Bold Watermarble

Bold because I used bold colors, and bold because I'm being bold by showing you some of my work that is not as excellent as I wanted it to be.  But nail art isn't about perfection, and this blog isn't anywhere near perfect, so because of that it's a perfect fit (odd huh).

Watermarbling isn't hard, really, as long as you have the right polishes.  However, if you want to make it look perfect, then holy dang it is hard.  I was really tired when I painted my nails so when I got to my right hand I had more of a "let's just get color onto my nails" mentality rather than a "let's do this the right way" mentality.  But fortunately you won't be seeing any of my right hand.

For this manicure:

• Base Coat - Bonder by ORLY
• Thumb, Ring, & Pinky - Angela by Julep
• Pointer & Middle - I painted My Vampire is Buff by OPI as a base color (which you can't see); I watermarbled using Lainey, Dawn, Joanne, & Ilsa by Julep
• Top Coat - Out the Door by inm

Approximate Completion Time: 2 hours

Watermarble art dries out quickly due to the thin coats of polish that are transferred onto your nails, so you don't even need to wait that long before you can confidently add your top coat :)

And here is an up close shot of the middle finger (aka the only finger that worked out).  I'm sorry for the travesty that is my pointer finger but it is what it is.  I wish I felt more pain looking at how the marble on that nail turned out but I've become so numb to imperfections.

Mm yes hello.

Goodbye.

Tricolor Braid

Hello all!  I hope you are all doing well :)

It's not the catchiest title, but it captures the essence of what I painted on my nails.

I got my flu shot today, so my left arm is going to be sore tomorrow ;_; however, my left arm is the arm I use the least in my lab work so I think I'll be good to go tomorrow.

But also the meteorologist predicts blizzard-like conditions so it's possible that I get a snow day tomorrow.  A snow day!  I haven't had one of those in like 8 years now.

Regardless of my sore arm and the cold weather, here are my nails:

For this manicure:

• Base Coat - Bonder by ORLY
• Thumb & Pinky - Julep by Julep
• Pointer & Middle - My Vampire is Buff by OPI as the base color; braid segments separated out using striping tape and filled in using a striping brush and Hocus Pocus by Formula X, Lainey by Julep, Mia by Julep
• Ring - Ellis by Julep
• Top Coat - Out the Door by inm

Approximate Completion Time: 2 hours

The color on my ring finger is my first holographic polish!  I'm finally joining the craze - slowly but surely.  Julep calls it a "liquid holographic" polish.  I'm not sure if liquid is really the right word for this color, but it is very addicting to look at in real life.  If I didn't have to wear gloves at work I'm pretty sure I would be focusing all my time and attention on this one polish, rather than on the blood samples that need to be tested for antibodies linked to diabetes...

I actually painted my nails over the course of 2 days.  The first day, I just put down all the base color on my nails and after my nails dried, I went to bed.  Then the second day, I finished the design with the braid pattern.  I would have done this all in one day but for some reason I thought that splitting the design creation would be easier.  I was right.

Look at those crisp, clean lines.

With this colder weather, I wonder how my cuticles and skin will change.  I haven't steadily lived in Colorado for over 4 years now, so I have no idea how my skin is going to deal with the transition from fall to dead winter.  Goodness.

I hope you are all warmer than I am.  That's all I have to say for now, and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Talk to you soon :)

Interrupted Stardust

Hello!  After much running around and trying to get my life sorted out, I am back in sunny Los Angeles (and I got a sunburn basically as soon as I came back ;_; why).  My life still isn't sorted out, but that's okay because I at least got to paint my nails!

Everything is better with a set of new nails:

For this manicure:

• Base Coat - Base Coat by Finger Paints
• Thumb & Pinky - Lainey by Julep, neon blue stud from BornPrettyStore
• Pointer & Ring - Lainey by Julep & Corinne by Julep; stripes made using striping tape
• Middle - Corinne by Julep
• Top Coat - Top Coat by Out the Door

Approximate Completion Time: 2 hours

The beige/sand color is a textured polish which Julep has appropriately dubbed as a "Stardust Finish".  It's different from a sand finish because the polish is also sparkly...like stardust.  I mean technically sand is also sparkly.  I know because I've gone to the beach at least once before.

There's just something about this color combination...

Well my life still isn't 100% together, but I mean I'm only like 22 and I still have time.  So although I am internally freaking out, I am also taking the time to enjoy it each step of the way :) 

Okay that is all for now.  Thanks for reading this post and I hope you have a wonderful day! :)

Subtle Valentine

Hello!  Sorry I was away for so long.  School decided to start fast and start strong.  So I had to deal with that for a while.  I'm still dealing with school, but I stole some time to paint my nails the other day :)

I don't feel like wearing Valentine's Day nails on the actual day, so I painted my nails with Valentine's Day themes for now.  Just to get it over with.  Because it would feel weird if I didn't paint my nails in Valentine's Day colors/themes at least once a year.

For this manicure:

• Base Coat - Base Coat by Finger Paints
• Thumb, Ring, & Pinky - Margit by Julep
• Pointer & Middle - My Vampire is Buff by OPI, stamped with crimson red by b.m.c. & BM-019 by Bundle Monster
• Top Coat - Top Coat by Out the Door

Approximate Completion Time: 1 hour

Valentine's Day will be one of those rare occasions where I get to paint both of my nails and I don't feel guilty because I will be so pretty :)

Hopefully you hear from me soon!

Summer Dragonfruit

School is starting up soon, and I already know that this year will be my busiest and hardest.  Please be patient with me - I might not be able to upload regularly.

For this manicure:

• Base Coat - Base Coat by Finger Paints
• Base Colors - Too Yacht to Handle by China Glaze, Avalanche by China Glaze, My Vampire is Buff by OPI, Shrimply Devine by Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure
• Fruit - dragonfruit decal from claire's cosmetics
• Top Coat - Double Duty Strengthening Base & Top Coat by Sally Hansen
• Tools Used - striping tape, binder reinforcement labels, striper brush

Approximate Completion Time: 2 hours

I like dragonfruit, but too bad it's pretty expensive fruit so I can't buy it often.  Thanks for reading.  I hope you have a wonderful day!