While I don't miss the chunky, fake looking acrylic nails that I used to sport, I do miss having a manicure that stays put for two weeks. That was really convenient. But the drill they used on my nails was scary, and if the manicurist was wearing a mask... shouldn't I be? Years ago, I decided to nix the acrylic nails.
Then I learned about the gel manicure that was supposed to last 10 to 14 days. This manicure supposedly doesn't destroy your nails, and there is no drill or mask used by the manicurist. I had to try it, and I was pretty happy with the results. They had pretty colors to choose from, and the manicure did last two weeks. Although they did not use the drill, they did buff the top of my nails pretty severely. The gel manicure is placed under a UV lamp, and it is literally completely dry in 2 minutes. Talk about convenient. So I enjoyed the gel manicure for a few months, but I could absolutely feel that my nails were getting weaker. I decided to give my nails a breather, and boy did they need it. They were very weak underneath. I don't think I will consistently get a gel manicure, but it is a great idea for vacations, special occasions etc...
So I was still on the search for a beautiful and safe manicure. During my search, I found this line of nail polishes called Julep.
The fun website is what drew me in. You can take a style quiz to find your style profile. They will then direct you to the line of colors available that they think suits you. My profile was "Bombshell". Love it. I started to read more about this line, and really liked what I was learning. Julep polishes have none of the 3 major carcinogens that many nail polishes contain. Those being, formaldehyde, toluene and DBP's. Scary. This is something I probably wouldn't have thought about in my 20's and 30's, but by 40... I have seen they devastating affects of cancer. I know better than to ignore the danger warnings of carcinogens.
So I ordered a few of these Julep nail polishes, and I really like them. The colors are beautiful, and the brushes are a nice size to make them easy to use. I ordered the New Neutral pack.
If you can remember, I tried another safe nail polish line awhile ago called Acquarella, that I absolutely hated. It literally began to chip within hours. While this polish does not last as long as a gel manicure, it does seem to have a fairly long lasting effect (several days, not hours).
What kind of manicure are you getting? Are carcinogens a concern for you?
