Green and Gold Art Deco Nails

I do enjoy a good bandwagon-jumping-on party!  When I saw the gorgeous art deco nails Whitney at dressedupnails.com posted on Reddit, I knew I had to have a go, warnings about the amount of time it takes be damned!  I'm made of time! Yeah...really should have listen there cos these really do take an extraordinary about of time to do!

To start, I applied three coats of a polish I've been meaning to use for a while, OPI Goldeneye from the Skyfall collection.  It's such a beautiful gold, I have no idea why I haven't used it sooner.  Look at the macro shot below, haven't seen a foil that pretty in ages.  Once it and the extra coat of Seche Vite I added on top cos I'm impatient was dry I set to work with my striping tape.  I've only used it for stripes before so I had no idea what I was in for, trying to get tape ends to line up properly.  I didn't do anything special with the tape, just copied the designs from Whitney, embellishing where I felt like it.  On top of the tape I applied two coats in quick succession of Revlon Posh.  I should have gone with a darker, hunt green like I was originally going to but alas, Posh will have to do.  

The Verdict:  I love art deco everything so this one is a winner for me.  It's funny how the lines look drawn on the green rather than the green over the top but I'm ok with that.  Thanks for the idea Whitney!

Black, White and Gold Zig Zag Nails!

As much as I love the glitter mosaics, every once in a while I feel the need to do something different.  I stopped in at a craft store on the way home tonight as they tend to have all kinds of supplies I might be able to shoehorn into a manicure.  Along with a new, tiny paintbrush, I picked up painter's masking tape and metal craft scissors with a zig-zag blade.  Oh yes, I'm going to have fun with these!

I spent a good couple of hours watching The Mitchell and Webb look and staring at the scissors, trying to decide how best to use them.  I finally decided to try zig-zag strips as it's something I've tried to do by hand before but stopped because it was taking too long.  To start, I applied three thin coats of L.A. Girl Delicate, a shimmery white creme.  Once it and the coat of Seche Vite were totally dry, I cut thin strips of the painter's tape and laid them on my nails.  I then added the black and gold over the top, Rimmel Black Satin and Revlon Gold Coin respectively.  

The Verdict: I'm really happen with how these came out, especially with the gold accents.  I'm also super happy with how my index and ring fingers are holding up.  They both have breaks but are holding together with the tea-bag method.  It actually works really well - you cut a tiny piece of tea bag and stick it over the break with nail glue.  Hang in there, nails!

Review: Ciate Jewellery Box over Revlon Gold Coin

My previous job had a incentive program that let you "High-5" people when they did a good job, or agreed to swap with you.   This lead you to collect points that could be redeemed for a bunch of different stuff.  I obsessively hoarded my points and when I left, I managed to cash out these points for a ton of gift cards.  Unfortunately these gift cards could be used at Sephora so I did what any normal person would do - spend $120 on nail polish :D.  Sure I could use this for more productive things but too bad, I want fancy nail polish! 

A particular stand out of the polish I grabbed at random like I was on one of those competitions that gives you all you can grab in two minutes was Ciate Jewellery Box.  I don't own anything like, and that's impressive, given the amount I have. Jewellery Box is a clear polish with absolutely minuscule black glitter and larger gold holo glitter.  It's actually super opaque which surprised me - I initially fully layered it over Revlon Gold Coin but moved to a gradient as no gold was showing through!  Black and gold is always a good combination and glitter this tiny makes for a very interesting texture.  

The Verdict:  I love this polish and am now going to have to keep my eye out for more.  If only it wasn't $17....

Australia Day Nails

Urgh, today is just not a good day for nails.  Not only did I cut myself twice on the cheese shaver (in addition to the two other times I've done it) but both cuts were on my photo hand.  Acetone + fresh cuts = owies.  To top it off, the design I had in my head for Australia day didn't work out that well and I feel like I've cheated if my glitter doesn't line up properly.  I can't even re-do it cos I can't face the acetone again!  So we're all just going to have to deal with less-than-amazing Australia day nails. 

I thought about doing Australian flags but it felt too hard so instead, the call of the wild Australian: Aussie, aussie, aussie! Oy, oy, oy!  Believe it or not I've heard it in bars all over the world.  To start, I applied two coats of the greenest green I have, Revlon Posh.  Then, using my usual technique, I slapped the glitter on.  I couldn't work out which way round the pieces were supposed to go to sit together properly so I cheated and spaced them out a bit.  I used a gold Sharpie on my thumb but it smeared under the top coat, so I left out the super close up today. 

