I'm a 32 year old wife and mother to two littles. My son is almost 6 years old and my baby girl is 8 months. I am a part time second grade teacher and my life is definitely not glamorous. Sadly, I'm more likely to stay home on the weekends (my husband works crazy hours so he's not always home and babysitters are expensive) and when I'm home I'm always in comfy pants. My days at home consists of diaper changes, making meals, housework, and keeping my babes happy and healthy. When I'm at work, I spend the entire time trying to get everything organized and ready to teach while answering many emails and attending even more meetings. I also live 35 minutes away from my job so I usually leave the house at 6am and return anytime after 4:30pm. Now don't get me wrong, I love my family and my job, its just a little hectic at times.
So now that you know a little more about me, I have a confession to make...
I was a nail bitter!!!
Yes, for 31 years I bit my nails even when they bled and hurt. I even tried to stop many times using the bad tasting nail polish, getting acrylics, using positive reinforcements, BUT, nothing worked. I guess I wasn't ready all those times before because I'm going on 6 months now and you would never know I was a nail biter. Do I still put my nails in my mouth, yes but I haven't taken a nibble... yet.
So what was the turning point for me? Getting my first Julep Maven box with three beautiful colors of nail polish. I've always had a love for polish but never wore it because my nails looked horrible but I had this subscription box and it became a challenge for myself. If I could keep polish on my nails and not bite them, I could continue to get the subscription. Well it worked! Since I was on maternity leave at the time, I had some time to paint my nails every three days and I looked forward to my special gift each month. I then joined a bunch of nail groups on Facebook (what's one to do while nursing a baby in the middle of the night) and learned a ton about nail care and different brands.
Confession time number two, needless to say, I received my free maven box in July and since then I have accumulated over 100 polishes. They are not all Julep but some Indies, Opis and Essies, and a bunch of drug store brands. I have also explored the wonderful world of nail art with dotting tools, brushes, rhinestones, and stamping plates. I've learned how to take care of my nails and paint them so I have minimal cleanup even on my non-dominate hand.
Confession time number three, I paint my nails every three to four days and they are NEVER without polish. Why you ask, well they chip and then if I don't take it off right away, I peel the paint which is so bad for your nails. I'm also a perfectionist (though I'm far from perfect myself) so a small chip will set me off. Also, the polish helps protect my nails and keep them strong so I'm less prone to breaks.
With this blog, I plan on sharing my polish collection with you and any tips or tricks I come across on my journey to have fabulous nails. You can look forward to seeing swatches of different colors and brands as well as a review of each. You can also look forward to seeing my adventures with nail art. If there is anything you would like to see in addition to what I just shared please leave me a comment and I will try my best to accommodate your request.
Thank you so much for taking this journey with me!
Wishing everyone health, happiness and beautifully polished nails :)
If you are interested in becoming a Julep Maven, please click my referral link HERE.
