Pairing the Mineral Fusion Nail Polish Remover with the Glove Water only Makeup removers

Today I combined two separate products to get the best of both. A while back I received the Glov Water only Makeup removers. Now you know I love reusable makeup removers. In fact i have done my best to eliminate most of the single use products of this sort. I don’t really use disposable makeup wipes. I use makeup removing cloths, usually from Makeup Eraser or The Turkish Towel Company. I have replaced my cotton rounds with reusable ones, so when I received these heart shaped water only makeup removers from Glov I was thrilled to try them out.

They are, as you can see, fluffy hearts. For me they are too small for makeup removal, except for eye makeup, and then they tend to absorb a lot of the makeup remover into them. And the heart shape, as lovely as it is, makes them a bit awkward as it tends to increase the chance of them folding up on me.

However i wanted to try out the Mineral Fusion Nail Polish remover and I needed a cloth to do so. I figured why not pair these Glove hearts with the Mineral Fusion and see how they perform. Oddly enough they performed really well. The fluffiness that causes them to pull product into the interior was actually a benefit because i was twisting the cloth around the nail, the product was pushed out as needed onto the polish aiding in it’s removal.

To be honest, these cloths were fabulous for removing nail polish and then they went straight into the wash, coming out with nary a stain. I am really pleased I thought to use them and will be reaching for them with all of my nail polish removals in the future.

But what about the Mineral Fusion Nail Polish Remover?

This is a Non Drying and acetone free formula. Sometimes I can find non-drying formulas nail polish removers a bit greasy. It is almost as though they go too far in the opposite direction and as soon as the nail polish is removed I feel the need to wash my hands thoroughly so I don’t leave grease prints behind. Not so with this formula. It wasn’t drying in any way but it wasn’t greasy either. The polish came off easily and cleanly. In addition my nails did not feel stripped.

The nail polish remover has a slight orange note to it. It was pleasant to use and left my nails actually smelling a little bit orange-y. Actually there seems to be a hint of vanilla in it so my nails actually smell a bit like a cream-sicle. Which I find kind of amusing.

It also makes me want a cream-sicle.

Whether it was just the polish or a combination of the polish and makeup removing cloth, I don’t know. (If I had any regular cotton rounds here I would try the experiment with it). But because of the combination, I only needed one does of nail polish remover on the cloth to get the polish off of all of my nails. The current nail polish was a silvery purple. I suspect i might need a little bit more rubbing if I used a darker shade, but I don’t think it would require that much more. The silvery shade fairly flew off my nails, quickly and easily with this polish, proving it was both deliciously scented and effective. when looking at costs, using less product helps the bottle last longer as well.

While I am painting my nails less right now, concentrating more on keeping them healthy until the gardening ends in the fall, I will occasionally polish my nails, knowing that the polish won’t last. In the fall and winter, I end up polishing them once a week. No matter how good the polish, I can’t keep my nails non-chipped for more than a week. It just isn’t going to happen. So for me, getting a bottle of nail polish remover to last longer, really helps me out.

For me the Mineral Fusion Nail Polish remover was a winner. I also love the fact that it pairs well with the Glove Water Only makeup removers. I didn’t like them as makeup removers, but using them to remove nail polish will let me put them to good use and avoid having to buy cotton rounds to remove my nail polish. A win for me all around.

Nailing it with OPI Natural Nail Strengthener

I just wanted to take a moment and talk to you about one of my peek gardening season BFFS. During the spring my nails get pretty beat up. There is weeding out what grew in the garden over the winter, there is digging and planting for spring and summer, there is weeding after planting, and weeding when the invasive vines think that you added all those lovely soil amendments for their benefits and oh yeah, more weeding.

even with gloves my nails get chipped and break with routine frequency.

One of the products I use constantly at this time of year is the OPI Natural Nail Strengthener. It applies like polish and actually looks like a shiny top coat so if you are running around it looks like you have clear polish on. After a day and a half it will start to peel off, all of the goodness absorbed into the nails. At this time of year I just take it off and apply another coat. I will keep doing this repeatedly through out the heavy gardening months.

While it won’t prevent breakage, we do have far too many rocks and far too dense a soil for that, what it does do is it keeps most of those breaks from going down deep. I may get a few chips along the nail tips, but my hails won’t break down to the quick. For me, that is the best result I could have and why each year I pick up a new bottle. It is a quick and easy way to look after your nails when you know you are going to abuse them.

