Daiso's Peel Off Nail Polish review

in my last post about Daiso products, I had a bad experience, but let me tell you about something great I found at Daiso in this post.

Daiso's Peel Off Manicure was something that caught my eye when I was looking for their nail polish remover.

Although they need to work on their colour selection. I was able to grab a bottle I wanted to try. I couldn't take a picture as the store was completely packed (I was there on a Saturday afternoon).

Peel off nail polishes aren't new to me. I use to have a small collection but hated them because they were hard to spread... (in fact the few bottles I had made it seem as if I was spreading thick Elmer's School Glue and trying to make it fit onto the surface of my nails) so I was taking chances when I picked up this bottle.

my nails

I was sick when I applied this nail polish... apologies for the crappy application

pros:

• very thin and easy to apply
• the colour payoff is good (very opaque)
• one coat is all you need (you don't even need a base coat!)
• no nail polish scent (there was no scent to it)
• dries very fast (only took less than 5 minutes, and I only needed one coat)
• brush complemented my nail shapes very well
• easy to spread
• did not tint my nails

after showering

after chores >___<

cons:

• avoid any sharp objects, once there is a tear, you will have to peel it off
• not ideal for those who have to do a lot of chores or hands-on work
• unless if you put a few layers (since it is thin) you won't have the satisfying one peel
• a bit hard to "peel" I would suggest using some tools to assist
• very temporary
• hard to remove 

this was the result of the bits taken from one nail

to my surprise... and I was very surprised... this nail polish was very thin and easy to apply. It felt lighter than regular nail polish but once it dried it was completely opaque.

You can tell from the list of pros I am definitely very happy with my ¥100 Peel-Off Nail Polish.
I'm seriously considering to add a top coat and seal it so it can last longer. However, that being said, I wasn't impressed as it didn't "peel-off" as easily as the company claims, in fact, I didn't know how to get rid of it. Nail Polish remover did not remove it... I ended up having to scratch it or file it out... which was terrible.

What started out as a good product ended up being a "meh" product :(


Score: 5/10
website: no website

also... please check out my personal blog and follow me around Tokyo :)

Anna Sui nail polish review

These are NOT Anna Sui nail polishes

Over the years I have accumulated over 400 bottles of nail polish (no pictures... since they are scattered around... and some are in Japan and some in Toronto)

I always thought OPI was a trustworthy brand but after a terrible experience with their Top Coat I concluded that not all OPI products are good.

Anna Sui 709 - Made in Japan

However, not to be pessimistic. There is one go to brand I would always go back to... Anna Sui. I have started using Anna Sui nail polishes since university (back in 2008) and never had a single complaint.

Pros

• no nail polish smell (has a nice subtle floral scent - the Anna Sui signature floral scent)
• thin layer yet very pigmented
• long lasting on nails (I can go on for about 2-3 weeks before I find a chip)
• affordable (compared to other similar brands)
• fast drying (takes less than 10 minutes for the first coat to dry)
• one coat is usually enough
• ever swipe puts on an appropriate amount of glitter and sparkles

Cons

• lack of colour choice
• extremely hard to remove from nails

one layer

you can see how watery the consistency is which makes it so easy to apply. The brush is very standard but it does a nice job picking up the glitters and polish and spreading it evenly on your nails.

score: 9.8/10

website: https://annasui.com/collections/nails

if you are interested, please check out my personal blog and follow me around Tokyo :)

OPI Top Coat review

a disclaimer: this won't be a long review. (you will see why)

Before I get to my review and thoughts on this product, here is what it claims:

Product Description

• Top coat for regular lacquer shades.
• Used as the final step in a manicure service to seal in color and extend wear.

Benefits: 

• Protective, high-gloss shine
• Prevents smudges
• Non-yellowing formula

This is what I think: 

This is possibly one of the worse nail products I have bought this year.

I am very disappointed because I thought OPI is known for its quality (especially when you look at its price).

For ¥1500, I bought this Top Coat believing it will protect my nail polish from chipping, fading... or at least... function as a top coat.

None of that happened.

I first noticed something was seriously wrong as I applied it to my already dried nail polish was it starting to wipe off my already dried nail polish...  the top coat's brush starting collecting all my nail polish as if it was drenched in nail polish remover. It completely smudged my nail polish :(.

