Soft Shimmery Stamped Stripes

Hello, Fireflies!

Continuing with the striped theme for this month's challenge, I pulled this mani from the archives.

I don't really think of my nails or photography changing that much, but it's funny to pull a picture from the vault and see the little changes.  Of course, nails break and grow, so it shouldn't surprise me.  I also like looking through my Facebook profile pictures to see my hair change, too.

Maybe it's just a quirk of mine.

Anyhoo, this here is a nice mushroomy-taupe from Nikka K.  It came in one of those subscription boxes, so I'm not sure if it has a name, or if it's NY 112.

Are these just some boring stripes on my Mash-43 plate? no way!

They're now diagonal, like whoa!  Mind. Blown.

This lovely holo I used to stamp is A-England Fonteyn.

I think this would be a great subtle or work-appropriate nail art.  Can't hardly go wrong with taupe, right?

Bottle shot:  Nikka K NY 112 and A-England Fonteyn.

I love the holo stripes - who knew it would stamp so well?  Is this a new way for you to wear a holo?

Geometric Angles And Dots

Hello, Fireflies!

I love this month's geometric theme - it's a little broad, but I love the general feel of geometric nail art.  Today, I have a simple interpretation for you.

I started off with Cult Nails Thrive, a mint green with shimmer.  It was pretty thick, and kinda difficult to work with, but the color was kinda worth it.  Soo pretty.

I made a chevron French tip with Cult Nails Midnight Mist, a gorgeous mushroom-y taupe with a copper shimmer.  I love complex shimmery colors like this.

I was trying to make these gold dots into a pattern I had seen on some water decals.  If you squint and turn your head, stand on one foot, and grunt three times, you might be able to see a shepherd's hook with the big dots, and then the little dots form a curve around it.

Can't see it?  Try grunting louder...

Bottle shot:  Cult Nails Thrive, Cult Nails Midnight Mist, and Maybelline Bold Gold.

Next time, I'll probably just use the water decals! Have you ever tried to freehand something, and thought - oh, I shoulda just used a stamp, or a decal? Oh, I coulda had a V-8!

Nail Challenge Collaborative - Redo the Swoosh!

Hello, Fireflies!

Last July challenge for the NCC - and the last of the first 4 nail arts that I took pictures of.  This last gem was an attempt to recreate a 'swoosh' nail art I saw on some blog, somewhere.  Even if you saw it, you'd probably never think this was related in any way:

I decided to stay with blue, but going instead for a shiny cobalt version with Deborah Lippmann My Prerogative.

The first 'swoosh' I did with a gorgeous nudish-taupe, Deborah Lippmann Putty In Your Hands.  In Real Life, it looked like a negative space mani almost - the taupe was so skin-like! It was cool.

I made a little higlight 'swoosh' with Revlon Spirit.

Bottle shot:  Deborah Lippmann My Prerogative, Putty In Your Hands Revlon Spirit. 

It's a simple design, but I *still* can't get it to look like it does in my head, with the perfect flip at the end. Still, I think the new version looks pretty good, and I liked it.

I hope you've enjoyed this month's theme.  If you decide to go back into your pictures and re-do something - whether it be nail art, a makeup look, or even a hairdo or fashion look, I'd love to see your before/afters! Feel free to post them on my Facebook wall.

An InLinkz Link-up

Neapolitan Dipping Dotticure - #NailArtForNubs

Hello, Fireflies!

Today's look was inspired by jessuhhhkuh on IG.  I loved the pink base, and the way she did the triple dots, but I wanted to change up the color scheme a little.  I didn't realize I was going for a Neapolitan Ice Cream look, but that's what happened!  Who wants ice cream?

SephoraX Invincible is a pale, pale pink creme.  This was three coats - typical patchy pastel, but I think it leveled out okay in the end.  One of those classy neutrals that looks good with everything, but I am not really classy enough to pull off.

I used Laura Mercier Bare Mocha for the first layer of dots.  I love this chocolate/taupe kind of color.  So soft and pretty, and the formula was really nice, if a little thin.  I got this in a set from Hautelook, which has become my go-to site for Laura Mercier products.

Revlon Spirit was the white I grabbed for the next layer of dots... and promptly dinged my hand on something.  How I ever finish a nail art is beyond me, I can never keep from banging my hands on everything in sight.  Luckily, we have another layer of dots, and they will be strategically placed!

That bright pop of pink is Seche Snapdragon.  Love! What a bright, cheery pink. 

I'm always amazed at the transformation with topcoat.  All the dots just melt into one layer. 

Bottle shot:  SephoraX Invincible, Laura Mercier Bare Mocha, Revlon Spirit, and Seche Snapdragon.

Here's your personality test:  Which do you see? Dippin Dots Ice Cream, or deranged, crazy pink eyeballs?  Which will you see when you close your eyes tonight when you go to sleep?

An InLinkz Link-up

If you missed it, my DermOrganic review went live earlier today! Check it out HERE.

#WeekOfLoveChallenge - Wearing My Heart On My (Striped) Sleeve

Hello, Fireflies!

Is there a Valentines' Eve?  Well, it's not official, but for many, this day is full of anticipation of what tomorrow will bring! So, in honor of the occasion, I have one of my favorite manis of the challenge for today's theme - hearts.

I started with OPI Sleigh Ride For Two.  So romantic! This wine-colored polish has a tiny bit of shimmer in it, but it doesn't catch the light, and you can't see it on the nail.  Like an overpriced sleigh ride through slushy streets, this polish is nice in theory, but a bit of a disappointment in reality.