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Treating the nails to a little NCLA So Rich Nail Oil

Normally my cuticles aren’t much of a problem for me. I’ve never really been prone to hangnails and in the winter a little extra lotion for my hands keeps everything running pretty smoothly. I do take extra care of my nails in the winter though because once summer gardening starts, even with gloves my hands take a bit of a beating. So generally I will pick up a nail oil to use in the winter time.

However the last two years haven’t been exactly normal and the introduction of multiple hand sanitizer use per day has really taken it’s toll. No matter how much lotion I apply, my hands always seem like they could use just a little bit more. And I have had more hangnails in the past year than I have had in my entire life. So I have been going through cuticle oils like crazy. It has become a nightly ritual and once I actually established it as a nightly routine, the hangnails gradually disappeared and my hands got better.

Incidentally, I know my nails look a little yellow in these photographs. If I wear nail polish consistently and don’t give them a break then they tend to turn yellow. (generally two months without a nail polish break turns them a bit yellow). So when I took of the last polish and saw the yellowing, I applied a nail growth formula to my nails. I generally let it sit for a few days then take it off and allow my nails to be natural until the yellow fades (about a week or so).

But back to the nail oil. There is a bit of variety in nail oils, predominantly in the oils chosen (and to be completely honest if I don’t have a cuticle oil handy, I will use a face oil on my nails. I find it really helps out.

The Treatment oil I have been trying out is the NCLA So Rich Treatment Oil.

Squeeze cuticle oil into dropper for enough oil to apply on one hand. Gently apply and massage drops of So Rich cuticle oil to the nails and cuticles two times a day to nourish and soften the cuticles for easy removal.
NCLA Oil

The two main oils listed are Safflower and sunflower seed oils. The scent is Birthday cake and it Little glittery stars in the oil. The stars don’t actually do anything but they are kind of pretty. They don’t stay in the oil long though and almost as soon as you finish shaking the bottle they begin a slow drift to the bottom. The scent is very much a birthday cake scent. It is that kind of vanilla frosting scent. I find it quite nice.

I really like the dropper that comes with the oil. with cuticle oils I like having either a dropper or a roller to apply it. The oils are something I apply while in bed as a general rule and I know I would eventually spill an open topped bottle. I keep the cuticle oil in my night stand and just before going to sleep I will massage it in. To be honest I do this so that I won’t just wash off the oil with another round of hand washing. Over night seems to give it the best chance to soak in.

While the NCLA So Rich Treatment oil is a good oil and if left to work will soften the cuticles. it is not a fast absorbing oil. I put a little dab on each finger and massage them in. I then wipe off my fingertips, avoiding the tops of my fingers where the oil needs to work. Generally with most nail oils, after I dap off my fingers, I can go to sleep with no issues. With the NCLA oil I have to wait before going to sleep or the oil will spot the bedding. It washes out, but I still am not fond of it. Plus it makes me wonder how much is getting on the bed and how much is staying on my fingers.

Because of this, I have started applying the nail oil earlier in the evening. I also like to read a little before falling asleep. I generally find it is a good way to quiet my brain. (I also generally go for history or other non-fiction rather than something like a murder mystery. I’m actually reading The Ugly Renaissance by Alexander Lee at the moment – highly recommend.)

I can typically keep the oil from staining the book or e-reader and by the time I am done with my nightly reading the oil has absorbed in enough not to wipe off on the sheets. While it works well and in my opinion smells nice, it does need that extra time to absorb. If you give it that time it is fine. Because of that time, and the multiple daily hand washings, I couldn’t imagine using it twice a day as is recommended. I think the during the day application would just be a waste. At night when it has a chance to settle in and stay in the skin for several hours is when you will see the best results with this oil. It is not my favorite oil, but it is a good one and to be honest I would not mind picking it up again. The NCLA So Rich Treatment Oil in the scent Birthday Cake works well, smells nice and looks nice. As long as you remember to give it time to settle in, then it is a pretty good product.

Showing my hands a little Tough Love

Starting in the spring my hands face massive abuse. Even when wearing gardening gloves, the weed pulling digging and various other garden chores tend to take their toll. Truth be told, while I start off each spring wearing the gardening gloves, at some point I forget about them and often work bare handed. A lot of the time it’s because I just happen to be in the garden notice a weed and pull it thinking it’s just one, why get the gloves? Then I notice another one and another and then I’ve spent half an hour pulling weeds.

