Nail Mythbusters - Can I use a 36 watt UV lamp instead of a 9 watt UV lamp for curing colour gels?

The Experiment: Can I use a 36 watt UV lamp instead of a 9 watt UV lamp for curing colour gels? 

I did a ton of research into whether I could do a set of colour gel nails with a 36 watt lamp instead of the recommended 9 watt. I purchased new colours without thinking and then had a last minute panic about whether I would cook someones hands or feet, so I did an experiment. I figured that there must be other nail technicians out there who had wondered the same thing. Here's the result:

In order to make it a better test I tested the 36 watt lamp on two different brands, ASP from Sally's and my lovely faithful OPI Axxium  Soak-Off Gel Color. I also decided to use myself as the test subject as I would be able to tell quickly if there was a problem or if something wasn't right. 

I started off with the gel base coat. The curing process seemed normal and worked well. There were no adverse effects so I continued top the first colour layer. Again, no problems or areas for concern so I continued to the second layer of colour. I started to feel more and more confident that this was going to be a success, but the true result would only be realised once I had completely finished the set so I added the clear top coat and then wiped of the excess once all steps had been completed. The result was fabulous, just the same if I was doing a set with the OPI Axxium File-Off system which actually requires the 36 watt lamp.

I would be really interested to know if anyone has tried a 36 watt lamp on the OPI GelColor range. I'm going to be offering this shortly but I want to know whether I have to spend a fortune on the OPI LED lamp or whether I can use my 36 watt lamp for this as well. When I'm doing mobile nails in the local area, I don't really want to have to be draggin around more than I have to, as nail tech's out there will know that we need a lot of kit!

Important note: As mentioned in a previous post, I like to think of myself as an OPI purist and would always recommend that you do your research when using a different lamp. These are my personal experiences and I would always try to use the suggested lamp. I needed to try this experiment as I had a set of nails to do but didn't have time to get a 9 watt lamp. I now have a 9 watt lamp and would use this unless I absolutely couldn't for some very good reason.

OPI Giveaway!!! Who wants Red Lights Ahead...Where?

In honour of my new Wonderlust Nails Facebook page, I have decided to offer one of my favourite OPI nail polishes from the Holland Collection - Red Lights Ahead...Where? 

OPI say this "coral-packed red is the hottest in the district" and they are right! So on-trend for Summer 2012 and looks so amazing on any skin tone.

The offer ends at 8pm GMT tomorrow, so get your skates on and enter!

To enter please comment on this post, like my Wonderlust Nails page on Facebook www.facebook.com/wonderlustnails and share the post on Facebook.

If you have any questions then give me a shout! Good luck. xxx

                               

OPI Axxium Gel Nail Overlays

I did my first set of OPI Axxium Gel Nail Overlays on my own toe nails this weekend which was challenging to say the least. It took about as long as I expected but I really hurt my back from bending down to try and see that they were done perfectly. I'm a sucker for perfection which is why I tested on myself to start with, however I think that the only way to get a flawless finish is to be brave and get a model to test it out properly.

COSMETOLOGY AND BEAUTY

Hi Jennifer from Cosmetology and Beauty - I am still waiting for your contact details so that I can send you your prize! Please leave me your email in a comment to this message and I will then contact you to arrange delivery.

I Glitter The Fool

A while back I featured a post where I made some Frankenpolish using Nails Inc Warwick Avenue. On the same day I also had a play around with glitter and the various polishes that I have in my ever expanding collection. The result? More bling than Mr T! 

New York Fashion Week Fall 2012 collections features similar designs.


I would love feedback on which are your favourites!!!

The middle nail, the one to the right of it and the third down from that one has been created using my Frankpolish that was featured in an earlier post.

We Have a Winner....

Thank you so much for entering my first giveaway. I am pleased to announce that we have a winner.....drumroll...COSMETOLOGY AND BEAUTY from Ontario! Well done, I will be in touch to get your delivery details later on today. Pictures of the draw by my Wonderlustette on her birthday can be found below.

Birthday nails - OPI Nicki Minaj, Rimmel, Claire's Accessories and OPI Shatter

Doing the draw the good old fashioned way!

I'm very keen to get my next giveaway up and running as soon as possible, so details of the next bigger and better giveaway will be up in the next few days. You can get up to the minute updates and bonus posts on Twitter, so please follow me @Wonderlustnails.


L xxxx

GIVEAWAY TARGET REACHED!!!!

We've managed to not only reach, but exceed the target of 20 followers!!!! I did promise 1 in 20 odds on the draw so only the first 20 followers will be entered into this particular draw, however everyone will be entered into the next Giveaway which will take place when I reach 40 followers. The prizes will keep getting better as the number of followers increases, so make sure that you keep checking back to Wonderlustnails.


