I was chatting with a girlfriend the other day about mainly important topics (our careers, our holiday donation plans, our side businesses), when a slightly lighter topic came up. She had the most incredible manicure from Lovely Nails (the shade was this impeccable nude color that I've been hard pressed to find these days). She said that the Lovely Nails pricing was better than she expected and they turned out well. The whole situation got us talking about, yep, our nails.

If you're like me, you probably spend a silly amount of time worrying, just as you're about to hand over your credit card at a cashier, as to whether or not they will notice how bad your manicure looks at the moment. It's funny, right? I can compartmentalize when it comes to my first world problems, and believe me, what I've just described is a first world problem, but it still bothers me when my nails are chipped or the color just isn't as vibrant as before. I haven't always been this way -- but I like to think New York has morphed me a bit (after all, let's face it, for better or for worse, there's a nail salon at pretty much every corner here in the city).

And while I love a good manicure just as much as the next New York City gal, I've come to realize it's just not ideal for my routine sometimes, nor is it pocket friendly. So lately, instead of turning into an anxious ball of energy when I'm at the salon, I've been opting to apply my own colors, with OPI's newest gel-like line: Infinite Shine, a long-wearing 3 step lacquer system. No UV lights. No lengthy soaking. And up to 11 days of gel-like wear. For someone who's awful at the consistent upkeep of manicures every week or so (especially when I'm trying to save money and want to do them myself), this has already proven to be a great compromise! I'm currently on day five as I write this and I'm extremely happy with the wear so far. No chips, no peeling, nada.

Are you guys into gel manicures? If so, have you tried out OPI's Infinite Shine as an alternative? Would love to hear your thoughts!

This post was in collaboration with OPI. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

Photos by Lydia Hudgens