I hardly ever get salon manicures, preferring to save money and do the whole process at home. I usually paint my nails before bed, so that my polish has more than enough time to dry. There's nothing worse than spending time giving yourself a neatly painted manicure, and then smudging your polish because it hadn't had a chance to harden!
THE EMERGENCY
Recently, I was getting ready to attend fashion week. I had been busy with errands all day and with 20 minutes left before I had to get on the train, I realized my nails were not done—not really ideal when I wanted to look my most fashionable!
Luckily, I remembered that I had some imPRESS Press-on Manicure by Broadway Nails. I had never used them before, but I figured they were worth a try. I had nothing to lose!
APPLICATION
The box comes with 24 nails in total—you only need 10, but you have a wide variety of sizes to choose from. I cleansed my nails with the enclosed wipe, and separated out the 10 press-ons that fit comfortably on my nail bed. Application was easy, I just peeled off the plastic backing, aligned the press-on with my cuticle, and held it in place for a few seconds. It was a surprisingly simple process—it took less than 5 minutes from start to finish. Here is what they look like (the style I'm wearing is called WinkWink):
PERFORMANCE
I'd previously assumed that press-on nails would look really fake AND that they would flick off easily, but, thankfully, that wasn't my experience. The nails aren't too long, so they don't scream artificial to me, and they were very firmly attached and felt comfortable. I was able to use my hands freely (i.e. writing, undoing buttons, washing my face) without feeling restricted or like my nails were about to come off.
As for whether they look fake—over the 4 days that I wore them, I had A LOT of compliments on my nails, but everyone was surprised when I told them they were press-ons. On closer inspection, they could see they were press-ons, but it's not obvious at first glance.
LASTING POWER
The press-ons are meant to last up to a week. The picture above was taken the 2nd day I wore them. By the fourth day, the 2 fingers I use the most had slightly wobbly nails, but the rest were still firmly attached; however, I decided to remove the whole set. Still, 4 days of wear is not bad, it would definitely get you through a weekend's worth of activities!
REMOVAL
You can wiggle the nails off, or apply some nail polish remover between your natural nail and the press-on to dissolve the adhesive. After removing the nails, my natural nails still looked healthy and were undamaged.
FINAL THOUGHTS
These nails retail for $10.99 and can be found at many places, including Walmart, London Drugs, and Pharmasave. While I wouldn't use them on a weekly basis, I think they're a great option for special events (i.e. holiday parties or a wedding weekend). And I would DEFINITELY recommend keeping a backup box around . . . in case you have a fashion emergency, like I did!
World MasterCard Fashion Week is currently taking place in downtown Toronto, and while there are a lot of amazing designers showcasing their work (including my personal favourites: Melissa Nepton and NARCES), my first priority was tracking down a ticket to attend Target’s fashion show.
Here’s why:
1) I adore shopping at Target — especially for shoes, clothing and décor
2) Their fashion shows are always full of on-trend and WEARABLE outfit ideas
3) While most designers are showcasing Spring/Summer 2015, Target's runway features items that are coming out in store over the next few weeks – very seasonally appropriate.
Whether you purchase these exact clothes from Target or substitute with similar items from your own closet, the runway looks below provide fall/winter outfit inspiration for the whole family! Here are my favourite looks from the show:
EVENING - WOMEN: Silky jumpsuits and dresses with lace details. A draped blazer is the perfect cover-up.
Photo Credit: George Pimental Photography
DAY - WOMEN (PANTS): Lots of pant styles to choose from, including coated sweatpants for the Luxe Sportswear look, or slim fitting printed pants to pair with turtlenecks. Faux fur vests are a fun finishing touch.
Photo Credit: George Pimental Photography
DAY - WOMEN (SKIRTS & DRESSES): Plaid pencil skirts and colorblock dresses are paired with tights and ankle booties, while mini skirts are worn with knee-high socks and boots. Wool Fedora hats are a popular accessory this year.
Photo Credit: George Pimental Photography
MEN: Lots of sweater options for men — from dressed up tonal cardigans paired with jackets and scarves, to animal graphic and polka dots pullovers worn over button-down shirts.
Photo Credit: George Pimental Photography
KIDS: Loved the girl's holiday party look they featured — a sparkly ruffled skirt paired with a polka dot shirt and topped with a faux fur jacket. They also showed pieces from TOMS upcoming partnership with Target — casual, classic and charitable! For each item purchased, a donation will be made to a selection of organizations including Food Banks Canada, the Canadian Red Cross and various TOMS' worldwide giving programs.