The Verdict:  Urgh, I hate everything about this, including the white balance and exposure on the photos.  And my hand hurts.  Blerg.  Happy Australia Day everyone.  I'll be less complainy tomorrow. 

Stamping and Gradients, Finally Coming Together in a Cutesy Package

Are you ready for the most cutesy nails ever seen on this blog?  I'm starting off with a warning cos they're a bit ridiculous.  So I've been on a bit of a gradient kick lately ever since I figured out that you just have to follow all the tutorials out there.  I saw a particularly awesome pastel and paisley design on tumblr the other day and thought I'd give it a shot.  Not only did the gradient work, the stamping did too!

To start, I applied two coats of L.A. Girl Delicate and, once dry, painted strips of Revlon Pink Lingerie, Urban Outfitters Mojave and Revlon Cloud on my makeup sponge.  Three coats of dabbing got my colours nice and even, smooth.  I have trouble getting in around my cuticles so I helped the coverage along a little with applying the polish directly.  Once the gradient was dry, I waited another ten minutes before starting my stamping. Trust me, there's nothing worst than getting all the way to the stamp application stage only to have layers of wet polish ooze out under the stamp *shudder*.  So after waiting ten minutes I waited another ten.  Then, using my Konad Black Special Polish and BM-320, I actually got the stamp to apply.  I've always had issues with getting the stamp on the stamp but turns out being quick with the scraping and then using a rolling motion to pick up the image, I actually got a good result. 

 The Verdict: Of course I love this.  It took too long and was so risky with the stamping on the top for me not to love it.  My bf came up behind me as I was editing these saying "Oooh, who did those?" cos they were so awesome.  And cute, I like cute.

Ruffle Nails!

So, things have been a bit quiet around these here parts, it's ok, I've just been going through the process of getting a new contracting job, incorporating myself and all the endless paperwork that that entails.  Given I had a three week lead time before starting, I decided to peace out and go to Cuba for a week!  It's so beautiful there I can't even words.  I mean, this is where I was all week.  This was the walkway leading down to the beach:  

That's not a stock photo, I just held my phone up and that's what happened.  So I've been warm for a whole week.  

But you aren't here for the Cuba photos, you're here for the nails!  I wanted something bright and colourful before I left and since I haven't done ruffle nails in a while, I think it's time!

To start, I applied two coats of OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls.  It's a really good white base colour.  Next I started at the bottom near the cuticle and just brushed on Urban Outfitters Blue Jeans.  I then pulled out my most opaque cremes and my larger dotting tool and applied a row of dots at a time.  Just make sure you place the dots as far apart as you can, helps make it look extra ruffley.  In order from the bottom up starting with Blue Jeans, the colours are Urban Outfitter (UA) Rodeo Sweetheart, UA Flip Flop, Sally Hansen Celeb City, UA Westside, UA Mojave, UA Bandeau, UA Smush and Revlon Gold Coin.  In case you can't tell I've been on something of a UA kick lately.  They just have really nice colours for $4 each.

  

The Verdict:  Love Cuba, love ruffles.  I know that most of you are American and can't go but wow, it's so gorgeous and peaceful.  White sand, 25 degrees and sunny, turquoise water, so awesome.  I'mma post more too... :D

Rainbow Matte Glitter Needs a Pastel Rainbow Background

I'm always on the look out for new glitter. ALWAYS.  Because I like to wander around Etsy when I'm bored, I found a store that sells all kinds of interesting glitter sets.  A pot of rainbow hex and square matte glitter caught my eye and I had to have it.  The problem was then how to make best use of it.  Pastel rainbow gradient background then hand-placed glitter on top of it is clearly an answer. 

To start, I applied two coats of OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls, my current go-to white.  Once that was dry, I went to town with six pastel colours and a makeup sponge for the gradient.  I've tried sponging each colour on individually before but the colour transition is never smooth enough for me.  If you're careful and do thin stripes, you can fit six colours on nail-sized sponge.  I can't remember all the colours but stand-outs for me are Revlon Dreamer, American Apparel L'esprit and others.  I can find them if you need them.  Once my rainbow was done, it was on to the glitter.  I used my usual technique to apply the glitter.

The Verdict:  The glitter is good, I'm just not sure about the execution.  The gradient is fine, the glitter is fine, just together...eh.  Especially since it took so long.  I'll find another use for this glitter again, perhaps with the metallic rainbow glitter I got in the same delivery...

Rainbow 90's Computer Logo Nails!