The draw will take place on Saturday and all names will be written on to paper and picked out of a hat, bowl or similar basin-shaped object by my glamorous 'birthday girl' assistant who is going to be 8 years old on Saturday. Comical pictures will be included and the winner will be announced on Saturday evening (bear in mind that I'm in the UK!). I will then message the lucky one privately with my email address so that you can send me your address details. There is absolutely no cost involved whatsoever and I will post the package out as quickly as I can.


Thank you so much for taking part and supporting my newbie nail blog. I really appreciate you taking the time to look at my site, and if you would like me to support you by looking at your own blogs then just ask. Chances are I have looked already, but I am always happy to help.


GOOD LUCK


L xxx

International Giveaway - OPI I Mainely Eat Lobster

Remember that as soon as I reach 20 followers (or Wonderlusters) I will be putting up a draw to win a full size bottle of OPI 'I Mainely Eat Lobster'. 1 in 20 odds are pretty good, so read my Giveaways page for more information!!! We're getting close to that target, so the quicker you sign up, the sooner the giveaway will be.

Professional Beauty Show Countdown

I'm super-excited, only 7 days until the Professional Beauty 2012 exhibition at the Excel in London! My blog posts have declined a bit (sorry about that) because I have been busy trawling the website to find out which exhibitors are going to be attending, and have then been writing buying lists for all of the goodies that I need/want.


I have been speaking to Emma Hawkes at Taunton Nail Training recently about the next training courses that I would like to do. My main priority is the Manicure and Pedicure Diploma, so I need a starter kit for both. There are so many products out there and my first instinct was to stick with what I know and buy OPI, however I am going to keep and open mind and test out the other ranges on offer before I commit.


The next service that I wanted to offer was Minx nail wraps, however after speaking to Emma she has almost convinced me that Trendy nail wraps are the way to go as they have such an amazing selection. Again, I'm sure that there are plenty of brands out there, and should try before I buy. I have almost decided again OPI Nail Apps as the website says that they should last for 2-3 days if applied properly, whereas Minx can last 3 weeks or more!

I cannot believe that I have managed to resist buying this beautiful OPI Professional Case from Lena White, especially as I really, really need one. I have done a bit of online research into alternatives, and to be honest there doesn't seem to be much competition as some of the general beauty cases aren't really fit for purpose and look a bit naff, but again, I'm prepared to wait to make sure.


                                                 


One purchase that I'm definitely going to make a beeline for is the new Holland Collection by OPI. Reason? I'm part Dutch and squealed with delight when I saw this advertised. The names are amazing and the colours are really on trend, and the OPI stand is set to be one of the biggest there!!!! Yay.

Note to self: avoid the Fake It! stand as Chantelle Houghton is going to be signing autographs...yawn. But Amy Childs is going to be there and I love TOWIE so I am definitely getting tickets for her seminar (that's if there are any left).

Adele Does the Louboutin Manicure at the Grammys

You may have seen that I recently featured a black and red OPI Louboutin Manicure on my blog (if you didn't see it then go and take a look).

I'm loving how Adele rocked the Louboutin Manicure at the Grammys, but instead of using the black on the top of the nails, she used a gorgeous silver glittery polish. 

OPI Axxium Soft French Overlays

My friend Jo came over last night to have her gel overlays done on her nails, and I thought that I would post the result. 


Please ignore the uneven length of her nails. She needs to grow some broken nails out, but didn't want to shorten the length of her other longer nails.

She has had overlays done in the past so I knew that I could get an honest opinion from her. She said that she likes how lightweight and natural they feel, and one of the main features of the OPI Axxium is that it is so light, but without compromising the strength of the gel.

Jo had pretty good nails to begin with, but we decided to use the pink overlay gel to make her nails appear even healthier. I also used the soft white on the free edge to create a natural french finish.

Comprehensive Guide On How To Spot A Fake OPI Polish

I have decided to sell a couple of OPI nail polishes through eBay just to see how they do, and I was surprised to find out how many fakes there are out there, so cue my next post.

I have done quite a lot of research on this as I wanted to be as comprehensive as possible, so here are the many ways to spot a fake:

The Front Of The Bottle

Letter "L" of "mL" is upper case and "Fl" is lower case. The font of the number "5" is also very important.

The base of the bottle should also be smooth and even. This is often the quickest way of spotting a fake, as OPI is all about quality, especially on their packaging.

The Back Of The Bottle

Apart from the clear printing of all the information, the order of the 4 lines is also a clear indication of a fake. If the order of the lines is different to the one's shown in the genuine picture below, or the safety icons or font is small then stay well clear.

