Review: Emjoi Micro-Nail Buff & Shine Manicure Kit

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Emjoi Micro-Nail Buff & Shine Manicure Kit

We use our hands every day.  Therefore, the appearance of our nails matters if we intend to make a good impression on those we come in contact with.  When you don’t have time to devote to painting your nails or when you need to give them a break to keep them healthy, smoothing and buffing the nail is a great alternative. With the new Emjoi Micro-Shine Buff & Manicure Kit that PR sent for this review, you can always stay on top of this beauty task of keeping nails looking great.

This product is a battery-operated (two AA batteries) device that has two sets of two rollers that you insert for filing.  The first is a gray one for smoothing any ridges on the nails.  The second is a set of micro-shine rollers for buffing the shine.  

This is the Micro-Nail device and the rollers it comes with.  

These rollers really made fast work of what you would do manually by spinning 360 degrees at 30 times per second in the process.  After I changed heads, my naked nails with some ridges transformed to ones that were smooth with some lovely shine.  My nails also became the perfect surface to polish that exceeded my expectations for speed and beauty.

This  is the gray roller already inside when you first open the Micro-Nail.

If you are searching for a quick solution for nail maintenance or looking for a wonderful holiday gift, you should consider this product.  You can find Emjoi’s Micro-Nail Buff & Shine Manicure Kit at QVC for $43.  

How to Make Your Nail Polish Last Longer–And It’s Not Just With Base and Top Coats!

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure (Mudslide)

You go through the trouble of painting your nails with a beautiful new shade of polish.  Naturally, you want your work to last as long as possible, which means brushing on a base coat and finishing your manicure with a top coat. But what if I told you there is one tiny step more than can further extend the life of those gorgeous looking nails?

The next time you are preparing to paint your nails, I hope that you will try this little tip because it will surprise you.   After you thoroughly clean your nails, you should wet a cotton ball with some vinegar (white or apple cider) and apply to your nails.  Allow the vinegar to dry first and then go ahead with your manicure.  

What happens is the vinegar dries out the nail surface exceptionally well so that the first coat adheres better, prolonging that manicure even further! 

Your Choice of Nail Polish Remover Can Determine Effectiveness and Nail Condition!

If you want to protect the condition of your nails, it is always a safe option to use alcohol and acetone-free nail polishers. These gentler varieties will preserve the condition of your nails and keep them from drying.  However, they are best reserved for removing light polishes.

On the other hand, you will have an easier time of taking off dark nail polishes if you use an acetone polish remover.  

To keep your nails healthier, rotate those nail polish removers accordingly to accommodate the amount of color in the polish.  

Balance the shades you wear from light to dark instead of constantly going with dark colors. Nudes are a wonderful middle ground for a timeless and beautiful option. 

Finally, give your nails a break from polish at least once a month to let them breathe.  All these suggestions can help keep your nails in great shape.

How to Better Protect Your Polished Nails From Chipping!

I hate going through all the trouble of painting your nails with that basecoat, topping with two coats of gorgeous polish, and then sealing your work in with a final topcoat only to still chip a short time following that manicure.  However, I have an easy trick that really helps keep the nails from chipping longer.

What I am about to share doesn’t involve buying any new product.  Instead, you continue doing your manicure in the same way as I described above. The only thing you need to change is your technique when you are applying that topcoat.

Before you are ready to lock that bottle of topcoat away, take the brush and hold it parallel to the tip of the nail and paint some topcoat just a bit under the nail.  This extra bit of reinforcement does wonders in strengthening the protection of the topcoat.  

Just try this and be amazed at what a simple change makes in keeping your manicure intact longer!

Before You Work on Your Cuticles, You May Want to Read This!

We often take our cuticles for granted.  However, they have an important function of protecting the nail bed.   Many doctors believe cutting cuticles can lead to inflammation or infection so it's best to rethink that habit.  In fact, there is more that you can do to keep that living skin healthy.

When you are ready to work on your cuticles, you might try soaking them in a little warm water with a bit of salt first.  I like to put 1/4 of a teaspoon to about two cups of warm water. By soaking for a few minutes (no more than five), you will be disinfecting the area.  

Think how many times you pushed too hard with your orange stick and ended up making that delicate cuticle bleed.  This extra step of a salt soak will help reduce that risk!

Review+ Swatches: Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure Base Coat, Top Coat, Dry & Go, Mudslide, And Pink Pong Polishes

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure Base Coat, Top Coat, Dry & Go, Mudslide, And Pink Pong Polishes

All through college, I painted my nails regularly.  I never bothered with using a base coat because the surface of my nails was smooth enough to accept the lacquer for a nice finish.  I thought why should I bother?  However, that was then.  Now I have ridges and weaker nails, which changes everything.  If I intend to sport pretty nails, then I had to branch out with new manicure products.  Today I want to tell you about my experience with Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure system of products that I was sent to test.

I started with the Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Smooth & Strong Base Coat.  On my index finger, I brushed on as I would normally do the polish.  In doing so, I didn't fill in all the ridges as you will notice from the photo.  Therefore, I gave my other fingers a heavier coat. This was what my nails really needed for how the product smoothed and built that weak nail up.

Here I'm modeling Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure 240 Ping Pong with base coat.

