#I went to the nail salon and just got the acrylic and gel removed

[rosereign]

😵‍💫🌈🩷

[shop-korea]

LEGAL - PERMISSION

BARBIE - MATTEL, INC.

CEO - ISRAEL - MALE

BARBIE - ‘10 THINGS - ABOUT - ME’

GETTING - PERMISSION - 4 - OWNERSHIP

K POP - ACTRESSES

BARBIE - ASIA

IU - 5′4 FT

SO-EUN KIM - 5′4 FT

SE-KYUNG SHIN - 5′5 FT - MIMMY - HK

CAILEY BAILEY - 5′5 FT - HELLO KITTY

RED VELVET

SO - FAR

ITZY - HELLO KITTY - CAFES - STORES 

HOTELS - INNS 

HOST - ITZY - ARCHERY - COMPETITIONS

KIDS - TEENS

GIRLS - BOYS

AESPA - CHARLIE BROWN - CAFES - STORES

HOTELS - INNS

HOST - AESPA - BASEBALL - COMPETITIONS

WHITE - FAMILY

HELLO - KITTY - YOUNGER - TWIN - MIMMY

REQUESTING - JAPANESE - CITIZENSHIP

JAPAN - PASSPORTS - INCLUDING DANIEL

AND - HIS - FAMIILY - ALL - ARE - ENGLISH

BY - BIRTH - ENGLISH - SUBJECTS

BRITISH - ROYAL - FAMILY

UNITED KINGDOM - UK

ITZY - AESPA - HELLO KITTY

LUCY - GIRLS - OF - CHARLIE BROWN

THEIR - ROLE - MODEL - IS - BARBIE

LEGAL - PERMISSION

BARBIE WORLD

TOKYO - JAPAN

SEOUL - KOREA

PINK - WHITE - WORLD

BOYFRIEND - KEN

BARBIE - NAIL - SALONS

ACRYLICS

NAIL - GEL

HEADED - BY - PARIS - FRANCE

MAGNIFIER - 2 - PAINT

EIFFEL - TOWER

GIRL - CHIC

IMPRESSIONIST - ART

PINK - WHITE

SAKURA - AND - PEONIES - FLOWERS

METALLIC - PAINT

BARBIE - LOVES - SCIENCE - AND - ENGLISH

BORN - IN - WISCONSIN - MOVED - 2 - MALIBU

VISITS - HOMETOWN - EVERY - YEAR

WINTER - SNOWBOARDING

MALIBU - BEACH - HOME - SURFING - BARBIE

PADDLE - BOARDING

BARBIE - BALLERINA - ATHLETE

FASHION - DESIGN - DEFENDER - OF ANIMALS

HUMANITARIAN

I - WAS - BORN - WITH - BLUE - EYES

BUT - VERY - DIM - EYES - MADE - MISTAKE

GOT - TRANSPLANT - EYES - BECAME

EXTREME - BLURRY - VISION

MALE - PINOY - DONATED - HIS EYES 2 ME

NEXT - WEEK - DIED - OF - TERMINAL CANCER

WENT - 2 - PARIS - FRANCE

LASER - SURGERY

THE - WAS - EXCELLENT

PARIS - FRANCE

FIRST - TIME - SAW - DAYLIGHT

HAD - NOSE - SURGERY - 2 B - CUTER

NEEDED - 2 - REMOVE - FEAR - OF - SURGERY

GREAT - NOSE - JOB - AGE 8

MY - TOKYO - JAPAN - MALE - SCIENTISTS

REDESIGNING - WHEN - U - WEAR - CHARACTERS

CAN - DO - SPORTS 

ACROBATIC - GYMNASTIC - CHEERLEADING STUNTS

BULLET - BOMB - FIRE - AND - WATERPROOF

ALSO - MANY - HAVE - HARD - TIME - BREATHING

NO - MORE - WHEN - WEATHER - SUPER - COLD 

STRONGEST - WINDS - WE’RE - SETTING - TREND

LIKE - WHAT - I - DID - IN - BERLIN - GERMANY

WEAR - CHARACTERS

WE - WILL - B - SELLING - ALL - AGES

ITZY - HELLO - KITTY - STORES

AESPA - CHARLIE BROWN

AGAIN - WITH - BARBIE - WORLD

ALWAYS - KIDS - AND - TEENS

NOW - WHOLE - FAMILY - CAN - BUY - ALSO - AT

BARBIE - WORLD

HOW - ABOUT - WHEN - IS - BARBIE - MARRYING

WHEN - IS - SHE - GOING - 2 B - A - MOTHER TOO

LEGAL - PERMISSION

ABOVE - ALSO - IN - COMICS - FORM

WE - WANT - KIDS - TEENS - ADULTS - SENIORS

