Entries Tagged 'Tutorial/How-To' ↓

When it comes to renovating your home, a spare bedroom can be converted into virtually anything: a home gym or office, craft room, or even a playroom. If your love for fashion and style wins out over these other luxuries, however, we at Home Improvement Leads have the perfect idea. Why not turn your spare room into the ultimate glam room? Here are just a few of our top glam room remodel necessities to help you get started.

Plenty of storage

One of the most important features of an incredible glam room is functional storage. Built-in units, dressing tables, and storage tubs and boxes will give all of your beauty and fashion items a home of their own. If you want to go above and beyond with your storage, a kitchen island style unit or custom made bookcase style shoe display will give your glam room an extra stylish and professional look.

Get organized

After you’ve filled your glam room with all the necessary furniture and storage, it’s important to organize your belongings. While the specifics of your glam room organization are up to you, we recommend clearly designated areas in your closet for dresses, tops, bottoms, and accessories. Make use of walls and the backs of closet doors, as well as clothes racks and drawers for clothes and accessories. If you’re feeling extra organized, handwritten or printed labels will add further professionalism to your glam room while keeping everything neat and tidy.

Makeup and Nail Table

As far as makeup and nail care are concerned, a dressing table or shelf devoted to these products will help keep all your brushes, bottles, and bronzes tidied away whenever they’re not in use. We love professional looking nail bars with neatly displayed polishes and makeup tables stocked with everything you might need during a glam session. However, we also love it when fashion fiends make creative makeup and nail care storage decisions, such as clear tiered stationery boxes, glass topped desks with storage under the tops, and even cake stands as polish holders.

Great lighting

Before you reveal your spare-room-to-glam-room transformation to your friends, make sure your lighting is up to scratch. Recessed can lights and ceiling spotlights will make your dressing area ultra bright, while soft, warmer lights will give your space a calming and relaxed feel. Whatever look you hope to achieve with your glam room, match it with your lighting. Finally, you’ll want to invest in dressing room style mirror lights—we promise they’ll make you feel like a movie star!

Katherine Oakes is a writer, yoga instructor, and vocalist living in Northern New Jersey who loves writing professionally with the goal of empowering homeowners with the expert guidance and educational tools they need to take on big home projects with confidence.

This article and its content was provided by the staff at Modernize. The views and opinions expressed within this post are those of the author alone and do not represent Esther’s Nail Center. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.

I know that many of you love gel manicure due to its durability. And sometimes, I get questions such as how to remove this gel polish. Well, you actually can remove your own gel polish manicure/pedicure at home with these easy steps.

What You Need

1. Nail Removal Wraps such as foil wraps (any brands) or CND wraps
2. Gel Remover such as OPI Expert Touch Lacquer Remover or Gelish Gel Remover
3. Cuticle Stick
4. 240-grit fine nail file such as Tropical nail file

You can make your own foil wraps with aluminium foils and cottons. But you have to cut them one by one. To save time and energy, you may also buy pre-cut removal foil wraps with attached absorbent pad. They are economical and easy to use.

How to Use

1. Saturate removal wrap pad with Expert Touch Lacquer gel remover.
2. Place pad over gel and wrap finger. For faster removal, cover hands with plastic gloves and warm towels.
3. Check first finger after 15 minutes; if necessary, resaturate pad, rewrap finger and check every 5 minutes. Gently push off gel with cuticle stick.
4. Wash hands.

If you experience any sensation during removal (e.g. pressure, squeezing, pinching), remove wrap and gently file surface of gel only along side walls with fine 240-grit nail file. Gently push off as much gel color as possible with cuticle stick. Resaturate foil wrap, rewrap nail and continue soaking.

Hello, nail polish enthusiasts! We know you’re one of us—someone whose bathroom sink may be covered with a rainbow of those tiny glass bottles. Since organizing your nail care station can really level up your mani/pedi experience, we at Modernize want to share a few of our favorite solutions.

