Nail Nerd

youmeatstarkindustries asked: My nails split and peel really easily. They never did until around this time last year when I started trying out nail art and changing them almost every week, so I thought it might be due to removing polish often, but I always used a high quality nail polish remover like Sally Hansen that promised not to ruin/weaken your nails. Any tips on how to stop them splitting? I've tried different nail strengtheners but they don't seem to work, and I don't bite them or anything.

The splitting can come from a bunch of stuff — diet, hereditary issues, environment, etc. — so your best bet is to just over-love your nails with product to combat whatever’s going on.  Usually the splitting has to do with the nails being dry; oils and moisturizers help a ton with this.  You can pick up some special mani/cuticle oils (I like Orly’s) and use that once or twice a day, then keep a creamy, hydrating lotion on you at all times (again, I go for the Orly Rich Renewal).  Also check out the soaps in your house and make sure they’re the non-drying kind.  You can also pick up some vitamins for hair and nail growth to help combat the drying, splitting and peeling from the inside.   :)  And be sure to wrap the tips when you do your nails (putting an extra bead of polish on the very edge of your nail as you’re doing the topcoat) so that it’s creating a seal right where you’re getting all of the wear on your nails and it needs that extra protection.

Anonymous asked: Hey! When using the Seche Vite top coat, will it work the same with foil as with nail polish?

Unfortunately, no — Seche Vite, while super awesome as a finisher, will absolutely eat up any foils (you may notice as it’s drying that it sort of shrinks and expands, which is the death of any foil patterns).  Pick up a nice, non-quick dry topcoat for your foils (I like the Sally Hansen clear coat) to lay directly over the foil — it’ll seal it down without screwing up the foil pattern at all. THEN you can go in with Seche Vite to wrap the tips and apply a final topcoat.

Anonymous asked: What do you use to get such fine detail in your nails? I assume a striper or some kind of thin paintbrush. If you could advise me on what to buy I would be forever grateful. Ps. I stalk your blog. Your nail designs are incredible!

Thank you — stalk away!  :)  The fine detail stuff is with a MASH nail art brush that I’ve cut off all but two bristles from; if you’re in the market for some brushes, I’d suggest picking up a set of theirs (great value at $10 a kit).

Anonymous asked: Where do you buy the paint for the designs on your nails?

I buy the little craft tubs of acrylic off of Amazon, but you can get it at any hobby store — just look for the string of 8 little plastic buckets filled with craft paint. :)

rowaan96 asked: heey :) your nails are amazing! what type of brushes and top coat do you use? x

Thank you Rowan!  99% of the time I use Seche Vite as the topcoat, and always use MASH brushes for the painting.  The detailed stuff is one of the brushes cut down to only two bristles for more control and finer lines.

Anonymous asked: I will love to have long natural nails but i can't stop eating them, Any advice? P.S: I LOVE YOUR BLOG :)

Thank you!  Try keeping polish on at all times, WITH a generous Seche Vite topcoat — give it a couple of passes, it’ll make the covering on your nails thick, which will protect them both from wearing/chips and you.  There’s nothing all that yummy about a thick coat of paint, and it won’t rip, peel or nibble like a naked or thinly-coated nail.

Oooo, and keep a nail file on you too!  (purse, gym bag, tote, whatever)  When you do get snags on your nails, having a little nail file on hand will let you take care of it right away so you can resist the urge to pull and nibble.

Anonymous asked: I tried to go on your website nailnerd and it says it was hacked, wth is wrong with people. Will there be a new website? Not up with the techy stuff and what happens when your sites been hacked.

I know, it’s horrible!  I’m working on it right now — hosting company didn’t have a backup (awesome) so I’m going through and scrubbing all of the files on my server (which includes a bunch of sites other than Nail Nerd, so this may take awhile…)  Hoping to be back up tonight — late tonight — so check back in the morning.  And thanks for your patience in the interim :)

Anonymous asked: Are Zoya nail polish good?

Absolutely, I love ‘em!  The colors are beautiful and the formula is super consistent and goes on nicely; definitely worth checking out!  You can get one of their collections of 6 to test them, works out to a pretty good per-bottle cost if you pick it up on eBay.

Anonymous asked: Do you paint your toes too? I would love ideas small enough for my toes. Every time I try to do a design on my toes it's too small. ):

I keep a color base on my toes regularly (I live in flipflops all day, it’s the right thing to do) but have never really gotten into decorating them at all.  Stamping is awesome for toes though; you can get an actual design down in seconds vs. painting so that you’re not all bent over yourself for hours.

chaudaucul asked: since i have been an admirer of your superbly honed nail art skills for quite some time now, i'm going to go ahead and tell you and also say thanks for the follow while i'm at it!

Thank you, that’s the sweetest ever!  :)  That kitty gif totally made my morning, too dang cute.

dorijean asked: I saw you liked one of my post, it made my day! You inspired me to start doing nail art....I was born in New Orleans, and miss it dearly. Follow me back?

Will do - I like the LSU ones too!  I’m psyched that you’re doing the nailart (and tickled to be a fun source) — just remember, NOLA will always be here, and your home :)

pandabonbonlove asked: I just noticed that you liked one of my pics. I'm so honored. I've been secretly stalking you for a while (•‿◡✿)

Those tips are awesome!  I’ll stalk you back :)