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September’s First Friday Faves include:
- OPI Natural Nail Base Coat
- Storck Chocolate Riesen candy
My first September fave is OPI’s Natural Nail Base Coat. I love painting my nails and own probably close to 100 bottles of nail polish. I’ve already covered my favorite top coat here and I still swear by it. While I don’t stray when it comes to my top coat I have tried numerous base coats. What I’ve come to know is that this base coat from OPI is hands down my favorite in a long time!

I’m a firm believer that your nail’s top coat can make or break your manicure. But I also believe that a good base coat can mean the difference between a short lived mani and a week long one without adding more than three minutes to your routine. My daughters don’t wear a base coat and they wonder why their nail polish doesn’t stay on. I almost always get 7 – 10 days of decent looking nails and experience less nail staining as well.
Here are some of the reasons why I like this particular base coat. For starters, it really seems to help extend the life of my manicures. The formula is thin and applies nicely to nails. It dries quickly so there is no huge wait time which helps when you’re in a hurry. The base coat seems to grab hold of the nail polish itself which is why I think it keeps your mani looking better, longer. I’ve also noticed less staining of my nails, as well.

You can find the OPI Natural Nail Base Coat at any retailer that sells OPI products. If you can’t find it in store you can order it from the OPI website and it will run you around $10.50. I’ve been picking mine up from my favorite store, TJ Maxx for around $3.99 which is a steal! So if you’ve been having issues with mani/pedi longevity, you may want to give this base coat a try.
My second and last favorite for September is a yummy candy that I forgot about until I saw a commercial for it out of nowhere. I’m talking about Storck Chocolate Riesen. Years ago I tried these interesting chocolate candies but forgot about them just as quickly. Well, after seeing the commercial I decided to find them again.

I found two different size bags at my local Walmart. There was a 5.5 oz bag for around $2.20 and a 30 oz bag for around $8.35. They’re basically chocolate covered caramels. I bought a small bag and ripped it open as soon as I got to my car. My first impression the second time around? I honestly forgot that these candies were wrapped in dark chocolate. As much as I dislike dark chocolate, it works here. As far as caramel goes, these treats are made from chocolate caramel, not the typical light brown caramel you may be used to.

These Chocolate Riesens hit the spot! Yum! I didn’t realize how much I missed them. Honestly, I really can’t think of another candy that tastes like Riesens. Most caramel candies taste the same, from Milk Duds to Milky Way bars, the caramel has pretty much the same DNA. Just be careful if you have special dental work because they are chewy and that can spell disaster for braces or crowns. Still, I enjoy them albeit very cautiously.
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