Embossed Logo on Brush

The real OPI brush has an embossed logo on the top of the brush. It is quite hard to see it and I couldn't get a very decent picture. My advice is to push the paint downwards against the bottle head repeatedly. Because the logo is embossed, you can feel the rough texture.

The Brush Itself

As you can see from the picture above, the brushes are thick, with many bristles and flatten down to produce great coverage. Many copies will have a thinner brush and the poor quality is clear.

Inside The Cap

The inside of the cap isn't smooth it has gear-like ridges all around.

Code Numbers

Original OPI has some code number at the top of each bottle. It is quite hard to see it, but it is there if you take a look properly at the bottle.

There is also a more visible code number at the bottom of each bottle, and this is printed in black.

Double Layered Sticker On The Base

You can see the same code on the sticker at the bottom of the bottle and this is also where you will find the colour code. Make sure the color code matches the name of the color. You will have to refer to the OPI website for the correct code.

There is a "peel here" sign on the sticker and there should be no way of sticking that sticker back on. If you can then be wary! When you have peeled off the sticker, you will see a list of ingredients. 

Ribbed Bottle Base 

OPI bottles have a finely ribbed base. Many fakes can be spotted as there is either no ribbed base or the ribbed texture is chunkier.

Steel Balls

If you put the bottle on it's side and let it rest for a minute, you can see there are two little steel balls in the bottle. If there is only one or none then it's probably a fake. I gave up on trying to take a picture of this as I couldn't get the focus right, however it is very clear to see then when you have an authentic bottle.

Mini Bottles

The usual rules don't always apply to the mini bottles, so there are a few differences to consider.

OPI have lots of mini bottle collections, and these mini bottles don't have the sticker on the bottom of the bottle. There is however a colour code printed on the base. They also don't have the steel balls like the standard sized bottles, but they do have the OPI logo stamped into the brush arm.

Cap Seals

Not all OPI polish comes with a cap seal so if it doesn't have one then it certainly doesn't indicate that it's a fake or that it has been used. The bottles that have this seal on indicate that it has a pro-wide brush as opposed to the standard brush (which is still fabulous by the way!).

Don't Get Fooled By Good Fakes

Good fakes seem to have an embossed logo on the brush, codes printed on the top and bottom of the bottle, however the name of the colour is often incorrect and/or the code doesn't match to the name. Often the sticker looks totally wrong too.

If buying from eBay then be careful to use sellers that specify that their OPI products are genuine. Excellent feedback is not an indication that they sell genuine OPI

Summary


Essentially there are many ways to spot a fake, and using these warning signs will reduce the likeliness of buying a fake, however OPI claim that the only true way to tell a fake is to test the contents of product.


I hope that you have found this post useful and if you have any other methods for spotting a fake then please feel free to post below.

Valentines Nails

I was planning to file off my gel extensions this weekend as they are getting a little bit long and I have a lots of new OPI polish that I'm dying to show off, but I had always wondered whether nail polish would work over gel. I decided to give it a try and knew that I had nothing to lose, because if it didn't work then I would just remove them anyway.


As it was Valentines weekend (Mr Wonderlust is working on Valentines Day) I decided to use the red hot OPI The Thrill of Brazil. I had already filed off my left thumb extension as it had a snag in it and didn't look great hence why my thumb nail doesn't feature much in this post. I'm pleased to report that the polish went on really nicely and dried brilliantly. I was half expecting it to turn into a horrible, gloopy, melted mess as I had no idea if the ingredients of the polish would react with the ingredients in the gel. I am definitely going to do this again to refresh tired french extensions.

L xxx

OPI Axxium Gel Nail Extensions

I decided that it was time to get some more practice in with gel nail extensions as I have to get the knack of working with the OPI Axxium sculpture gel. My natural nails have been growing really well, but I have felt that they are dry and bendy, so I wanted to give them a little added length and strength to help them along.


 Ever since I started training, I found that I was a bit heavy handed with the sculpture gel and brush and as a result, it ended up a bit uneven. One of the main services that I will be offering as a nail technician will be extensions, so I am determined to get perfect as soon as I can. 


I started to practice on tips attached to my freaky fake hand and eventually I felt confident enough to have a go on my myself, and here is the result of my first solo attempt (without the supervision of my tutor Emma from Taunton Nail Training).

Shame about the flash on this one, but you get the idea.

I actually feel happier with the right hand which I was surprised with as I am very much a right hander, but maybe the extra concentration paid off after all.