So I use hand creams and lotions and enter every summer knowing that no matter what polish I put on my fingernails I have at best half a day before chips abound. I also know that my nails will consistently break.

As the summer winds down and the garden chores end for the year, I break out the pumice stones, the hand cream and the nail file. I spend a few weeks without painting my nails with polish and only applying nail growth concoctions designed to make my nails grow long and healthy. I also reach for the cuticle oil because everyone knows a bad hangnail can easily wreck a good manicure. Then once my nails are in tip top condition I sort through my old nail polishes, indulge in buying a few new ones and indulge my love of nail color.

At least until it is time for spring planting once again.

This year I received an EiR NYC Tough Love Cuticle Cream (retail $12) in on of my Petit Vour boxes. While I usually use a liquid oil, I was game to try a solid one and it arrived at the perfect time. I knew I needed more cuticle oil but had not yet purchased it. It’s almost like they peeked into my calendar. Order nail products was listed right after prepare garden for autumn/winter. So with mulch piled high over spent garden beds and my dehydrator drying out a veritable boat load of paprika peppers destined for my spice cabinet, it is time to try out this new cuticle cream.

According to the product page…

For cuticles or other rough patches that need some tender care and love, this balm is a saving grace. Based in shea butter for a lift of heavy-hydration, it’s full of dutiful ingredients that help with stressed-out skin – like neem oil, which holds antifungal properties, and arnica, a known aid for aches, bruises, and swelling. Rub this into cuticles, elbows, or any other small problem areas that could use some extra care.

Key Ingredients: Vitamin E Oil – Boosting collagen production, a connective tissue that keeps skin elastic, Arnica-Infused Olive Oil – Helps to naturally stimulate your body’s healing processes. It can help reduce pain from cuts and bruises, Neem Oil – Deeply penetrates skin to restore moisture and enhance elasticity. Helps stimulate collagen production to heal cracks caused by dryness.

Ingredients
Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit*, Beeswax, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Cymbopogon Martini (Palmarosa) Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Oil, Melia Azadirachta (Neem) Seed Oil, Arnica Montana Flower Extract*, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract*
Eir NY+C

So I opened the metal tin and began to use the product. Surprisingly it smells exactly like the Speak all natural deodorant. It’s a little strange. It also has the same feel to it when you touch it which took a little getting used to. I kept thinking ‘you don’t put deodorant on your nails’ and then having to remind myself it was the cuticle cream. Once I got past that, I was fine.

This year all the pandemic based hand washing has caused me to use more hand cream in general to defend my skin so even though my fingers were rough and beaten up, I had no torn or painful cuticles. I actually paid more attention to my hands this summer than I usually do. However my cuticles still needed some focused attention. There are however no dramatic before and after pictures. They looked fine before and just felt a little dry, now they still look fine but feel softer and much healthier.

I actually enjoyed using this product. Usually when I reach for something for my cuticles it is a liquid oil. I have on occasion spilled it and made quite a mess. This was easy to keep beside the bed and use just before going to sleep. If I knocked it off the night stand it didn’t matter because it was a solid so it couldn’t spill. While it did make my fingers greasy as I rubbed it into my cuticles I just used my product covered finger tips on my elbows which were happy to absorb any product I applied. Once rubbed into my cuticles, my fingers didn’t leave any stains or oil spots on the bedsheets or pillow cases either which was a big plus. Over all it wasn’t a bad product to start my nail care and repair sessions for the season. And while I have been using the product nightly for several weeks there is still plenty in the container to see me through the winter. (It’s hard to tell with the picture but there is a substantial divot in the center of the cream from where I rubbed my fingers.)

For $12 I could see keeping this product around. Personally I would prefer a nicer scent to it, mostly because when I sleep I often curl my hands up near my face and so I tend to smell my hand products as I drift off. This scent wasn’t the most appealing to follow me into slumber land, but it wasn’t terribly bad either. If perfumes aren’t really your thing then that may not be an issue for you. If I didn’t sleep with at least one hand by my head it wouldn’t be an issue for me either. It is a good solid product made with organic ingredients that does exactly what it claims. The container is durable metal and the solid prevents it from spilling. Over all, a really nice addition to my night stand and nail repair routine, plus another fine product from my Petit Vour Beauty Box.