2 - START - ENJOYING - READING

TABLETS - WITH - COLORS

AMAZON - FIRE - NO - COLORS - ALSO

WHEN - THEY - JUST - OVERDO - POWER

AS - WE - WEAR - COSTUME

ITZY - AESPA - HELLO - KITTY

SURROUNDED - BY - OUR - DEMOCRAT

CHEERLEADERS - PROVIDING - THEM

JOBS - ALSO - RESORTS - ALWAYS YES

HAVE - FAT - JAPANESE - WOMEN

EVA AIR 

DANCERS - ARE - ALSO - FAT - AND - 2 ME

STRANGE - LIKE - KIDS - ARE - BLIND TOO

WE’RE - CHANGING - THAT - WITH

SANRIO - AIR

HELLO KITTY - AIR

OUR - MISS USA - MISS - UNIVERSE

MISS - ANYWHERE - HAS - ANYONE - EVER

FIGURED - OUT - WHERE - THESE - BEAUTY

BABES - GO - DO - THEY - BECOME - SHOW

BUSINESS - ACTRESSES - WHAT - HAPPENS

2 - THEM - WE - WILL - B - HIRING - BEAUTY

PAGEANT - WINNERS - ALSO

HELLO - KITTY - ME - CAILEY BAILEY

TWIN - MIMMIE - YELLOW - RIBBON

ACTRESS - SINGER - SE-KYUNG SHIN

THIS - IS - TUMBLR - NO - ONE - READS - US

MY - ELECTRONIC - DIARY - IS - TUMBLR - 2

DANIEL - BOYFRIEND - 6 FT - EUN WOO CHA

ITZY - WEARING - THEMSELVES

CHARACTER - BODIES - ALSO 2

BUT - WE - ARE - PEOPLE - ‘AFTER - ALL’

BARBIE - WORLD

K POP - ACTRESSES - ACTORS

AS - PEOPLE

PLASTIC - SURGERY - AT - TOKYO

LASER - 2 - MAKE - MY - EYES - BLUE - AGAIN

REPRESENTING - LEGAL - PERMIT

BARBIE - ASIA

 ME - CAILEY BAILEY - FUTURE - NAME

SISTER - SE-KYUNG SHIN

IN - PHILIPPINE - ISLANDS

7 SISTERS - SAME - HEIGHT

8 SONS - SAME - HEIGHT - 6′2 FT - 6 FT

ME - AND - SE-KYUNG - BOTH - 5′5 FT 

MARILYN MONROE

BARBIE WORLD

BARBIE - ASIA

COMICS

ITZY - HELLO KITTY - COMICS

AESPA - CHARLIE BROWN - COMICS

BOTH - GROUPS - ANIMATED

ASIA - DISTRIBUTION

DEAR - KOREAN - GIRLS

HISPANICS - WHO - DONATE - FOOD - 2 - US

EXCEPT - MONDAYS - CATHOLICS - WHO YES

THEY - DON’T - HAVE - THE - BUDGET - 4 - HAI

EUROPEAN - CATHEDRALS - CALLS - IN - USA

CATHOLIC - CHURCHES

BUT - THEY - USE - HOLY BIBLE

CHRISTIAN - BIBLES

CATHOLIC - ONES - LONGER - 2 - HARD

HISPANICS - BORN - IN - USA

THEY - CONSIDER - TENTS - THE - POOR WHO

ARE - NO - LONGER - HOMELESS

THEY - PARK - NEAR - OUR - TENTS - AND - AS

USUAL - BLKS - MAKE - NO - SOUND - BUT - AS

THEY - LAUGH - THE - TENTS - ARE - NOT

GIVEN - ANY - FOOD - BECAUSE - TENT - YES

DWELLERS - ARE - NOT - HOMELESS

MIAMI - POLICE 

‘GET - LOST - WITH - YOUR - TENTS’

WHY - POOR - AND - HOMELESS - LESS TAXES

PAID - THEREFORE - NOT - WORTH - THEIR

TIME - HAVE - SHOT - 2 - DEATH - MANY YES

AS - BLK - HAITI - MIAMI - POLICE

KILLED - MOMS - AND - KIDS - USING - TENTS

THEY’RE - HIDDEN - AS - THEY - ARRIVE 2 YES

SHOOT - 2 - DEATH - PUT - IN - VANS - READY

BACK - OF - TRUNK

MALE - NURSES - AS - FRIENDS - THEY - GET

KIDNEY - BLADDER - $9,000 - EACH - FEDEX

THEN - BODIES - BURNT - CAYMAN - ISLANDS

BANK - ACCOUNTS

LIBERAL - PARTY

REPUBLICAN - PARTY - OF - FLORIDA

‘WITH - DUE - PROCESS - OF - LAW’