You know you have a problem when a perfectly matched rainbow pot of glitter just isn't that exciting because it isn't holo.  I realised the other night that this is stupid and I should try it out.  Not everything can be holo, Laura! The hardest part was choosing a background colour because I've done a rainbow over black literally a million times.  Let's take a look at rainbow glitter Hooplah from Impulse Cosmetics over Revlon Royal.    

I'm still so mad at my middle finger for being an asshole and breaking that even my favourite blue jelly, Revlon Royal, can't even fully distract me from how uneven it is.  Blerg.  Anyway, I chose Royal mostly because it was already there, on my desk, and it's the best blue ever.  It does need a few coats but it's worth it for how shiny it comes out.  Once dry, I used my usual technique to create my chevrons.  Starting at the top of my nail in the middle, I placed one piece of glitter in each colour, spaced evenly.  It's then just a matter of building out each side.  Keep an eye on your spacing as you go and you should get a nice even chevron.  Voila, mid-90's computer logo rainbow nails!

The Verdict:  Have to say thanks to my trainer Ben, because these totally look like a 90's computer logo.  Which is good.  I'll always love Royal, it's my perfect blue that I think only benefits from being a finicky jelly.

The Other Hand:  I'm continuing my streak of being honest about what's on my left hand and this time I used the same base colour and just sprinkled the glitter over my thumb and ring fingers.  I find sprinkling better than dunking because then you don't get patches with too much glitter that won't lay flat.

Horizontal Neon Rainbow Gradient with Square Glitter Overlay!

I'm getting back to routine now I'm setting into my new job.  A new activity appears to be spending large amounts of time on a weekend day spending a lot of time doing the most crazy nails I can think of.  I've had this square black glitter for a little while now and wanted to see what it would look like over a horizontal rainbow gradient.  So that then. 

I've done this style of gradient before and I should have used a lighter purple, like I did last time.  Anyway, same process, starting off with two coats of OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls.  Taking a small piece of makeup sponge, I then painted on stripes of my twelve different colours, using the same polish on the edges of each contiguous nail, to make it blend better.  I'm going off memory here, but the pattern goes something like this, starting from red on my thumb: Floss Gloss Fastlane, Urban Outfitters Tiny Shorts, UO Ringo -> Ringo, China Glaze I'm With the Lifeguard, CG Turned Up Turquoise -> Turned Up Turquoise, American Apparel Neon Blue, UO Blue Velvet -> Blue Velvet, UO Bandeau, Zoya Charisma -> Charisma, UO Hottub and Revlon Pink Lingerie.  Can't remember SQL for my job but I can remember the names of 12 polishes I used a week ago >.<.  Anyway, once that was done I went to work with the black square glitter.  I used the usual trick here, doing a line down the middle then building out either side. Omg this is so much text, you know the drill with glitter by now.

The Verdict: I'm sad that my purple was too dark on my ring finger to really see all the glitter in there.  It too so long!  And you can't even really see it in person!  Sigh.  I love this kind of gradient though, it looks like what I want duochromes to look like, if that's a thing.  And I love square glitter too.  So yay?

White and Gold Glitter Nails!

Do you know how hard it is to write another glitter intro?  Like, sure, I haven't used this glitter before but you've seen this with different colours.  You know, this might not be a bad time to just talk a little about my camera setup and how I'm happy I've finally found a way for the holographic rainbow in my glitter to show up.  I have quite a complicated setup for my photos.  I have a Canon T3i DSLR with a matching 60mm 1:1 macro lens.  This means I can get realllllly close up photos, like the ones I take of my thumb.  What this also means though is that I have to get really close to my nails with a big camera, something that's super difficult to light.  So I have a lightbox.  That's fine, but it gives out really even light which eats sparklies.  To compensate for THAT, I have a ring flash on my lens.  Until recently, when I put fresh batteries in it, I didn't realise it was cranked way down.  So I put it on full brightness. FINALLY, SPARKLIES.  It does make my skin look awful but if you focus on just the glitter, we'll be good.  So that's why some of my pictures look weird.  But sparkly.  Anyway....

I tried a new white base for this mani, the white end of a Revlon Nail Art Neon duo polish.  Turns out that two coats gives you a really nice, even white, which is a lot more difficult to achieve than you'd think.  Using a slow drying top coat, I did the usual stripe down the middle and center colour of glitter.  If you're careful with the spacing up front, it's a lot easier to just keep it going over the full nail.  A couple coats of Seche Vite and you're done.  

The Verdict: Turns out there's a reason lots of people have been doing white and gold nails lately, it's awesome.  And sparkly.  So there's that :)