Longer Lasting Manicures

Since my new job didn't work out so well I decided to console myself with a new way to polish my nails. Because polishing my nails brings me joy and I kinda need that right now. But enough of my boring personal crap, on with the new mani. So as a blogger it's important to keep up with what other bloggers are doing. So I was over at The Small Things Blog and noticed that she had a post called I Broke The Rules. In the post she shows you how to make a manicure last way longer using the Activator from the Nutra Nail Gel Perfect nail kit. So I thought, I needed to try it and report back. And since I have a Nutra Nail Gel Perfect kit already I was already half way there. I decided to use a different base and top coat than she used but here's  how it fared after 4 days, four showers, four shampoos, and four homemade dinners.

In case you are wondering that's China Glaze Black Diamond and China Glaze Tinsel Town on my nails.

Want to know how I did it? Of course you do. Here's what I used and how I made my mani last four whole days.

You will need Nutra Nail Activator, a top coat, a base coat, and a polish of your choice. Since I just got Mermaids Tears and was dying to try it out that's what I used. 

First you will need to start out with clean dry nails. Cuticles pushed back and nails filed. 

 Next apply a coat of the Nutra Nail Activator (don't forget the free edge) and let it dry completely. It may not be perfectly flat but that's okay because after a base coat and polish it will smooth right out and you won't notice any ridges or bumps.

Apply a base coat and don't forget the free edge. Then let it dry as usual.

Apply two coats of nail polish and let dry. Then add a top coat making sure to get the free edge. And because I totally spaced a picture post-polish but pre-top coat here's a pic of my nails after top coat. 

Then if you are like me and want some kind of pattern you can add a stamped pattern (I used Shany plate SH18). Or you could do a sparkly glitter covered accent nail. Maybe a coat or two of China Glaze Lux and Lush on the ring finger or something. For me though I felt like stamping because I haven't done it in a while. And by a while I mean well over a month and my nails missed having patterns on them. 

It was while I was waiting for my nails to dry that I noticed something interesting about the Nutra Nail Activator. The smell of the Activator reminded me of a product I already had. So as I was drying my nails I decided to figure out where I knew that smell from. Turns out it was my nail glue. They had the exact same smell. The reason why the two smell exactly alike, is because they are exactly alike. Activator is glue, glue is Activator.

Here's the ingredients for the Nutra Nail Activator. Taken right from the side of the box. 

 And here is the ingredients for my Nail Bliss Pro Brush-On Nail Glue.

See all the same stuff in each bottle. So essentially the Activator is really just nail glue.

So you could easily use a coat of brush on nail glue in place of activator and get the same effects. 

So you decide. Buy the Nutra Nail Activator in the Gel perfect kit ($11.99 -13.99 depending on where you buy it) or if you are only interested in the Activator buy the Nail Bliss Pro Brush-On Glue (I got mine on sale at Sally Beauty for $1.99) or any other brand of nail glue with the same  ingredients and bam 4 day manicure. Either way you have a manicure that will last for several days, plus you can use any color you already have. Just remember that you will need 100% acetone to remove the polish because both the glue and the Activator are pretty tough stuff. Has anyone else tried this method? Do you like it? Leave me a comment below and let me know how it worked for you after you've tried it. And as always stay classy and stay polished. XOXO