Welcome to Obsessed With Nails. My interest in nail art began about 2 years ago. Although I have always admired and wanted beautiful nails, I never had the time or the money to invest in my nails. On the occasions I did paint my nails, red was always my color. Once in a while I would paint my nails black. That was the limit to my creativity. I would keep up with my manicures for a month or two, and then stop because it was just too much work–polish would start chipping by the second day.
About 2 years ago, I went to a salon and got a gel manicure. I was amazed at how quick the curing process was. It was wonderful not having to worry about waiting, sometimes hours, for the polish to dry. I went back two weeks later and had another gel manicure. By the fourth time, I was a bit less impressed. The gel polish would start chipping by about day 2, and for the money invested, I did not think it was worth spending $50.00 or more every two weeks especially because my nails only looked good for a day or two. My nails have always been very strong, but I did notice they were thinning and becoming more brittle due to the gel removal process. My friend, on the other hand, had no problems, and she had been getting her gel manicures every 2 weeks for over two years. I think my main concern though was the money and the nail damage.
I searched for polishes that would stay on longer than a couple of days without chipping or peeling. Wow!! There was so much to choose from as well as a ton of information out there. The information, tutorials, and videos about nail art were so interesting to me, and this is where my obsession began. I learned about the importance of a good base coat and topcoat. I even bought some polishes in colors other than red. I never thought I would be wearing green or blue polish, but I loved it. I am older, and I remember reading older women should not wear blue polishes as it tends to bring attention to the veins in the hand. I have found that to be untrue. In fact, blue is one of the best colors for my nails.
Well, after a while, I started to experiment with nail stamping, reverse stamping, gradients, crystals, nail studs, water marbling, etc. In the past, I was happy if my nails were just painted, one color with a nice polish, but now that is not enough. I love different designs, nail embellishments, and colors. It is funny, because what started out as a search for longer lasting polish turned into my obsession. I do my nails several times a week, because I tend to get bored with one design after a day or two. I always take pictures of my nails after I finish them, and I thought a website would be the perfect place to organize my photos and record information on what does and does not work for me. I hope that after browsing my site maybe someone else might be inspired to create some nail art. It is not difficult, but does require patience and time as you learn new techniques. I am not a professional nail technician, so I can only write about my experiences. You will also see many mistakes in my pictures, but I have always believed we learn more from our mistakes. As for the time commitment, I do my nails in the evening while my husband is watching television. We get to relax and spend time together, and I usually get a great looking set of nails.
Happy Painting
Anne