It’s finally pedicure season around these parts, and since GL is always asking for a mani (which to her means just polish and fancy flowers) I decided it was time for a visit to the salon.
Though there’s a nail place on practically every corner of the city, I hadn’t been inside one for awhile. So it was kind of a shock that the first thing I noticed upon entrance was the horrendous smell.
One of the manicurists had a mask over her face. When GL sat down she asked me why the woman was wearing a mask.
My response came out louder than I intended… Because it’s toxic in here!
It was at that moment I realized this whole going green thing may be making me a little crazy.
But it didn’t stop GL from getting her mani with the cute little flowers.
It did keep me from getting a pedi though — we had to get out of there.
I needed to find a polish to put on at home.
Seems the thing in the nail world is now to go 5 Free which means it leaves out the major nasties that typically make up the product. There are many brands doing this although you may not find them in the salon– you’ll have to bring your own.
My first discovery was Smith & Cult with their hip packaging and cool colors. I went with this one, and immediately realized that underneath the decorative handle is a pretty small applicator which wasn’t ideal for my novice nail polishing skills, but still use-able.
The other one I found and LOVE is by Deborah Lippmann. This goes on smooth and comes in a palette that has plenty of sheer options — perfect for spring and summer! I chose this one
Oh– just because these brands are 5 free doesn’t mean there’s no nail polish-y odor with application. In fact, I tried a few other colors by JIN Soon
So now that I’ve got my nails figured out, it’s time to deal with my feet and the hideous effects of that long winter.
Which nail polish brand do you use and / or love?
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Very fancy nails, GL
Oh, I didn’t know about the 5 Free choices, which sound appealing. I don’t usually have my nails painted, although in spring and summer I sometimes paint my toenails….still, the smell is a red flag for me and so now I want to look into your suggestions. Thanks for taking such good care of us all, Elysha! xxo
ST, I don’t usually paint my nails…I’m way too rough with hands and the polish chips off too quickly. But I love getting pedicures in summer so the 5 free brands are a good option.
Always a pleasure to see you here. x x