Photo Credit: George Pimental Photography
HAIR & MAKEUP
Before the runway show, I went backstage and met with Grace Lee (Maybelline’s Lead Makeup Artist) and Jorge Joao (Redken’s Lead Stylist) to learn about the hair and makeup used in the Target show.
Photo credit: Me
This look focused on matte red lips — Maybelline’s new Matte Lipstick (Siren in Scarlet) was applied on the models, to echo Target’s distinctive red logo. Brows were neatly groomed with Brow Drama and lids were shaded in with Colour Tattoo Leather in Creamy Beige. To add a touch of sparkle, Baby Lips in Quenched was dabbed on the center of the eyelids.
There were a variety of hairstyles used in the Target show, but each look started with Redken's Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express Primer – to protect against heat and cut down on blow-drying time. After the hair was styled with heat tools, Fashion Waves 07 (a sea salt spray) was used to add texture and Fashion Work 12 (a finishing hair spray) was used to lock the style in place and protect against humidity.
And now, I want to share some of the fashion week fun with you — by giving one lucky reader the chance to pamper your hair with a 5-piece set of Redken products! Shampoo and condition with the Color Extend Magnetics Sulfate-Free range for hair colour that is vibrant and shiny. Then, lock-in long lasting style with Redken’s 3-step Pillow Proof Blow Dry. Start by priming your hair with Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express Primer. Style your hair using Hot Sets 22 Thermal Setting Mist. Finally, extend your look with Pillow Proof Blow Dry Two Day Extender, an oil absorbing dry shampoo.
Click here for more Fall styling inspiration, and check out my post on Beauty Tips from LAST fashion week here.
And we're giving away **DESCRIPTION OF PRIZE(S**)! To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me **YOUR QUESTION YOU WANT READER TO ANSWER**. You have until **DATE, 2012** to enter. You must be a YMC member and please be sure you've registered your email address in our commenting system so we can contact you if you win.
Yummy Rules and Regs: You must be a YummyMummyClub.ca member to win. Click to sign up! It's free and filled with perks. One comment per member. Entries accepted until **END DATE, 2012**. Contest open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec). Winners will be picked using www.random.org. See full contest rules.
- See more at: http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogger-giveaway-standard-copy#sthash.MNhiXzhO.dpufAnd we're giving away a 5-piece set of Redken Products! To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below and tell me "What is your favourite outfit from the Target show?" You have until November 4, 2014 to enter. You must be a YMC member and please be sure you've registered your email address in our commenting system so we can contact you if you win.
Yummy Rules and Regs: You must be a YummyMummyClub.ca member to win. Click to sign up! It's free and filled with perks. One comment per member. Entries accepted until November 4, 2014. Contest open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec). Winners will be picked using www.random.org. See full contest rules.
Keeping hair sleek and manageable can be quite the battle — frizz, split ends, tangles — there are so many issues to deal with. I have fine hair with highlights and some days I walk out of the shower with my hair looking like a bird's nest!
To avoid the not-so-chic cotton candy look, I apply deep conditioning masks twice a week. It only adds on 5 minutes to my shower time, but it makes a huge difference to the state of my hair.
HOW TO DEEP CONDITION:
MY FAVOURITE DEEP CONDITIONERS:
Price: $43 for 250 ml
Purpose: Hydrates and nourishes unruly and frizzy hair. Provides long-lasting conditioning while improving elasticity.
Key Ingredients: Argan Butter, Argan Oil and Coconut-derived Fatty Acids
L'Oreal Oleotherapy Deep Recovery Mask
Price: $8.99 for 250 ml
Purpose: Revives lifeless locks and restores hair's natural radiance. Leaves hair nourished and smoother.
Key Ingredients: 6 Flower Oil blend plus Coconut Oil and Argan Oil
Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque
Price: $36 for 250 ml
Purpose: Hair reconstructor for dry, damaged hair. Nourishes hair for improved elasticity and shine with long-lasting conditioning benefits.
Key Ingredients: Macadamia & Argan oils with Tea Tree Oil, Chamomile Oil, Aloe and Algae Extract
When choosing a deep conditioner, you definitely don't need to alternate between three like I do (as a beauty blogger — I like to experiment!) but be sure to pick out a product that suits your hair type. And if your hair is severely damaged with lots of split ends, it is probably best to get a trim first.
If you’re looking for hairstyling ideas check out Ashley’s post on easy ponytails and Gurpreet’s post on pretty braids!
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