Sunday, August 10, 2014

The Perfect Barielle Manicure & Giveaway!

Hello, all! I'm really excited about today's post! I've teamed up with the lovely folks over at Barielle to share my perfect Barielle manicure! I personally use a few of Barielle's nail care products regularly so I was thrilled about the prospect of picking my favorite items to achieve that perfect mani every time. The best part, they were kind enough to send over an extra set of items for me to giveaway to one lucky reader! How awesome is that? :) Read through to find out how to enter!

If you've been on the fence about trying Barielle, now is the time to go for it - for the month of August, their nail polish is half off (only $4/bottle!) and their high end nail care products are all under $10!
After removing any old nail polish, I like to use a cuticle remover to keep those pesky cuticles in check. I typically only use this once a week or so, but it's an essential part of my nail care routine. While you're not actually removing any part of your healthy cuticle, this helps to soften your cuticle enough that it can be pushed away from the nail with an orange stick.
Okay, so I know the before and after look pretty similar, but in person it was night and day between the two. I think using a good cuticle remover is such an important part of any good looking manicure. It provides that lovely clean edge around your nail bed and also allows for more paintable nail space, which, for ladies with shorties like mine, is a very important thing! 
Next, I moisturize like crazy! This nail strengthening cream is one that I personally use every few days and I can't imagine not having it in my arsenal. It's incredibly hydrating but it also helps keep my nails healthy and strong. I usually just slather it all over my fingers and let it soak for a bit before rubbing the rest in. 
Ahhh, look how happy my nails and fingers look! 
I must admit, I am guilty of not using a base coast more often than not (I change my polish so often it gets pricy!). However, one item I do like to use is a great ridge filler. If you scroll up one picture, you'll see lots of tiny vertical lines along my nail. Those would be the ridges we're talking about. And they are annoying. Using a ridge filler like this give a fantastically smooth surface for your polish. This becomes especially important when you're using cremes as they tend to show imperfections much more than other polish finishes. 
The next step is of course painting your nails. I don't think I need to go into this one with too much detail, but I decided on a bright blue shade (Magna Cum Laude Turquoise) since it felt so summery and fun. Plus, I think any perfect mani needs a blue shade ;)
Finally, each mani should finish off with a good top coat. This, more than any other step, is essential to a good mani! Don't skip your top coat! For this particular top coat, make sure your polish is closer to dry than not since you don't want to the brush to drag in the polish. 
What do you consider your perfect manicure? I'd love to hear your thoughts! If you want to grab any of these products (and more), be sure to head to Barielle before the end of August to take advantage of their generous sale. 

And be sure to enter the giveaway via the rafflecopter widget below! This will be an international giveaway, and I will do my very best to ensure that the winner receives their prize, but please be aware of your country's customs regulations before entering as I am not responsible for lost or confiscated items. Good luck! :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway