Polish other then CND, China Glaze or OPI?

Did you know there was Indie nail polish?  Yep, and we are going to file this under, things I am highly intrigued by.  And, not just because I'm thinking of the fumes in their homes, basements, and garages that I assume could get us high when they were starting out.

Indie nail polish isn't from India!  Well, maybe some are. Indie nail polish is generally a name for handmade, or craft, small batch nail polish and lacquer, or more literally independently own nail polish brands.  When someone is looking for an Indie brand they are usually expecting a unique handmade product, not from a manufacturer.

Indie polish caters to all sort of niche markets, but what seems to be the big draw are unique glitters, holo or multichrome polishes.  Although I am finding beautiful lacquer colors of all types, even my beloved cremes.

I plan to start doing a weekly post on Indie nail polish that will consist of either reviews and swatches of different brands or discussions on market itself.   I asked several makers if I can include there pictures in my initial post about this and I picked 4 very different makers.  In no particular order, they are Alter Ego Nail Enamel, Glitzy Glazes, Lacquer Lust (swatched here by Mucker Fusser), and Shirley Ann Nail Enamel.

 

Which of these amazing polish makers should I try first?

 I am going with what you pick so please leave a comment here or on my Facebook page.

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Puh, Push it real good!

No???
I can't help it.  Every time I say, think, or hear the word push(er), those lyrics bust into my thoughts.  Can you imagine what it's like as a nail tech, using a cuticle pusher everyday.  The fact that I don't break out into my middle school dance routine to it 3 times a day is a miracle!  I only do it every now and then!

Today I want to talk about my favorite natural nail manicuring tool.  Can you guess what it is?

Not just any cuticle pusher, the OPI Pusher plus*.  I mean, I'm not breaking out in song and dance over an orange wood stick, folks!

Isn't it beautiful?  Seriously though, it's a nice looking tool, but that's not why I think it's beautiful. It has may qualities that place it ahead of other tools for me, and pushers especially.  I love this implement more then any another for the most important of reasons.

SANITATION!!!!!!!!!!

OPI's Pusher Plus is Made of high-quality, disinfectable, corrosion-resistant 420 stainless steel. Coated in Titanium that won't corrode with repeated disinfection. The ultra-hard titanium
gives unsurpassed precision and corrosion-resistance! Everything I've ever wanted in a cuticle pusher!

Most people worry about sanitation with acrylic, but it can be an issue with natural nails in manicures and pedicures too.  The implements your nail tech uses need to be more then clean. They need to be disinfected or sanitized. If it touches your natural nail, cuticle, finger or nail quick it needs to be able to be completely sanitary. The design of the tool has more to do with that then almost anything your nail tech can do. If the surface isn't completely smooth germ can hide from a disinfect. If it's absorbent, well, I'll just say, "gross", and leave it at that. I know they seem harmless but think about how many client we do. Have you ever been nicked or seen how the cuticle hoovers over nail creating a little germ hiding crevice? If the cuticle pusher presses germs against or under there you could be at risk for an infection. It won't always happen. Hopefully, never will, but it could. I don't want to be the reason it happens to anyone. 

The run of the mill metal pusher can corrode after repeated use of disinfectant solution baths. This orange wood stick can't even come sanitized because it's a natural product.  The plastic gets nicks and scratches on it just from being in a clean draw with other tools, that can hide germs safely away from even liquid disinfectant.  Think cutting boards....

This pusher has a wonderful shape that makes pushing back the healthy cuticle and removing the nonliving material from the nail quick and easy. It doesn't have sharp corners that can poke or cut into healthy cuticle or finger. I love the balance of it in my hand and it make me a lot more comfortable know while I do this I am using as safe an implement as I can on my clients.

This bad boy isn't that expensive, considering it last forever compared to others. So, if your nail tech isn't using the OPI Push Plus or another high-quality coated metal cuticle pusher, look around at her other tools and sanitation procedures. If they look questionable, find another salon! If she is using a sanitizitable pusher and you see she puts them in disinfectant solutions between clients or breaks and tosses orange wood sticks after each client, ask her if she's seen OPI's titanium tooling collection and what your learned about them. She may have a great tool she loves, but she may not know their are better options her customers may prefer.


*This post is not meant to be a review of the product mentioned. It is meant to be an informative piece on my choice of implements and client safety. OPI doesn't endorse my blog and has no knowledge of my post as of publish date.

To each their own

Do you like clean classic lines, and simple accented frenchies?  Or do you love funky bright patterns and hand painted scenes of a unique one of a kind mani?

I admit, I am easy to please.  I love simple color blocking or designs of all 10 or with a single variation on one nail on myself.  Honestly, I will lean this way with most consultations too.

I don't get paid to do my nails though and I kept that mind when I did a set of nails the other night and was allowed to experiment a little with the art. I asked if I could do a little something bright and pretty but clean and and not to crazy for work.

 

She's 20, attached and on a job hunt.  I thought this was just funky enough with the purple tips and gold lining. It wasn't distracting and the colors looked beautiful together.  I loved it, and I thought she would too. 

 

She hated it! Like seriously hated it. I was thing it looked a bit Pleasant Hill Rooster (close high school), but she saw Blue Springs Wildcats. Her high schools rivals and she wasn't about to wear those colors. She wanted something brighter and more out there, and she had a design and colors in

mind.

 

Here is her own creative idea.

A diagonal manicure in alternation bright pink and blue with black lining.

 

She loved them. I said, "They look a kind of late 80's early 90's.".  She said, "Exactly!". She knew exactly what she wanted. They weren't anything I would sport but they weren't my nails and this girl rocked them. She got what she wanted and I was more thrilled she was happy then I cared if I loved the work. They made her feel good, and I was did them. That's what mattered to me. To each their own, especially if they are going to own it like her. And she did, 'keep it clean', even her language.

What are your favorite nail designs? And does your nail tech do a good job of listening to what you want?

Hello and Welcome to my World!

Welcome to my blog, In Love and Lacquer!

This is my first official post on this blog, that I have created to share my love of all things nails, polish and art with the rest of the world as I rediscover the craft, career and art of manicuring.

I thought I'd start off with a bit about myself.  My name is Jennifer Love K. and I got my manicuring license in 1995.  I started cosmetology school, but realized I was a 'natural' at nails, and they became my obsession.  I loved doing sculptured names, nail art, and finding ways to beautify and correct problems with natural nails.  I've done competitions at shows, and peer pressured almost all of my clients into art of some type.

My husband and I have 5 children in our blended family and 2 boys at home.  I am pretty spoiled by them and you'll see some little and big boy hands every now and again, as these guys will do anything for me!

My hands and nails won't always be in awesome shape and never hand model shape, but I'll try to hide the cuts and bruises!  I do other peoples nails, throw pottery, and clean a house full guys, dogs, and other pets and do a lot of volunteer work.   Most pictures will be of either my nails, clients, or friends.

                                       The normal me, not poking fun at swatches, just myself!

I am in love with color and sculpture and indulge in both though my work and play with natural and sculptured nails.
I will be indulging myself in the artist aspect of nail design, with posts on polish color, nail art styles and tutorials, sculptured nail design, but also in the professional aspects of my career and technical subjects like sanitation safety and product review.  I will also be posting color swatches weekly as I buy and try new lacquers obsessively.  And believe me, this is all coming off a lot fancier the it will be!

　
Hopefully you will find my blog entertaining and informative.  I'm new to this so bare with my pictures, grammer, and rambling.  I would love feedback of all sorts, comments, suggestions, and sharing! I am also setting up a Facebook page so you can follow me there and here on blogspot and not miss a thing.