HOMELESS - AND - POOR - ON - THE - STREETS

2 - CLEAN - STREETS - REMOVE - OF - PEOPLE

‘DEPRIVE - THESE - PEOPLE - OF - LIFE

DEPRIVE - OF - LIBERTY - RIGHT - 2 - ACT - AS

THEY - PLEASE - THEY - WANT - 2 B - HOMELESS

KILL - THEM - NO - MORE - LIBERTY

DEPRIVE - OF - PROPERTY - THROW - EVERYTHING

AWAY - WASTE - MANAGEMENT

MIAMI - OVER - 400,000 - PEOPLE - FULL - OF - YES

LESBIANS - MARRIED - 2 - LESBIANS

MEN - MARRIED - 2 - MEN

MARY BRICKELL - VILLAGE

PUBLIX - 911 - SW 9 ST - MIAMI

MALE - HOMOS - MARRIED - PUSHING - WOMEN - 2

SIDE - NOW - MINI - HORSES - ALLOWED PER AISLE

18TH - AMENDMENT - REPELLED

SEEN - ON - THE - 21ST - AMENDMENT

MANUFACTURE - SALE - TRANSPORT - WASN’T 

ALLOWED - CHRISTIANS - MURDERED - THIS &

SAID - NO - CONSUMPTION

21ST - BECAME - 50 STATES

CALIFORNIA - CAN’T - DELIVER - INTOXICATING

LIQUOR - 2 - 49 STATES - BUT - I - SEE - THEIR

WINES - AT - DOLLAR - GENERAL - AND PUBLIX

SIGNS - OF - PUBLIX - WALMART - BOTH - SAY

100 FEET - FROM - FRONT - DOOR - NO - ONE

CAN - VISIBLY - DRINK - OR - ARREST - THEY

ARE - ARRESTING - CUTOMERS - WHO DRINK

WHAT - THEY - SELL 

WALMART - PUBLIX - CHICK FI LA - ZARA

LUKE’s - LOBSTERS - ARE - CHRISTIANS

BIBLE - ‘REMAIN - SOBER - VIGILANT - FOR

YOU - HAVE - ENEMIES’ - REVISED

CVS - SAME - ALL - OF - THEM - WILL - BE

REMOVED - OF - ALCOHOL - AND - TOBACCO

LICENSE - 2 - SELL - INCLUDING - STEALING

SHOPPING - CART - SIGN - OF - STEALING YES

WILL - BE - REMOVED

BURLINGTON - COATS - DESIGNER - SWEATERS

NOW - EVERYWHERE

SHOPLIFTERS - WILL - B - PROSECUTED

EVERYWHERE - IT - WAS - WEARISOME

3RD - FLOOR

COATS

SUNDAY - 14 JANUARY - LIKE - 1ST - TAX FREE DAY

WHAT - IS - THE - PRICE - SEEING

ABOUT - SHOPLIFTERS

NOT - SEEN - AT - ROSS - DRESS - 4 - LESS

BOTH - STORES - NOT - THAT - GREAT - AT - RIVER

LANDING - ANYMORE

BEST - ROSS - AT - BISCAYNE BLVD - US 1

EXIT - COLLEGE - BAYSIDE

SOLUTION

INSURANCE - ALL - STOLEN - GET - DOUBLE

TAX - PAID - OF - PRICE

OURS - DOORS - REMAIN - CLOSED - UNTIL

RETURNED - AND - SELF - SERVICE - TRULY

THEREFORE - EVERYTHING - STOLEN

DOUBLE - EARNINGS - TAX - PAID TOO

HIDDEN - CAMERAS - EVERYWHERE

SIGNS - WILL - SAY - THAT

OUR - HARVARD - LAWYERS - WILL - PROSECUTE

THIEVES - PHOTOS - AND - ALL - BUT - TRUE

WHEN - ITEM - STOLEN - 7TH - AMENDMENT

IN - CIVIL SUITES - EXCUSE - SPELLING

WHEN - AMOUNT - IS - OVER - $20 - THEN

THE - RIGHT - 2 - TRIAL - BY - JURY - FREE

FOREVER - SHALL - B - PRESERVED

ONLINE - COURTS - WILL - B - SO - MUCH

FUN - HARD - 2 - KILL - EACH - OTHER YES

ONLINE - JUDGES - CAN - TALK - 2 - VICTIMS

INSTEAD - OF - HIDING - SCARED - TRUE US

GOING - SOON - 2 - HAVE - LAUNDRY DONE

SO - HISPANICS - DON’T - CONSIDER 

TENTS - HOMELESS - ANYMORE - AS

THEY - REMAIN - IN - CARS - AND LEAVE

SMILING - STARVE - PEOPLE - WITH - TENTS

HENCE

OVER - 30 STATES

CASTLE - DOCTRINE - STATES

TENTS - ARE - YOUR - CASTLES

DEFEND - YOUR - TENTS - WITH - DEADLY

FORCE

BRINIGING - WEAPONS - OF - THE - PAST

BRINGING - BACK - AT - TENTS - U - MAKE

HOLES - THEN - IT’s - COVERED - AGAIN

CLICK - AND - NEEDLES - GOES - 2 NECK

AUTO - POISONED - AS - THEY - CREMATE

FAST - DISAPPEAR - NO - SOUND 

INDEED - DEADLY - FORCE

BRINGING - 2 - 1ST - LEVEL - OF - HEAVEN

THEY - MEET - CREATOR

HE - SENDS - 2 - SHEOL - UNSEEN - REALM

MIDDLE - OF - THE - EARTH

3 LEVELS - OF - HEAVEN - LIKE - PLANET

ABOVE - THE - EARTH

BUT - 1,000 YEARS - ON - EARTH - LIKE A

DAY - IN - HEAVEN - ONE - PEARL - MAKES

A - GATE - 3RD - LEVEL - STREETS - OF YES

TRANSLUCENT - GOLD - GOD - HAS - GREEN

EMERALD - PILLOW - 2 - PUT - HIS - FEET HAI

SO - DECIDED - 2 - TRY - 4A - 2 - WAKE - UP

5A - METRORAIL - EXIT - CULMER - REAL FAST

WALK - 4 - CAMILLUS HOUSE - SHOWERS

WEEKDAYS - THE - SHOWER - OPENS 6A

BREAKFAST - 7:45A

MAIL - 8:30A - WEEKDAYS

FREE

10 MIN - SHOWER - 4 - ME

5 MIN - DRYING - SHAMPOO - CONDITIONER

WEARING - CLOTHES - PUTTING - ALL - YES

TOGETHER - TOOK - ME - ABOUT - 5 MIN - 2

BY - FALLING - ASLEEP - EARLY

14 INCH - ELEVATION - MY - SPEAKER - SO

I - CAN - SLEEP - MUSIC - DR JERRY SAVELLE

JOEL OSTEEN - THEN - I’M - ASLEEP - SO - ME

NO - LONGER - HUNGRY - BUT - ASLEEP

I’M - HEADED - 2 - 90 LBS - FASTER - AND

MAYBE - ONE - DAY - I’LL - B - RUNNING 2

ALL - THE - FOOD - TRUE - BUT - I’M - NOT

LOOSING - WEIGHT - BUT - I’M - BEGGING

GOD - SAID - KING DAVID - AND - HIS YES

ANCESTORS - WILL - NOT - BE - SEEN HAI

BEGGING - 4 - BREAD

ME - ASLEEP - BECAUSE - NEED - THAT

I’M - NOT - BOTHERED - WITH - FOOD 4

THOSE - WHO - SLEEP - WITH - TARP

SLEEP - ON - CARDBOARD - SITTING

SLEEPS - ON - SIDEWALK - WHO - MIAMI

POLICE - SERVE - ALL - OF - THEM - NOT

DECLARING - TAXES - FR - RECEIVING

OVER - $8 - PER - YEAR - TAX - EVASION

SO - WE - DISCUSSED - THIS

NEXT - POST - 4 - ANNOUNCEMENTS

[orphancookie69]

Types of Nails: Review

