Tag Archives: talons

May16

New Alien Green & Black Nails

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New Alien Green & Black Nails

Hiii everyone and happy Tuesday! Yesterday, I participated in Mani Monday and got my beloved talons filled. I prolonged my length between fills from three to three and a half weeks and was actually quite surprised at how un-janky they looked. In fact, I probably could have waited a little bit longer but I had nothing to do yesterday so I figured that I would get them done. So, this time I will probably see if I can stand going four weeks until my next fill because ballin on a budget. But, enough about that, let’s see these bad boys!

claws

^^^ Pretty! :*)

When my dad asked me what I was doing yesterday and I told him that I was going to get my nails done, he asked if I was going to get them taken off. LOL, I don’t think that that’s ever going to happen. My claws make me so unbelievably happy and it’s really the one “treat yoself” thing that I do, considering I dye my hair at home now. I can’t picture myself without them and, damnit, I don’t want to!

Unfortunately for this fill, I ended up picking the worst shade of green because in the bottle it looked super neon but on the nail it just looks kind of thin and dull. But that’s okay, because the overall effect is still really nice! I got the sparkle hearts top coat on my accent nails last time and I loved it so much that I had to get it again. Without them, I would have been super disappointed in the green and asked to pick out a different color but I’m not that picky and still like the finished product well enough just the same.

Regardless of how I feel about the blah green, I have already gotten a ton of compliments on them in just one day thanks to my nail tech, Steve’s, nail wizardry. So, I guess the wait out for my next fill won’t be all that bad! What color of nail polish do you have on right now? How about on your toes? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr22

New, Fabulous, Super Cute Nails!

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New, Fabulous, Super Cute Nails!

Helloooooooo everyone and happy weekend! This Thursday I got my nails done and holy moley am I obsessed. Seriously, this just might be my favorite fill of all time. Because I always opt for black on all of my talons but two accent nails, I try to make those two nails extra fun. Errr… I pick out the polish and my nail tech, Steve, does a brilliant job of making them look extra fun. Like my previous nail tech, Vinny, Steve spoils me rotten. I’ve been going to Steve’s salon (he is the owner) for the better part of two years so he always makes sure to spend lots of time making my nails look fierce. Take a look at his latest creation:

pretty

^^^ LOVE!!

For my accent nail this time around, I knew that I wanted it to be red but I also didn’t want it to be plain. After spending some time at the polish rack while Steve was at lunch, I found this super great top coat that has glitter and confetti hearts and stars in it and I was sold. It was admittedly kind of a pain in the butt for it to be applied because if it wasn’t done right, the confetti would just clump together. But Steve made sure that I had an accent nail with expertly placed hearts all over it. What a guy!!

Every three weeks I go to Empress Nails to get my talons fixed up and I am never disappointed. I have no problem shelling out about twenty-five bucks a month to get my nails looking right, all while having an hour or two to myself to relax. My acrylics are my ultimate TREAT YOSELF accessory, but they make me happy and their gorgeous appearance is always well worth the price!

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So there you have it, my New, Fabulous, Super Cute Nails! How do you treat yoself when it comes to getting pampered? What color of nail polish do you have on right now? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar31

New Purple & Black Nails

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New Purple & Black Nails

Hi everyone and TGIF! Yesterday was super fabulous because when I went to get my beloved talons filled, I was pleasantly surprised to see VINNY at the salon. For those of you who don’t know, Vinny was my former nail tech who unfortunately works at a salon that is over an hour away now. Sweet Vinny was helping out for the day and although he couldn’t do my nails, he took me out to a delicious, boozy dinner after he was done at the salon. It was basically the best day of my life and I was so happy to finally be able to spend some much needed quality time with one of my favorite people on the planet.

Despite Vinny not taking care of my nails, they still look fabulous – compliments of STEVE! I am freaking obsessed with the OPI shimmery purple shade for my accent nail and legit can’t stop looking at my freshly filled claws. Check it out:

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I’ve grown increasingly fond of all things sparkly as of late for my accent nail and can’t get enough of my latest color choice. I pointed out to Steve how this OPI shade doesn’t look like it just has a teaspoon of glitter thrown into it, which I liked. He then explained to me that OPI uses ground up crystals in their polish to give it that gorgeous shimmer and I think that that’s the coolest thing ever! I definitely plan on using more of their OPI shades in the future so that my accent nails can achieve that extra touch of glitz that isn’t obnoxious.

