Like a Lemony Dream

I've talked briefly before about my first encounter with Lush's Lemony Flutter and let's just say that it's all that plus a bag of chips. Or plus a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts. Ok, it's just amazing.

Effectiveness as a moisturizer: Great. It has a strong lemon smell but I like it. I could see how it could deter people but it's good. It seems very heavy as a cream but there's no greasy feel after a few minutes.

Good for body? Yes. I suffer from extremely scaly elbows and ankles, and this really helps soften those areas.

Good for nails?: It's originally a cuticle cream, so yes. It is a bit annoying and messy to apply though, but it's great for nails.

Price: I'm not going to lie, it's expensive, with tax it's almost $15. It lasts a while but for some the price may be the selling point, especially when you have so many great drugstore lotions

Verdict: It's best when it's cold and firmer instead of softer and warmer. When it's warmer it gets melty and looks really oily when you put it on. It carries an extremely high price tag, but I personally think it's worth it. It does last a long time if you only use it for nails. I used it as a cuticle cream and for my elbows and ankles and it's lasted me almost a year. So in the long run it's worth the initial high price tag. I will definitely repurchase but in this economy after I finish my tub, I can definitely wait a few months before repurchasing.

Fun Facts: LUSH makes everything by hand and therefore unlike most lotions has a shorter shelf date. Each product is marked with the name of the person who made your product and a "Best if used before" date. They also do not test on animals (for the record, I'm not a fan of animal testing for cosmetics. I can understand it for purposes of medicine, but rest assured I'm not going to bash anyone else's opinion because I can understand both sides).

Impressions: Vaseline

This post kicks off what I'm going to call my Mega Moisturizer Series. As I like to say, hydration is power (and also the tag of this series). I like trying out lots of products and since that's what the cosmetic industry banks on, here we are.

I'm also filing everything in the MMS under Back to Basics, because I think moisturizer is really important, not just for your nails but for your skin in general. My skin would look so much worse without moisturizer and let me tell you, the skin under my eyes would look so much worse without fancy moisturizers (my mom says that the dark circles under my eyes make me look like a panda. I tell her that that's just the life of a college student). So, expect me to focus on general moisturizers as well as specific cuticle creams....though I think the latter is a waste of money and regular lotions can work just as well. I believe in the power of multitasking

First up, pure Vaseline (also just pure petroleum jelly). Petroleum jelly is a byproduct of good ole fashioned petroleum (aka crude oil) refinement. Indeed, some environmentalists greatly dislike petroleum jelly because of this, but according to Wikipedia, it is possible to create a generic version of petroleum jelly. So that actually is good news for sustainability purposes. I never really grew up using Vaseline, but I know tons of people who are obsessed with it.

Effectiveness as a moisturizer: Ok, here's the thing. Vaseline IS NOT really a moisturizer. Wait, what? Yeah I know it's confusing but Vaseline is actually a sealant and prevents moisture from evaporating. So no it doesn't moisturize and is not absorbed by the skin, but it does protect the skin. This is also why Vaseline is good for cuts and minor scrapes because it prevents bacteria from entering.

Good for body?: I don't really use it as a lotion since it's not a moisturizer, but it's good for feet. I also use it for my lips since I'm running out of Aquaphor.

Good for nails?: Yes! I do use this for my cuticles since they tend to get raggedly and it helps my skin from ripping more. It's also a good cuticle softener .

Price: The nice thing about Vaseline is that a little goes a long way. I bought a 1.75 oz travel one from Target about 4 months ago for 99 cents and using it on and off I've only gone through barely 1/4 of the tub.

Verdict: Given the price, it wouldn't be a bad thing to have around. I would just get a sample size (1.75oz is what I have, and it's a lot) since it's only 99 cents. I only bought it because I was hoping for a cheap eye makeuup remover but that didn't work on me. It works for other people though. But if you're sure you never need it, save your dollar, especially if you have stuff like Neosporin for minor cuts.

Fun Facts: petroleum jelly has a dissolving effect on latex....so that's my safe sex warning. Also, petroleum jelly is less expensive than glycerol, but it results in a greasy feel in lotions as it just sits on your skin. Therefore, more expensive lotions are more likely to have gycerol instead of petroleum jelly. If you buy a $10 lotion that has petroleum jelly but no glycerol, you know you're getting ripped off.

