So I saw everyone buzzing about pastel nails for 2024 and figured I’d test-drive ’em myself. Grabbed my dusty nail kit from under the bathroom sink—been months since I touched that thing—and hunted down some soft shades.
The Pastel Hunt
First stop: dug through old polishes. Found a chalky blue that looked like baby booties and a pink resembling cotton candy. No lavender though—that’s everywhere this year—so I hit up the drugstore. Scanned rows of bottles like a detective until I spotted this lilac named “Lavender Fog.” Tossed in a minty green called “Seafoam Kiss” too. Cashier gave me that “another nail junkie” smile.
Nail Prep Disaster Zone
Cleaned my nails with remover first—big mistake. Forgot how dried-out that stuff makes ’em. Filed ’em ragged trying to shape ’em evenly. By the time I buffed ’em, my thumb looked like I’d sandpapered it. Slapped on base coat while wondering if ridges count as “textured chic.”
Color Chaos
Here’s how the polishes fought back:
- The Lilac: Went on streaky like bad wall paint. Needed three coats to stop looking diseased.
- Mint Green: Gloopy. Left blobs near my cuticles that hardened like cement.
- Baby Blue: Surprise winner! Smooth in one coat but smudged when I scratched my nose too fast.
Sweated through 20 minutes of “don’t touch anything” hell while they dried. My cat chose that moment to demand lap time—nailed it with fur in two nails. Perfection.
Final Verdict
After two days: chips on three nails where I opened soda cans. Lavender shade yellowed slightly like old teeth. But that baby blue? Still hanging tough. Trends are fun but high-maintenance. Next time I’m sticking with one light shade + top coat. And locking the cat out.