Super special shout out to my favorite nail techies, Vinny, Steve, and the darling Tina (Steve’s wife)! I freaking love you guys! ❤

I hope everyone has a fabulous Friday and a super fun weekend. What accent nail color should I get next? What color of polish do you have on currently? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar9

New Hello Kitty Pink & Black Nails

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New Hello Kitty Pink & Black Nails

Hii everyone and happy Thursday! I just returned from a lovely afternoon at the salon because homegirl needed a fill. After going to a different salon to get my set of acrylics on, I returned to home base and went back to my normal salon for the fill. I don’t know, I just wasn’t feeling the other one. 1) The lady was scary. 2) She hurt my nails like a mother. 3) They charged five dollars extra for long nails, which is annoying. It felt good to be back in familiar territory and I think that my nails turned out really nice! I went with the light glittery pink from OPI’s Hello Kitty collection and, of course, BLACK! Take a look but bear in mind that pictures really don’t do them justice:

pink

Not only was it nice to see all of my favorite nail techies again but it was also fabulous to get my middle finger crosses back! I missed them!! If you recall from last time, I was too scared to ask the lady who did my set for it. Yikes! I do miss my former nail tech, Vinny, terribly but good ol’ Steve did a bang up job so my tried and true salon is where I will stay forever and ever, amen. ❤

What color of nail polish are you currently wearing? What is your favorite color of polish to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Feb17

New Nails!

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New Nails!

Hey everyone and TGIF! As you guys know if you follow my stiletto nail saga, I have a wonderful relationship with Vinny, my nail tech. He is such a fantastic friend and a nail wizard but, unfortunately, is now working at a salon closer to his home but way far away for me. I wouldn’t have minded continuing to go to the salon that he worked at previously but I was never happy with how the other technicians working there did my nails when Vinny couldn’t. So, I began the hunt for a new salon to go to.

I searched through Google, asked for recommendations from friends, and turned to Facebook which helped me settle on a salon that’s a whopping two minutes away from my house, LT Nails. For the most part, the salon had excellent reviews and their prices were fair so I figured that I would give it a shot. I’ve been itching to get new nails for a while now as I’ve had the same set since the beginning of November so the technician at LT hooked me up with these little beauties:

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Now, wait, something appears to be missing…My middle finger crosses perhaps? Yeah. I honestly wasn’t sure if the salon even had airbrushing because it wasn’t advertised on their price menu and also the lady who did my nails kind of scared me. But, that’s no big deal, I’ll snag some nail art pens or something elsewhere and draw the crosses on myself because how hard can it be?!

Anyways, I’m really happy with how my nails turned out, especially because they’re longer than the old set that I had taken off. I wanted them long enough for them to still feel like talons but short enough to be functional and I think that this was a good in between length. But, I am secretly looking forward to them growing out a little!

The one thing that I wasn’t too thrilled about at LT asides from my fingers getting stabbed quite a few times was that they charged five dollars extra for all services involving long nails. I mean, okay, I get it because they do take more time but I had never been to a salon or even heard of one doing that before which was a little annoying. So, now I’m on the great debate of continuing to go to LT when I need a fill or going to my old salon to see if a tech that I haven’t been to before could potentially do a good job. Oh, what a tangled web we weave!!

But, regardless, my new nails still look really good which is all that matters, I guess! Who else likes to sport stiletto nails? What is one of your favorite nail polish colors to wear? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jan13

Black & Neon Green Nails

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Black & Neon Green Nails

Hi everyone and TGIF! Yesterday was crazy busy for me but because I always get my nails done on Thursdays when I need a new set of nails or a fill, I just had to make time to see my beloved nail tech, Vinny, so he could get me right. I usually get my nails filled every three weeks for twenty bucks and honestly it’s the best money that I spend all month. To me, there is nothing better than taking a breather and being pampered before you have to step back into the real world. And, of course, it is always so fun hanging out with Vinny and the salon gang for an hour or two!

