11 more Pounds down. That's almost 4 bags of sugar Trophy! #Diet Rocks

Dearest Trophy: Restarted the Trophy Wife Makeover and 11 pounds down so I get my first reward - Nails done all long and Trophy style.  I think Pink since I'm re-living my Pink Day this weekend.

We lost another inch off the waistline. Yeah! This Trophy Wife is on her way to getting to goal and grabbing some new bling courtesy of Mr. Trophy for reaching it!

Fit N Fabulous:  Total Body Sculpt with Gilad. A discovery channel recording of a great full body workout.  We will get that trophy wife body.  Gilad gives great instructions and always shows an alternative lower impact version of his high impact exercises. Look for Gilad Workout DVD’s at  - http://bodiesinmotionwithgilad.com/   Or check on youtube by entering Gilad workout in the search engine (here is an address to a quick warm-up http://youtu.be/Kkdsewe7RrE

Spaliscious Skin:  Slather on a rich cleansing facial cream and remove with a warm cloth. Today my choice is Noxzema.  The Original Deep Cleansing Cream reaches deep down to the pores to remove dirt, oil and makeup. It refreshes with that classic Noxzema tingle and conditions as it cleans, so your skin feels softer and smoother. 

Mani/Pedi Miracles: Milk Soak Foot bath to soften feet. The high concentration of lactic acid in milk works to soften feet and eat away at dead skin cells. Vanessa of Blush Spa also suggests buttermilk for added milk strength, which has a higher amount of lactic acid than regular milk. Soak feet for 20 minutes and then rub with a foot brush or pumice stone to slough off remaining dead skin. Then rub feet with Vaseline and cover with thick cotton socks to help feet retain moisture. Leave socks on as long as possible.  Makes for super soft tootsies.

Lipgloss &Lashes: The Spring Makeup Looks are fresh and clean this season.  This week I’ll mimic some of the looks seen on the catwalk for spring. Long twiggy like lashes, tops and bottom lashes coated with mascara, accented with lash extensions and given greater impact when worn with white eyeliner.  Nude lips and flawless skin are the perfect combination with this look along with a bold brow.  I also like the vibrant green and blue creamy looking shadows that are placed boldly on the eyes – but I’ll save that look for another week.

Fashionista/Trophy Wife Style: I am loving pintrest for the great pictures of fashion, food, fitness and trophy ready ideas that are displayed.  Check out Trophywifediet on the site and enjoy the boards I have created full of fashion and style photos that are show superb trophy wife style. http://pinterest.com/trophywifediet/

Stupid Fat cells: Muscle weighs more than fat

Dearest Trophy:  Taking another look at this because I need to understand why the scale did not move today!!  Science!  Pants are fitting better and I feel the energy .. but this Trophy wants to see the numbers move..  I am willing to except the reality though that Muscle weighs more than fat - while fat takes up more room than muscle. Here is the News Flash!! What I recently learned and just had to share with you is that 1 pound of muscle while about a 1/3 of the size of 1 pound of fat -can hold up to 3 pounds of water.  Fat doesn't hold that much water so it's just enlarged fat cells weighting around for us to shrink (or enlarge) them.

WHOA!!  So while it kind of frustrates me it does explain to me why the scale doesn't move sometime.  So Diva this means instead of freaking out when that scale does not move, instead we need to grab a tape measure and track inches.  Another great idea is to grab a pair of tight pants and try them on ever so often to  see how they feel.

A Pink Day Living Trophy

Dearest Trophy:  Today should be a pretty fun Day – Last Day of Mr. Trophy’s is off–so I’m giving him space to veg in front of TV...all day while I keep creating the life we Love. Today's theme - think Pink!

Fit N Fabulous:  Pilogo Class – Pilates & Yoga class in one at an STL Club Fitness class taught by Nancy- Great for tightening our CORE area. Too hot for bike ride today in the STL.

Spaliscious Skin: Skin brightening strawberry facial to tone skin and minimize pores.

Mani/Pedi miracles: #Instylemagazine Color of the Day Cotton Candy – makes us feel so spring ready, 2 coats on hands and toes with a little sparkle added to ring fingers and big toe for panache.