Holographic Polish vs. Holographic Glitter

I know some people get confused whenever polishes get referred to as "holo" or have "holo glitter." These are two different things, and it's important to distinguish between the two because sometimes it can get confusing

First, holo polishes are those that have an overall rainbowy, prismatic effect. In direct sunlight, it will have a base color but then a lot of other colors too. Here's an example of a holographic polish, one of my faves, OPI My Private Jet:

By contrast, polishes that have holographic glitter just simply have multicolored glitter but they don't quite create that special prismatic effect that holo polishes do. Take, for example, this red Opera polish
Yep, it a gorgeous red jelly with holo glitter...


The glitter kind of reminds me of sprinkles, especially in this picture:
I left this picture intentionally blurry because it shows how the glitter is holographic

Also, success! I found a full-size Opera bottle picture for reader Pixie. I didn't fail after all

If you're wondering why these pictures look a lot sharper than normal, it's because I took these with my brand-new Canon camera...before I realized the camera had a dead pixel. I had really bad luck with Canon cameras, I think I mentioned before that I got a brand new shiny Canon for my birthday, but then the button on top was broken. Then I exchanged it but the screen had a dead pixel. So, I'm still chugging along with my Kodak.

Also, I know I've broken my resolution of trying to post every day, but I've been swamped with midterns this past week. Expect a little bit more posting in the next couple of days before I have to study again.

Back to Basics: Frankening

Picture this scenario: You've suddenly started to like grey polishes but you can't find a good one that's dark enough. You remember that black + white = grey, and so you decide to mix the two together to create the perfect grey.

Congratulations, you just made a frankenpolish! As the name implies, it's pretty much blending polishes or pigments or glitter together to make custom colors (much like the monster Dr. Frankenstein created out of old body parts).

Making frankens is pretty fun, though sometimes they don't always turn out how you planned. Therefore, it's really best to franken only with cheaper, drugstore brands or colors that aren't too hard to find. Sometimes there can be clear recipes with frankens, other times it's a product of several polishes at all different dosages. It's always cool to play with polishes, but like with any fun activity, there are some hazards:

1. If you're not careful, it can get messy. I always lay a tissue on my desk for safety, so you definitely want some sort of precaution. After all, getting nail polish on that $2000 antique heirloom table would be heartbreaking.
2. Some formulas react horribly together. For many girls on the nail board, there have been...incidents where the glass in the bottles have shattered/minor explosion (not the explosion of the great balls of fire kind, more like of the crap-there's-nail-polish-everywhere! kind) when shaken. Though it's never happened to me, knock on wood, if it's a concern, mix only with the same brand.
3. Because sometimes the bottles are open to longer periods of time, there is more secondhand fumage (not a word) from the polish. Like I'm always stressing, well-ventilated areas!

Even if you can't think of an original color to create, you can still franken when you "tweak" existing colors. For example, I had a pale pink Jordana polish with glitter that was sooo pretty...except when I put it on it was super sheer. So, I decided to make it more opaque by adding 7 drops of Orly Soul Mate. The result?

Same light glitter, but with a slightly darker base. I named it Chatty Kelly, after the fabulously chirpy, rah-rah customer service rep Kelly Kapoor on the American version of The Office. I think she would approve.

Back to Basics: Nail Health

Though I covered some topics about nail health in a previous BTB post, MSN has a great comprehensive article about nail health here:

What Your Nails Are Telling You About Your Health

It's super thorough, so much that I've decided not to do a follow-up to my last post! Thanks MSN, for making my life a wee bit less complicated =)

Back to Basics: Acetone vs. Non-Acetone Remover

There are two primary types of nail polish removers out there, pure acetone and solutions of acetone, water and other stuff, in the polish world we refer to them as non-acetone (even though they do have some).

100% acetone, also known as CH₃COCH_3, is a colorless liquid with a VERY strong smell. Non-acetone removers can be all sorts of colors and some are even scented to someone mask the strong smell of the acetone present. I switch off between the two for various reasons....let's break it down.



Pros: By far the fastest way to remove polish, also strips oil from nail so base coat adheres more. It also costs about the same as non-acetone removers.
Cons: Well, it strips your nails of oils so it can be very drying. Also, it's not really supposed to be used by itself- my Beauty Secrets (from Sally's) bottle of acetone says "manicurist solvent." Being in general chemistry, acetone is kind of a big deal in the chemical world because it's such an important solvent. What is a solvent? According to wikipedia and my chem book, it's a liquid or gas that dissolves a solid, liquid, or gaseous solute (pretty much anything that can dissolve in the solvent, science is pretty repetitive), resulting in a solution. So technically, it's supposed to be blended with something else. Acetone can be used by itself but the reason why it's mostly used as a solvent and not by itself is because acetone is an irritant. Wikipedia has a nice list of the possible long-term health effects of inhaling acetone fumes or even exposing your eyes to acetone fumes. I can vouch though that when we're handling acetone in the chemistry labs, we absolutely must wear our goggles because it can be extremely irritating. I have to stress that if you're using pure acetone though, you really should be in a highly ventilated area!
Fun Facts: Acetone is an organic substance, and it can be found naturally in our bodies. Also, it's a main component of paint thinners. Which means it's a main component of nail polish thinner too! My Beauty Secrets thinner lists it as an ingredient in acetate form.
Recommendations: Beauty Secrets (from Sally's): $2.49 w/o card, $1.99 w/card for 225mL/8 oz.; there are also generic versions you can get at Big Lots.