I was inspired by the mani in this Pinterest Pin (argh, another one with no watermark, and no link!) to break out the striping tape and create some different striping patterns using Nikka K NY112, a lovely mushroom taupe.

When I want my silver glitter to be opaque, but not thick, I layer it over a silver polish.  I used a Sally Hansen nail pen in silver to draw hearts on my thumb and ring finger, and then used silver glitter over it. 

Oooh, shiny!

Reminds me of my fave rugby shirt I used to wear in high school.  Not that I played rugby.  They were fashionable for 5 minutes in the 80's.

On my other hand, I decided to try and create a complimentary look without messing with striping tape or nail art.  I love how it turned out!

Bottle shot:  OPI Sleigh Ride For Two, silver glitter striper, Nikka K NY112, and Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen Silver.

When you wear nail art, do you do it on both hands?  I usually do it on one hand if it's just for fun or the blog.  If I'm going out, I try to do it on both hands.  This is the first time I can remember trying to do a complimentary look for the other hand.

An InLinkz Link-up

Army of Sheep?

Hello, Fireflies!

If you can't have a duochrome, have a polish with a heavy shimmer.  It's almost the same...  well, kinda.  CrowsToes Me and This Army is a greyed-out Army green with a heavy purple shimmer.  I love this combo!

I didn't expect it to be this sheer, though!  This was 3 to 4 coats, and you can still see nail line.  That will never dry on me. If I use it again, I'll try it layered over a grey or dark green.

Ok, I know that yesterday was the end of the tutorial challenge.. but it will never end for me! bwahaha! I used Chalkboard Nails' Sheep Tutorial for this nailart.

It kinda looks like I'm drawing noses when I start out.

Then, I use a dotting tool and Milani White On The Spot to add a big, fluffy ball of cotton candy on top of the two sticks.  Like a weird popsicle.

The same dotting tool goes first into Wet 'n Wild Black Creme, and then into the Milani White for the eyes.  Ghost cotton candy!

A little taupe from Nikka K NY112 for the ears, and OPI Pussy Galore for the noses.  I had a little trouble with the noses.  One sheep looks like a fluffy pig.  Another, more like a cat.

A little topcoat to smooth it all out, and the shimmer comes out to play, too. 

Bottle shot:  CrowsToes Me and This Army, Milani White On The Spot, black striper, Wet 'n Wild Black Creme, Nikka K NY112, and OPI Pussy Galore.

This isn't a fail - it's a multi-purpose tutorial.  You can use it to either make Cotton Candy Ghosts, Fluffy Pigs, or Sheep.  Everyone loves a multi-tasker.

Bettina Blast II

If you were paying attention yesterday, you maybe caught a glimpse of this color in the fan mani.  Isn't it gorgeous?  I totally don't get the name, though.

Grape.  It isn't even purple at all.  At best, maybe a periwinkle, though my swatch reads a little more blue.  But, if I rejected all weirdly named polishes, my collection would be very, very, very small.  This one was my very fave of the bunch.

Trend.  Yep, taupes are trendy now.  And, probably will be for some time, because they are so work-wear friendly.  I own a bunch of them - some more grey, some more purple.  This one definitely leans purple, but very dusty.

I tried replicating a look I saw on Pinterest, done with Julep polishes.  I couldn't find the original post, but here's the pin, if you're interested.

Bottle shot:

Finally, another look with all  four polishes.  This is another version of the abstract brush stroke mani popularized by Chalkboard Nails.  

This type of mani is like your favorite recipe to pull out for dinner guests:  looks impressive, is actually easy to do, and goes well with almost anything.

Bottle shot (with extra fan brush mani reminder)

You know you want Wags (Walgreens) to start carrying Bettina, so if you have any pull, let them know!  I can't wait to get access to more of their great colors.  What do you think?  Did you like the nail art?

If you'd like more information about Bettina Cosmetics, here's their webpage.

Contrary Polish - Love Lyrics

This collection really put Contrary Polish on the map.  It was the first collex from them that I had to attend several restocks and hustle to get the ones I wanted into my cart without getting cartjacked!  I only wanted two from the collection, and I'm really happy with the ones I got.

Feels Like Home.  This is a taupe color with a pink shimmer.  Contrary Polish's claim to fame is their shimmer.  I was considering not getting any of these because the shimmer from Creeping Moss, the first polish I bought from her, was .... meh.  This collection turned it around!

I love (and have) quite a selection of taupe polishes, and this one has a unique shimmer and is really quite demure and lovely.

Ain't no Sunshine.

If you can ignore the part about how he cheats on his girl because she's not around, it's a beautiful, melancholy song by Bill Withers.  And I feel the same way about this polish.  Grey/blue, but with a white flakie shimmer.

The color is reminiscent of Illamasqua Raindrops, but it's not a dupe, IMO.  I saw some nail art by Raggio di Luna that I thought would look nice with this color, so I did my version here. 

Are you loving the Love Lyrics collection?  Ain't No Sunshine is a clear winner for me, and the reason I stalked this collection, but there are some beautiful polishes here.  If you'd like to find out more about Contrary Polish, you can find them on Facebook.  She sells minis via e-mail through her blog, but you can buy full-size polishes through Llarowe, and some other e-tailers (she has a list on her blog.)

I'll have a couple more Contrary Polishes for you tomorrow, with some more nail art.  Stay tuned!