nails by zai

Nail artiste, MUA, amateur powerlifter, med student 🇺🇸 this used to be a nails and makeup blog but I post lifting stuff now too

[teamrocketing]

thinking about my optometrist who was treating my eye infection and said “if it hurts, you can rinse your eye with boiled water. look at me - look at me. i want you to understand that i mean water that has been boiled and has since cooled down. not boiling water. do you understand?” like i’m so grateful for this man ensuring that I wouldn’t destroy my eyes by pouring boiling water in it, because it is an adequate assessment of my intelligence

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Wrong specialty but literally me as a doc one day

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Got my ERAS headshots today so I put on a full face for the first time since March.

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I pulled a muscle last week, I’ve had low back pain the last two days from ICU rounds, and I crushed my fingers between the plates when racking up the weight minutes before the video. But those are all minor setbacks when there’s a PR on the horizon 🏋🏻‍♀️

[brandysmellville-deactivated202]

girls after saying something smart: So yeah

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285 ✅

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Lately I’ve been shaping my nails rather than sticking to my natural oval tips. I have to admit, the almond tip is everything— it lets you keep that longer length without feeling hampered, and I get to feel a bit like Azula with my pseudo claws. It also lets you play with the idea of stiletto nails without committing to (and damaging your nails with) acrylics. Only downside is they force me to type and play piano flat-fingered but that’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make 👌🏽💅🏽

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Late post of my Independence Day cake and fireworks manicure 🇺🇸❤️

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These are a month old but I love a good French manicure in color 😍

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“Precious cargo-go” from the Expressie line. Such a perfect olive shade, especially if you’re a golden/tan/olive skinned girl!! I’m obsessed 💅🏽

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Everyone loves a good pump 💪🏼🇺🇸

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Road to reclaiming my deadlift continues (2 plates, 225 lbs, no belt) and a new mani to match 💅🏽

One month ago, I was stuck at 145. Now I’m 15 lbs shy of my old PR. Trust the Westside Barbell method, y’all. I’m shook.

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2020 has been a great year for nail trends

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New PR yesterday!! 275 lbs for two reps. God willing I’ll get that 3-plate squat in 2020!! 💪🏼

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I haven’t deadlifted seriously in nearly ten years. I’m blessed with little hands but a weak grip— as such, my glutes and legs have tons left in them even after my grip has failed. Today, I broke 200 lbs for the first time since I was a teenager. Looking forward to rejoining the 2-plate club again soon, and to new PRs!!

[nails-by-zai]

The polish I used is 10 years old. The oldest in my collection is 15. I’ve noticed that the formulas with acetone derivatives (which are better for you) tend to have 5 year shelf lives— but the acetone formulas will last forever. They’ll strip your nails too, so it’s at a price. 💅🏽

[nails-by-zai]

The Snapchat gender swap filter is my favorite filter of all time. I’m quite proud of my faux fade and my shoulders— they really help sell the male image.

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Been reading a lot about Westside Barbell and old Louie’s methods to maximize on the big three lifts. The gyms have yet to re-open in my area, but I look forward to incorporating some of what I’ve learned here in quarantine, to maximize the efficiency of my workouts with limited weights. With luck, once I can return to progressive overload I’ll crack the 3-plate squat!! What I would give for a couple of 45s....