Does the Lauren B Beauty Nail Growth Serum really Work?

The Lauren B Nail growth Serum came in my June Petit Vour box and I have to say I was very eager to try it out. My nails have taken a beating this year. I fought an ongoing battle in the garden with both bunnies and bindweed this year. While the bunnies could be scared off with a squirt from the hose and threats regarding my grandmother’s mustard based marinade, the bind weed was immune to insults.

And empty culinary threats.

I’m pretty sure the rabbits even know that non-lethal hose is my only weapon.

But at least they still run.

The bindweed just sort of digs in deeper and holds on tight. Even with gloves on, my nails needed some help. So again, I was happy to give the Nail Growth Serum from Lauren B a try. But what is it? Well according to the website…

Salvation for fragile, brittle nails that refuse to grow. This sheer blend of amino acids, antioxidants, Vitamins E and C, peptides and biotin sinks in instantly to boost natural nail growth and strength. Brush it directly onto your nails before applying polish, or on bare nails once or twice a day.

Directions: Use thin applicator brush to apply directly onto the base of nails where your nail and cuticle meet (the half moon portion) allow formula to sink in for 5 min before rinsing off, applying polish, cremes etc. Best to use on clean bare nails, or over polish that is completely dried. Use once or twice a day. Pro tip: keep this product on your bed side table and apply each night before bed so you do not forget. This will also allow the formula to sink into your matrix of nail and to work. Keep container closed tight when not in use and stored in neutral environment.

I feel the need to point out that I did not read the full directions before I started applying. I only read the first paragraph (the part before the word directions – yeah I know, I amaze myself sometimes too).

Thumb at the start (with polish remnants)

The first thing I did was trim off the ratty bits on the ends of my nails. The parts that got dinged up in the ongoing battle with Bindweed. Without the damage, my nails tend to be rather healthy.

So I applied it onto my nails and waited for it to dry a little, then applied polish.

I do not recommend doing that. The formula never really dries down and while the polish goes over the formula covered nail well with seemingly no problem, when you go you wash your hands (which I have been doing a LOT recently, as I’m sure we all have) at a later point in time, the nail polish sort of slides right off. Seriously, in one clean sheet. It was most disconcerting, yet oddly intriguing at the same time.

Figuring out that I might have done something wrong, I returned to the site and this time read ALL of the directions.

Yeah, either wash your hands after giving it time to sink in and then polish your nails or just apply it along the cuticles overnight. I tried it over polish, but the formula just felt greasy and I think the polish kept it from soaking in. Just go bare nails for this one is my suggestion.

So once I figured out how to use the product how did it perform?

Well my nails did not grow out by a mile in the past few weeks. They do however feel stronger and less inclined to break and chip. I ended up trimming several of them down because the tips of the nails were damaged from my gardening activities.

I think the trimming eradicated the weakest part of the nails and the serum helped ensure that what grew back was healthier and stronger. I would call it more of a nail strengthening serum rather than a nail growth serum as I think adding the word growth creates different expectations.

Yes, stronger nails are less likely to break and therefore grow longer, so it isn’t a misnomer, I just think it is really about strength not length.

I also think that having to pay nightly attention to my nails helped as well. I found myself filing small dings and trimming away ragged bits nightly instead of when I sat down to do my nails (once a week).

The nightly attention helped them out a lot as well. I don’t think this will be a continuous use product for me, but I could see keeping it on hand for the times when my nails do take a beating.

As I know that occurs two times a year, once when I deal with the garden in the spring and once in the fall when I prepare the garden for winter, it would get use then. Since I trimmed and filed the dings and chips out of my nails before applying it each night, it also kept small divots from being large breaks. It forced me to take care of problems when they were small rather than leave them for the week and possible additional damage the following day.

I think if I knew I was going to an event I wanted my nails to look nice for, I might use it the two weeks prior to the event so that I could ensure I paid attention to the nails. Do I consider this an essential item to keep around, no. Nor do I consider it some sort of miracle growth formula, but it is kind of fun to add to my at home manicure while it lasts. It was also a nice product to get in a subscription box as I don’t know if I would have ever picked this up on my own. As the subscription box was Petit Vour, I also know that this product is clean, vegan and cruelty free. While I tend to think of those elements in my skin care items, I don’t always think of them when dealing with my nails. Perhaps in the future, I will.