I've always been a pastel kinda gal, so lucky for me that pastels have really been trending, especially with the colors of the year. I feel like they're always kind of in style, but it's at a peak at the moment. (fashion is just a circle of cycles, after all) I especially adore pastel hair, of any kind.
FUN GAME: Take a shot of whatever every time I say the word love. Hurrah!
"You can't love someone until you love yourself." We've all heard it at some point or another, if not scripted out in a pretty font and background, by some teacher or counselor or friend or other well-meaning human. It's a quote that is possibly one of the most well-known and dare I say, one of the most untrue. Hear me out.
Picture this: a confused and clueless seventeen year old girl, scouring old episodes of One Tree Hill for any semblance of an answer to one two of life's greatest questions: "Will I ever love myself? Can I love other people??" Unbeknownst to past Kae, yes, yes I could. At the time, however, I was stuck wondering if the love I had for the people in my life was even real. I mean, I didn't really love myself. So I couldn't love anybody else, right?
Y'all know I'm 110% pro-self love. Loving yourself is truly a beautiful & grand thing. BUT it's also a process that can't happen overnight, and sometimes it's just not possible at the time. It is, however, always possible to love other people, & the notion that it's anything other than possible can be damaging and confusing. It can cause you to question your entire life.
The love I have for the people in my life, for my best friends, is a magical kind that I almost missed out on experiencing because I thought I didn't deserve it. I mean, it wasn't real, right? How could it be if I didn't love my own self every minute of every day? Here's a secret:
It's easier to love other people than it is to love yourself. I think that's just fact. The things we say & think about ourselves would never even spend a second in our minds if it were about a loved one. And another thing: the love you feel, even if it's not for you, is so, so real. Don't get caught trying to become a different person just because someone thought they were handing out good advice.
My advice? Just love. Work on loving yourself while you love others. Or don't; just focus all on you. That's ok too. But you need to know that the first option is a thing & not being 100% in love with you never invalidates the love you feel for other people, whether that's romantic, platonic, or even the love you have for your cutie pet. It's all real.
Ever wanted to get a salon gel manicure without actually having to go to the salon? Don't worry, ya girl's got ya covered. In my June faves post I mentioned the diy route that I've tried a couple of times & while that certainly makes me no expert, it's something that works for me. (maybe this is kind of a no-brainer diy, but we gotta help each other out, am I right??)
SO, here's the WDAC way to a gel mani, in five (or four!) steps:
First things first for any good manicure: moisturizing & massaging your hands with some good cuticle cream. This helps to soften the cuticle and nail for an easier process, plus it helps with the whole salon experience, if we're being real.
The first time I tried this I used store bought acrylic nails & I absolutely love the look & feel of them. Unfortunately the glue ended up BUSTING after a few touch ups and I haven't got around to the store for a new tube, so this time around I did everything on my natural nails. Lucky for you, it works both ways! It's all about preference. I personally love the look of oval/almond shaped nails, so I'll use the fakes when I can. Either way, you'll need to file down the nails first. (If you're using acrylics, glue the nails on & file after)
Once that's done it's time for the most simple part: the actual painting! You'll polish your nails with the color of your choice, just like normal. I normally do two coats even when I'm not doing gel because I feel like it just helps with staying power & finish. Then it's the FINAL STEP:
There are a lot of gel top coats/ polishes out there & I'm sure most of them are good, but I'm an Essie snob so I stuck with what I know & used their Gel Setter Top Coat. So much shine! When the color is dry you just swipe this over everything & let dry. GOOD. TO. GO.
Have you tried an at-home or salon gel mani? I've only tried the at-home, so maybe I'm a bit biased. Tell me which one you like better!
