Gel Nails for the Girl on the Go

I've been doing my own gel manicures since last Spring, and it is the most convenient manicure, there is! I learned many valuable tips and tricks along the way that allows my manicure to last longer than a week. I was on the fence about gel nails prior to purchasing a system, due to controversy about the UV/LED light. My regimen allows me to protect my hands with minimal exposure to the light, which involves using UV protecting gloves and SPF 40 prior to doing my nails. 

When I first started my gel nail journey, I purchased a cheap LED lamp from Amazon, which was around $10 in price. I believe this lamp shown above was a Sensationail lamp. The Brand of Gel Polish I like to purchase are OPI and Gelish. These are the only two brands of polish I tried. I find that the Gelish Foundation (base coat) and Top coat make my manicure last longer, oppose to OPI's.

I recently purchased a MelodySusie LED 12 watt lamp, which has four different settings for 30s, 60s, 90s, and 30 minutes. My polish dries faster, and the curing times are consistent. My polish lasts well over a week, and there is little to no wear and tear on my nails, after removal. My favorite polish colors are: OPI Hello Kitty Let's Be Friends, OPI Tiramisu for Two, OPI Bubble Bath, and Gelish Tan My Hide. 

Products Mentioned

MelodySusie LED Lamp: Amazon - $31.00 

Where I purchase OPI & Gelish: Universal Nail Supplies

UV Nail Gloves: Amazon - $12.95

Organized Much? How I store my Magazines

Are you a magazine hoarder junkie? I am and I'm proud to admit that! I hate throwing out magazine's I collected over the years. I recently thrown out my collection of Teen Vogue's from the past 4-5 years. I was looking for a nifty way to collectively store my magazines, while still being able to refer back to them with easy access. I want to share with you all this creative tool I purchased a product from Amazon.com called 3-hole punch magazine protector. I was able to fill around 13 magazines in one large binder. This definitely saves me space on my bookshelf, while keeping my magazines neat, tidy, and organized. I ordered around three packs of the inserts. I need another binder in order to have everything stored away neatly. I think this is a great way not to have magazines all over the place and taking up space. I'm sure there are other ways they can be stored however, this works best for me right now! 

DIY: Honey + Lemon Juice Facial Mask

A couple of weeks ago I was googling different homemade remedies for naturally correcting common skincare problems. I wouldn't say I have very bad dark circles under my eyes but there's some differentiation in pigment. I'm anemic which means I have an iron deficiency, which causes lack of oxygen flowing to the tissues in the body. Being anemic can cause a dark pigment under the eyes. When my iron level is low, under my eyes are a little darker than normal. I learned that several homemade treatments can be made to improve the condition under the eyes. I remember watching women putting cucumbers under their eyes in 'Chick Flick' movies. I always wondered did that ever work? I used cucumbers under my eyes a couple of times, and did not see any noticeable results.

 A couple of weeks ago,  I mixed honey and a couple drops of lemon in a small bowl together and conducted a patch test on my skin. Whenever you're trying out a new concoction of a homemade remedy, always do a patch test for at least 24 hours. Sometimes we can have allergic reactions to different foods. I remember years ago I broke out in a rash from using potatoe skins under my eyes. I had this horrible rash for about a week. After I showed no signs of allergies from the mixture, which was placed in my refrigerator. I applied the mask to my face and left it on for about 20-30 minutes. I washed the mixture off with warm water. My face appeared smooth, bright, and and supple. My dark circles were also a little less noticeable. I think if I continued this treatment every week or every other week, the condition of my dark circles would improve.

I only did this treatment once therefore, I don't have much to say about the long-term results. There's also a book I read a couple of years ago called 'Passport to Beauty' by Shalini Vadhera. The book talks about different beauty remedies women in different parts of the world use to enhance their natural beauty. I will try doing another honey and lemon juice mask again this week and document further results.