July 4th Manicures

I wish I had time to do one for this year but I have a good bit going on. I am sure you can tell by the lack of blog post. Well, I thought I would share some past manicures that were July 4th inspired.

All the US gals have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Flower, Butterfly Konad mani

First, let me get this out and say those are not my nails. I bought some Kiss glue on nails to play with last weekend. Not bad and pretty easy to remove. However, I bought them in the medium size and I need the small size so they look odd on me.

Now, about the look. I got the idea while looking through the booklet that came with the Konad Pro set. I did this look just for fun and rather rushed it. It is a little messy in my opinion but I wanted to share it because the overall look when done right is pretty.

My natural nails are not long enough to pull off this type of look. I should have left the glue on nails alone instead of filing them down. Next time I do a more complicated look I will make sure to leave them longer.

I did not copy the look exactly as pictured from the Konad booklet. I used some different images. I pulled images from each plate often only using one of the flowers for an image or just the leaf. For my ring finger I changed the image up a bit and used less flowers and a bigger butterfly. Below is what I used.

• Sally Hansen Whirlwind White as base color
• Konad image plate M3 for the small flower
• Konad image plate M25 for the leaves and large butterfly on ring finger
• Konad image plate M29 for the large Hawaiian flower
• Konad image plate M26 for the medium flower
• Konad image plate M36 for the medium butterfly used on most fingers and small butterfly used on my pinkie finger
• Konad special polish in dark purple, red, green

Sasse's Sniffy Stuff, Candle Tarts

Sasse from Sasse's 'nad Stamping Stampede blog is showing off even more of her creative side by branching out into the scented tart arena. I do not use scented candles but I am a lover of scented tarts. If you are not familiar with tarts I will explain. Tarts are small wickless candles that you melt in a tart or candle burner.

I have purchased from many tart makers. My main concern with purchasing is if the throw is going to be strong. I have an opened two story house and I would rather have the main smell downstairs but have it drift upstairs for a lighter scent. It is not easy to find scented tarts with that strong of a throw. My other concern is if the smell will linger once I stop burning the tart. It is nice if I leave the house and come home to the smell of the tart I was burning. Aside from the above my personal choice is soy for the wax. I have been told by some tart makers that they must use other waxes to get the tart to remain hard and still hold the amount of fragrance oil needed for a strong throw.

Sasse has proven them all wrong. Her tarts are tiny but they pack one powerful punch! She uses only soy and still manages a super strong throw. I can get a pretty strong scent even upstairs on the other side of the house. To give you an idea the tart is downstairs burning right now and I can smell it in our game room which is upstairs and on the other side of the house (approx. 2,000ft away). The scent is not heavy to where it clouds your head. It is just right even right next to it. I had the watermelon scent burning when my in-laws came over. They both asked me what type of pie I had cooking.

Sasse is just starting out and getting a feel for how she would like sell her tarts. Her scent list is not long but she has plans to expand it with some bakery scents. Her tarts size is 1/2 oz but do not let that draw you away. This mini tart will last you through almost a dozen burnings.

Sasse is going to be selling on a smaller level right now to see how things go. If all goes well she has plans to open an Etsy store. Sasse also has some body items she is working on.
Where to purchase: Sasse's Sniffy Stuff Sale
Price: $3 for 5 tarts plus $2 shipping USD

Summer Shaving Tips

I have branched out from shaving for the most part. I do have plans to review my new method in the next month. Over the past few months I started using an epilator for my leg and under arm hair removal. I do still shave once in a while as I am told there is a time during the month which is best not to use the epilator. Given that I still do shave at least once a month I am always open to tips. The tips below had been passed on to me and I thought I would share them with you.

Master Barber, Diane Wood’s tips for the perfect shave this summer.

* Shave at Night: Shaving removes dead skin cells and the superficial layer of the epidermis reducing skin’s defenses. Try shaving in the evening to avoid exposing weakened skin to external elements.

* Do it in the Shower: Warm, wet hair is three times easier to shave than dry. Therefore, try to shave during a shower, thoroughly wetting hair with warm water for at least three minutes. Also try to exfoliate skin before shaving to prevent in-grown hairs.

* Use a Low Foam Formula Shaving Gel: Opt for a low foam gel such as King of Shaves Woman rather than foamy gels or plain soap and water which can rob skin of moisture, leaving it dry and irritated.

* For the Smoothest Stems: Start at the ankles and shave upwards. Shave from the bottom of the ankle, gently gliding the blade up the leg, in one smooth stroke. Take extra care and shave slowly when shaving areas where bone is close to the skin surface, such as ankles and knees.

* Be Flexible: Remember to flex the heel to stretch the skin while shaving to avoid nicks and cuts that often occur behind the ankle.

* Bikini Babe: Follow the natural direction of hair growth to prevent irritation, particularly in the bikini area. Do not press too hard; let the blade do the work.

* Up in Arms: Underarm hair grows in different directions; thus one must shave up, down and across. To prevent razor burn and ingrown hairs, pull skin tight with one hand, while shaving with the other. Re-apply shaving gel regularly.

* Post-Shave: Thoroughly rinse any remaining gel from skin. Avoid exposing skin to any potential irritants (i.e. lotions, fragrance or salt water) for an hour to allow skin’s pores to close.

My thoughts:

• My hair grows far too fast to shave at night. I would have visible hair in the morning.
• I agree about shaving up slowly and careful around the bone area.
• I am a soap shaving gal. Foams just wash down the drain for me or cause razor burn.
• Never thought about it but I do lift and move my legs around when I shave. It thought she was going somewhere else with the whole flexible thing. :)
• I tell you it would not hurt if razors had a mirror for that area. Going with the hair does help prevent bumps but then I do not get a close shave.
• Try using a loofah or a body scrub to help remove dead skin and you will notice a closer shave.

Got in shaving tips? Let's hear them!

Nailene French Tip Pen

I love funky french looks. I have the worst luck with the Konad french plate. I do all my french looks either by hand or with help from a french tip pen. From those that are challenged when using the opposite hand to get a clean edge these really help. The ones from Nailene make it really easy to get a clean look. It comes in white or black. I wish they would come out with more colors.

My only complaint is that I have to apply two top coats over it or I get chipping sometimes the same day of application. If I plan to wear the look longer than two days I apply a refresher to ensure the look stays fresh. I am not sure they they chip so much. Either way the ease of use it worth it for me since I do a black or white tip often.

Where to purchase: drugstore
Retail: I apologize but I forgot the price. Under $4 USD I think.

Ratings out of 6

*Konad Image Plate M2 and Konad special polish in white used for the nail art