Lipgloss &Lashes: Just finished reading Bobbi Brown

Makeup book – going to use her tip on adding lashes to the outer corner of the eyes for “pop”.  I'm going to create some fabu cat eyes and plenty of pink gloss with Mary Kay Cosmetics.

Fashionista: Loving the look of light weight sweater with wide grosgrain ribbon tied in bow at neckline or shoulder. Going to create look with pink sparkle Sweater that I grabbed brand new at a flea market!!

Trophy Wife Style: Made Fabu Pillowcases yesterday and actually ironed them. Need to add Monograms (maybe I'll make mine pink), to the small pillows with Ribbon Today along with our long list of fun to do’s today like make jewelry.

Jump Rope for Weight Loss

Dearest Diva:
Like you I want to maximize every movement and lose extra pounds as quickly as possible.  So I am always on the lookout for activities that burns the maximum amount of calories. 24 calories vs. 4 Calories per minute. This is how I discovered jumping rope. Read on and get to skipping!  Enjoy   -Love Diva

Looking for an exercise high on calorie burning but lower impact on your knees than jogging. Well skip to the lou my darling and grab a jump rope.

You can start immediately no matter whether your a fitness novice or a seasoned gym pro. Jumping rope can burn about 24 calories per minute vs simple walking that burns about 4 calories per minute.

Digital Jump Rope - counts repetitions

Increase stamina and agility while having fun with a simple jump rope by Golds Gym for about 4$ or a high tech digital weighted rope for 31$ from GNC.

Jumping rope will burn fat all over while improving your cardiovascular health.  You'll also get the added benefit of toning your body while decreasing cellulite.  Not to mention there is not a more portable piece of exercise equipment around.

7 pounds in 7 days: Iaso Tea

Dear Trophy:
 I am so excited, just lost 7 pounds in 7 days on a new product I'm trying.  It is a tea from Total Life Changes (totallifechanges.com/feeltheresults).  Iaso Tea!  My father had a "tea party" for men and women and introduced me to the tea and some other products that are good for your health, lowering symptoms of various illnesses and WEIGHT LOSS.  You know this Diva was up to trying it.  I am excited at the results

so far and will update you as I go.  If you want to find out about it as I go on my journey you can order it at 1.888.873.1898 rep # 2467971.  They also have HCG Life Drops for people who are looking for faster Weight Loss.  We are talking 1-3 pounds per day according to the rep!  Toodles Trophy Wife  -ANGIE

Citrus Tilapia: Trophy Wife Diet

Trophy Wife Diet Special Meal- Citrus Tilapia

Dearest Trophy: Something Special for Dinner that fits into our plan.  We eat delicious not deprived. Along with your 2 TrophyWife Light meals today enjoy this great citrus tilapia recipe with fresh steamed veggies and a serving of brown rice for a great meal.

Breakfast: Vanilla Protein Shake with handful of frozen strawberries and overflowing tablespoon of vanilla yogurt whipped to frothy perfection.
Lunch: Mixed Green Salad with 1 chopped boiled egg and 1 tablespoon of mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top and sprayed with Asian Balsamic Dressing.
Dinner. 1/2 cup Brown Rice seasoned with dash of Cajun spices, large serving of steamed broccoli and this awesome Citrus Tilapia Dish.
Recipe-

2 tbs flour

Salt and Black pepper

Cayenne Pepper (sprinkle)

1 pound tilapia fillets

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs butter

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon grated ginger

1. Add Cayenne pepper, Salt and Black pepper to flour to personal taste, then coat tilapia on both sides with flour mixture.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the fish and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden. Remove the fish and set aside.

3. Stir together orange juice, 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, and the ginger in the skillet and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened. Taste and add lemon zest or more lemon juice to taste. Return the fish to the skillet, spoon sauce over fish, and cook for 2 minutes, or until heated through.

Snack- 1/2 sliced green apple. 
Mocktail- Pink Lemonade Crystal Light with slices of frozen strawberries instead of ice. mixed with 5 oz water, 5 oz of diet ginger ale.

Crab Salad: Trophy Wife Makeover Meal

Crab Salad

• 8 ounces lump crab meat or crab substitute
• 2 TBS of Light Mayo (You may choose to add up to 3)
• 1 TSP finely grated lemon zest (optional)
• 2 TSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 TSP Old Bay Seasoning 
• 1/2 TSP such as Tabasco

(no old Bay-mix salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder & pepper to taste)

Mix ingredients together and serve chilled atop a bed of butter lettuce or serve with crackers.

