Manicure Basics Week 3: Top coats & Base coats

For week 3 of my Manicure Basics mini series, I chose to review some of my favorite base coats and top coats.  These are products that I have been using for years so I can give you an honest review about them.  However, I find that base coats and top coats are very subjective for different people with different types of nails.  You may find that these products don't work for you.  But if you're looking for something new to try, I would recommend trying these!

Base Coats: Orly Bonder and American Classics Gelous 

 Orly Bonder

I have been using Bonder for a little over a year now.  It is a rubberized base coat that is supposed to extend polish wear.  When I first started using this, I didn't really like it.  I didn't feel as though it was keeping the polish on any longer than without base coat.  However, having a basic nail care routine helps my base coat work better.  I am now oiling my nails before painting them and I feel this has helped my base coats work much better. 

American Classics Gelous

Gelous is a thick polish that has many uses.  I use it as a base coat, but I also use it on top of hungry glitters (glitters that don't become smooth with top coat only).  I used Gelous as a base coat for a very long time.  It did a great job keeping my nails strong (because its so thick) and extending polish wear. If you have weak nails that you want to grow out, I would suggest using Gelous as a base coat.

Top Coats: Hard Candy Matte-ly in Love, NYC Grand Central Station, Seche Vite, Barielle Manicure Extender

I chose to show you a variety of different top coats that all have their own purpose.

Hard Candy Matte-ly in Love

This is a mattifying top coat that makes your polish look matte instead of glossy.  I used to think matte nails looked really.....stupid.  yep I said it.  I never ever thought I would ever want matte nails.  But then I saw someone mattify a manicure (I can't remember what it was) and I really loved it! So I found this at Walmart for really cheap.  It does a good job at mattifying and it dries fairly fast.  Honestly, this is the only matte top coat I have ever used so I can't compare it to others.  But this one works well for me. 

New York Color Grand Central Station

This is my HG (Holy Grail) top coat.  I have gone through many many many bottles of this stuff.  Anytime I see a bottle in a store, I stock up.  For some reason its really hard to find.  Everytime I go to Walmart or Target, its usually sold out.  So when I do see a few measly bottles on the shelf, I snatch em up!  This stuff is insanely cheap.  I think it's $1.72 at Target.  Its super glossy and dries very fast.  I don't think its meant to be a topcoat,  just a clear polish.  However, its my absolute favorite (and I have tried A LOT of top coats).  Its also great for people like me who do their nails almost every day and don't want to pay a lot for top coat.  Go buy this stuff.  Seriously. 

Seche Vite

I have a love/hate relationship with Seche Vite.  A brand new bottle of this stuff is pure heaven.  Its super glossy.  It dries insanely fast.  It makes a mani look amazing.  But after a few uses, Seche Vite starts to get thick.  You can thin it out with nail polish thinner, but then you start to get shrinkage problems (when the top coat dries, the sides start to shrink in).  Seche sells a product called Seche Restore which is a special thinner made for Seche Vite.  But I don't want to need special thinner for a top coat! So I haven't really been using Seche Vite as much lately.  I do like it as a topcoat for hungry glitters.  It's pretty thick so it works nicely to smooth out grittiness.  Seche Vite is more on the expensive side so I would never use it on my daily manis.  

Barielle Manicure Extender

I received this bottle many years ago from an online polish swap.  It's not necessarily meant to be used on your daily manicure as a normal topcoat.  This stuff works best on days 2 and 3 of your mani (if you keep your manis on that long....I normally don't anymore).  Its not very thick, so you can apply this daily on top of an old mani to keep it shiny and fresh looking and it won't make your nails look like clubs.  

I hope you guys have enjoyed my mini series posts about manicure basics.  Everyone has different opinions and different needs but hopefully you can take away something from these posts and maybe try some new products that work for you!  I would love to know if you try any of these products from my series and what you think of them!  

Manicure Basics Week 2: The Tools

Every good manicure requires a set of tools to accomplish perfect (or near perfect) looking nails.  This week I'm going to show you the tools I like to use when doing my nails.

Nail File

Starting with the nail file on the left.  I use a Nail Tek glass nail file.  I made the switch a few months ago from the typical emery board.  Emery boards tear up the end of my nails, leaving frayed bits underneath my free edge.  After switching to a glass file, I don't have this problem anymore.  It takes down length much quicker and is also easier to shape with. I will definitely never go back to a plain emery board ever again. 

Cuticle Nippers

To the right of the file is a cuticle nipper.  These happen to be Sally Hansen cuticle nippers.  I didn't own these until recently because I had always heard horror stories of girls cutting their skin instead of their cuticle and causing infections.  I decided to do some research about how to properly use cuticle nippers and now feel comfortable using these.  I don't really use them to get rid of my extra cuticle around my nails.  I mostly just use these to snip off any hang nails that occur.  These are very sharp and do the trick!

Dotting Tool

Under the nippers is a dotting tool.  This dotting tool is made by Essence and I picked it up at Ulta for under $2.  Any dotting tool will work.  I would like to get more that have a larger size.  This one is double ended with a different sized dot on each end.  I use it for doing dotticures but I also use it when I do other types of nail art as well.  I have a small paint brush for nail art but I don't reach for it very often because dotting tools are just easier to clean and manage. 