Just to show you the difference, I painted my thumb with Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure 250 Mudslide Polish without that base coat.  This is more a nude shade of peach-brown.  You will notice my ridges show through the nail enamel.  Also, the color isn't as glossy as the ones that I primed first with the base before painting. 

Notice the difference of my thumb without the Base Coat and just Mudslide.  The other nails have both.  Incredible smoothness, don't you agree?    

I also received 240 Pink Pong, which I would describe as a nude pink-brown.  Both colors are wonderful basic neutrals.  I loved how easy this polish was with that brush for painting.  

When I primed first with that base coat, I got a deeper shade with one coat of the 250 Mudslide and extreme shine.  Seriously, I never realized what a beautiful difference this base coat could make for overall appearance and strengthening.  Usually, I am constantly filing my nails because of how quickly they snag or break.  This didn't happen to me once now with this biotin and spirulina reinforced formula.

Next, I followed the base coat and polish with the Sally Hansen Salon Manicure Ultra-Wear Top Coat in Clear.  This was extra protection to that gorgeous color like a clear coat of nail armor. 

With my allergies, the fumes of polish can irritate me more than others.  But, I must admit these products weren't that bad to inhale as many others that I have tried.  To best safeguard myself, I thought the Complete Salon Manicure Dry & Go Drops was something I had to try to speed up the drying process.  All you need to wait is 60 seconds after putting on that top coat, then add a drop or two per nail.  I just needed a drop per each.

I wanted to see how Sally Hansen's Strengthening Nail Polish Remover might be kinder on my weak, thin nails.  This formula is fortified with vitamins and wheat protein to strengthen as it removes the lacquer.  I only used it on my thumb that had just the nail polish because I needed to match it up with my other primed nails.  This rubbed that polish with just one loaded cotton ball.

I think Sally Hansen's Salon Manicure system of products works exceptionally well.  Anyone with weak nails or a problem with ridges definitely should look into buying the Base Coat, Top Coat, as well as the Salon Manicure polishes for strengthening them and being able to wear beautiful color again without chipping or snagging your nails for quite a while.  Even those that have perfect nails should consider buying the complete system because using these products together, your nails will look even more professionally done.  The Dry & Go is fantastic as well. 

*Disclaimer:  Free products were provided to facilitate this review--not my opinion.*

Have You Tried Facial Toner for Your Nails Yet?

Before you do your next manicure, you may want to try this tip before you are about to polish.  Take a cotton ball that you have moistened with a bit of your facial toner and wipe your lacquer-free, clean nails with it first. 

This extra step removes those natural oils and any residue left from your hand cream that may be lingering around your nails so that you get a cleaner surface before you reach for that base coat or polish. 

So it you wondering why your manicure turns prettier at times than others, it could be something as simple as lingering traces of hand cream! 

Review: Every Beauty's All in One Foot Smoother and 3 in 1 Nail File to Make Your Feet and Hands Happy!

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Every Beauty's All in One Foot Smoother and 3 in 1 Nail File

I am so hyped over these products from Every Beauty that unexpectedly arrived at my door.  You may think big deal over ordinary products to work on your hands and feet for smoothing nails and skin.  However, you have no idea how extraordinarily well they performed.  Once I explain the situation, you will understand and want to buy these also.

My mother is older and has a bent (hammer toe) on one foot from arthritis.  Thick, very hard skin surrounds that toe nail at the bottom and close to the top of the nail across.  This makes it uncomfortable for her to walk in shoes.  We have tried all sorts of soaks, lotions, oils, pedicure tools, and files without much success--that is until we used the All in One Foot Smoother from Every Beauty. 

Every Beauty's mani-pedi products

Unlike a pumice stone, this is a gently curved sponge for easy maneuvering with a coarse and finer side along with useable edges for dermabrasion as well.  You will be able to get any higher spots with rough, thick skin so much better with this tool because of this design but also due to the texture of the sponge itself.

My mother soaked her feet in warm water and suds to soften them the best she before thoroughly drying.  We started with the coarse side and rubbed with steady, but soft pressure over that problem spot.  Before long, we noticed that lump beginning to decrease.  We kept going until the area became tender after a while of filing.  

Nonetheless, the high rough skin near the top of that hammer toe was nearly smooth now and almost flat, which excited us tremendously.  Let me tell you how much easier this made it later when she slipped on her shoes. 

I almost forgot to mention this product helps with corns.  We worked on one on her little toe with the finer side briefly.  In the process, we peeled some skin and smoothed over the corn a bit.  We didn't get rid of it, but this was a good start because it did cut into the corn somewhat.  We will continue using this but gently and gradually to further take it down.

Maintenance of this tool is simple.  Cleaning involves running hot water over it.  Next, I doused it with alcohol over every part to saturate it for killing germs.  I parked it for about ten minutes and then rinsed it with more hot water before allowing it to dry.

I found the Every Beauty 3 in 1 Nail File was also wonderful.  This looks like a mini computer mouse with a stainless steel edge that is straight then curved for filing.  This device does not fray nails like emery boards often can or make all that dust when you file.  

Honestly, I think these products are outstanding and you need to pick them up.  Normally the All in One Foot Smoother and the Every Beauty 3 in 1 Nail File retail for $4.99 each, but they are currently on sale for $3.99 a piece.  Visit Every Beauty and buy these!   You can thank me later.  

*Disclaimer:  This is my own honest opinion.  Free products were provided to facilitate this review.*