The pictures above were taken 5 days after I carried out the treatment, and they are still staying strong, however I have learnt the following:

• I need to working on practicing my filing and shaping of the extension as some are more oval than others.
• I need to make sure that all nails are the same length as a couple are a little longer than others.
• Until I build up my experience I need to level the finish a little better and they aren't as even as I would like them to be, although they certainly aren't bad for a first attempt.
• I have to practice the 'rock on' tip gluing method a bit more as the ring finger on my left hand has an air bubble, which shows under the gel and could compromise the finish and staying power of that nail.

As always, let me know if you have any improvement suggestions as I want to get really good at this, and constructive feedback is vital.


L xxx

OPI I Vant To Be A-lone Star In Many Guises

I'm loving OPIs I Vant To Be Alone Star, so much that I tried it with my Rimmel Matte Top Coat and also with Save Me from the Nicki Minaj collection. 


The matte finish looked amazing, especially with the shimmer of the blue on it's own. The end result looked like silk without being too over the top and would be perfect for both the daytime and the evening.

OPI I Vant To Be Alone Star and Rimmel Matte Finish

OPI I Vant To Be Alone Star and OPI Save Me from the Nicki Minaj Collection

OPI I Vant To Be Alone Star on it's own

OPI I Vant To Be Alone Star with Rimmel Matte Finish Top Coat

L xxx

FIRST GIVEAWAY

I have decided to add interest to my blog by offering an OPI giveaway as soon as 20 members have subscribed to my Wonderlust Nails blog. I have added details of the giveaway on the new 'Giveaway' page, so please take a look. You have a 1 in 20 chance of winning, which aren't bad odds, so tell your friends!!!


If you would like to enter then leave a comment at the end of this blog, along with your GFC Name and email address.

Nicki Minaj OPI Polish

I didn't think that it was possible to love nail polish any more than I already do, as I have become a little bit of obsessed...well, more like addicted, especially since OPI entered my life. That was until I realised that OPI were launching a range by Nicki Minaj. 

I waited quite patiently until 2012, and decided to order a set of minis from eBay just after the launch and they finally arrived this week! My set includes very cute mini versions of Did It On 'Em (lime green) Pink Friday (bubblegum pink), Save Me (glitter and holographic streamers) and Fly (turquoise) and I am thrilled to show you the results with the help of my 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son, who just had to get in on the action, not because he is a girly boy but because he is obsessed with the colour green and loves the lime shade.

I started with the usual OPI From Start To Finish Base Coat and Top Coat in one and then painted my daughter's nails in the three bright colours. I added two coats for depth and then added a coat of Save Me on top. If I was doing a manicure on myself then I would add a top coat as well, however I didn't feel that this was necessary on this occasion.

I love all of the colours and the pictures really don't do them justice. I can't tell you how amazing the glittery streamer effect looks and I will definitely need to buy a standard sized bottle of this as it isn't going to last 5 minutes.

I would really like to know what everyone thinks, and as usual this means positive and negative feedback. I would also love to know if anyone has this polish.

P.s You may notice that I have had to do an update on this post, as my OPI Nicki Minaj minis box has a typo - I thought that Save Me was actually Metallic 4 Life. Either someone has made a typo on the box, or the wrong mini bottle was put in. Has anyone else had the same problem? I don't really mind as I have a polish almost exactly the same as Metallic 4 Life and I prefer Save Me a million times more anyway.

Lobster Rocks

I'm loving OPI 'I Mainely Eat Lobster' and I really like coral shades, especially in the summer when I have a tan. This is slightly more on the red than the orange side, and it has a nice bit of shimmer too which would look fab when the sun is shining. Unfortunately is raining non stop and it's cold here at the moment (good old English weather) but I can't wait to try it out on my holiday to Florida this year.

L xxx

OPI Uh-Oh Roll Down the Window

I had a rare 5 minutes this evening and decided to have a little look around some other nail blogs and a particular post caught my eye. OPI have a polish called Uh-Oh Roll Down the Window and I had never looked at it properly because the name was so gross, but I saw it on Addicted to Polish and I think that I'm converted. I decided that it could be a great alternative neutral shade, but OPI - the name is an epic fail.

Credit to Addicted to Polish for the image.

Louboutin Manicure

In my last post I hinted that I have just purchased some new OPI nail polish and had plans for The Thrill of Brazil and Lady in Black, well here it is...the Louboutin.

As you can imagine it was really easy to do, just OPI Lady in Black on the front of the nail and OPI Thrill of Brazil on the underside. Two coast were applied to each side to increase the depth of colour, and I found that  the black on the front showed through on the underside, so a third coat may be require to deepen the red underneath but this depends on the quality of the polish that you choose to use.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to do it on my own nails as I'm a recovering biteaholic, but I'm getting there. I can't remember where I first saw this idea (probably on another blog) but I did a bit of research into getting the right red and I think that the result looks great. Let me know what you think!

L xxx