Deep Space

* My nail polish didn't survive cleaning the house on Saturday. Surprise! ;-P

Earlier this spring, doofus dog, commonly known as Maggie, she of the fuzzybutt, stepped on my foot. This dog has done this numerous times to all members of the family.

She has no clue about boundaries. But she is a dog, a beast which loves unconditionally, so I'll take a black toenail or two.

Well, everything was fine and dandy until sandal season came upon me. I didn't want to show my damaged toe. It looked gross, like it had some disease or something.

Here's a picture of my tootsies. Sorry, I know I don't have the prettiest feet in the world, but I do like my purpley toes.  

So I painted my toenails. . . purple, and then added sparkles. I took off the polish two weeks later. It was still intact with no chips or peeling.

If you didn't realize it, sparkles tend to make your polish stay on longer. I know it took forever to get the darn stuff off!

Yesterday, I polished my toes again, but then I decided to do my fingernails.

Hubs thought the colors looked like deep space with purple atmosphere and the sparkles being stars.

What do you think?

Yes, I painted my nails myself. I used to do my nails all the time, but working in the lab with latex gloves and then having a horse, well, my nails were worthless for years.

Now I can play with fingernail polish again. There are a few tricks you need to do so you don't smudge your nails. I don't have a nail dryer, or UV light, or even using gel nails. Do plan to have a couple hours free for drying, just in case.

Here's what I used to get this look:

1. Cut and file nails. Push or trim cuticles. I roughed up my toenails with a fine grain file, but I didn't with my fingernails.
2.  Apply OPI Chip Skip--this product gets rid of any lotion or oils you might have on your nails and helps the polish adhere to the nail.
3. Apply light coat of OPI Nail Envy--I used the product for sensitive and peeling nails. Try to keep on the nail, which means wipe off excess polish from the brush into the bottle.
4. Use Essie quick-e drying drops
5. Apply light coat of NYC long wearing nail enamel (WalMart <$1!) 133 Purple Pizzazz Frost--it goes on very pale. Don't worry, you'll be applying another coat.
6. Repeat #4
7. Repeat #5 after polish is dry to the touch. Coat will go on much darker this time
8. Repeat #4
9. Dab on NYC 105 Starry Silver Glitter. Brushing on didn't evenly place the sparkles, which is why I dabbed it on.  
10. Repeat #4
11. Final coat when the sparkles are dry to the touch is OPI RapiDry Top Coat. This seals the sparkles.
12. Repeat #4

If you can, wait to go to bed for a few hours, to keep the sheet prints off your nails, though if you did get sheet impressions you would know it with your sparkly nails!

I tried to link all the OPI products, but there was only one web link, this OPI one.
Chip Skip can be found under Nail Care, Lasting Manis pull down.  Nail Envy is under Nail Care pull down, too. While RapiDry Top Coat is under Quick Drying Treatments.

Yes, there are FIVE coats of polish here. Now, to see how long they last on my fingernails!

Later, Peeps!