As a woman, I have a love/hate relationship with my nails/fingers/hands. On one hand (get the pun?), I am down to earth and hands on and building my own furniture/fixing my own car. On the other hand, I can’t stand having any dirt under my fingernails. Like taking a Costco chicken apart, I know I should just wash my hands at the end of the process, but I wash my hands like 4 times before I am done. 

Back in the day I used to bite my nails, it took a long time to not do that anymore. Because I was quite young when I stopped, the details on how they got it to happen are blurry. I vaguely remember they started getting painted and I did not want to ruin my pretty nails. But pretty nails on a tough hands on girl, don’t last. 

As I got older, and was pretty healthy, my nails would look pretty good as long as I kept them cut and clean. They almost looked like french tips and I was like, yeah I can rock this natural beauty. If I did do my nails, I went though a very experimentive phase of trying most of the nail options out there? These days there is a lot out there. Let’s jump in: 

Polish:

This is what most people think when doing nails. But I have to say this. NOT ALL POLISH IS CREATED EQUAL. I used to not have a budget for things like nails, and get cheap cute colors. And then wonder why it did not last? Then gel polish came out and its pretty amazing. There is a brand I see a lot in costco, Butter London, and I love it. Its the only one I do if I use polish. When removing it, generic nail polish remover is fine. Remember to keep the lid on when not using it. I can even keep to my “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” rule and use reusable cotton pads! Remember it always important to finish with Top Coat as well, extends the life of your nails. In general, one can go generic for this but I love a top coat that gives back to you. 

Links: 

Butter London (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N8RCVA4?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_A0A4W4RP1MD67Y3X003G) 

Nail Polish Remover (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XB43LPM?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_VXGRDKZT8C71CCPS7WVE) 

Reusable Cotton Pads (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091Y7WLPZ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_AHH6C74KJRFWYC8Q334W)

Top Coat (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B082MPYSKJ?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_PZ6315D09QTR8N4D07GV)

Nail Kit (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088QJPTR1?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_AT74CPDNGA6ZB0WJAP2S)

Sticker: 

I know what you are thinking. You mean the stickers that decorate already done nails right? Yes and no. Yes you can totally add those on top, but what I am talking about is Nail Stickers. You trim your nails to the desired length, put the stickers on, and then file to remove the excess. This so far is my favorite. Because this has less steps than polish, I love to add a step that is cuticle care. Depending on your design, or how extra you are feeling you can decorate your nails with more stickers too. 

Links: 

Nail Stickers (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0847J5F5Z?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_A93SMCQX052QD7KJWK48)

Cuticle Care (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0725XWF6R?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_TE5J9EYJ6ZN7TC0QF0W3)

Nail Salon: 

My mom used to get her nails done all the time, as a girl I remember going to help her pick out the color and then somehow being patient as she got them done. (The game boy at the time probably helped). I distinctly remember it made the news that someone got infected by going to a nail salon, and then after I was like never. Fast forward years later, and my mom invites me to get nails done. Im like ok, I have never done it so its worth doing once? 

We went to Glitz Nail Bar in Huntington Beach, CA (http://glitz-nailbar.com/). It was a good experience. Here I would like to touch up on the popular topic when it comes to nail salon: natural or acrylic. What I know of acrylic, is that once you start doing it, you have to keep it up, and that it could weaken your natural nail. I tend to go the natural route myself. The whole experience there is wonderful, a massage chair and foot rub and food and alcohol and good designs. Price was about what I thought it would be, but you get a lot for the price. 

Its kind of a crazy thing to think that something, like nails, used to be a womans thing and now its becoming a unisex thing. Something I love to do when picking a color for my nails, is to use Color Magick. Never heard of it? Here’s a link: https://www.allure.com/story/color-magic-witchcraft-meanings-guide. Next time you do your nails, what color and what style do you do? 

