Alopecia Awareness Nails

Once upon a time, there was a younger me who was going through the typical angst that is puberty and I seriously was mad at God for making it so that I had alopecia.  I was like 100% sure He had a hand in it (maybe He does, maybe He doesn't).  I so wished that this condition was embodied within someone else and not in me.

But God works in interesting ways to bless His people.  I don't wake up thanking Him for my alopecia, but I do finally appreciate how it has shifted the way I perceive my own body image.  My church also prayed for me over the course of 5 years.  I remember that final doctor's visit where the doctor told me that I didn't need to continue using whatever solution I was using at that time, because my hair has grown back at an immensely faster rate than he had expected.

Throughout college, there were times when God seemed so far away, but I would have to remind myself that I was living proof of His miracle.  My hair is proof of His miracle.  Of course, college stress meant that I would have occasional flare ups and lose hair time and time again, but that hair always grew back.  My hair isn't dense and thick.  It's pretty thin, but yo I'm thankful.  However, I have like 1.2 eyebrows.

Of course, those antibodies still exist in my blood (as far as I'm concerned...haven't been tested since), which means I technically still have alopecia.  It would be cool if we could cure alopecia, but since it's an autoimmune disease, that would be quite the challenge.  How does one selectively target antibodies??  Granted, I wouldn't need such a cure because I feel pretty confident in my condition, but for those people out there who do have alopecia and do want a cure...that would be nice for them.

Anyways, September is Alopecia Awareness Month, with the awareness being the color blue for some reason.  So here is my contribution to the awareness:

For this manicure:

• Base Coat - Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat by Sally Hansen
• Thumb, Ring, & Pinky - aruba blue by essie; glitter gradient made using a makeup sponge and Portia by Julep
• Pointer & Middle - Shelly by Julep; used Fishnet Stencil from Vinyl Boutique and stamped gradient over it using Jeanne by Julep, Endless Blue by Sinful Colors, & Char by Julep
• Top Coat - Out the Door by inm

Approximate Completion Time: 2 hours

Surprise, surprise - the top coat dries quickly, which makes the vinyls easier to use.  Nail vinyls are pretty legit.  I remember seeing them for the first time a few years ago and I was like "this is a cool concept but it's never gonna catch on".  I was wrong.  This is also how I felt about Vine, Snapchat, the Nintendo WiiU, etc.

Clearly I have been wrong on more than one occasion.  I can own up to that.

Inspired by: "Golden Days & Sultry Nights" Eyeshadow Palette by Tarte Cosmetics

There are a lot of words in that title, but it gets the message across.

I bought this palette from Sephora because there was a summer sale AND I had just gotten my first paycheck!  That was a highly dangerous combination, but it's okay because nobody got hurt :)

The more I stare at the colors (& at the name) of this eyeshadow palette, the more I feel inspired to be artistic and creative.  And I imagine myself vacationing by the beach in Hawai'i with a drink in hand :)

But for now, I am landlocked and working full time, so my vacation days can wait!

For this manicure:

• Base Coat - Bonder by ORLY
• Base Color - Too Yacht to Handle by China Glaze
• Thumb, Ring, & Pinky - sponged gradient with Too Yacht to Handle by China Glaze & Endless Blue by Sinful Colors, neon circle studs from BornPrettyStore
• Pointer & Middle - reverse stamped with image plates BM-023 & BM-012 from Bundle Monster using good as gold by essie, image filled in with Endless Blue & Happy Ending by Sinful Colors & Shocking by Marc Jacobs
• Top Coat - Out the Door by inm

Approximate Completion Time: 1.5 hours

Technically it took me longer than that if you include the amount of time I spent prepping with the reverse stamping.  But even then, that's a lot of drying time, so I thought it would be best if that was left out.

I'm very happy with this mani.  I haven't been this satisfied with my own work for a while now, so to have this feeling back makes me feel very complete :)

This is one of those nail art designs that I don't want to take off, but I will in a few days...such is the life of a nail artist.

UGH.  THE COLORS.  THE DESIGN.  THE INSPIRATION.  THIS WAS ALL SO PERFECT.

Beat Arkansas State!

And beat them we did :D

Since I wasn't able to watch the game live (it was airing on the Pac-12 network and we don't got money for freaking cable like come on college football let's remember those of us in the lower middle class who don't have access to all the nice things in the world -____-), I will be spending my day today catching up with the game.

But at least my nails were on point.  I hear there were fireworks at the game as well :O

For this manicure:

• Base Coat - Bonder by ORLY
• Base Color - Myrtle by Julep
• Stamp & Dot Color - good as gold by essie (dots made using a dotting tool)
• Stamp Plate - BM-005 by Bundle Monster
• Top Coat - Out the Door by inm

Approximate Completion Time: 1 hour

I just ordered some nail vinyls and they're on their way over to my house.  I'm not sure when I will get them, but I'm excited because I've seen them all over my Instagram and have yet to try them.  But now I will just be patient and wait :)

That's all I have to report on today.  Have a wonderful day! :)