 Trophy tip: I had a few crackers paying attention to serving size, the type I used was 35 calories for 4 crackers. (It can add up)

Trophy Wife Diet Makeover: Muscle weighs 4 lbs??

Everything's Diva  *  Everything's Diva  *  Everything's Diva

Dearest Diva:  You have probably heard it before Muscle weighs more than fat - while fat takes up more room than muscle. Here is the News Flash!! What I recently learned and just had to share with you is that 1 pound of muscle while about a 1/3 of the size of 1 pound of fat -can hold up to 3 pounds of water.  Fat doesn't hold that much water so it's just enlarged fat cells weighting around for us to shrink (or enlarge) them.

WHOA!!  So while it kind of frustrates me it does explain to me why the scale doesn't move sometime.  So Diva this means instead of freaking out when that scale does not move, instead we need to grab a tape measure and track inches.  Another great idea is to grab a pair of tight pants and try them on ever so often to  see how they feel.  I did this recently with a pair of jeans when I had been really good diet wise, but the scale did not reflect it.  The pants showed the weight loss when the button was no longer digging into my muffin top.

**Motivation - Not excited by a small weight loss.  go grab a bag of sugar and reflect how that 4 lb bag would look added to your body.  Where would you add it??  And Where have you lost it??

Trophy Wife Makeover: Green Tea Tips

Dearest Trophy:  Starting today’s trophy Wife life with a “green tea” theme. Researchers are still finding benefits to green tea and adding it to everything from skin creams to shampoo.  Here is how we are putting it to use during the trophy wife makeover.

**Update: 7/2013**  

Dear Trophy:

 I am so excited, just lost 7 pounds in 7 days on a new product I'm trying.  It is a tea from Total Life Changes (totallifechanges.com/feeltheresults).  Iaso Tea!  Angie's father had a "tea party" for men and women and introduced her to the tea and some other products that are good for your health, lowering symptoms of various illnesses and WEIGHT LOSS.  You know this Diva was up to trying it.  I am excited at the results so far and will update you as I go.  If you want to find out about it as I go on my journey you can order it at 1.888.873.1898 rep # 2467971.  They also have HCG Life Drops for people who are looking for faster Weight Loss.  We are talking 1-3 pounds per day!

***Update***

Fit N Fabulous:  Several studies have hinted that green tea provides a boost to exercise-induced weight loss. Another study, published in the February issue of the Journal of Nutrition, supports that link and shows that tummy fat may be the first to go.  I’m having a glass before a nice home work out of Yoga.  I decided to boost my bliss after the tea with some power yoga. I did 5-10 reps of each of these power moves, (google those you are unfamiliar with).

Green Tea Mask

Down Dog Crunch, Reverse Warrior to Side Angle, Bowing Warrior, Chaturanga Push-Up, Warrior 3 Core Crunch, Temple Pose and Bridge Pose with Leg Lifts.  Complete sequences and repeat.

Spaliscious Skin:  Today’s treat after cleansing my skin thoroughly, applying a green tea mask.  This warming mask promises to brighten skin and minimize pores.

Mani/Pedi miracles: I’m still loving the long wearing nature gel nails offer – but sticking to home treatments today.  So I’m trying out the Sally Hansen Powerful Acrylic Gel which promises to be as hard as wrapped nails.  The directions call for one coat application to be allowed to dry for at least 15 minutes.  It has dried to a nice shiny clear coat.  I have decided to top that with another of this spring’s color of choice a light emerald green as worn by Lauren Conrad, Miley Cyrus and Rihana.

Lipgloss &Lashes: too bad it’s staying in the house day. Well practice makes perfect.  I am perfecting a green smoky eye look worn by Kim K. and singer Leona Lewis.

Fashionista/Trophy Wife Style: Recreating a beautiful green beaded bracelet with gold charms.  The look is so TROPHY.  4 colors of beads in varying sizes strung as individual bracelets, with coordinating charms dangling from each one. Super simple with super impact! 

Trophy Wife Workout: Fit n Fabulous #Piloga

piloga

Dearest Trophy:
Heading to the gym today to try Piloga. A mix of Pilates and Yoga moves. Great Moves that work the core muscles and gives you a little cardio as well.  Here is a link to take a peek!

