Palm Tree Nails.

Everyone and their mother knows that whenever I feel sad, anxious, happy, mad...or basically any extreme emotion, I like to paint my nails. I know that to some it seems like a "girlie" thing to do...and it is...I'm not denying that...just for me...I forces me to concentrate and stay still so that I won't mess up my nails. I have to stay focused on just my nails for the moment...breaking my focus on whatever is making me feel "extreme" at the moment. Whatever...it works for me. :)

Like I've mentioned in my previous posts, I have been dealing with a wounded heart in knowing that I'll be leaving and saying goodbye to another chapter in my life. I makes me sad that it doesn't seem as if my family does not understand how sad that this can make me seem. In another lifetime, it would of made me frustrated and angry to see my family acting as if this is nothing...the fact that I'm hurting over saying goodbye to where I work for the past couple of years. Now, it just makes me sad because I know that I can't talk to them about that...without them making me seem inadequate to control and suppress my feelings.

So, I find comfort in the small things life. Like painting my nails. My keikis love it when I paint my nails and they are always, ALWAYS excited to see when I paint my nails. I adore how there are plenty of times where they come up to me and tell me what they want to see on my nails...also, I find it very flattering when they come in with their nails painted...and they would run up to me to show me their nails in a very excited matter. Also, there were plenty times where they would tell me that they painted their nails "just like Ms. Charity." :) It makes me smile.

So, today I decided to paint my nails.

A couple days ago Mandy sent me a pin and I decided to use it as my inspiration. So these nails are done for her...but for me and my keiki at the same time. If that made any sense. :) 

I rarely ever...I don't think that I've ever actually posted my nails LIKE THIS! No polish...yes, I know that I've posted my nails when they are chipping, but this, this is something that is a first for me...at least to my knowledge of my memory. But here are my nails when I just took off the nail polish. Not TOO bad looking or stains, considering there is usually ALWAYS some kind of nail polish on my nails. 

Since I usually keep my nails well cared for grooming-wise, I didn't have that much to do in prepping my nails. I was able to cut and trim my cuticles, scrape and buff my nails and I used my favorite hand spa scrub, Mary Kay: Satin Hands; I love the feeling of how my hands feel after using Satin Hands. 

I highly recommend you to always add some sort of nail strengthener. It really helps your nails...especially if they are prone to being brittle. I am blessed that my nails aren't, but I always apply some sort of nail strengthener. It also works as a base coat...which is something that you should always use whenever you paint your nails to protect them from getting stained...also a base coat will help bond your nail polish to your nails for a lasting manicure.

My friend, Ashley, actually gave me this particular nail polish. I rarely ever just have my nails in one color...but this color makes me happy. I love bright, loud colors...and this color is both. 

I then used a make up sponge to dab on white polish as a second layer. I had totally forgotten that this bright green nail polish actually leaks onto other colors on my nails...so after awhile this white color turned into a lighter green...but it worked out. 

My third layer I also dabbed it with a make up sponge...it is a brown, golden color with flakes of glitter. I love glitter and so I chose this one particularly because it had the flakes of glitter in it.

To smooth the colors out, I painted a clear coat over it. I loved the way it was able to smooth it out and connect the colors better.

I then took my fine tip paint brush and drew a palm tree in black. I actually was tempted to keep it like this because it looked like a silhouette against the background of my nails. Maybe next time. :)

I then took another fine tip brush and added two different shades of green on my black palm trees. 

After letting it dry a little, I applied a top coat...and then some quick-drying oil on top of that so that it could quick-dry faster than normal. I really like how it turned out. 

So, it looks like this could possibly be the last design my keikis will see as their teacher. I know that I will visit them and they will see what designs I have on my nails then...but not as their teacher. 

I need to stop thinking like this. But I know that I will be able to move on. But for now...my nails. My palm tree nails...I can look at my nails and still smile. 

Mary Kay: Satin Hands

When my sister and bro-in-law took a trip to California [April 2010], they brought me back my favorite EVER hand spa set. It's by Mary Kay and it's the Satin Hands Pampering Set. I looked up the price and on the Mary Kay Website it was running for $34.00 [although, on amazon.com it could go as low as $19.99). I started liking this when my sister's in-law's gave me this set for Christmas of 2009...and I loved it ever since.

It lasts a long time too. I love doing my nails...I try to do them about once a week...if not at least once every two weeks [when things get too busy], and every time I do my nails, I use the Satin Hands to pamper my hands. I haven't even used the set my sister gave me yet, because I still have the first set that was given me for Christmas. Like I said-it lasts a long time.

Comes in it's own bag!

There are two different types. One smells like peaches and the other is fragrance free. I personally like the scented one. The set comes with a 1) Hand Softener, 2) Hand Scrub, 3) Hand Cream.

The Satin Hand Softener is the first step. This seems more like a thick gel like thingy that you smear all over your hands. At first, I was like, what is this?! But it smells good and it feels like it locks in your moisture that you have in your hands without it making it feel sweaty.

The second step would be the Satin Hands Satin Smoothie Hand Scrub. This one is a lot thicker and has these little beads in it so that it can exfoliate the dead skin on your hands. I usually massage this around my hands for about 3-5 mintues...it all depends on what I'm doing...sometimes I'm watching a t.v. show while doing this *laughs*...so I just wait until a commercial or something so that I can wash off the beads and not miss anything! But when you wash your hands, wow! It's really soft and smooth feeling!

The last step is the Satin Hands Hand Cream.  I love this lotion softener, because on it's own, I like to carry around a travel size of it just to keep my hands moisturized. It goes on a lot smoother then the gel stuff that you first put on. It super moisturizes your hands [and my hands tend to go dry...especially with all the hand washing when I work.]

I would totally recommend this. You can use it really quick and get the same results as when you would take your time...I think as long as you scrub your hands enough with the scrub...it should do it's job. I love this and I know I would use it for years to come...

"What goes around, comes back around....oh baby..."-Beyonce Best Thing I've Never Had [yes, I have that song in my head!]