Purple Leopard

I was never drawn to the Leopard Print nails but then I saw some cute purple ones by Elissa at Lissa's Polish Addiction. I used the tutorial by Sarah at Chalkboard Nails. (These are just the homepage links for each nail artists' blog. You can browse all of their amazing work and as well as search for the specific posts I mentioned as inspiration and help.)

I used Essie Blanc, Ulta Duty Free Shopping Spree, and Sephora by OPI Domestic Goddess to create this look.

Glitter Gradient

I was recently in need of a manicure that was both sophisticated and festive. I decided to go with my favorite red, OPI I'm Not Really a Waitress, as the base. Then, with OPI Pirouette My Whistle and Milani Silver, I created the glitter gradient. This manicure paired very well with my black dress with white polka dots as red is classic and the glitter mimicked the white polka dots.

Sunlight

Indoor Lighing

Minnie and Mickey Mouse Inspired

My sister saw a manicure she wanted me to replicate for our trip to Disneyland and California Adventure today. I really need to practice my freehand drawing. The only difference from the original manicure she showed me is that the ring finger had a white Mickey Mouse glove. I wasn't about to paint white over that dark color in case I messed up, so my sis said it was ok to do dots. They match her cute shirt too. (It's white with black polka dots, a black bib neckline, and a pink strip at the hem.)

I used Nicole by OPI Here Kim's the Sun, OPI Lincoln Park After Dark and I'm Not Really a Waitress, ChinaGlaze Love Marilyn, and Essie Blanc. The thumb is a red tip with a black bow that has a white center.

Multi-Stripe Manicure in Pastels

I decided to do something glittery and girly for our trip to Disneyland and California Adventure today. My sister let me wear her new blue Mickey Mouse shirt so my nails would match. Thanks sister!

I used Essie Turquoise & Caicos, Lapiz of Luxury, and Secret Story, Elle Riviera Blue, Ulta Duty Free Shopping Spree, and OPI Pirouette My Whistle.

Indoor Lighting

Indoor Lighting

Sunlight

OPI Pirouette My Whistle

I have coveted this polish ever since it came out. BUT, it immediately sold out at my local Ulta store and then when I saw it again I was under my no-buying-polish ban. My great mom (who took pity on me) surprised me with it as a gift. Yay!

This is over one coat of Essie Turquoise & Caicos.

Essie Turquoise & Caicos

This is one coat of Turquoise & Caicos. Application is smooth with this sheer cream polish.

Revlon Whimsical - 2

I added Revlon Whimsical (1coat) on top of Elle Riviera Blue to give my mom's nails a candy look for our trip to Disneyland and California Adventure today.

Elle Riviera Blue

I painted my mom's nails with a polish that she had bought at Kohl's. Riviera Blue is a teal-ish metallic blue. Application was smooth.

Tape Triangles 2.0

I hand painted a piece of regular Scotch Tape with Essie Secret Story and then let it dry a while back. I decided to cut triangles out of the tape and then apply it on top of the manicure I already had done.

Other polishes: SinfulColors Mint Apple and Rise and Shine and Essie Shine of the Times.

Tape Triangles

SinfulColors Mint Apple and Essie Shine of the Times as the base. After the polish was dry I placed tape on the nail and painted over with SinfulColors Rise and Shine. (Rise and Shine is a brighter green then any of the pictures could show.)

Indirect Sunlight

Direct Sunlight

A Mint Apple Flakie

Here is SinfulColors Mint Apple and Essie Shine of the Times. It's the base of my current manicure that I keep adding to.

Also, here is my go-to mascara: CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume: Waterproof. And there are those Olympic rings. I can't wait to watch them!

French Manicure

I did a French Manicure for my Arabic District Convention this past weekend. I used OPI Passion and Essie Blanc.

OPI Passion

This is three coats of Passion. In the picture of my right hand, you can see the outline of the tea bag I used to repair my pinky. It wouldn't really be noticeable if I had used an opaque color, but it has been holding my partially split nail together well so far.

The one picture features my go to cuticle and nail oil, CND Solar Oil.

Left hand and Solar Oil

Right hand with tea bag nail repair slightly visible on pinky. Also, there are some gumballs my mom got. Yay!

