A Girl Watches Monsters University and then Does Her Nails

I was encouraged by my cousin, Julia Mendoza,  to do my nails and start posting!

I guess I was subconsciously influenced by watching Monsters University because one of my followers pointed out that it kind of looked inspired by the movie.

I used L'Oréal New Money (pictured) for the gradient base and the swirls Essie Cab-ana for the second color in the gradient and base for the ring finger and Splash of Grenadine to finish off the gradient.

This is what happens when Mike and Sully are smushed together with a touch of Celia Mae on the ring finger.

Chevron Contrast

Someone how my only two chevron manicures look the same. Search "chevron" for an earlier attempt at this style.

I used SinfulColors Pink Forever, Sonia Kashuk Smoke and Mirrors, and Ulta Blue Streak for this version. 

I know the tips turned out super thick. Lesson learned: give polish at least a few minutes to dry before adding another layer. 

May's Purple Thursday Week 3 - Delayed Post

Note: I did try to upload this post on-time, and I believed that it had uploaded. I was very disappointed to see that it never did. Since then, I've tried repeatedly to upload this post, gotten an error message, and then became very frustrated with the whole complicated, problem-ridden procedure. Now I'm back and hopefully I won't encounter the same issue. 

I decided to do Galaxy nails with my poor rendition of the USS Enterprise...because I'm seeing Star Trek tonight. 

I used Barielle Hidden Hideaway, L'Oréal Royalty Reinvented, Essie Splash of Grenadine, Ciaté Magic Carpet, Orly Instant Artist Crisp White, and OPI Pirouette My Whistle. Plus a Essence polish I can't remember the name of (stat tuned). 

May's Purple Thursday Week 2

I know this post just barely made it, but I'm glad I took the time for this mix-and-match design.

I'll update this post with natural-light pictures tomorrow. 

For the base on every nail except my ring finger I used L'Oréal Royalty Reivented. Then I used Essie Bond With Whomever for the base on my ring finger... I added Sally Hansen Snow Globe to that. The heart was done with Ciaté Caberet, and I used Essie Splash of Grenadine for the swirled and criss crossed lines. 

May's Purple Thursday Week 1

So I had exactly 20 minutes to come up with a manicure idea, shape my nails, paint, and photograph them today. So this is what I came up with and execution was rushed, but I'll be improving every week.

I used Essie Splash of Grenadine and Ciaté Magic Carpet as the base and Essie Bond With Whomever,  L'Oréal Royalty Reinvented, and Barielle Grape Escape as the polka dots flower/star bursts.

L'Oréal Royalty Reinvented

Royalty Reinvented is a cream purple color that refuses to be color accurate in my photos. Note: It is not as blue or periwinkle in real life.

The formula was smooth and easy to apply. The wider brush on the L'Oréal polishes does make application quicker, however this is the second L'Oréal polish from this collection that has had one brush bristle sticking out longer than the others. That one bristle always gets me because it puts polish past the line of polish that I want and the line that the rest of the bristles extend to.

Essie Splash of Grenadine

Splash of Grenadine is a popular and much loved polish among the nail artists I follow, but I never got around to trying it for myself.

It is a beautiful dusty pink-purple polish and the formula was very smooth and easy to work with.

This is two coats with no top coat.