You can take it home with you: the nail lady

Sporting Illamasqua's Marquise over OPI's Where Did Suzi's Man-go? (nails by me)

I l-o-v-e getting manicures, it's probably my biggest treat. In order to reign in my spending I cut back on weekly manicures, thankfully I took loads of mental notes and pictures and I think I'm now well equipped to paint my own talons every now and again.

My one takeaway tip from watching the pros do what they do is properly wiping off excess polish on the rim of the bottle before bringing the brush to the nail. A giant glob of polish is far more difficult and messier to deal with and takes entirely too long to dry.

Essie's Apricot Cuticle Oil

To keep my cuticles in fighting form (especially in winter) I invested in a bottle of Essie's Apricot Cuticle Oil. Simply dab a small drop where the nail meets the cuticle and gently massage in. I find that if I keep the bottle near the sink it serves as a gentle reminder for me to apply it before hitting the pillow.

Another favourite product of mine is OPI's Avoplex Exfoliating Cuticle Treatment. This mighty tube of goodness helps to prevent hangnails by keeping my cuticles properly hydrated.

Elemis' Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Cream

For those times when I don't have cuticle oil in close proximity, I count on moisturiser (the workhorse kind) to keep my hands soft.

These are my go-to hand moisturisers:

• Elemis' Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Cream* - I keep this baby at my desk. The lotion melts into my skin and nails without leaving behind a greasy residue.
• Provence Sante's Hand Cream - merely purchased to keep the French Pink memories alive. This stuff is the cat's pajamas.
• The Body Shop's Spa Wisdom Africa Honey & Beeswax Hand and Foot Butter - Personally, I really hate the jar it's packaged in, but I'm willing to deal because the scent and texture is pure magic.
• The Body Shop's Almond & Nail Cream - Why Body Shop, why did you have to break something which didn't need to be fixed? The texture and overall performance is still the same, but the scent! Why?!?!

Hand lotion is my BFFL, can't you tell?

Also, be sure to invest in a really good pair of cuticle trimmers and remember to be super careful when nipping off dry bits of skin around your nail. Here's a helpful video from Cute Polish which showcases her nail care techniques.

Finally, I take one Flaxseed Oil supplement every day which helps to keep joint soreness in my knees at bay (yes I'm getting older) and the other added benefit is my nails have become noticeably stronger.

Healthy hands and nails make for happy hands and nails.

*PR sample provided  –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

Copa, Copacabana: OPI's Brazil Collection

OPI's Brazil Collection featuring four Copacababies (from left to right): Kiss Me I'm Brazilian, Where Did Suzi's Man-go?, AmazOn...AmazOFF and Next Stop...The Bikini Zone

OPI couldn't have timed the release of their Brazil Collection any better, especially with this whole World Cup Business going on. Soccer doesn't really tickle my fancy, but some of these nail polishes sure do!

Grab your maracas, maybe even a whistle or a bell and your dancing shoes, because it's time to samba!

Close up (from left to right):  Kiss Me I'm Brazilian, Where Did Suzi's Man-go?, AmazOn...AmazOFF and Next Stop...The Bikini Zone

Kiss Me I'm Brazilian is a creamy pink, while pretty it certainly didn't bowl me over. Honestly, if it had been more cooperative I think I'd be more inclined to sport this shade on my nails for longer than a hot second. I found the polish to be sticky, so much that it had a hard time letting go of the brush, which created pulls and streaks. In the end I applied three coats to get some semblance of a smooth and even finish. Is it just me or is this pink an exact match to the pink frosting used on the Stella D'Oro cookies? P-Cakes, help me out here!

Where Did Suzi's Man-go? is a creamy tangerine orange. The formula had a tendency to mimic Kiss Me I'm Brazilian; despite some strife I was able to reach full opacity in two coats. Personally I'd prefer to wear this orange hue during the height of summer when my skin isn't so pasty white.

AmazOn...AmazOff is my personal favourite of the bunch. The formula is almost jelly-like because of it's subtle translucency. This "deep jungle green" has a hint of shimmer throughout, it's really a whisper of sparkle -- I only spotted the shimmer upon closer inspection. Here's a tip, apply a base coat before painting AmazOn...AmazOff, I can attest to the fact that it will stain your nails.

Next Stop...The Bikini Zone is described as an "amethyst-toned pewter." This three coater would look stellar layered over a creamy purple, black, white or cream polish.

OPI's Brazil Copacababies is a great buy for the indecisive set.

Now, which colour should I wear?

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for OPI's Copacababies:

• $24.95 AUS / $12.95 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 7 out of 10 bags — it'd be nice if OPI gave you the option to select your personal favourites.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• Live.Love.Carnaval is next on my hit list.

*PR sample provided  –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

OPI starring The Muppets Most Wanted

It's time to light the lights..

To commemorate The Muppets Most Wanted, OPI released eight shades in attempt to capture the theme and essence of the characters. When I think of the Muppets, I think of their psychedelic-hued fur and soft, fuzzy coats, yet we didn't really get that here.

Wearing I Love Applause and Let's Do Anything We Want

I Love Applause is a pale, creamy pink. Solid performer, opaque in two coats, but yawn-worthy at best.

Miss Piggy wouldn't even bat an eyelash at this one.

Close up of Let's Do Anything We Want over I Love Applause

Let's Do Anything We Want features reflective pink hexagons, white squares in varying sizes and bits of microscopic glitter all set within a clear polish. The coverage was sparse at best, so much that we really had to coax the party out of the bottle.

OPI really missed their opportunity to celebrate some of my favourite characters, namely Kermit, Rizzo (yes, the rat) and Rowlf.  There's a touch of irony in here -- Muppets Most Wanted?

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for OPI's The Muppets Most Wanted (price per bottle):

• $19.95 AUS / $9.00 USD 

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 7 out of 10 bags — Pretty good, but then again, not good enough.

Would another purchase be on the horizon?:

• I recently purchased OPI's Push and Shove from the Gwen Stefani release. I probably should've read the instructions prior to applying, because my nails wound up looking like a hot mess.

*PR sample provided  –  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.