Nail Repair - Tea Bag Method

I recently split my right pinky nail. It split beyond my normal nail line so I'm afraid to just cut the nail. Plus, I'm going to a convention this weekend and I want to do a design on long nails. I've never had to use the tea bad method to repair a nail because they haven't split or broke since before I can remember. I think that's because I use to keep them pretty short and now I want them to be longer.

Note: I don't know if this is how most people do tea bag nail repair but this is my way. Please excuse the dry cuticle...my right pinky is giving me real problems. Ugh.

Supplies needed: empty tea bag, scissors, base coat, and fine nail file (partially seen in last pic).

1. Paint base coat. If the split is really bad, you may want to apply super glue or nail glue. 2. While base coat is still wet, place a appropriately cut piece of tea bag over the split of the nail and a little bit past the actual split. 3. Paint another layer of base coat. 4. Once the base coat is dry, lightly file the edges of the tea bag piece to make sure there isn't a noticeable seam.

A Study in Pink

Has anyone seen Sherlock? It's a modern version of Sherlock Holmes. In the first season, there is an episode named "A Study in Pink."

This is my study in pink because I was trying out some different looks over Orly Butterflies. I used Essie Matte About You and Shine of the Times and then Matte About You again.

Note: It is impossible to capture the matte flakie goodness that is this manicure. I recommend that everyone try it out for themselves in order to enjoy the full effect.

Shine of the Times

With Matte About You

With Matte About You

Orly Butterflies

This is a semi-sheer neon pink. Application was great. I added Essie Matte About You.

Two coats, no top coat

With Matte About You

Revlon Whimsical - 1

I wanted Revlon Whimsical as soon as I discovered its existence. But, alas, I couldn't find it for some time. When I finally did find it (it was at Ulta) I was under a no-buying-of-polishes ban in an attempt to squash my nail polish addiction. But my sister knew how much I wanted it so she bought it for me. Thank you sister!

Note: My fiancé and I each decided to give something up for three months. I gave up buying polishes and he gave up fast food. As a reward, we will each buy the other person something they want for themselves but wouldn't spend money on now because we are saving up for our wedding. I haven't bought any polish for 1 month 1 week!

So here is OPI Sitting Under the Apple Tree as the base and Revlon Whimsical on top.

One coat of Whimsical

Two coats of Whimsical. It's so pretty!

OPI Sitting Under the Apple Tree

This is a perfect Spring-y green with gold shimmer. It is sheer, but that only means it would work for a jelly sandwich manicure. ;-)

Concert Nails!

My fiancé bought Foster the People concert tickets. It was great! Kimbra opened and Foster the People started with my favorite song of theirs.

I did this manicure to match my concert outfit. I immediately regretted adding the Cina Rhinestones but was too tired to redo the nail. I loved the gradient though. I used Orly Sweet Peacock and OPI Clubbing Til Sunrise.

Rhinestones for My Mom

I used China Glaze Sex on the Beach and Cina Rhinestones on my mom's nails.

With Flash

In Indoor Lighting

Cupcakes - Poll Winner

I always wanted to try out the cupcake look. This was much harder than I had expected but well worth the time. I think they are so cute! I used Grace Advantage French Beige, OPI Pink-ing of You, Essie Turquoise & Caicos, Lapiz of Luxury, and Blanc, and Ulta Duty Free Shopping Spree along with Cina rhinestones and Recollections microbeads for chocolate sprinkles on my ring finger.

Grace Advantage French Beige was used a a base for the whole nail. Grace Advantage is a smaller brand and their polishes are salicylate, formaldehyde, toluene, camphor, and dibutylpthalate free. The formula was sheer, as it should be, but was a little streaky with two coats.

Pictured with Essie Blanc

Pictured with OPI Pink-ing of Your

Pictured with Essie Lapiz of Luxury

From left to right, top to bottom: 1. Paint a sheer base color and, once dry, paint 1/3 from the tip of your nail up with a color (pink). 2. Using a thin brush, paint stripes on the pink using a different color (purple). 3. Paint a strip of white right above the pink and purple. Use your nail polish brush to round the white polish to try to match the curve of your cuticle. Then, with a dotting tool or round end of a small makeup or paint brush, drag some of the white polish onto the pink and purple stripes. 4. With a dotting tool, make your sprinkles and add a rhinestones on top.

Balloons or Lollipops?

This is an older manicure that has so many colors I can't remember them all.