After the catastrophic event, I decided to leave my nail polish on and see how the top coat will protect it. After a few days, my nail polish began to chip and chunks of nail polish were falling off.

I tried not to panic and thought it might only be a random Revlon nail polish which might not be compatible with it (for some reason) but after testing it on a few other brands... the same thing happened... so my verdict is... this top coat is bad.


score: 0/10
website: https://www.opi.com/nail-care/top-and-base-coats/opi-top-coat

Daiso's Nail Polish remover review

Daiso's nail polish remover

While shopping at Daiso, I came across this nail polish remover. I have heard good things about these types of nail polish removers (where you dip your nail in and turn it a few times and the polish is completely off)


​
Pros:

• Doesn't irritate skin (no stinging)
• Works! (Even for glitter nails)
• Nice scent
• Vitamin C
• environmentally friendly- 
• cheap (only ¥100)

instructions

Cons:

• No hard surface to rub
• Left a weird sticky residue on fingers/skin

inside- soft sponge

score: 10/10

no website

Canmake Tokyo Colorful Nails #80 Berry Sherbet review

Canmake Tokyo Colorful Nails #80 Berry Sherbet product and look

This is one of my first Canmake products! I somehow managed to avoid using them (not intentional).

Since it is almost close to Valentine's Day, I decided to go with the theme and do a review on a very lovely nail product.

Name: [80]ベリーシャーベット☆
translation: #80 Berry Sherbet
price: ¥360 +tax

see the similarities? it looks more similar in real life than in this picture

impressions:

• thin layer
• just one layer to see the pattern (2 is perfect)
• needs top coat
• illusion of lengthened fingers/nails
• takes a while to dry (for the second layer)

So the first time I applied this product with the brush to my nails, I was surprised by the amount of the white/red/pink sparkles that has ended up on my nails (this is usually not the case with most sparkle nail polish products). I also loved how thin the layer was, so it was easy to dry and I was able to build up the constellation of product onto my nails.

I also noticed that this nail polish really gives an illusion that lengthens my fingers slightly and makes my nails look girly. Absolutely love it!

Drying Time:
While I was impressed with the short amount of time it took the first layer to dry, I was disappointed that it took way longer for the second layer to dry... (I'm not sure why). The first layer only took 1 min to dry while the second layer took 20 mins (not normal... usually second layers are only 3 times the amount of time... not 20 times lol).

close up of nails

Valentine's Day:
I think this look is perfect for any Valentine's Day event (or any dates, girls night, etc) because of its subtleness and girly design, it is extremely versatile. It's just lovely to have with its nice red, pink sparkles along with white to remind you of the chilly weather.

I hope you enjoyed this review :) Have a Wonderful Valentine's Day/Weekend <3

score: 9/10
website: http://www.canmake.com/nail/item_nail008.html

Color Club D128 Nail Lacquer review

after 3 coats

It's a snowy season! I'm so thankful I don't have to see snow... at least not right now! But, I really want to create this effect for my nails to match Winter... and since tomorrow is Christmas... what better than to have a falling snow effect on your nails? I found this nail lacquer/polish at Tokyo Hands for ¥1000... it was a bit expensive, but it looked so pretty... I just couldn't resist. I am a huge fan of Gold and White... So I like Marc Jacob's Daisy's design!

comparing my nail to the demo

impressions:

• hard to include all the white and gold sparkles (but not impossible)
• three coats and I got the effect
• takes a while to dry
• need to add a top coat
• should have reminded us to use a milky undertone

This is definitely much more easy to apply compared to other sparkly products but it still requires effort, to get the effect, it took me 3 coats and I had to purposely force the white and gold sparkles to position on my nails. The nail polish took a long time to dry... (1 hour to get all 3 coats). Remember to get a top coat... you will need it or the "snow" and gold will all fall off.

I was quite impressed with the effect.

Score: 8/10
Website: http://www.colorclub.com/ (company website, product is not listed on their website... strange)

Winter Frost Inspired Nails Tutorial

end result

Hey my sweetest readers,

As some of you might probably know... I am currently stuck with writing some reviews... that doesn't mean the posts have to stop this week.

I have decided to do a nail tutorial for all of you instead. Pink has always been one of my favourite nail colours because not only is girly, it very subtle and versatile... it works with virtually every outfit and look.