[meitanreax]

day 9-10

hello

i am SO ALZY AND ITS SO HARD TO TYPE NOO

having nails is a DILEMMA...sorry if my letters r shorter its literally bc of my nails and i cant type

so yesterday we pretty much chilled, went to the spa, and i got my facial done!! i removed all my blackheads and whiteheads and acne!!! then i got a massage :3

afterwards me and my family got KBBQ and i got salted cheese oreo milk tea from the neighboring milk tea place and dude...when i had it...i am so sad cuz it made me realize that I AM NOW LACTOSE TO MILK TEA i am sad

but afterwards we dropped my parents off, i got pepto bismol LOOOL,  went to the mall and got my nails done!! i got gel/acrylic extensions and dude its so fucking hard to type shit im gonna go feral

but YRAH... they mall closed at 9 so we had to leave early and our nails werent even done LOOL i literally had clay acrylic nails.. and when i went home it was like 11 and i SHOWERED LOL AND THEN FOUND OUT SOMEONE TRIED BREAKING INTO MY HOUSE LIKE WTF 

so TODAY WE WOKE UP... and then just chilled til like 12!!

i went back to the nail salon and finished my nails :3 n then me and ez and my cousin steph went to this restaurant and it was rlly good!! i had this rlly good flavored black tea and i am a BIG FAN....omg

when we left the restaurant it was fucking POURING so we ran to the car and now we’re back!!! that’s all heh

i think we’re just gonna stay in and rest today :3 for the rest of the day, we were supposed to swim but das ok!! my cousin brought her dog here from manila btw

for ur challenge: things we can do!

1) hot cocoa date at my apt and cuddle and watch horror movies :D we can watch christmas horror movies and then we can also cook/eat together and make cookies from ralphs!! we can build a pillow/blanket fort in my bed :DD

2) watch ghibli movies / netflix and succ n practice in the meantime hehe :3 while it plays in the bg

3) we can go ice skating or go to this nice park (echo park!! it has a lake)

4) <3 _ <3 we can bake gingerbread cookies or smth or buy a gingerbread house kit and build one :3 

okie! for my challenge for YOU:

write a letter for us to open exactly at new years :D to celebrate our 2020 together hehe

have a good day tomorrow bebs! i love u and ty for always waking up early to talk to me ;_; i luv u!! WE R ALMOST THERE...TECHNICALLY 4-5 DAYS AT THIS POINT!!! WE CAN DO IT

thanks for all ur notes again :3 i expect nice letters like those during big fights LOOLOLOL

sleep well! i love u so much! forever! more than anything! with all my heart!!

[patchsing3-blog]

I Thought I Couldn’t Afford Expensive Beauty Treatments… Here’s How I Hacked It

These days, it feels like there’s ALWAYS some ~hot new beauty treatment~ that everyone’s buzzing about — and honestly, I can’t keep up. I had just gotten the hang of a classic no-chip manicure, and then I was told I just HAD to switch to powder dip. I was in a routine of facials (and by that I mean I got one once — who am I, Rockefeller?), and then suddenly the world wouldn’t shut up about the Kardashian-approved vampire facials instead.

Whether you keep up with beauty trends or not, it can feel REALLY overwhelming to hear about all the different beauty treatments available to us. There’s waxing, threading, lasering, filling, massaging, polishing, extending, scrubbing, cleansing, extracting, curling, tightening, dipping, coloring, bleaching, taming, trimming, tanning, spraying… how is anyone supposed to keep up with all that!?

Thankfully, it’s 2018, and there’s no right or wrong way to define beauty. You could go treatment-free for life, as long as you feel confident and true to yourself. As much as I admire that, though, that ain’t me — I loooove a good beauty treatment, and I love learning about new ways to look and feel my best.

But of course, once you’ve decided what treatments you want to commit to, the number one fun-sucker of our lives jumps in: money. How does one pay for the maintenance and upkeep? Honestly, expensive beauty treatments have never been in my budget — until I discovered the ultimate hack.

You already know about Groupon as a way to buy restaurant gift cards, book an escape room night out with your coworkers, or even find cheap fitness classes — but Groupon is also a one-stop destination for making expensive beauty treatments WAY more affordable.

I made a list of beauty treatments I’m interested in trying, then I scoured Groupon to see where I could try each treatment in my city — and the results were INSANE. You want to try microdermabrasion? There’s a Groupon for that. You’ve been hearing about salt caves and want to know what all the fuss is about? There’s a Groupon for that, too. You’ve been getting your eyebrows waxed for the last 10 years and want to finally try microblading instead? You guessed it — there’s a Groupon for that.

This month, I tried four beauty treatments at various salons and studios around my home city of Chicago — and I saved almost $1,500. Here, I break down what I picked, how my treatments went, if I’d pay for them again, and how you can save some serious hard-earned cash too.

Laser Hair Removal (Brazilian Bikini)

I should probably start by telling you that I tend to be a tad high-maintenance. I am a creature of habit and comfort, and the thought of removing hair from the most sensitive part of my body has never appealed to me. I’ve been a lifelong shaver, I’ve never had a bikini wax, and I had genuinely never considered laser removal — I thought it would be way too expensive and way too painful. WRONG.

The Groupon I found was for three laser hair removal sessions on a medium-sized area (there were also Groupon options for small and large areas as well — Groupon had a handy chart to tell you which body parts count as which size area). I made a lot of jokes about how I was excited to turn into a hairless naked mole rat — but on the inside, I was insanely nervous for the treatment.

I honestly had no idea what to expect, so I ended up doing a lotttt of research on laser Brazilians — how to prepare, what it would feel like, etc. I read a lot of conflicting reviews about what it feels like, but I was expecting a forceful zap of hot pain (along with some rubbing… not sure why I expected rubbing).

For more info on the safety and effectiveness of laser hair removal, I recommend this article from Medical News Today.