Clean up Brush

Next to the dotting tool is an ELF concealer brush.  This is my clean-up brush.  I dip it into acetone and run it along the edges of my nail to clean up any nail polish that may have got on my skin.  I also use it to clean up the line around my cuticle.  I like this brush because it is only $1 and can be found at Walmart and Target.  I bought this one in November and it is still going strong!  

Buffing Block

Last but not least is my 4 sided buffing block.  I think these are kind of controversial.  I've heard some people say its a bad idea to buff your nails.  Maybe for those ladies with very thin, frail nails but for me, buffing my nails keeps the surface smooth and helps elongate polish wear.  I lightly buff with sides 1-3.  If you buff with side 4 it will make your nails really shiny and the polish won't adhere to the nail as well.   This is especially helpful for peelies (when the top layer of the nail starts to peel in strips.) I like to lightly buff out any peelies that occur.  

These are my favorite most used tools.  What tools do you use for your manicures?  As always, thanks for stopping by! 

Manicure Basics Week 1: Cuticle Care

This is my biggest struggle in nail care.  Keeping my hands and cuticles well moisturized is a huge battle for me.  I am a preschool teacher so I am constantly washing my hands throughout the day.  I keep lotion on hand at work, but I don't always remember or have time to apply lotion.  The fact that it's winter right now also plays a huge role on my dry hands and cuticles.

Over the years I tried many different lotions, hand creams, cuticle butters, cuticle oils, etc etc. There are so many out there that it can be intimidating to choose one! And you never know if a product will work for you until you buy it and try it.

I have picked 4 items that have been getting me through this winter.

Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover, Eucerin Soothing Repair Creme, Lansinoh Lanolin, and Orly Argan Oil Cuticle Drops

1. Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover

I have been using this cuticle remover for YEARS.  Yes for years.  My mom used to put one in my stocking every christmas.  This little blue bottle works very well for removing the dried cuticle that is attached to the nail (not the skin around the nail).  Apply a little bit around the edges of the nail and after a few seconds use a cotton swab or paper towel to remove the gel and dissolved cuticle. 

2. Eucerin Soothing Repair Creme

I have also been using this hand creme for several years and have gone through several tubes of it.  It is a very rich and emollient creme that is truly very moisturizing.  As you can see, it shows a scale on the front of the bottle that it is as high as lotion gets when it comes to richness.  What I like a lot about this hand creme is that it has very few ingredients: Water, Petrolatum, Mineral Oil, Ceresin, Lanolin Alcohol, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, and Methylisothiazolinone.  I don't have any sensitivities to these ingredients and find them very moisturizing and healing. 

3. Lansinoh Lanolin

Yep.  This is Nipple Cream.  Yes it is for breastfeeding mothers.  Yes you can safely put it on your nails! (and on your lips too!)  Lanolin comes from a sheep's sebaceous glands and the lanolin found in Lansinoh is the highest quality.  No its not vegan.  But I feel completely comfortable putting this stuff on my skin and lips.  This stuff is very healing.  I like to use it at night as it is very sticky.  After I apply hand lotion, I rub this around my cuticles.  In the morning, my very dry spots are more healed and moisturized. 

I depotted as much of the product as I could into a small jar I found at Target in the beauty section.

4. Orly Argan Oil Cuticle Drops

This is a new product in my arsenal.  I bought this about a month ago in desperate need of something to help the health of my nails.  They were peeling and breaking more than normal.  I started using this oil on my bare nails and cuticles.  Despite popular belief, nails do not have to be bone dry before painting them.  I did not believe this until recently.  I would wipe my nails with acetone or rubbing alcohol before polishing.  I think this was partly causing my peelies. Since buying this oil, I have noticed less peeling and healthier nails overall.   I let the oil soak on my nails for as long as I like (usually 15 minutes) then I wipe off the excess with a napkin.  This allows for the oil to soak in a bit. Then I polish as usual.  

Other products worth mentioning:  There are a few other products I like that I did not include in the picture.  I have been using Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream for a few years.  I like the smell, I like the texture of it.  I think its moisturizing, but not quite moisturizing enough for winter.  I also like the Neutrogena Hand Cream.  It is a lightweight formula that soaks in fairly easily.  I keep it at work to use during the day.  

I hope you found some of this information useful and that I have inspired you to try some of these products for your cuticle care routine.  What are your favorite moisturizing products?  How do you care for your cutes? 

xoxo Danele

Manicure Basics Mini Series

For the next 3 weeks, I will be doing a mini series of blog posts regarding the basics of the simple manicure.  I'll show you my favorite moisturizers and what I do for cuticle care.  I'll show you my favorite nail care/manicure tools, and I'll show you my favorite top and base coats for the perfect mani.


I know this has been done a hundred times over by all the other nail bloggers, but everyone has different likes, favorite products, and methods.  I hope you will gain some knowledge from my posts and perhaps even find a new product that works better for you!



The first post on cuticle care will be live tomorrow morning!


xoxo Danele