Pros: Not as scary as pure acetone, it's also less damaging because of added conditioners such as Vitamin E. Since the acetone is diluted with water and other stuff, there aren't as many health risks unless you drink it. And if you do, please call the poison hotline because that's a little scary.
Cons: It's definitely not as fast as pure acetone, and in today's society we are not programmed for patience sometimes. It can be frustrating especially for taking off glittery polishes.
Fun Facts: Take advantage of FDA regulation and check the list of ingredients (I think Canada and the EU have this sort of regulation as well). If the first ingredient is acetone, then followed by water, chances are that the remover will work better than a remover with the first ingredient being water and then acetone. Why? The first ingredient is usually the biggest percentage of what is in the package. If the first ingredient is acetone, there's usually more acetone than water; the reverse if true if water is the first ingredient. So it's still a diluted version of acetone but there's still more acetone than water so it's not as weak.
Recommendations: Onyx Strawberry Scented Remover: 99 cents at Walmart for 118 mL/4 oz; Sally Hanson Moisturizing Remover, Sally Hanson Strengthening Remover.


You can see then why I switch off between the two? Pure acetone definitely helps when I'm swatching a lot of polishes but for day to day use, I prefer non-acetone removers even if it takes longer.

Back to Basics: Moisturizing

Moisturizing is, and always will be, a big deal. One of the biggest mistakes I made as a young teenager who battled acne was to not moisturize. And I honestly regret it (I have since learned my lesson). Moisturizing is your skin's way of maintaining balance. It's like blowing a balloon- blow too softly and the balloon will never inflate, blow too much and the balloon might pop. Ouch. If your skin doesn't get enough moisture,

There are several ways to moisturize your nails. One is going the traditional route of using hand creams or lotions to moisturize your hands, and subsequently, your nails. The other way is to specifically target your cuticles and the skin around your nails by using cuticle oil or cuticle cream.

Back to Basics: Debunking Myths about Nails & Nail Polish

The shelf life of a nail polish is only a couple of years
This is the thing that always gets me! Many beauty blogs post that nail polish has a lifespan of a couple of years, and you should just toss it after. Well I was really puzzled when I heard this because it's directly the opposite answer of an often tossed-about question on the nail board at MUA. I decided to ask The Beauty Brains this question:

My question: All cosmetics have a lifespan (for example, I throw out my mascara every 3-4
months since I am afraid of bacteria) but what about the life span of a nail polish? I'm a huge nail polish junkie and some people say that a polish's lifespan is 1-2 years, but I know people who have had polish for up to 10 years without it going bad (ie, separating to the point of no return)! Is there something in the polish, chemically that could make it worse as the years go by? And what are, if any, the adverse side effects?
The answer they emailed back: Basically, you can keep nail polish until it dries out. That's because it's based on solvents (no water in it so it can't grow bacteria.) As long as you keep it tightly closed and well shaken it can last for a loooong time.

Mind you, this is taken verbatim from the e-mail, and if you don't believe me, I'll email you a screenshot. If you think about it, if there is no water in polish and bacteria can't grow, it's not sensible to throw out a polish after 1-2 years, especially if it's nearly full. Cosmetic companies make money off of repeating customers, thus, the more often you rebuy sometimes, the more money they make. For some things, sure, you're always going to need soap, shampoo, and conditioner. Of course, bad lip gloss (after two or three years) can cause bumps and rashes to form on your lips, and bad mascara (up to a year if you don't use it every day, but generally the rule is 3-5 months) could cause eye infections. But all of your old nail polishes aren't going to give you an infection or irritations. Many ladies on the nail board at MUA have polishes that are as old as I am and are still in perfect condition!

Of course, as with any of your other makeup, use your best judgment...if a polish has separated to the point where no matter how much you shake it's not going to mix, it's definitely time to toss it!