How I Prepared

The day before your laser appointment, you HAVE to closely shave the entire area. Laser hair removal only works on fresh shaved skin. The laser seeks out the contrast of the follicle (it’s looking for the pigment of each individual hair), so it’s imperative that you come in prepared (Some places will make you reschedule if your shave isn’t clean enough). Additionally, I read that you should calm yourself down so you won’t tense up physically. Therefore, I also prepared by taking a shot and a half of whiskey. Do I recommend this? Honestly, yes — it helped ease my nerves a lot.

How It Went

The spa I went to (SpaDerma in Lincoln Park, Chicago) was incredibly clean, professional, and comforting. I had to fill out some paperwork (this is a medical procedure, after all), then I was taken to a private room that looked a lot like a doctor’s examination room. The technician told me to remove everything from the waist down (“Can I keep my socks on?”) and cover myself back up on the table with a sheet. I did as I was told, then she returned and told me exactly what to expect. She gave me one of those stress ball things to squeeze, then I laid back so we could get started.

How’s the pain, you may ask. It’s interesting. It honestly DID hurt more than I was expecting — it kind of feels like a very hot suction cup is sucking on your skin (but not in like, a sexy way). The bursts of pain are VERY quick — it’s literally just a zap from a laser, repeatedly. I’m incredibly ticklish, so the whole experience made me very squirmy. Thankfully, though, it was super quick — I was in and out of the treatment room in under 10 minutes.

You can only get lasered about every 6 weeks (as the hair follicles need to go through their ~growth cycle~ again before you can zap them), so I still have two more appointments to go out of my three. Will the three treatments be enough to rid me of hair-down-there? Maybe — some people see complete results after just a few treatments, but some (with light hair, in particular) require up to about nine treatments. Your technician will be able to consult with you about how many sessions you’ll need based on your skin type, hair color, and hair texture.

That being said, I haven’t technically seen results yet, but the growing-back-in hair IS noticeably softer and much easier to shave.

Would I recommend?

HECK. YES. Like I said, I can’t technically speak to an end result — but the quick amount of pain was absolutely worth the results I’m sure I will see after a few more sessions. It does hurt, but it’s certainly not unmanageable — and since it’s so quick, you can ALMOST forget it happened (just in time to go back and be reminded again). Would I pay full price for this? Probably not. But $119 to forget about shaving for awhile? Count me in. What body part can I do next!?

Gel Manicure

I know you love getting your nails done — so do I. There’s just something about a fresh manicure that makes me feel about 10 times more put-together — but bimonthly trips to the nail salon can take a real toll on your wallet. Thankfully, it doesn’t HAVE to be like that. SO many salons offer Groupon deals on gel, powder dip, and acrylics — so there’s no need to pay full price.

How I Prepared

I am literally addicted to gel manicures, so I already had one on my nails when I went in. Gel is hard to remove on your own, but the professionals make it look easy. I honestly did nothing to prepare (except get myself excited for some discounted pampering!!).

How It Went

Like I said, gel manicures are nothing new for me. You go in, pick a color from the specific gel colors (they’re different from the bottles you have at home), and then sit down. The technician first files, removes cuticles, and buffs your nails, then he or she will start applying the color. Typically, a gel mani consists of one coat of clear gel, two to three coats of color, then another top coat of clear gel. After each coat, you place your whole hand under an LED light for 60 seconds — I don’t understand the science of how this works, but it dries your nails so quickly and effectively. Once all your coats are done, there’s ZERO drying time — you can go back to your normal life/routine the second you walk out of the salon.

Would I recommend?

YES. You already know you love manicures — there’s NO reason to pay full price for them. For me, a gel manicure usually lasts almost three weeks — and that time limit comes from nail growth, not from chipping.

Hydrafacial

I’ve only ever had one facial before in my life — after a lifelong battle with my skin, I’ve been afraid to mess with it too much (and afraid to allow someone that close to it without makeup). I used to feel like facials were designed for rich people who already had good skin, but upon further research, that assumption is obviously wrong. I have hormonal cystic acne and some severe subsequent scarring — problems I honestly didn’t believe could be solved by the holistic hands of a facialist. Thankfully, though, there are people who DO make it their mission to effectively treat all kinds of skin types — meaning there is truly a facial out there for everyone.

Hydrafacials are relatively new forms of your classic facial. Basically, a high-tech hydrafacial tool is simultaneously infusing your skin with various serums AND sucking gross stuff out of your pores. I had seen videos of people getting it done on Instagram, and I wondered if it would help my poor congested pores.

How I Prepared

I use a prescription Retin-A-Micro daily, but I had to stop using that for three days prior to my appointment. Additionally, I was advised against at-home exfoliation for the days leading up, and I was told to overall be gentle to my skin. The morning of my facial I was thankfully working from home, so I wore cozy sweats and zero makeup. ~pampering~

How It Went

First of all, the woman who performed my hydrafacial was one of the most intelligent and knowledgeable women I have ever met. She is so very passionate about skincare, and I would honestly trust her with my life after meeting her. She asked me in-depth questions about my skin, my routine, my past routine, my needs, my desires, my dreams and goals, and just about everything else relating to my skin that you can think of. I love meeting people who are so clearly doing what they were meant to do — Crystal at SkinSmartRX is one of those people. She explained to me that while a hydrafacial is an incredible procedure and would help my active pimples, the scarring on my face could benefit from microneedling instead. I appreciated her honesty — but was glad to hear that she thought my skin could benefit from the treatment.

