Nail update

In case you're wondering how my nails are doing... :) They're naked for more than a week at the moment, I don't have any inspiration so I just decided to take a picture of them so I can show you a progress.

Last time I showed them here and I's already happy how long are they but now... They're really looong. I had long nails like this like 3 years ago all the time, but then something was wrong because I couldn't grow them so long but here're they again. :e

Again, black and white picture to hide my stained nails. :D I'm using Nail Tek Foundation II once a week, before I'm applying a color or I use just one coat and have plain nails with matte finish. :) This is my left hand, I've still peeling problems with my pointer on my right hand and of course my thumbs, I always break my thumbs so quickly. :$ But no breaks on my left hand (except thumb). :e

Welcome to all my new followers, who join my blog lately. I hope I'll be back with my manis soon, I'm super busy with my thesis, school come first, obviously (mom'd be so proud on me :P ) and I'm even without inspiration. xo

Do you have your favorite nail hardener? Which one?

Xoxo,

Ivana :k

Swap with blondie711 from MUA

It's Suuuuuummmmmmmmeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrr timeeeeee. :L My favorite part of the year. :e Yay! :)

I'm toooooo nervous to study and at the moment I hate my faculty with all my heart! Why? You know when you're asking and nobody doesn't know anything and they're sending you from one to another? Yes, I hate that, if they don't know, who'd knew? And it's easier to make yourself stupid. xo xo xo Anyway.... It's not the first time that's why I'm angry even more. xo

Anway, instead of studying I decided to calm myself with taking pictures of my new babies. :) Which I still have on my desk and I got it quite a while ago. :D

This is my first swap on MUA and blondie711 is the nicest I met there. :D There is plenty polishes available for swaps, but some doesn't reply to your msg or they're not interested, some of them are totally nice but she's the best. :D I's hunting down some China Glaze from Tronica, which I wanted badly, because I still don't have all I want from OMG and thanks to blondie711 I have some of them now. :D Usually swaping for some HTF polishes is really hard, but she's so nice to send me even one from OMG collection, how cool is that? :$

Okaaay, here are the pictures :P :

  China Glaze

 Hologram
Virtual Violet 

Hyper Haute

108 Degrees

Señorita Bonita

2NITE

 

China Glaze - Lightning Bolt
Orly - Bubbly Bombshell

Essie - Knockout Pout

Sally Hansen - Starry Starry Flight

Petites Color Fever - Zodiac
Wet n Wild - Wild card

Wet n Wild - Black Creme

NYC - Teal Til the End

 

And last but not least is Nail Tek Foundation II, which I'm using lately insted of Intensive Therapy 2.

See, I got lots of pretty polishes. :L Some of them I already wore and still need to upload pictures and I can't wait to try more of them soon. :h Thank you so much! :k Not just for this babies but all your kind words too!

Xoxo,
Ivana :k

Nail Tek II Intensive Therapy Review

I wanted to post this like ages ago but I didn't have time so here it is. :) I got Nail Tek II Intensive Therapy from Carolina months ago and till then I used it everytime (lately I combine it with Nail Tek Foundation II). I used to have loooong and pretty strong nails but last year and a half something went wrong. My nails were peeling at some point all the time, they're breaking easily, I'm sure if you're with me from the beginning you know how many times I had to shorten my nails because I can't stand different lengths.

Anyway... I always thought they'll start being strong as before on their own. But of course they didn't. So when I got it, I started using it every time I changed my manicure. 

Description from their site is:

"Nail Tek II: Intensive Therapy for soft peeling nails:

Intensive Therapy helps heal weak, thin, soft or peeling nails. This unique protein formulation seals the layers of the nail together. With each application, Intensive Therapy reinforces and thickens nails while promoting strength and flexibility."