Last fill, I was loving the hot pink accent nails that I picked and I decided to go bright or go home again this time with neon green and a coat of sparkles over top of it. As always, the rest of my nails were black with an airbrushed cross on each middle finger. I’m thinking of upgrading to gemstone crosses next fill, though! I’m so obsessed with how my nails turned out yesterday and they might just be my favorite fill yet. Check it out:

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LOVE!!!!!

After a delightful rendezvous at the salon, I went to get myself some Starbucks with a Christmas gift card before heading to the skating rink to coach for the Special Olympics. As I was being rung out, the barista asked for my name and when I told him it was Sarah he checked to see if it was with or without an H (I love when people do that!). After I told him that it was with an H (the best way), he told me that he’s “always told that the H is for ‘high maintenance'”. I guess that has to be true, considering that I was just coming from getting my nails done!

What is your favorite nail polish shade right now? What color should my accent nails be next fill? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec23

New Hot Pink & Black Nails

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New Hot Pink & Black Nails

Hiii everyone and TGIF! Yesterday, I had a little pampering party to get myself perfect for the holiday weekend. I got my nails filled in the morning and then spent the evening dyeing my hair to get it nice and bright red for Christmas. As always, my nail tech, Vinny, did an amazing job shaping and sharpening my nails. I opted for a color for the accent nail that I rarely pick but am actually loving right now. Hot pink! It is far from your classic, run of the mill highlighter hot pink but more like a bright fuchsia and I think it is so fun! Take a look:

nails3.jpeg

The color looks admittedly red in this picture because poor camera quality but you get the point! Normally, when I am picking an accent nail color, I go with red or shades like grey, beige, or white. This new accent nail color is definitely out of my comfort zone considering I don’t own one pink item in my wardrobe but I’m glad that I went for it! Small changes to your daily routine are always fun and the little things like a new nail polish color or lipstick can really set yourself up for having an amazing day. Make sure that you find time to TREAT YOSELF this holiday season!

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I hope everyone has a fab Friday and a great Christmas Eve Eve! What accent color should I pick next time I get my nails filled? What is your go to shade of nail polish? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec5

Pampering Party (Wahhh!)

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Pampering Party (Wahhh!)

Hi everyone and happy Monday! This past week has been not the best at Chez Red because I have literally been sick for seven days straight. I have had an absolutely miserable cold complete with cough, body aches, headaches, sore throat, the chills, and night sweats. On top of feeling like DEATH, it is now finals week at school which is super stressful which seems to just make me sicker!

I am feeling very bitter about this bug because it completely ruined the pampering that happened last week which I was so looking forward to. I was scheduled to dye my hair, get my nails filled, and get a haircut. These are all things that I freaking love to do and unfortunately, I felt miserable to the point that I couldn’t enjoy any of it during each pampering activity.

My hair dying sesh resulted in a bloody nose and massive chills. Thanks to frequent nose blowing and an accidental stab from my talon acrylics, I was left with a bloody nose worthy of sticking a tampon in. Then, the cold water shower which was a necessity to washing out the dye and maintaining a lustrous shade of red left me in shivers in my skivvies for days. In hindsight, dying my hair and doing a cold water hair wash while sick was just plain asinine but damnit, my hair needed it real bad!!!

Later on in the week, I needed to get my nails filled so that they could be perfect for my graduation ceremony next week. Probably not the best idea either. The strong nail polish smells at the salon went straight to my head and not even my beloved nail tech, Vinny, could help me feel better. The worst, though, was when my nails were put in front of a fan to start the drying process. I instantly began to sweat and get clammy and I like to think of myself as a not sweaty person. I left the salon a big blubbering ball of phlegm and damp clothing but my nails looked fabulous, darling.