Nail Polish Into Art

One of our favorite organizational solutions is a hanging nail polish rack. You can purchase or build a few shelves to house your favorite colors—maybe the CND Shellac Art Vandal Collection that’s just coming out. Choose shelves that match your bathroom decor, or spring for a pop of accent color.

And don’t be afraid to get creative with shelving. Much like photo collages, you can find shelves that have a geometric style and actually create a work of art out of your favorite polishes. You can also find lazy-susan nail polish trays, perfect for spinning around to the color you need. This is a great solution if you’re implementing nail art and need several colors.

File Your Files

Once you’ve organized your favorite polish colors, it’s time to find a solution for nail care tools. If you’re like us, you probably have several sizes of nail clippers, files, buffer boards, cuticle clippers, and cuticle gels. Strewn out across the counter, those small items can take up a lot of room and cause clutter.

Luckily, you can get creative when organizing and tie into your bathroom decor. Antique cans can be repurposed to use as jars to store files and clippers. These cans can add a retro aesthetic to your design. You can also store nail care items in a decorative box with a latch. The latch will keep the contents contained if you accidentally knock the box off the counter (or if you have a pet!) Decorative boxes come in plenty of different sizes and patterns—you can usually find them at craft stores or in the gift wrap section.

If your nail care accessories are decorations in themselves, go for clear, tinted, or painted mason jars and store your accessories in the open. Pack mason jars with cotton balls and Q-tips, and set them on the vanity — or hang them on the wall!

Lights, Mirrors, Action

You need great lighting in your mani/pedi station, especially if you’re getting into more intricate nail art. It can be difficult to attach crushed shells, rhinestones, or nail glitter flakes if you can’t see what you’re doing. We recommend vanity-style lighting around a large mirror to boost up the glam factor. You could also spring for overhead track lighting with soft bulbs. Just avoid fluorescents!

Alternatively, you could choose a small, adjustable lamp to shine light on each area where you work to get a better view. Make sure you have a vanity mirror so you can see how great you look!

When it comes time to dry the paint, pick up one of our UV gel nail lamps and a pair of anti-UV fingerless gloves. This will keep your skin safe, and your mani will be done in no time! Store your drying accessories in a drawer, or set up a station to feel like you’re in a real nail salon!

This article and its content was provided by the staff at Modernize. The views and opinions expressed within this post are those of the author alone and do not represent Esther’s Nail Center. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.

Craving for a deluxe pedicure that you can do at home? Yes, you can with Voesh 4-in-1 Pedicure Kit plus Voesh Collagen Socks, they will turn your regular pedicure into a satisfying, refreshing pedicure. The collagen socks is truly a fabulous product to soften and moisture your harsh feet.

Step by Step

1. Remove the old polish on your nails if applicable.

2. Take Voesh 4 in 1 pedicure kit and first take the Salt Soak out. Pour it into your pedicure bowl filled with water. Stir until mixed. Soak your feet for 2-5 minutes.

3. Get the Scrub from the kit and apply to your legs and feet. Scrub thoroughly around your legs, feet, and under feet. Then, wash it away.

4. Apply the Mud Masque. Spread out thoroughly around leg and feet except the toes.

5. Prepare nails by cleaning your cuticles and filing the nails. CND Cuticle Away is a great product to clean your cuticle. We also have some 240-grit nail files for natural nails.

6. Wash away the masque and dry legs with hot/warm towel.

7. Apply Massage Lotion. Please adjust the amount and use accordingly. Massage your legs and feet.

8. Put on Collagen Socks for about 2 minutes. Tear off the tips.

9. Apply base coat, nail polish/gel polish, and top coat. Use the socks while curing under the lamp for protection.

10. Once your gel pedicure is done, remove the sock, turn it inside out and rub the remaining cream onto the leg.

11. Done! You’re good to go.

Voesh Deluxe Pedicure Kit and Collagen Gloves and Socks are available at www.EsthersNC.com. Grab yours now and enjoy your refreshing, deluxe pedicure. Mmmmm…….

For celebrating this year Earth’s day, I would like to rewrite our old article about why and how you can dispose your nail polish properly so we can be more kind to the earth.