Inspiration:

While I was looking at the frost built up on my lawn this morning, I was inspired to create this look... pink has always been girly... but it seems to be a Spring/Summer look... so what can be done to make it look seasonal and wintery? glitter. Glitter adds a perfect touch the pink giving it a cold and shimmery look matching the snow and frost of winter.

products and materials needed:

• dark pink nail polish
• glitter based nail polish
• top coat
• base coat

Keep it mind it is super important to wear base coat before you apply any nail polish, this protects your nails from the harmful chemicals in nail polishes and staining. Use top coat to seal up the design and prevent chipping (it takes time for your nail polish to dry... why waste that effort?).

For this design you do not need to use exactly what I used (I only found these nail polish colours lying around) you can feel free to play with different colours. I think green, blue and purple are good for this look.

*also make sure that the "nail polish" colour is darker than the "glitter nail polish" to give it that frosted look

Nail Fantasy #29

I found this nail polish in Bonjour (in Hong Kong) and absolutely love this colour... I do not know where I can find this brand other than Bonjour. I like the vivid, bold and solidness of this pink....

My thumb with Nail Fantasy #29

 I usually wear this colour on my nails during Spring and Summer because it matches the lovely colours of Spring and Summer and it blends and accents most looks (formal to casual looks) I try.

Missha's Crystal Nail Polish - SHOCKING POP NO.2/PINK

You can read my review on this nail polish here. I was always quite frustrated in using this nail polish because of the transparency of the nail polish (it can almost be considered clear)... but luckily, I found a solution... use it as a "top" the transparency makes it a perfect frost coating.

finished look (added Missha Crystal Nail Polish on top

The glitter and transparency gives off a perfect accent to the nail.

Don't forget to add top coat to seal everything together! For those Sailor Moon fans out there... I felt a little bit like Sailor Moon (when she transforms) when I removed my gloves :P that is how glittery they look!

Hope you like this simple nail tutorial! See you all very soon!

(p.s. please ignore any typos or grammatical errors >.< wrote this in a rush without proofreading)

Differences Between Base Coat and Top Coat (Nail Polish)

photo credit: www.kaydeecosmetics.co.uk

I was talking with a friend who has just developed an interest in nail polish. However, she was concerned about the differences between Base Coats and Top Coats. I explained to her the differences and think it is a good idea to share it here, if there is anyone who might want to know.


First, you cannot use them interchangeably. They are different, they may appear to be clear but , base and top coats can come in different colours and different transparency levels too, some can even be matte.

photo source: www.drugstore.com

Base Coat:

• makes your nails feel rough and dull
• makes it easier to apply nail polish and design 
• optional, but if you really want your nail polish to last longer then you should use this

base coats are more watery, very easy to smooth out. They are less smelly.

Base Coats create a protection between your nails and the nail polish.

It is meant to be used as a "base" (thus the name) you need to apply nail polish over this base coat, as a foundation.

photo source: amazon.com

Top Coat:

• makes your nails feel shiny
• creates a finish
• must be used as a last step...

top coats dry faster than nail polishes and bases. They are hard and seals everything together. Some top coats have sparkles in them. (You cannot use them as a sparkle nail polish, if you want a sparkly nail polish, get a nail polish...)

elaborations:

My friend said she just used base coat on her nails and that made her cuticles all dry. That's because it is not meant to be used alone, but with other nail polishes on top.

If you just use top coat on your nails, they will peel off within 1 hour simply because there is nothing to hold it down.

If you want clear shiny looking nails, I suggest you either get a nail buffer or a "clear" nail polish. (yes, clear nail polishes are different from base/top coats... again. they SHOULD NOT BE USED AS BASE COAT OR TOP COAT.)

Happy Nail polishing!

Nicole by OPI I Do De-Claire! review

Who needs last minute nail polish ideas? We must all be getting ready and beautifying ourselves for Christmas! If you are like me, procrastinating to the last minute before deciding on what to wear for that special Silent Night parties or holiday parties, this post is definitely for you!

This Christmas holiday season, I want a nice subtle pink colour to enhance my nails, yet not enough to steal . This frosty soft rose pink colour is perfect, it reminds me of the frost outside our houses, yet the rose pink gives a feminine warm side setting the perfect swatch for my nails.

Nicole by O.P.I. I Do De-Claire!