I laid back in an examination chair (like at the dentist) while Crystal first steamed my pores, then began. She used the hydrafacial tool to perform various steps of the routine — double cleansing, exfoliating, toning, and treating. The tool gives a weird sensation — I had read that it felt similar to a cold paintbrush on your skin. That’s not necessarily wrong, but I do think it’s a little harsher than that. The tool is really digging in to your skin, so it’s not exactly a pleasant sensation. It doesn’t hurt, but it’s not super comfortable either. Overall, however, it was a very relaxing experience.

The best part? When Crystal let me see the result of the treatment. Basically, the solution that is used to suck the crap out of your pores goes into a beaker, so there’s a beaker full of used solution and gunk leftover at the end. Looking at it was similar to looking at the results of a pore strip — super gross, but super satisfying.

That floating stuff was INSIDE MY SKIN.

Would I recommend?

Yes and no. First of all, I left the treatment VERY red. I was just going back home to work, so I’m glad I didn’t have to try to cover it. Thankfully, however, the redness was very short-lived. The treatment itself is incredible — but I would highly recommend chatting with an aesthetician and/or dermatologist beforehand to see if it’s good for your skin type. After having my pores sucked, I felt a bit like some excess oil was brought to the surface — I woke up the next morning with a smattering of new whiteheads.

This could be a PMS-induced coincidence, and my coworkers all assured me the next day that I looked GLOWING. I wouldn’t discourage anyone from the treatment, but I would encourage some careful consideration to decide if it’s worth the time and money (but if you’re interested in trying it out, at least Groupon offers the option of a much cheaper first try!!).

Eyelash Extensions

My natural eyelashes are COMICALLY short. I’ve never loved them — and I’ve also never loved having heavy mascara on them either. I have bad allergies (I am really airing all my bodily dirty laundry here, aren’t I?), so I rub my eyes A LOT. I also physically hate the act of taking off eye makeup — why is it so damn hard!?

All of that adds up to mean that I am a PERFECT candidate for eyelash extensions — longer, fuller lashes without any makeup!? I couldn’t hit “Purchase Groupon” fast enough.

How I Prepared

You’re not supposed to wear eye makeup or contacts to the appointment, so I strolled into Milita Advanced Skincare wearing sweats and my glasses (#hot).

How It Went

If I’m being honest, I was a real hot mess for this appointment. The night before had been filled with wine and tacos, so I was running a taddd bit late — only to discover that the spa had just moved locations, and I had gone to the wrong one. After I finally arrived at the correct location, my technician had me fill out some paperwork, then walked me through the process.

How did it feel? Huh, funny you should ask — I literally don’t know how it felt, because I fell SOUND asleep on the table. You lay on your back in a cozy warm room, and the technician has you close your eyes. She taped down my lower lashes, then with the soft touch of a unicorn kitten from heaven, she gently applied my extensions. It was so intensely relaxing, I fell asleep almost instantly. It was like the best nap I ever took — I fell asleep slightly hungover with short little lashes, and I woke up with gorgeous Gisele-worthy fringe and a newly reduced headache. Thank you, Milita.

My lashes should last about two to three weeks, at which point I’m supposed to go back in for a fill. I had told myself that this was a one-time thing, but I love the results so much that I just might have to make a habit of it.

Would I recommend?

You better freaking believe it!! I cannot overstate how big of a difference these lashes made. I had originally signed up for just a normal full set, but the technician recommended a volume partial set — she said it would give me a nice big difference while still appearing natural. I think she’s right, and I can’t wait to take these bad boys out on the town.

Moral of the story: there are WAY too many beauty treatments out there for one person to keep up with — but a tight budget shouldn’t be the reason you don’t try. I highly recommend scouting out the Groupon beauty section to find affordable EFFECTIVE treatments in your hometown — you’re going to find a new favorite, give yourself a fun upgrade, and save some cash in the process (score!).

Share your own favorite #GrouponMoments on Instagram by tagging @Groupon — I can’t wait to see!!

This post is sponsored by Groupon, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board. 

Source: http://theeverygirl.com/groupon-beauty-treatments/

[skylar-ralyks]

