without changing you diet and just eating half a grapefruit before every meal can help you lose up to a pound a week. A compound in the tangy fruit can lower insulin ( a fat-storage hormone) and can lead to weight loss. Grapefruits are also a great source of protein and water.

OATS - Oats are rich in fiber and eating them in the morning helps you feel full throughout the day. Oats are healthy carbs that boost the metabolism and burn fat.  

GREEN TEA - This type of tea is well known in plenty of weight loss books. It is filling like water, and contains antioxidants that will speed up your fat burn and calorie burn. 5 cups a day can help you lose twice as much weight.

TEETH

APPLE -

In general raw fruit and vegetables are great for your teeth. They have a fibrous nature which requires a lot of chewing. An apple in particular is nature's toothbrush. Eating an apple stimulates your gums and increases saliva flow in the mouth, this prevents cavity buildup as it cleanses the teeth surface. 

CELERY -

Celery is a great weapon to control bacteria inside your mouth. While eating celery, you will also produce more saliva which prevents plaque production. 

STRAWBERRIES -

Strawberries have an acid content, this may sound unhealthy but it can actually brighten and whiten up your teeth. How? Mash up a ripe strawberry and dip your toothbrush in it, then brush your teeth softly and carefully.

COCOA -

No, I'm not saying you should eat 20 snicker bars a day! But cocoa is good for your teeth. It is filled with a substance that helps to reduce gum inflammation. Dark chocolate is an excellent choice to prevent tooth decay, and to relax after a stressful day of course!

GUM -

The only condition is it has to be sugar-free gum. So put away the pink and blue Bubblicious sweet gums and chew on some sugar frees to degrade tooth enamel. When chewing for a long time you are also exercising and will strengthen your jaw.

I hope you found this useful and will remember some of my tips next time you're doing your groceries. And to end with a cliché, you are what you eat! 

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Sources and more info on Beauty Food:

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/hair-styling/top-10-foods-for-healthy-hair

http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/best-worst-skin-foods

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-02/why-coffee-good-you-here-are-7-reasons

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20475957_14,00.html

http://healthmeup.com/photogallery-healthy-living/healthy-foods-20-best-foods-for-strong-teeth-and-bones/19488

DIY ZIGZAG NAILS

Another nail tutorial today. I saw this technique for the first time in a youtube video of Evelina Barry (link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnnColRvFKM) and it inspired me to make a post about it. It is definitely a fun and creative way to style your nails.

What you will need:
file
nail polish remover
2 nail polishes (preferably at least 1 that covers in one coat)

tape

zigzag scissors

tweezers
top coat

1. Start off with clean nails. Remove leftover nail polish and file.
2. Paint your nails in the color you like. I applied two coats of a white polish. Let your nails dry.
3. Take a pair of ZigZag scissors (don't know if it has another name!) and cut out pieces of tape. You can make these as thick/thin as you want.
4. Make sure your nails are completely dry. Put on the piece(s) of tape on your nail as wanted. Put a coat of the other color on your nail (over the tape) and take off the tape carefully with tweezers while it's still wet.
Let it dry and put a top coat on your nails.
Finito!

White & blue

Nude & gold

Red Glitter accent nail

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MAGNETIC NAIL POLISH ESSENCE

Hey everyone,

Have you ever heared of magnetic nail polishes? I hadn't until recent when I got some as a gift. I was very excited about this product, I didn't know how it worked or what effect they would bring. 

I did some research and found some more information about these polishes. 

Magnetic nail polishes are developed with metallic particles. When these get activated, by holding a magnet close to the freshly polished nail, the iron powder in the formulation gravitates to the magnet. A pattern on the nail will appear. It is possible to use different magnets to get different effects. 

Some examples:

These are the two Essence magnetic polishes I got, a red and a dark blue color.

I also got the Essence magnet with it, that you put on a finger to hold it over your polished finger. You need to paint every finger individual and hold the magnet above it right after. So don't paint all your fingers and then use the magnet, because when your nails are dry it won't work anymore. 

These are the effects I got:

Uhm yeah, not much effect... You can very slightly see some faded stripes, but not how I expected it to be. That's why I wouldn't recommend this product because the magnet doesn't do the job it promises. I think it's not strong enough to attract the particles in the polish. However I do like the colors and textures of the nail polishes. Especially the red one which covers in one coat completely. 

Would I buy this product? 

Yes for the nail polishes, which are € 1,89 or $ 2,50. But no for the magnet, which is the same price. 

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