Mani Must Haves
Let’s go back about 8 years when I started my blog and wanted to include my favorite things. Teaching and nails. Lacquer, Teach, Repeat was born. Then I got married and we made the switch to Teacher Golz, but the manicure love stayed strong. One of my most asked questions is about nails - those babies gotta shine on the document camera during our read-aloud - amirite?
I would never recommend any products to you that I do not absolutely swear by - so here we are. I have purchased an undisclosed amount of each of these products and I promise you will love them.
Quick disclaimer: I paint my nails once a week. It is part of my self-care routine and helps me to turn my brain off. I am sure these products would help my manicures last longer than that - but I am a once a week type of gal. Also, Jordan does the dishes. The real superhero.
Let’s Mani!
Remove. Zoya nail polish remover is my only choice. I love when remover works quickly but does not dry out my nails or cuticles. You won’t regret this one. A bonus is the dispenser where you put a cotton ball on top and push down to release the product. Yes, please!
Cut. Any nail clipper will do here. I go square. I also like mine short - but you do you!
File. I like an old school nail file. I have heard glass files are great, but the texture of those is just not for me. I file square and round the corners a bit. Squoval as some might say.
Buff. When you buff you do not want to beat your nails. Just a light buff to smooth the top layer of your nails. You also want to buff the tips. This will ensure that your nails are not sharp.
Basecoat. This is an important step. It will protect your nails from staining (ugh red polish) and keep them nice and healthy! The cool part about base coats is you can treat any issues with your particular nails. Fill those ridges, harden your nails if they are brittle, or use a simple base coat to keep your nails healthy. I tend to love Nail Envy by OPI or Sally Hansen Hard as Nails. Sally Hansen will get a bit goopier as you use it but definitely lays down a protective layer. Don’t go too thick on the base coat because you have a couple more layers coming up!
Color. I have opinions. Lots. The quality of OPI and Essie never fail me. There are other brands I like as well, but these two will always perform. I recently tried Olive and June and I will say their sheer polishes are top-notch! I did not feel the same about their opaque colors, but the sheers are fabulous. There are other great brands out there - Morgan Taylor, Zoya, China Glaze, but you will never go wrong with OPI and Essie. Your best bet for color selection will be Ulta, but they do carry both of these lines at the drugstore as well! Two or three thin layers of color and you are set.
Top Coat. Okay, I REALLY don’t mess around when it comes to the topcoat. I have tried them all. Seche Vite and its “gel sister” Seche Vive will forever have my heart. They are stinky so using them in a well-ventilated space is best. Do I still paint my nails in bed with these topcoats? Yes. Do as I say not as I do. One coat of these will set you up for success! You can top off your tips by doing a thin coat on the tip or edge of your nail to reduce chipping throughout the week.
Drying Drops. Oh my lanta, if you do not use drying drops you are about to thank me. Then thank me again. One drop on each nail will help them dry smooth, shiny, and QUICKLY. No more sitting still forever waiting for your nails to dry and no more accidental smudges when you are trying to accomplish things too quickly after your mani! OPI drying drops are fabulous, but I have recently started using TenOverTen nail drying drops and they have an extra boost that I have loved! They have Vitamin E in them that will moisturize your cuticles along with dry your mani. Win, win, win!
The finale is a tiny little makeup brush and some of your Zoya remover. Take your brush for a dip and clean up your edges. This will take some practice but will make it look like you just got back from the salon. Boom!
Click the image below for links to all products mentioned.