HOW TO GET AWESOME NAILS AT HOME Full disclosure, so at the front end of this venture, you pay more to DIY than if you went to the salon. But if you’re a nails addict (no shame in my game here, people) like me, you’ll end up saving time and money just by doing your own nails. The second thing to realize is that there is a learning curve, so cut yourself a break. I’ve been doing nails for 22 years at the time of writing this. That’s a lot of experience, y'all. That said, it’s totally achievable with a bit of practice! Here is exactly how I did this hot pink stiletto look you see here! MATERIALS NEEDED: CND Cuticle Away- this stuff is necessary for the foundation of any manicure or pedicure you want to last. It’s basically a gel that softens dead skin so it can be removed from the nail plate. It’s 6 bucks on amazon. Cuticle Pusher- can be professional metal or wood if you wanna be gentler. If you have a heavy hand, start with wood so you don’t end up taking off layers of your actual nail. And be gentle! Buffer Block- these are super cheap and effective at removing any leftover cuticle on the nail. It also lightly roughs up the nail plate so the glue adheres better. Rubbing Alcohol Cotton Balls Kiss Full Cover Nails Long Stiletto 100 ct.- this pack will yield about three to five manicures depending on your nail sizes. This is like $5.90 on the Walmart website right now. IBD 5 Second Brush On Nail Glue- this is the stuff professionals use. It seriously dries fast, so any mistakes- like you stick a nail on crooked... well sorry ‘bout it, but it’s staying for a while. To practice, you could just use the glue that comes in the kit till you get the hang of things. Gelish- Base coat: Foundation Gel. Color: Pacific Sunset (pink) with Izzy Wizzy Let’s Get Busy (glitter) on top. Top coat: Top It Off Gelish LED lamp- for curing gel polish. LED is a different spectrum of light rays than UV. You can use a UV lamp, but the LED works best with Gelish. 100% acetone- for removal. You can save some money and buy this in the paint section of the hardware store. Comes in a big metal can called Klean Strip. It’s the same thing used in salons and sold for more expensive at the drugstore. Regular polish remover sometimes has rubbing alcohol in it to make it less drying on the skin. Undiluted acetone, which is required for the removal of acrylic and gel nails, is paint thinner. Imagine that. STEP BY STEP: First step is the manicure. Trim your nails all the way down. Long natural nails would be in the way since you want as much of your natural nail to glue to the stiletto as possible. Apply the Cuticle Away to the nail plate and cuticle area of all ten nails and let it sit for a minute. Then with the cuticle pusher, push back your cuticles, gently scraping the nail plate. If you’re using the right amount of pressure, you’ll see white cuticle being pushed back off your nail. This is what the nail techs usually remove with the electric nail file. The method we’re using takes more time but is a lot more gentle on the nails. Wipe away the Cuticle Away with an alcohol soaked cotton ball. Then pick off any lint that might have gotten stuck to your nails from the cotton ball. Using the Buffer block, gently buff the sides of the nail plate and the back of your nails near the cuticle to smooth out the surface of the nail plate. Another sweep of a clean alcohol soaked cotton ball will remove the dust from the buffing. Check again for lint and remove it. Measure your natural nails with the stilettos from the kit. It needs to be the size that gets as close as possible to both sides of the natural nail without overlapping onto the skin at all for best adhesion. The size numbers are located on the underside of each tip. I label on top of the box with sharpie so I know for future use which of my nails is which size. Lay all the nails out that you plan to use in order so you can get to them easily. I start by applying the stilettos TO my dominant hand. So if you’re right handed, use your left hand to apply stilettos to your right hand first. This is because the tips can kind of get in your way and you know you’re already gonna struggle a bit trying to get nails onto your dominant hand. This next part is tricky and you must work fast and accurately because the glue dries in an instant as soon as something touches it. Using the nail glue brush, place glue onto the nail bed with the back of the nail plate (near but not on the cuticle,) having the most product placed on it. Brush down to give a light coat to the end of your nail. Here’s my trick for getting the stilettos on straight: I set that one nail on the edge of my table pointing straight away from me, take the stiletto by the tip in my other hand and apply it straight to that finger. It’s the easiest way to ensure the straightest placement. Then quickly press down hard on the sides and back of the nail and hold for five seconds. It’s ok if you see a few small air pockets underneath. You mainly want to avoid it as much as possible near the back and sides of the nail where you want the closest adhesion. Sometimes you need to use a bit more glue. Too much glue just squishes out the sides but you can use the buffer block to remove the excess glue once it’s dry. A note about Gelish: it stays wet till you cure it under the LED lamp. You can manipulate it on the nail plate with the polish brush as much as you want before curing and it won’t start to dry like a nail polish would. Once cured, each layer of gel has a tacky layer on top. Think of that like double sided tape, it bonds the layers together. The layer is dry once cured, but that tacky layer stays tacky. It seems to be a magnet for lint and dust so BE CAREFUL not to touch anything till you’re all done curing the top coat! I hope you went to the bathroom before you started this process! Once you’ve got all ten stilettos on, apply a THIN coat of Foundation Gel to both thumbs. Seriously, make sure the nail is covered but it really only needs the tiniest bit. Make sure to “wrap” the nail by getting the ends of the nail and sides that extend past your actual finger. Place both thumbs in the LED light, with the nail plates Gavin straight up, for ten seconds to cure the gel. Apply Foundation Gel to the fingers on your dominant hand, and cure under the light 10 seconds. Repeat that for your non-dominant hand. Apply the color of your choosing yo both thumbs- very thinly! It’s better to do many thin coats that will cure evenly, than to glob on thick layers that will cure unevenly and make bumps and ridges appear. Cure in the LED lamp for 30 seconds per coat of color until you get to the desired opacity. Repeat the process on your dominant hand till the same opacity is reached. Then do your non-dominant hand. The reason I do my thumbs and individual hands separate is so that I can make sure my nails are facing perfectly upright while curing under the LED lights. It ensures the most even curing. Finish off with a thin layer of Top Coat to both thumbs, making sure to wrap the nails so that it’s all sealed and cure for 30 seconds. Repeat for your dominant hand, and repeat again for your non-dominant hand. The last step is to take the 70% alcohol onto a cotton ball and scrub off the tacky layer from all ten nails. They’re cured, no need to worry about the fuzz or messing up your polish now! While you don’t have to worry about them like regular polish, they will be completely cured in about 24 hours. So I recommend staying away from submersing in water till then. (No dishes today!) Just to be on the safe side. To remove, soak cotton balls in acetone and secure them to each nail with foil, medical tape, little plastic remover thingies they seek on amazon, or just soak your nails in a bowl of acetone. This softens the glue and you can use the cuticle pusher to gently pry them off after ten or fifteen minutes of soaking thoroughly. And that’s it! A typical manicure takes me about an hour and a half to do to myself, start to finish. Give yourself time to get used to the process though, it could take longer if you’re just learning!