Showing posts with label burts bees. Show all posts

My Nail Care Routine & Manicure Staples

Hello again!
Quick side note: 
I discovered last night that 62 of my wonderful Bloglovin followers (By the way, I'm now at 64 and am beyond shocked and thrilled! Thanks so much for reading and following! I still can't believe people like my ramblings. :p) have turned anonymous! So I can't see them. Including myself! I don't know if it is a glitch, but if you have noticed this too, and know how to fix it, let me know! I contacted Bloglovin, so hopefully they can help me. New followers show up though, so I have no clue what's going on... I am not computer savvy, so I just about had a freak out...


Anyway! While I get that mess sorted, I thought I would share with you my nail care routine, as well as my favorite go-to nail care products. Since 90% of my photos here are my hands, I think it's important that they look presentable, since even the most lovely design can be ruined by chapped hands and rough cuticles. The Horror!


You know that cliche' line "Your eyes are the windows to your soul"? Well, your hands are the windows to your age, so keep them hydrated! I use Nivea Essentially Enriched Body Lotion for dry to very dry skin, because I'm basically part crocodile... I have insanely dry skin, -Especially in the Winter-, which is even more blatantly obvious in pictures, so I try to moisturize them every day and night. I also throw some on before blog photos so no one has to witness my crocodile skin.
I love Nivea, it is a thick lotion, but not too heavy, and it absorbs into my skin very fast. It also doesn't leave a greasy feeling afterwards.


I try not to torture my nails too much with buffing and filing, so I usually only do it once a week. I use an O.P.I file to shape my nails, and an O.P.I buffer block to smooth out any ridges. I do get ridges very often, so I like to buff them so that my polish will go on smoothly. These files have seen better days! I have heard great things about glass files, so I may move on to one of those. If you have any suggestions on a good glass file, let me know in the comments.


To keep my cuticles in tip top shape, I like to use Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream. It smells lovely, and while it is on the greasy side, it absorbs really quickly. It helps soften cuticles, helps brittle nails - Which I have.-, and helps hydrate dry skin. It says to apply it everyday and night, but I can never remember to use it during the day! But I do use it every night before I go to bed, and I have noticed an improvement in the look of my cuticles, as well as an improvement in the strength of my nails, which were super wimpy and would break at the drop of a hat. My nails still break often, but not as badly. Hopefully as I keep using this product, they will get in even better shape.
Another product I use for my cuticles is Orly Argan Cuticle Oil. I actually got it for free Months ago from Sally's Beauty Supply. I don't shop there often, but I'm glad I did that day! It is a super greasy cuticle oil, but it is super hydrating. It's annoying to use everyday, since it takes a bit to absorb into my skin, so I only use it on my manicure days, to help re-hydrate my nails after all the polish remover, filing, buffing, and polishing torture. As you can see, I still have a ton of it, since you only need a tiny amount, so I figure I will have this bottle for a very long time. Even though I got it for free, I would recommend it. Though, when it does finally run out, I may try to find a cuticle oil that is not as greasy. But if I can't, I have no problems returning to this one.

Thanks for reading!
-xo Brittany

What nail care products are your favorites? Do you have any cuticle oil recommendations? Let me know in the comments!


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Askruk46

Which is best? Comparing Cuticle Treatments

Hey everyone! Today I have another 'Which is best?' post for you, this time on cuticle care. Sorry this is a day late but I didn't get home until nearly midnight last night and I just wasn't up to posting. I will be comparing Beauty Secrets Cuticle Oil, OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil, Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream, Jessica Nourish Cuticle Formula*, and LUSH Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter


Comparison No. 1 - Smell: 
(1 being strongest 10 being the least)
  1. OPI Avoplex - 8/10 smells really nice and not that strong
  2. Beauty Secrets - 8/10 smells quite nutty, but faint and it's really nice
  3. Burts Bees - 6/10 Lemony, but more pure lemon than lemony flutter and not quite as strong
  4. Lemony Flutter - 5/10 Strong and lemony (obviously) but it's really nice
  5. Jessica - 2/10 strong and 'grannyish' (only way to describe it) very perfumed


Comparison No. 2 - Greasiness:  
(1 being very greasy and 10 being not very) - Of course they're going to be greasy as they are there for moisture, but sometimes it's a bit too much
  1. Burts Bees - 8/10 you don't need much and it's not too greasy, it doesn't leave a feeling of greasiness like lemony flutter/Jessica do
  2. OPI Avoplex - 6/10 very greasy because it's an oil but it sinks in very quickly
  3. Jessica - 4/10 probably as greasy as lemony flutter if you use too much, but a little goes a long way so it's not as greasy if you use barely any
  4. Lemony Flutter - 2/10 very greasy because of how soft it is, even if you just use a little bit
  5. Beauty Secrets - 1/10 as it's an oil its very very greasy, and you do have to wipe it with a tissue


Comparison No. 3 - Does it work:
  • Lemony Flutter - Yep, and whilst the grease does put me off as I can't do things whilst it's on, it's definitely worth having
  • Jessica - Yep, after about a weeks use you will definitely notice a difference, and a little goes a long way
  • OPI Avoplex - Yes, it soaks in to the skin and really moisturises as a result
  • Beauty Secrets - Not really, it's just permanently greasy until you wash it off and I really wish I'd never bought it
  • Burts Bees - Yep, there's a reason that it's a favourite of the bloggers!

Overall thoughts
  1. OPI Avoplex - works well and is easy to apply, and doesn't smell too strong
  2. Jessica - it works and a little definitely goes a long way so the size of the tube should definitely not bother you, although the smell is a bit offputting for me
  3. Burts Bees - As I said before, there's definitely a reason that this is a favourite with bloggers, I haven't been using it enough to see whether it truly works for me, but I used to use it a lot during my high school years and I love it then, the smell isn't too strong and it isn't too greasy
  4. Lemony Flutter - I love it when I'm not in a rush, it's great to apply before bed, but I find it's not very practical if I'm just about to type a blogpost for example as it stays quite greasy for a while, but it definitely works
  5. Beauty Secrets - I dont like it and I wish I hadn't bought it, the only nice thing about it is the smell but it's way too greasy for me

Of course, different things work for different people, so I'd love to know what your favourite is. Let me know in the comments!
Alice


*some of the products in this post were provided to me for review but my opinions are entirely my own and were not influenced in any way

Askruk46

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