Also, don't believe the fools that say that nail polish lasts longer if you refrigerate it. First of all, do you really want your nail polish chemical smells mixing with your delicious leftover pasta? Not even all the baking soda in the world could absorb those smells! Besides, what if a bottle breaks in the fridge? Not only would the cold make it incredibly difficult to remove, you would ruin lots of food. Basically, polish and food shouldn't mix on a daily basis. Not to mention I would rather have more space in my fridge for food! As long as you don't expose your polish to lots of direct heat/flame, your polish will still last.

Lastly, this rule of nail polish lasting for decades doesn't apply to water-based polishes, because water is a breeding ground of bacteria. Not sure what the shelf life of a water-based polish is, but I would probably say at the most, 3-6 months, the same as mascara. To be honest, I don't think water-based polishes are a good investment. Yes they might dry faster but as an environmental sciences junkie, I know how much bacteria loves water...this is purely a personal preference though.

My polish is gloppy and thick, that means it's bad and I should toss it
Well now this is where my blog title comes in! A thick polish can be saved with a little thing called nail polish thinner. It can be found at Sally's Beauty, $3.99 for 118ml/4 oz (or $3.49 with a Sally's card); or, Long's Drugs and local beauty supplies may carry some too. Seche Vite also has their own brand of thinner. A little bit of thinner goes a long way and I think this should be a staple for anyone with more than 20 polishes. Just add a couple of drops to your nail polish and shake. Let the polish settle for a minute, then test the consistency on a piece of tape. You can always continue to add thinner, it's not a one-time only thing. And if you find that you've OVER thinned a polish, leave the cap slightly ajar and it will thicken with time. Do not add nail polish remover to a polish to thin it, removers generally contain water as an ingredient, which means possibility of bacteria! Not to mention it can ruin a polish. Stick to specifically nail polish thinners, a little goes a long way.

Now, another thing you can do to prevent polish from future thickening is adding ballz. What are ballz? Well, most nail polishes come with tiny metal balls. When you shake a bottle of nail polish (though technically you are supposed to roll them gently between your hands, I am impatient and I shake and then wait for a polish to settle before applying), the metal balls travel through the polish to keep it from becoming too thick. Of course, sometimes polishes with balls get thick, but generally the balls help all the chemicals in the polish mix together so that everything is consistent.

The amazing ladies at MUA discovered that BB gun balls could be used in polish bottles the same way. Make sure they are metal, preferably stainless steel. You can get them at any sporting goods store and even at some Walmarts.

the white dots on my nails are some type of fungus from wearing too much nail polish
I don't believe there is such a thing as too much nail polish. Ok, yeah the chemicals stink (always polish in well-ventilated areas!), and you should really ask your doctor if you can polish if you are pregnant, but nail polish cannot itself cause fungus. If you actually DO have fungus, yes, commonly an early symptom is a white or yellow dot under your fingertip. But please keep in mind that nail fungi causes nails to have crumbly, ragged edges and that it occurs most commonly in moist environments and therefore targets feet/toenails the most. This is also why you want your nails to be free of moisture before you polish, because polish can trap unwanted moisture against your nails. Source & follow-up reading: The Mayo Clinic: Nail Fungus

So if it's not fungus, what are those funky, unattractive white dots? Everyone gets them! It's a common problem with a fancy name, leukonychia. The most common cause of this problem is trauma inflicted at the base of your nail, where your nail is formed. However, this condition may also be hereditary as well. Leukonychia can be caused by picking at or biting your nails too. Since I'm fairly clumsy, I have my fair share of white dots. They're not like bruises that appear right after injury, so it's hard to pinpoint an exact form of injury caused to the nails. If you think you're a generally safe person and not prone to self-injury as I am, it may also be a zinc deficiency. Use your best judgment and add a multivitamin to your daily routine. If the white dot is at the very base of your nail, I'm so sorry to say that it will only disappear in 8 months, the time it takes for nails to full grow out. Sources and follow-up reading: WebMD: What are These White Spots?, Wikipedia: Leukonychia

Ok, so what's with these ridges on my nails???
There are two types of ridges, horizontal and vertical, and both can be rid of by gently buffing. Vertical ridges are normal, and they happen as your age. Horizontal ridges could be because of trauma (like leukonychia!), or they could be an indication of an underlying health problem. Now, don't start panicking just yet. As always, use your best judgment. If you have a family history of thyroid problems, consult your family doctor because it's better to be safe than sorry. One way to tell if your horizontal ridges should be a cause of concern is if they come back after buffing them out. If they don't come back, it's probably trauma, but if they reappear within a week to a month after buffing them out, consult Google, WebMD, The Mayo Clinic and a doctor.