Take a Peek at the WORKOUT!

Whole Foods Cleanse: Trophy Wife Detox Options

Everything's Diva  *  Everything's Diva  *  Everything's Diva

Dearest Diva:  I of course have tried everything on the way to Healthy and FIT!  Here is a re-post of one of my favorite cleanses.  You will feel light as a feather, and if you don't well next step colon cleanse!! -Diva

RE post from Toga Journal!

I don’t see cleansing as a sacrifice; I see it as a profound (and albeit challenging) opportunity to look closely at my cravings and habits in regards to food–not to mention as a tool for feeling great! It’s a lot like attending an alignment-focused yoga class where I learn to focus on matters like stretching my pinky toe deeply into the ground to see if the action makes a difference to my tight outer hip.

In the last few years there’s been a lot of attention on cleansing in the yoga community, but if you’ve never tried it you might not fully understand what it’s all about. So, what is cleansing, really? It’s a way to rinse the body from the inside out. Just as you would take a bath to wash your body on the outside, cleansing is a practice (much like yoga) of clearing out the dirty, unavoidable residue that accumulates on the inside from living, eating, and breathing. Cleansing stimulates the removal of toxins that build up in our bodies over time. It can also “re-set” metabolism, and make us more sensitive to true feelings of hunger and the effects food has on our mood, spirit, well-being, and physical enjoyment.

When we cleanse, we eat a plethora of foods that digest easily, contain little to no toxins or preservatives, and that actually stimulate the removal of toxic waste or undigested food particles that have remained in our guts. This phenomenon of built-up toxic waste is referred to as “ama” in Ayurvedic medicine. When we allow the digestive system to rest, freed up energy flows more powerfully to other parts of the body, including the liver, kidneys, skin and even the brain!

Gaining more energy, improving body awareness and improving elimination are among the many benefits of cleansing. Spring, a season of shedding winter in exchange for new beginnings, is one of the most natural times of the year to cleanse since the body is ready and willing to shed what has come before.

This from-the-inside-out approach can yield amazing health benefits such as clearer skin, weight loss, increased energy, better sleep, and even reduced pain. Regular cleansing may even help reverse diabetes, lower cholesterol and help prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease. In essence, cleansing is one of the best places to start taking action towards greater health and vitality – no matter where you are at with your health.

The simplest way to approach a cleanse is by simplifying and purifying your diet. More than anything, a clean, clear diet supports the body’s natural inclination to purge, waste and detoxify. A foundation of internal health and healing is restored when the body gets an opportunity to rest. Because cleansing foods are easy for the digestive organs to utilize, absorb and assimilate, the body doesn’t have to work as hard to digest them.

Ayurveda rests on the premise that the digestive system is at the root of vital health. A clean and clear digestive system equals greater health, clarity, consciousness and vitality. To cleanse even for one day can make a difference to your overall well-being. But the longer you cleanse, the more powerful the effect. Perhaps Hippocrates said it best: “Let medicine be thy food; let food be thy medicine.”

Ready to get started? Here are a few easy suggestions:

• Focus your diet on as many fruits and vegetables as possible – especially vegetables! Enjoy them in fresh juices, smoothies, salads and soups: think baked, steamed, boiled, and poached when considering how to prepare cooked vegetables. Eat fruit by itself – don’t mix fruit with your meals unless you’re making a smoothie.
• Eat lots of slippery fiber like flax seeds and chia seeds that are also amazing sources of Omega 3 and protein.
• Eat foods that lubricate your digestive tract such as sweet potatoes, spinach, licorice root tea, fresh olive oil (not cooked), and ghee (clarified butter).
• Put spices on your food. This is an Ayurvedic tool for removing “ama” (toxic waste) and for strengthening “agni” (digestive fire). About 1/8 teaspoon of some spice – such as cumin, coriander, rosemary or basil – on top of your food at each meal can work wonders for digestive function.
• Eliminate foods sprayed with chemicals, hormonally injected and pesticide-ridden foods and all genetically modified foods (GMO’s) such as corn, soy, white potatoes, canola oil and tomatoes.
• Say YES to organic produce, organic cultured dairy (like organic yogurt), organic gluten-free grains (like amaranth, quinoa and millet), and eat only eggs or meat that come from cared for, organic, grass-fed animals.
• Avoid all processed foods, fried foods, flour, and sugar.
• Try replacing coffee, even one cup of it per day, with more rejuvenative caffeine sources like yerba mate, green tea, and maca root powder as a tea.
• Sweeten your meals with healthy sweeteners like fresh dates, raw honey, and pure maple syrup.
• Start your day by hydrating your body with water or a hot morning drink like the ones below.

