Stay Away From Pinkies Los Altos

Oh man, everything went wrong this time.....and I don't think I'll be coming back. Don't waste your money, go somewhere else. So I called a couple days before to make appointments since 4 of us were going together. When we arrived for our appointments, they told me they only had 3 of us down (not 4). Strike #1. So they started on 3 of us. My sister was getting a regular manicure.....the girl did a horrible job. There were blank spots and her nails were all patchy (some parts had nail showing). The girl tried to send my sister off like that. Her nails had to be totally redone. Strike #2. My aunt and I were getting the CND Shellacs. They finished my aunts nails and then had to TOTALLY redo them because they had used the wrong light to cure her nails. Mean while I spent the whole time waiting because they only had one light that worked correctly. I was there over 2 hours!!! On the Creative Design website it says that Shellacs should take 30 mins. How cheap can they be? One light for the whole salon?!?! Strike #3. Finally they were able to do my mom's nails. And again the girl did a horrible job. She was squeezing my mom's hand and totally missed parts of her nails. The worst part is that the girl tried to send my mom off like that. How can you not notice there are huge spots missing color?!?!? Strike #4. And last but not least, they said the Shellacs were better than the OPI Soak Offs. My OPIs lasted 3 weeks with out chipping. The Shellacs lasted 4 days with out chipping. FAIL. SO much wrong.....

A Manicure That Will Last

My OPI Soak Off Gels lasted a full 3 weeks. This past weekend I decided it was time for a color change. I went to the salon where I had originally had heard of Soak Offs but they weren't doing them anymore. They had "upgraded" to Creative Design CND Shellac. Shellac doesn't have a dry time, it brushes on like polish, comes off quickly and best of all, lasts 14 days. Unlike the Soak Offs, they Shellac is thin like nail polish but is totally opaque and doesn't require your nail bed to be filed at all.

I've had my Shellacs for 3 days now and they are still holding up pretty well. I like that they are super shiny and look like a regular manicure. I'm not sure how well they hold up in time....and to be honest with you, I will be shocked if they can last the full 14 days.

One thing I did like about the Soak Offs is because they were so thick, they allowed my natural nails to grow really long. I'm not sure who the winner will be in this competition. I'll keep you posted.

Super Nails!

I am happy to report that other than dry cuticles (as you can see above), my nails are holding up quite well. As you recall, 2 weeks ago I got my OPI Axxium Soak Offs. I am very impressed with their tolerance for daily life. They have held up through: laundry, ripping up boxes, putting metal cabinets together, staple removing and dishes (all in a days work ;) ). What's the difference between a regular manicure and these bad boys? These look the same 2 weeks after I got them done. A regular manicure would have been long gone by now. My only complaint is that the clear (regular nail polish) that the lady put on at the end hasn't held up so well.....but luckily you can't really see this unless you look really close. One other thing that's a little odd is that I had a sharp corner so I took a regular file to it and it seems thin and slightly damaged around the area I filed. So if you have rough edges or sharp corners you might want to consult the pros on how to best remedy it. All in all, they have held up wonderfully, I couldn't have asked more. I will keep you posted on how the color change and fill goes. Wish me luck!

Nail for Working Ladies

Well, awhile back I had posted about OPI Axxium Soak Off Gel "nail polish". So, this weekend I went and tried them out. Verdict: I am very happy :) I am still not sure about their "soakoffability" but so far so good. They are very similar to acrylics but you can do it on your natural nails (ie your nails will not be any longer than regular). Once your nail grow out, they fill them nearest to your cuticle. There are about 7 colors to choose from (one of the downsides). The colors come out kind of sheer (not as strong a color as normal nail polish) but I am still happy with the result. The best thing about them? NO chipping! When I get a manicure, I normally end up chipping it or messing it up before I make it to the car.....then it only lasts a few days because I inevitably hit them on something or ruin them washing dishes and such at work. These bad boys aren't going anywhere. If you're someone who likes to change your polish color often, these might not be for you. But if you're looking for polish that will stay and will look good for more than a few days, give OPI Axxium Soak Off Gels a try. (I would recommend calling around first because very few salons are doing this). A new set will run you around $40. If you try em, let me know what you think (and what salon you went to) :)

Something New To Try

Here's the next thing on my list of things to try. My favorite nail polish company, OPI, has recently come out with Axxium Soak Off Gels. The polish will stay for 2 weeks without chipping and is supposed to maintain its shine. There is a limited selection of colors....and we'll see if they really soak off (I'm still having nightmares about getting my gel tips off). For a full set it's about $45 (depending on the salon). Fill is the same price. You'll have to do a little research to find salons that do this. I'll give you a review after my appointment.