OPI has always had a wonderful reputation for high quality nail polish, I learned that OPI has made themselves more affordable by introducing "Nicole By OPI" This is a drug store line to their popular brand.

bottom of a bottle of  Nicole by O.P.I. I Do De-Claire!

Thoughts

• Wonderful colour
• frost finishing (reminder of winter)
• Lovely
• Long lasting colour
• Great for fall/winter
• One dip can fill 5 fingers
• versatile, you can match any style with pink and frost 

I only used one coat (I suck at taking pictures of my hands)

This nail polish lasted a week looking great without any top coat or needing to reapply. I only used one coat, and the colour was vivid enough.

the brush can pick up a lot of product (sorry for the blurriness, my camera just won't focus, grrr)

Like most OPI products, the Nicole by OPI line's polishes were very vivid and strong in colour. The brush was well made, I just needed to dip the brush twice to finish coating all my nails.

colour of bottle versus colour on my nails, see how similar they are

This is a very versitile colour, that you can match with most styles. If you want a subtle swatch colour that is elegant and simple. This is the nail colour for you!

website: http://www.nicolebyopi.com/products/i-do-de-claire

Missha Crystal Nail Polish Review

I have always been a big... HUGE fan of sparkly nail polish. I think it is essential for every girl to find the right swatches for their nails, because there is nothing sexier than having hands with nails in the right

Missha's Crystal Nail Polish is really good. The swatch I bought is SHOCKING POP NO.2/PINK

Pros:
- dries VERY fast (this is one of the biggest advantages, I admit, I am not a patient person, and waiting for my nails to dry can be a very tedious task)
- the smell is a bit floral, unlike most nail polishes which leave a nasty acetone smell
- the size of the brush is much MUCH wider than most nail polishes I have used in the past, this made it MUCH easier to apply the nail polish.
- big cap, the cap was big (in a size of a heart), this made it easier for my fingers to wrap around the cap to apply the nail polish on.

Cons:
- easy to chip off
- need double coat (or the "colour" does not really show up well)
- Top Coat is a MUST (and even with top coat, the nail polish easily chipped off after a few days of applying)

Overall, I think this is a good nail polish, however I am really disappointed at how easily it chips off. The coat only lasted for 5 days and it started chipping off.

official website: http://www.misshaus.com/ctrl.php?page=ctgProduct&ctg=ADA

Etude House Juicy Cocktail Graduation Nails review

Korean beauty products have come a long way and they have been expanding their product lines to nails as well. This product was purchased in eBay after seeing their attractive posting. In this picture I am wearing my Etude House Juicy Cocktail Gradation Nails #3 Love Violet.

The Etude House Juicy Cocktail graduation Nails series each include 3 colours, for this "purple" one they included: #1 Soft purple (as their base), #2 Romantic Purple (Middle), and #3 Mystery Purple (Top). The instructions are very simple: apply the base to the whole nail, let it dry, than apply the middle to just half of the nail, then wait for it to dry, finally, you will apply the top to only one third of the nail.

One of the advantages of this nail polish set is that they dry very quickly, I am an extremely impatient person and imagine having to wait before you apply the next coat each time... yeah, exactly, tedious!

One of the disadvantages of this nail polish, and I'm not sure why they didn't mention this in the instructions is that due the sparsity of the polish (which makes it very "transparent") I absolutely recommend you to apply at least 2 layers or else you would hardly see any polish on (it will look like you put on some clear nail polish with "some colour").

Another step I recommend is to apply a clear top coat (which was also not mentioned in the instructions). Because of the "layers" you put on, it is inevitable the surface of your nails will be slightly "unleveled". So a top coat is necessary to bring your nail surfaces to be even and smooth.

French Manicure attempt

It has been years since I have attempted the French Manicure, and as expected, I wasn't able to do a great job making my nails look as good as they could be.

The picture somehow made my French Manicure tips look weird, but they actually do look quite good in "real life"

I think the most important steps to making these French Manicure tips are:
1. Base Coat, so when you draw on the white lines the white nail polish stays better

2. It is best to use tape as a guide to make those lines, or you might end up with uneven lines (some looking bigger than others e.g. my pinky nail and my thumb)

3. Top Coat, without a top coat, it is easy for the white polish to wear out easier, and that's not good, if you have to redraw that line every 2 days.

Hope these tips help!