I have been a salon regular since 8th grade. I had acrylics all through highschool while I played competitive basketball and softball. Yes, I did rip several nails off as a result of that stellar decision.
Anyways, two and a half years ago I had the sweetest little boy in the world – Freeman. I continue to be a full-time working mom, so anytime outside of the office that I am not spending with my kid is not ideal to me. About a year in to having him, I decided it was time for me to give up my habit of almost 20 years – I had to stop going to the salon to get my nails done.
So, I did my research and placed an order on amazon for all the things I thought I would need – and for a year I spent a couple hours every two weeks removing and re-doing my DIY gel manicure. This process wasn’t the best – but it also kept me from having to spend more time away from my child, and my nails looked decent – so I kept at it.
About a year into doing my own gel manicure, I came across Color Street nail strips. I was pretty skeptical at first – how is a sticker going to stay on my nail for any length of time? I am always doing dishes, cleaning, playing outside in the dirt with a two year old – all the things we all spend our days doing that give our manicures a run for their money. But, the price point was low – so I placed an order and thought – why not give this a try?
Here I am, 6 months later, the biggest Color Street fan that I know. I talk about it all the time, it brings me the ultimate joy every time I look at my manicure that looks like it was done at a salon, that I did myself for a fraction of the price.
Color Street nail strips are actual nail polish dried into a flexible strip which applies to your nail similar to a sticker. They require no tools to apply, unlike some other brands previously popular in the industry. The strips last 7-10 days – sometimes longer with glitters and designs.
With the current state of the world, and the closing of many nail salons – Color Street has been the go-to option for DIY manicures / pedicures – even making a debut on the Today Show with Hoda and Jenna this week!
Want to know more about Color Street? Shoot me an email and I would be happy to answer all of your questions! If you are doing your own mani / pedi’s right now I am linking some of my favorite products you can get from Amazon below!
This gel base and top coat duo is great. I still use the top coat with my Color Street nail strips to make them last even longer!
If you get the gel topcoat, you will need this UV Light to cure it. I have this one and it works great – and has a great price point, too!
If you do not want to use a gel topcoat, this Seche Vite topcoat is a great alternative option.
These rubber cuticle pushers are superb. I use them to make sure the edge of my nail strips are pushed down (to avoid lifting around the cuticle!), but they are great for any type of at-home manicure or pedicure process.
Speaking of those pesky cuticles – STOP CUTTING THEM. RIGHT NOW! I used to always get mine cut at the salon and would sometimes hear someone say not to do it – and now I know why. You do NOT need to be cutting them! Use this instead – it will dissolve the dead cuticle skin and you can gently rub it away.
Removal of Color Street is similar to that of any regular polish. It will come off with your favorite nail polish remover. That being said, I discovered Mineral Fusion when I joined Color Street and I have never used acetone again. This remover is spectacular, and actually nourishes your nails while it removes the polish. Yes, it will even soak off that gel topcoat! I recommend buffing the gel prior to soaking though.
Do you remember how the salon would use foil, acetone, and cotton balls to remove your gel / dip mani? Here is the pre-assembled version. 250 come in a box – you will NOT regret this purchase!
That’s a wrap on my favorite DIY mani/pedi products! What products do you use to keep your claws looking fresh while staying #safeathome? Let me know in the comments!