But you may said “I usually just throw them away in the trash bin.” So, is it alright to just toss them in the trash?

According to US Environmental Protection Agency, nail polish can’t be thrown away in the trash just like other household waste.  The reason is nail polish is flammable and it’s categorized as household hazardous waste. It means nail polish is as hazardous as your household cleaners or your car oil. And to dispose it improperly would pollute the environment and post a threat to human health.

So what can you do with your old nail polishes? You can recycle or you can dispose of them properly by participating in your local household hazardous waste collection program. Contact your city or county’s environmental health, solid waste, or public works department for information regarding which wastes can be recycled in your area.

For city of San Diego where I live,  there’s a household hazardous waste transfer facility nearby that accepts not only nail polish, but nail polish remover, batteries, light bulbs, paints, etc. It’s open to City of San Diego residents only. And an appointment is required. So, I called them and made an appointment. I didn’t wait for a long time until somebody took my call. And I got an appointment on a Saturday (they open only on Saturdays).

Dropping the waste off was quick. Just drove in, had my ID checked, then drove to a designated area where some people were waiting for taking all my old nail polishes from my car’s trunk and I was ready to leave. Best of all, it’s free! The whole process from setting up appointment to dropping of the waste was actually pretty easy.

I believe you can bring up to 50 pounds of waste at a time. You can also bring all sort of hazardous waste. I brought some used batteries along with my nail polishes in a plastic bag. Make sure your nail polish bottles are securely closed before disposing them.

I usually collect nail polish with batteries and old light bulbs for a year. Then, I make my yearly trip to the facility. I also volunteer to collect the waste from friends and relatives to make my trip worthwhile.

If you’re a resident in another city, you may contact your city’s website or Earth 911 website. At Earth 911, you can search a recycling center near you based on a city or zipcode.

And if you feel creative, reusing your old, unwanted nail polishes is always an excellent idea. From preventing rust at a deep scratch on your car to color coding belongings in your house, nail polish could be handy.

Photo source: hellogigles.com

What do you do with your old nail polish? Do you recycle or dispose? Feel free to comment below and if you like this article, please share it to everyone you know. Let’s be kind to our earth.

One problem people may have with gel manicure is undercuring. It shows when the polish is still sticky after curing and wiping. Undercuring will increase the risk of service breakdown and may increase the risk of an allergy to any gel product.

Potential Causes & Solutions

• Improper hand placement –> Hands and nails should be properly placed far enough under UV or LED bulbs
• Gel has been applied too thickly –> Apply thin layers. Shake nail polish well before application. Cure each layer separately and cure according to the recommended time by the manufacturer.
• Not using CND UV Lamp –> Shellac was developed to be fully cured using Shellac lamp. Using different lamp may cause Shellac is not fully cured.
• Bulbs need to be replaced –> Recommended time to replace all bulbs is 6 months or when it shows signs of undercuring.
• Incorrect removal of tacky layer or use acetone or diluted Isopropyl Alcohol –> Use 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to remove sticky layer.

Do you have any experience with undercured gel or shellac polish? Please share on the comments below. Thank you.

Source: CND

After amassing over 150 expensive gel polish colors from numerous manufacturers, nail technician Brandi Hensley found her clients still asking for more.  “What new gel colors do you have?”, “Can you match my favorite nail polish color in gel?”. These were just a few of the requests Brandi would hear daily.  Looking at the hundreds of regular nail polish she already owned, Brandi thought “if only there was a way I could to turn all those nail polish colors into gel polish, I would have every gel color imaginable”.

From there was born the idea of making custom gel polish. Brandi developed Gelibility Gel Polish to make her own custom gel polish from regular nail polish, thus providing unlimited colors for her clients while saving money at the same time. Compared to buying more gel polishes, top and base coats, creating custom gel polish would save hundreds of dollars.

So, do you want to make your own gel nail polish? With Gelibility you can do it easily.

What You Need

• Gelibility Stick It!
• Gelibility Fix It!
• Mixing palette
• Lint-free nail wipes
• UV/LED light
• Your favorite nail polish
• Alcohol

How To Make & Apply

• Apply a thin coat of Gelibility Stick It! bonder to clean, dry nails. Cure in a UV, LED or CCFL light for recommended time.