Yoga journals Favorite Cleansing Morning Drink

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

16 ounces hot water or ginger tea

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 Tbs. ghee or expeller pressed coconut oil

1/2 tsp. cinnamon, turmeric, or cardamom

To Prepare

Put everything together in your favorite mug and drink first thing when you wake up in the morning. This concoction warms the body, sets your hydration for the day, stimulates liver function, lubricates the digestive tract and strengthens digestive fire. What a great way to start the day!

Day 1: Trophy Wife Makeover: Skin SPA

Spaliscious Skin

Dearest Trophy:
I am Up and Ready for my Trophy Wife Makeover Challenge. I'm working our key areas and making sure to do them all Trophy Wife Style- With Fun & Flair!!

My First Stop - SPALISCIOUS SKIN Great skin care will make such a difference in your appearance. Your whole body is covered with about 20 square feet and 6 pounds (or more) of SKIN.  We have to take care of all of it - not just your pretty face.  Take time to keep all of your skin supple, full of moisture, and glowingly fresh.  here are some great tips on keeping a creating great skin - trophy wife style.

• Clean Your Face- I started with a foaming cleanser to wash my face.
• Exfoliate- Using a facial scrub I sloughed off dead skin with a lightly abrasive skin scrub. This step will also prep the face for the next step and help products work better.
• Treat the Skin- To treat the surface of my skin, help remove acne scars & loosen dead skin cells I spread a micro-peel product on my face with a cotton pad, making sure to not miss the tiny little wrinkle trying to form above my eyebrow. The brand I used is left on for 20 minutes and washed off.
• Treat some more- Apply a skin conditioning serum with Polyhydroxy Acids. To treat and condition the skin I next use a lighter peel type of serum to even out skin type, nourish new cells & fade dark marks on the face and eye area. 
• Moisturize the Skin- I applied a skin cream over the treatment serum to moisturize and prep the skin before any makeup products are applied.
• Spaliscious Skin Time Tip - during the time I'm waiting for the micro-peel to work I use tweezers to touch up my brows.

Daily Mani/Pedi Miracle treatment for Spaliscious skin on the hands.

• Hand Scrub- I use a hand scrub made from sea salts and mineral oils.  Scrub hands with teaspoon size of product paying special attention to fingertips and nail beds.  The salts exfoliate the hands while the minerals nourish the skin. Rinse.
• Treat the Skin- I then applied a hand serum made to lighten any dark spots and fight age spots.
•  Treat & Protect: The last step was a moisturizer especially formulated for the hands to even out the skin cream, moisturize & protect the skin through daily use and a couple of washes. 

The Trophy Wife Makeover: It's a Lifestyle!

The Trophy Wife Makeover

Dearest Trophy:  Update- all is going great! Today is think pink day (click on over to Day 4 -down 2 pounds)  ----"We are all meant to shine...." I love this quote from Marianne Williamson, often quoted from Nelson Mandela's speech.  It should be a #trophywife mantra!  Who are you not to live Trophy.  To live your best life ever with the tools at your disposal.  I challenge you, and myself, to live trophy from now on.  A Trophy Wife Makeover with the goal of doing all we can to create the life we love.  This Jump start plan for me is to prepare for a trip in a little over 8 weeks to New Orleans and take me beyond.  I have not been there since before the floods and I'm excited to see the New face of Bourbon Street and showing it mine.
Trophy Wife Makeover is like "Memoirs of a Geisha" on steroids.  The Geisha's existence was based on her grace and beauty. A reputation that still brings awe when she is remembered today. Just like a Trophy Wife. Here our the key areas we will cover - Fit n Fabulous (exercise & diet), Spaliscious skin. Mani/Pedi Miracle, Lipgloss & Lashes (Beauty), Fashionista,  Trophy Wife Style (everything else). Let's start today!  (After Reading Poem - pop to next blogs and Read about my Days on my Trophy Wife Makeover)