Ingredients: Ethyl Acetate, SD Alcohol-40B, Butyl Acetate, Nitrocellulose, Tosylamide/Formaldehyde Resin, Acrylates Copolymer, Triphenyl Phosphate, Trimethyl Pentanyl Diisobutyrate, Isopropyl Alcohol, Butyl Alcohol, Formaldehyde, Benzophenone-1, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Dimethicone, Calcium Pantothenate, Violet #2.

It looks like a regular TC, so I applied one layer as BC and usually 1 coat like TC. Avoid skin contact while you're applying it on nail - I think it can irritate your skin. I didn't see any improvement immediately but last month in May (I used it like 1 month and half) I could see the difference. They're stronger, nails, which started to peel all the time, didn't peel at all... So I was quite happy with. But then something else happened. :D From time to time I noticed that pieces of edges of my nails were missing. I didn't pay attention if I hit something, I just noticed when something wasn't right. So they're obviously too strong and I was so sad because I love square shape of my nails and every time the piece was missing, I had to shorten them keep them in square. Then I started using hand creams more often (I rarely used hand cream and never any creams for cuticles), when I removed nail polish, I always rub hand cream into my cuticles and nails.. Now they aren't breaking anymore, well, for now.

I'm not an expert for ingredients like Formaldehyde, nail care, so if you want to know more about them, I recommend you to visit loodie loodie loodie blog. Loodie definitely knows a lot about nail care, I actually read her whole blog when I found it and I learned a lot of things I didn't even know. :) You can read her posts about nail hardeners based on formaldehyde here. :)

Here are some pictures of my naked nails. Pictures are black and white, because I have really ugly stains from Innocent so I'm not comfortable to show them as yellow as they're. xo

23th May - with a coat of Nail Tek Foundation II

9th June

Now I'm using Foundation II, sometimes Intensive Therapy II. We'll see how my nails will look after some time. :D And when I finally grow them longer, I found another problem (I'm never satisfied I guess). My nails (especially my pointer) curl at some point and I hate it. :i

That's it, I hope someone will find this helpful. Did you ever tried it? What are you using for stronger nails? Or are your nails just naturally perfectly strong and beautiful? :)

Nighty night,
Ivana :k

Swap with Carolina from Colores de Carol #3

I wanted to post this yesterday before I go to sleep, but I was just so sleepy so here it is. :)

I guess you all know who Carolina (Colores de Carol) is. This is our 3rd swap! :L Full of goodies again and my WL is now after 2 recevied swap packages even shorter. :i

Let's start with pictures. :D

China Glaze

2030

Light as Air

Pink Undergroung

Caribbean Temptation

Ahoy!

I finally have all from Up&Away collection that I want. :e Wooooohooooo! :) 2030 is the most beautiful gold polish. :L

Crackle Glaze

Broken Hearted

Fault Line

Crushed Candy

Crackleeeeeeeees... :L

OPI

White mini

Bubble Bath

Elephantastic Pink

Houston we have a Purple

I love OPIs. Their brush is just perfect for my nails and it's so easy to apply a polish with. Definetely my favorite brand! :)

Zoya

Tiffany

Miley

Malia

Mimi

Savita

Surprise - they're not pink. :D I got all I wanted! :L

Milani

Digital

Hi-Res

Gold

Gold Jewel is just an amazing glitter. Can't wait to try it! :)

Revlon

Cupid

Kleancolor

Pink Lady

Color Club

She's So Glam

I actually thought this is Foundation II but it's Intesive therapy. It's for soft and peelign nails and it should help me at least a little bit. It contains Formaldehyde too. Has anyone tried it? I would love to here anything about it. :)
I read lots of great reviews about Nail Tek base coat. I really want to have my long and strong nails back! :(

And Carolina send me sooooooooo many sweets. I ate lots of them already, it's hard to just watch them. :D A nail file, HK pendant, lip glosses... :$

Thank you so much for all this lovely goodies!

I have naked nails, because one hand is just so ugly. I don't know what happened but when I removed Leopard mani after 5 days my nails on my left hands are YELLOW and ugly! :(

Have a nice weekend!
Ivana :k