• Using alcohol on a lint-free wipe, cleanse the tacky layer from the nails.

• Put equal amounts of Gelibility Fix It! gel and your regular nail polish on a palette or in a small dish. Wipe off nail polish brush.  (Some nail polish is thinner than Gelibility. It’s not always an accurate 50/50 ratio if you can measure 1 drop to 1 drop. When placing the drops onto the palette, put them next to each other so you can be certain you are mixing the proper amount of polish with your gelibility. If too little polish is used, the color may be a bit lighter than expected).

• Using the regular nail polish brush, mix the GeLibility Fix It! and the nail polish well. Caution: Do not use Gelibility Fix It brush to mix or apply so your Fix It stays perfectly clear.

• Again, using the brush from regular nail polish, apply a thin coat of your mixture to the nails.

• Cure in a UV, LED or CCFL lamp. Apply a second coat of the mixture and cure again. Do not remove the tacky layer after curing.

• Apply a thin coat of GELibility Fix It! as is to seal and shine. Cure.

• Remove the tacky layer with alcohol and a lint-free wipe. Nails be shiny, strong, chip free and completely dry.

Curing time: 60 seconds LED, 120 seconds UV. Discontinue use if irritation occurs.

Gelibility Stick It! is a universal gel polish base coat/bonder. It is acid free and can be used with other brands of gel polish. However, Gelibility Fix It! is comprised with a unique formula, made to work specifically with Gelibility Stick It! bonder. Results cannot be guaranteed if a different brand base/bonder is used.

Gelibility’s unique dual-purpose formula has been thoroughly tested with every possible traditional nail polish. It works incredibly well. Gelibility manicure is beautiful, strong, shiny, long lasting, remarkably durable and dries immediately with zero drying time.

Gelibility Stick It and Fix It are sold at Esther’s Nail Center as a set or per bottle. So, what do you think about this brilliant product? Have you tried it out?

Over this summer I am happy to say that my feet has overcome the callus problem that often occurs during this dry and hot season.  How I get rid of callus on my feet and keep them smooth is what I want to share with you in 3 simple steps:

1. Moisturize Your Feet Daily

Very important to moisturize your feet every day. I usually do that after shower. Be selective on choosing your body lotion. After trying this and that, I have come back and been using Jergens Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer for a long time now. It keeps my skin moisturized for the whole day so I don’t need to re-apply within 24 hours.

2. Scrub Callus with Pumice Stone

I noticed once during summer that the skin on my heels started to get harder and had some calluses. The longer I didn’t get rid of them, the more the calluses built up. Thinking I need to get rid of them before the situation got worse, I grabbed my pumice stone and Sooo Smooth Callus Dissolver.  I tried Pumice Stone first. Thankfully, it worked right away and the skin got much smoother afterwards.

In my opinion I don’t like foot scrub (sugar or salt). I find that it’s too easy to dissolve in water. So it lost the scrubbing power in a short time unless I use it on dry feet or hands.

3. Use Callus Dissolver/Remover

If you never treat your callus and it get thick even cracked, get a Callus Dissolver or Remover to help you remove the callus. This product will help you do the work and you simply buff them away.

Esther’s Nail Center has Sooo Smooth Callus Dissolver and Be Natural Callus Remover. They have been around in the market for a long, long time and both work wonderfully.

How to use Callus Remover

• Wear gloves or rinse finger well after applying.
• After soaking, liberally spread Callus Dissolver over callus.
• Allow it to penetrate 2 – 3 minutes depending on callus buildup.
• Then use a file or pumice stone to gently remove callus.
• Wash thoroughly with water after use.

Caution: Always wash off Callus Dissolver within 7 minutes of application. Avoid contact with skin other than callused area. Do not apply to broken skin.

Apply it as necessary or when needed.  Below is the video how to use Be Natural Callus Eliminator.

So how do you get rid of the callus? Do you have any special treatment or callus product? Please do share below.