And finally, this weekend it was time for a haircut. I was so looking forward to getting my hair styled for my big day and wanted nothing more than to sit comfortably in the chair and let my stylist work her magic. Naturally, this didn’t happen. My week long nightmare left me feeling so achy and irritable that everything made me want to scream, or cry, or BOTH. So best believe when those little bitty microscopic hairs got snipped from my head and wound up down my shirt I was about to have an emotional breakdown. I’m telling you guys, it’s hard out there for a pimp.

Now that I am feeling about eighty percent better, I can finally fully admire the work that was done on me. My hair looks gorgeous and my nails are fierce. But at the time, nothing made me feel happy or attractive which is surprising considering I tried to surround myself with all things pretty! A Pampering Party did happen but it was not fun or relaxing in the slightest. I can only hope that the next time I need to throw some paint on the old barn that I am feeling in tip top physical condition!

Who is suffering from a winter cold or flu right now? What are your go to remedies for easing the yucks and aches? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Nov11

They’re Baaaack

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They’re Baaaack

Hi everyone and TGIF! Okay, so this week’s Monday Update involved me freaking out because I broke one of my natural nails that I have been trying so freaking hard to grow out in lieu of getting acrylics. Well, two days after that, another nail broke so I said “fuck it” and went to get my claw babies back on Thursday. After about a year of being talon-free, it felt so good being back in the trusted and true hands of my beloved nail tech, Vinny.

As I mentioned before, asides from dying my hair, getting my nails done is my absolute favorite way to pamper myself. I love being able to sit back, relax, and let Vinny work his magic and make my nails look pretty. One of the things that I love the most about long nails is how they make my hands look. Naturally, my hands are quite small and stumpy but lengthy nails make my hands look elongated and beautiful. When I had to cut my natural nails after two of them broke, I was so sad to see my hands shrink down to their bitty size right before my eyes. But now, everything is as it should be and having janky nails is one less thing for me to worry about. Take a look:

nails

The other main reason that I wanted to get my nails done was for my graduation which is coming up on December 15th. I told myself that if I can’t get my natural nails how I like them, then I would treat myself to my acrylics and I am so glad that I did! I do wish that they were a little bit longer but they will do for now and Vinny said he’ll take care of it when I get them filled – he’s such a gem! :*)

Now my graduation ceremony beauty check list for looking fab as I strut across the stage looks something like this:

  • Get nails filled.
  • Dye hair.
  • Get a hair cut.
  • Put together a graduation ceremony worthy outfit!

I am so happy to have my nails back but it has been a doozey of a twenty-four hours while I get used to living my life with talons again! So far, everything is going just fine minus a small scare with my car door. Other than that things are A-okay – especially now that I can put my babies to work on my laptop keyboard again! LOVE IT! ❤

I hope everyone has a super fun and relaxing weekend! What kind of outfit do you think I should wear for graduation? Who else has a passion for long nails? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Mar12

Beauty Bloggers: HELP!!

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Beauty Bloggers: HELP!!

Hello everyone and happy weekend! Once upon a time, I had the longest, fiercest, and sharpest acrylic stiletto nails in the world. I loved them so damn much but unfortunately, the price of upkeep was just getting to be too much. I’ve been without my talons for a solid half a year now and I’m missing them something fierce. But here’s the rub, I really don’t want to pay for acrylics now that I haven’t been shelling moolah out for nail maintenance for six months!

I’ve been trying to grow my nails out to at least get them somewhat lengthy but I’ve been having a really hard time. After the removal of my acrylics, my nails were really brittle and would barely grow. Luckily, I’ve moved past that stage and my nails can and are growing. My nails start out strong in their effort to grow out but then they will reach a certain point and just get flimsy as can be. We’re talking that if I bent them hard enough, they would probably break.

I would really love some suggestions from the beauty gurus on here about how to strengthen and grow out my nails. I’ve been trying to keep my nails hydrated with hand creams like I’ve been told on Facebook. I also recently just applied a hardening base and top coat when I painted my nails over the weekend because my BFF said that that might help. I know that I’ll never get my real nails to be anything like my old claws seen below but I would love to at least have some length to them!

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Beauty Bloggers – I need your Help now more than ever so if you have any tips at all it would be so very appreciated! I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah