Are you Gelish yet?

So the product I'm writing about today is call Gelish.. (get it... are you GELISH yet?!...I know I'm so creative!)

Lets rewind to how I came across this amazing little gem.  A close friend and I have decided every Wednesday we're going to take a little break from life and catch up with each other.  Turns out we forgot about a TON of things we have in common like LOVING to go get our nails done.  About a month ago, we went for the first time-- a coworker of mine suggested I try out a Gelish manicure.  $25 later I was in love.  

Gelish is a nail polish that is cured with either an LED or UV light.  The polish does not damage your nails-- instead it acts more like a double stick tape, one side sticking to your nails and one side sticking to the next layer.  

Reasons why I fell in love with Gelish:

1. Zero dry time after the polish has been cured.  I literally gave myself a manicure 20 minutes ago and I've already washed my hands twice, washed my face, put on lotion and changed into my PJ's-- all of which would never be able to be done with a normal manicure.  

2. Makes your nails stronger.  This was honestly the the number one reason why I decided to try out Gelish. I have very brittle nails that break very easily.  I wanted a way to grow my nails out long and strong.  Gelish makes your nails stronger while not making them any thicker (this is a big issue for those girls that don't like artificial nails).  Gelish is literally only as thick as normal nail polish. 

3. SUPER SHINY.

4. Lasts at least 14 days! This nail polish because it is cured, and strengthens your nails does not chip.  At all. Whatso ever.  (unless of course you have a bad application-- meaning you basically paint the whole area around your nail)

So after paying $25 both times I got it done at the salon, I thought there has to be a less expensive way to do this! After a little google searching here I am.  I ended up purchasing all the items that I'd need to create my perfect Gelish manicure.  The items are shown below. 

Gelish PH Bond, Gelish Foundation, A Gelish color, and Gelish Top It Off

Light Elegant

A LED or UV Lamp

Gelish Nail Surface Cleanse 

Pure Acetone (to remove them)

 Steps to Applying a Gelish Manicure:

1. Push cuticles back, file nails, and LIGHTLY buff the shine off your nails.  This will not damage your nails!

Sorry my hands look so dry-- I had to remove last weeks Gelish

2. Apply a coat of the PH Bond:

 

3. Apply a thin coat of the foundation.  Note: all layers work better thin!! Cure under lamp! (my lamp works in 45 seconds)

4. Apply a layer of color-- then cure.  Apply a layer of color and cure.  Finally apply the topcoat and cure.

5. Take a paper towel square and add the Nail surface cleanse.  Wipe off all nails-- Yes, your nails will be dry!!

6. ENJOY!

First Gelish Manicure

  I'm honestly not in love with this color.  I thought it would be more opaque than it really is.  I don't like that you can see the whites of my nails underneath.  This could be a great french manicure base.

 The whole kit was a little expensive but literally will pay for itself in 2-3 manicures.  SO worth it.  Time will be the true test-- to see if it starts to peel / lift


Thanks for reading!

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I'm gonna get a sun tan on half my face..., a photo by LifeByLexis on Flickr.

I'm going to get a suntan on half my face!

Gimp Status.

Well, its been nearly 4 weeks from the day I got my cordisone shot.  I had a picnic this week where my coworkers were playing volleyball.  There was no way I was missing that.  I figured since it was week 4 (and I was told "3-5 weeks" that I'd be fine taking my boot off.  I took that sucker off ASAP and played an awesome game of volleyball with no pain.  I wore the boot home but decided that it was my last day wearing the boot.  On friday I strolled to work boot free all smiles.  I was pretty active walking around at work.  When I got home at the end of the night my foot was feeling sore and I was a little scared.  I woke up this morning with the same pain that I had felt prior to the shot 4 weeks ago.

Talk about a let down.

I literally almost started crying while putting my boot back on today.  I'm not really sure why that upset me so much-- I think mostly because I'm frustrated with this pain and I just want to be better already.  This shot was supposed to cause me to be pain free for 6 months.... and I'm in week 5 and having the same pain as before.  The shot was so painful the first time, I really don't want to go through that again, but I'm already doing all the exercises that I would be doing if  I was in Physical therapy.  Its just super frustrating.

I seriously love my job #ipad #fun #instalove

I seriously love my job #ipad #fun #instalove, a photo by LifeByLexis on Flickr.

My week in Instagrams

Awwww @nantoszewski

Awwww @nantoszewski, a photo by LifeByLexis on Flickr.

This week has been kinda busy...

This week has been crazy busy for me.  I’ve been “on call” at work (7a-4p).  Its not really being on call since I was really only watching it while I was at work—but it was enough to stress me out.  I was having (Ligit) nightmears about itsunday night.  Turns out it was basically all in my head because everything went relativly smoothly.  One of the most stressful parts of my Monday (catching up on balancing the charges for 3 days) went SUPER smooth compared to last time I balanced—at one of our go-lives and it literally took me 4 hours to balance for ONE DAY.  Yeah.

I think part of my fear about the on call week stuff was that Monday (By far the busiest day for “on call” random duties—Balancing, running reports etc) I was going to be alone.  Ligit alone.  No one was at work with me.  Me myself and I.—Okay lets not be draumatic, there were people at work, they were just people that would have no freaking idea what to do if I ran into some issue with my work—helpful I know.  Anyway, that’s basically what stressed me out the most.  Not knowing—the unknown.  But I handled it and it worked out.  I’m actually really glad that I had the opportunity to experience “on call” alone even if just for a few hours.  It allowed me to have a “slow” introduction to being on call and not just thrown into it in October. 

I’m super excited for out next project at work—We’re taking Hamot live 9/22.  Basically this means that we’re converting all of their applications (things to record patient information) and converting them to the applications that UPMC uses.  This is not why I’m excited.  I’m really excited because I’ll be back in Erie PA—the old stomping grounds—if you will.  I started out my education at Gannon—literally blocks away from Hamot.  A lot of my good friends still live up there and I’m excited to get the chance to see them. However I’m kind of feeling lost with that because it seems that many have no interest in seeing me.. or have lost interest in our friendship.  I’ve been attempting to contact a few ofmy friends over the past few days and literally have had no success.  

On a really random note-- I'm absolutely ecstatic about the ability to find acoustic music to listen to at work via Groove shark.  I'm in love and chilled out ALL DAY.