Splash It! Art

So I have some catching up to do since my last post...in September. This manicure actually was the result of doing my nails in a hotel room in New York after a day of plane, train, subway, and bus travel. I needed my nails to look nice for my long weekend trip, but I was way too tired to do any design that required a steady hand. Thus this pain splatter look was born!

For the base I used Essie Cab-ana, then I used cling/saran wrap to dab on Essie Splash of Grenadine, L'Oréal New Money and Members Only. I added Sally Hansen Snow Globe for a nice iridescent glitter effect.

Pop Stars

I was in love with this girly, bright and cartoony manicure for the weekend.

So here's how it happened. I started with my favorite base coat, Butter London Nail Foundation (Thanks again mom. I can't believe it has lasted me a year.) and then painted two coats of Essie Bond With Whomever for the base.

Then I sponged on Bond With Whomever and L'Oréal Members Only using a super cheap makeup sponge triangle. Note: I put both colors on the sponge, side-by-side so that the colors will blend better. Look up Gradients on my tutorial page for pictures on that. 

After the colors on each nail was blended just the way I wanted, I immediately applied Nicole by OPI Here Kim's the Sun. Applying it while the gradient colors are still slightly wet helps the colors blend even more. After Seche Vite top coat, the gradient was done!

So this is what happened next: I wasn't really happy with my nails...they were just too plain for my mood. So I got out Ulta Sun-Sational and painted a few squares on a new Ziploc bag, making sure that the squares were opaque. I let them dry overnight, and, in the morning, I got my star hold punch (originally purchased for scrapbooking...that never happened), gently peeled off the dried yellow polish squares from of the plastic baggie, and put them through the hole punch as if they were paper. Out came these brightly colored, perfectly cut stars.

To attach the stars, I just did a dot of top coat on my nail, applied the star, and cut off any excess with small cuticle scissors. Another coat of Seche Vite and this little beauty was the result.

Bows + Everybody = BoBody

I was lacking inspiration/motivation for a manicure but remembered doing a swatch of this yellow a while back and loving it.

But how, you may ask, will I jazz this up a bit? Cage match style...sorry, more of The Office references.

Well of course I'm going to be inspired by the bow on my Ciaté Big Yellow Taxi polish bottle. ;) I added Essie Splash of Grenadine for a splash of contrast and Essence bow rhinestones.

Glitter-licious, It's Hot Hot

Matte Glitter? Yes please. I used my favorite black polish for the base, Essie Licorice. Then it was a combo of Milani Teal and Hot Pink glitter topped off with Essie Matte About You top coat to finish off this look.

Blue Barbie

This was my manicure from the past weekend. I felt very Barbie-esque for some reason. Maybe it was the pink glitter and the light teal-ish blue color. Whatever it was, I loved it!

I used Essie Cab-ana, Revlon Whimsical, and Cina rhinestons

Starry Eyed

For the middle and ring finger, I used Essie Bond With Whomever. For the index and pinky finger, I used L'Oréal Members Only. I added Sally Hansen Snow Globe, then I placed star glitter. 

Glitter and Grunge

After doing a manicure that included trying to draw letters...and failing horribly (I might post that up later), I did this glitter gradient and saran wrap manicure that is more my style.

I used L'Oréal Royalty Reinvented as the base, Sally Hansen Snow Globe for the glitter gradient, and Essie Licorice as the second color for the saran wrap effect.