I have a bit of a different post for you today! Do you have a certain container or bag that you shove all your nail stuff in when you’ve finished painting but don’t have time to put everything away in it’s proper place? Mine is this bag from La Senza that tends to get used as a catch-all when I’m getting ready to go to bed and need to clean the desk (aka the cat’s second bed) off in a rush. When everything is put away properly this bag only stores my core nail care items – the things that you know you’re going to need to do your mani, kept in one convenient place. Well, I cleaned out all the randoms and just left the important things and now I’ve put those things into a short post for you! 🙂
Here’s a list of the things that currently take up residence in my nail care bag:
- Striping Tape – For when I can’t find any of my other rolls, I know there will be one secreted away in my bag.
- Essie Smooth Trick Cuticle Oil – This was the first cuticle oil I tried and I’ve refused to try another brand until I finish this bottle off. It has a nice soft tip that you can use to massage the oil in, and it’s worked well for me so far.
- Dotting Tools – I store them in here instead of the nail art drawer of my helmer because I use them for so many things that I like having them available at my fingertips.
- Julep Emery Board – This is a double-sided board with two different grit levels. As far as disposible boards go this is my favourite.
- Mini Nail Care Kit – Clippers, metal nail file and a general nail care thing (I use one end to clean under my nails and the other for placing gems when I do nail art – if someone could tell me what it’s really for that would be lovely). This also came with mini cuticle nippers but I always loose them. I like how this set came in a cute little case of it’s own. 🙂
- Julep Cleanup Tool – I got this a few months ago in my Maven box and it’s been surprisingly useful. One end is for cleaning under your nails and the other is for cleaning up polish goop when it floods the sides of your nails.
- Tweezers – I use these mainly for placing and removing nail vinyls/striping tape, and you can tell because they ends are splattered with polish.
- Glass Revlon Nail File – I’m not a huge fan of glass files, but I have this one all the same.
- Cuticle Pusher – I was rushing around trying to find a new cuticle pusher the other day and this was all I could find. I need to get a true pusher with a curved edge, but for now this does the job for me.
- Hangnail Clipper – At least, that’s what I use it for. You run it along the side of your nail and it pulls painful hangnails right off with no pain. Woo!
- Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover Gel – I use this before I push my cuticles to loosen up my cuticles and take off dead skin. You apply it for about 15 seconds, do your cuticles, and then wash with soap and warm water.
- Julep Freedom Polymer Top Coat – I always like to keep a top coat in my bag, and this is the one I have in current rotation. Sometimes it’s swapped out for a bottle of Seche Vite or Sally Hansen Insta-Dri.
- Julep Oxygen Nail Treatment – This is one of the polishes I use as a base coat, and just like with the top coat I swap it out between brands from time to time. I’ve also been know to use OPI Ridge Filler and OPI Nail Envy.
When I’m planning to do my nails at work or sitting down at my desk to do a look for myself then I know I just have to grab this bag and a bottle or two of polish and I’m ready to go. It’s nice to have everything gathered in this way, though there are also some daily-care products that live elsewhere (aka in my purse and the bathroom) like my container of Lush Lemony Flutter and my Julep Glycolic Hand Scrub.
And that’s it! I’d love to hear about your own go-to products, and I’m always on the lookout for recommendations. In particular I’m going to need a new cuticle oil in the near future so let me know if you have suggestions. 🙂
Thanks for visiting!! xx