“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are 

liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

Home Manicure Part 2: Design Ideas

Dearest Trophy:

Here are some fun Manicure Deign Ideas Just for the Fun of it. - Love Diva

Kerry Washington Half  Moon Manicure 

Some of My favorite polishes: Revlon, OPI, Sally Hansen, Sonia Kashuk, Deborah Lippmann, Orly, CND, Loreal, Essie

         

V675ZMSNNGAX

Easy Home Manicure: Trophy Wife Mani

Dearest Trophy:

One of the favorite things one of my best Trophy Wife Girlfriends and I like to do is get together at the nail salon and have Manicure and Pedicures done while we dish about what's going on in our lives.  A fun alternative to that has been getting together at one of each other's houses and having a mani/pedi picnic outdoors when the weather is warm.  It's a great treat having well groomed hands and feet and a Trophy Wife "must do"! Here are some simple instructions on creating that perfect Manicure or Pedicure at Home. It's on Today's Fun To Do list right up there with my Hip Hop Hustle Class. Enjoy -Love Diva

Trophy Wife Manicure:

1.   Create your favorite shape. I like slightly squared with rounded edges. Start with clean, dry nails. Remove any old polish. Clip to desired length and file into even shapes with an emery board. Use long, smooth strokes, working in one direction to prevent weakening and splitting.

2.   Smooth tops of nails. Sand away ridges and any surface stains with a buffing block, using a gentle side-to-side motion. Start with the rougher side and follow with the finer side.

3.   Soften your cuticles. Apply a dab of cuticle oil then push back gently with the flat end of an orange stick. Remove debris from the underside of nails with the stick’s pointed end. Carefully trim any hangnails with cuticle scissors (best time to do this is after showering, when nails are soft and skin is moist or after soaking nails in warm sudsy water for 5 minutes). Apply thick hand cream or oil to cuticles until completely absorbed. (Olive oil will work if you have no cuticle oil)

4.   Prep nails for color. Wipe off cream and any oily residue with polish remover on nails to help color adhere evenly. Brush on a base coat to protect nails from discoloring and to provide a smooth surface for the color especially when using a dark color polish. Let dry for 1-2 minutes.

5.   Paint on nail polish. Use three strokes: one down the middle, followed by one along each side. Polish with 1-2 thin coats, which don’t trap air bubbles as thick ones can (and take less time to dry). Repeat. Correct mistakes with a cotton-wrapped orange stick dipped in polish remover. Finish with topcoat.

6.   Let your nails dry completely. Aim for at least 15 minutes, or hold your nails under a fan like they do at the salon. **tip - avoid fast-dry sprays, which can sometimes make the polish more prone to chips and nicks. *guilty pleasure - polishing nails while watching one of the Bravo Housewives shows as background noise.

7.   Maintain your manicure. Add a new layer of topcoat every other day to revive sheen and help prevent chips and dings. A good manicure should last a week or even longer with some of the new gel nails long lasting polishes available.

*I use two travel bags to keep all my manicure tools together. A black roll up bag with all my Manicure tools inside and a clear roll up bag with all my polishes so that I can see the colors easily. Some of My favorite polishes: Revlon, OPI, Sally Hansen, Sonia Kashuk, Deborah Lippmann, Orly, CND, Loreal, Essie

*BONUS: Put together a manicure tool kit with advice from All You magezine.

·         Nail clippers: Trim nails in small snips. A blunt cut across the entire nail can cause cracking.

·         Nail files: Emery boards are cheap and come in many grades.

·         Orange sticks: Cutting cuticles can cause infection. Push them back instead.

·         Buffing block: Get more mileage from this rectangular tool by cutting it into smaller pieces.

·         Cotton pads: Cotton balls can leave fuzz, ruining your manicure.

·         Polish remover: For brittle nails, use acetone-free formulas. Save removers with acetone for dark, hard-to-budge polishes only.

·         Cuticle oil or hand cream: Massage a drop into the nail bed to seal in moisture and prevent hangnails.

·         Base coat and topcoat: These two polishes help maintain and protect your nails and prolong your manicure.

·         Nail polish: If the polish has separated, roll—don’t shake—the bottle between your hands.

I

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