My polish stained my nails, the polish must be bad and I need to stop wearing polish
There are many different reasons why your nails may be stained. Often UV rays act negatively with polish, causing discoloration on your nails, particularly if you're not using base coat. Another reason for the "Cheeto Dust Yellow" stained nails can be the polish itself. Darker colors will have heavier pigmentations that can leave a mark on your nails no matter which base coat you use, because of chemical reactions between the pigmentations (particularly blue), the base coat, and the nail itself. The bottom line? While sometimes you can't help the way nail polish stains your nails, there are many remedies for it.

1. Leave your nails naked for a long time until the color fades. Well, it's a very old-school method, but the ideas below are more ideal for those who can't bear to part with their beloved polishes.
2. always use a basecoat. Even though sometimes basecoats won't help, there are some good ones that that can lessen the damage. Sally's Beauty has a good selection of 'stain-blocking basecoats.' Barielle Camouflage and Nailtek II Foundation are two good ridge-fillers that also lessen the damage of staining.
3. soaking your nails in lemon juice with some water will help. This is a natural cure that definitely works. It doesn't take out all the stains, but it definitely helps (soak no longer than 2-3 mins). Another natural remedy is vinegar
   
4. soaking your nails in water with a couple of drops of bleach may also help. Like with lemon juice, soak no longer than 2-3 minutes...the best way is to dip an old toothbrush in the mix and scrub a bit on each nail. With this way you could also use a bit more bleach in your bleach/water mixture. But not too much! (I also hear that hydrogen peroxide works!)
5. denture cleaner in water. Hey, don't knock it until you've tried it. And it helps if you have an older relative.
6. "Bubble White," a product from Sally's works about the same way that denture cleaner does apparently. Bubble White is pretty helpful, but not a miracle worker
7. buffing your nails can definitely rid your nail of the physical stain. Be forewarned though, over-buffing can make your nails too weak. I like those cheap buffers, the ones at the drugstores for like 99 cents or $1.99, with the instructions printed on them. Those buffers tend to be on the weaker side, so they are good at removing stains and ridges without thinning your nails too much.
   

Since nails are basically dead proteins I can always put polish on them.
Well, yes. You can always put polish on your nails, there is certainly no rule that says you can't. Nails can essentially "breathe" around polish. However, I'm generally inclined to believe that it wouldn't hurt to let your nails be naked once in a while. After all, we came into this world without polish on! Though imagine if we could....ok, I'm digressing. My point is, sometimes even with all the cuticle oil and hand lotions in the world, the routine of harsh chemicals like acetone can severely dry out your nails and especially the areas around your nails. Nails naturally have a balance of oils and moisture. In my opinion, a crucial step in having healthy nails is letting them be naked sometimes. So if it's a lazy Sunday and no one is going to see you nails, if you can stand it just take off your polish, kick back with a nice book and a refreshing drink, and just let your nails be nails! After all, nails can also be an indication of your health. On the TV show House, M.D. (awesome show by the way), there's an episode where House diagnoses a woman with scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency) after her toenail polish has been taken off and he notices discoloration. If you think that something about your nails isn't right, definitely consult your physician.


Well, I think I covered just about everything. Let me know if I've missed something and there'll be a part two!

Back to Basics: Applying nail polish

This ongoing series will tackle basic nail health, but since this is my first REAL post, let's talk polish, ok?

• start with clean nails, to help your polish adhere better. Lots of people have different methods of getting all the oil off your nail so that a base coat sticks better. Here are some ways:
• swiping the nail with some vinegar
• swiping the nail with your nail polish remover
• applying some hand sanitizer
  
• apply a coat of base coat. This helps your polish color stays on longer, and most protect your natural nail from the staining that the polish color and the sun can cause. Some base coats are also treatments to strengthen your nails, others help fill in natural ridges so that the polish goes on smoothly
  
• apply polish. Many companies will advise you to do only 1-2 coats, but to be honest it all depends on the type of polish. Most will require more than 1 coat. Do however many coats you want, though as a warning, past 5 coats makes a polish harder to dry, harder to remove, and may be thick and look bad because of dragging.
• apply top coat. Top coats also help your color stay on longer by sealing in your color and making it less susceptible to chipping. It also brightens a dull finish, making it shiny and pretty.

**Remember to always apply your polish in well-ventilated areas. Keep your door open, have a window open, or turn on some small table fans/standing fans to encourage circulation of air in the room (ceiling fans can make your polish dry funky sometimes)**


I will definitely go more in depth about top coats and base coats later, don't you fret (there's a lot of ground to cover!). This is just the tip of the iceberg, but if you're not a die-hard polish fan, I will also include lots in my back to basics series to make your nails look fabulous without having to get a professional manicure every week. So stick around!