Monday 26 May 2014

Celebrate with Sally

 I have finished uni for summer! Yay! 
So, I decided I wanted I do a very bright summery colour. However, of course in sunny old England, it rained. Photographic evidence below. 

For this simple mani I used: OPI - natural base, Sally Hansen - Kook a mango, Sally Hansen - top coat. And the born pretty store glitter. I am also trying Sally's Vitamin E Oil. So far so good with it - it has a lot in the bottle so worth the price.
As you may or may not know, I'm not a fan of red polish typically but this one is an orangey red and is very pretty. I don't like the brushes on Sally's polishes, they are way too big for my nails which ends in a lot of clean up. Nevertheless, the finish of the polishes is great. The colour also looked great against my tartan shirt. 
I am doing some work experience over the next few weeks so my mani's will be mostly swatches and simples. Acrylic paints will be out as soon as!

Purchase your born pretty store glitter in the link below to create this look. 

http://www.bornprettystore.com/hexagon-nail-glitter-dust-powder-noble-sheet-decoration-colors-p-785.html
xox



Tuesday 20 May 2014

Pastel tuesdays


Iphone camera pictures only. 
I keep seeing pastel ombre nails online and they are my favourite! I was hoping mine to be the same but unfortunately these aren't my favourite.
I used: Sally Hansen nail strengthener for the base (didn't have OPI with me) OPI - My boyfriend scales walls, Barry M - Berry ice cream, Essie - Mint Candy Apple, Essie - Fiji and Sally Hansen - UV top coat.
I really like the idea here but it just didn't turn out right for me. 
First, bubbles!! Why the bubbles?! My white OPI never does this, I'm thinking it's because I let them dry in the sun for about an hour, could this be why? 
I'm not sure on the colours used, I did set out to use a fourth colour but it didn't come out too good so I stuck to the three. 
I'm not usually a Barry M fan, I only have a few of their polishes but it works really well on the ombre, shows up well on white so I liked it for this.
The next time I try this - which will be in the next month I expect. I want to get a pastel yellow, test out the colours more and maybe add some studs to it.
I didn't have my Nikon with me today so these pictures will have to do, which isn't too upsetting because the bubbles aren't too much on show!
I won't be posting for a few days because I have an exam friday but will be back shortly!
xox

Sunday 18 May 2014

Houndstooth

I apologise for not posting for a while, I've been really bugged down on uni work and haven't had much inspiration or motivation to do my nails. What a first! 
This is my first houndstooth design. One of my favourite patterns on anything of all time. I have so many clothes of dogtooth/houndstooth. For this design I used: OPI - natural base coat, Models Own - French white, L'oreal - Top coat confetti, Sally Hansen - Top coat and then black acrylic paint. 
I really like the houndstooth design, it wasn't too neat because I am a leftie and I used my right hand to paint this. So I'm sure when I do it again on my right hand it will be much neater. 
I love the top coat confetti, I don't have anything else like it. However, it is horrible to get off so you're going to need to use the tin foil trick here ladies!
Also, I highly recommend the Sally Hansen top coat, it doesn't chip and gives the nail such a nice shine. Got mine for super cheap too which makes it even better.
More designs soon. I finish for summer on friday! Yay!
xox 

Friday 9 May 2014

XOXO Gossip Girl...

After finishing watching the entire Gossip Girl series again I obviously had to create a nail tribute. 
I used: OPI - Natural Base Coat, Sally Hansen - Plum Luck, Sally Hansen - Top coat and Born Pretty Store Glitter. 
The picture really shows how the Born Pretty Store glitter looks in the sun - it is so nice, makes the detailing really stand out. It also shows how good the Sally Hansen top coat is - makes any polish so shiny. I love it!
This Sally Hansen colour is gorgeous, even better because it is a TKMaxx bargain. Definitely going to be wearing this one more. 
I am absolutely loving the shape of my pinky nail - shame the others aren't long enough for that shape yet. 






















Also, the clean up of my middle finger is so bad, it went horrible all in my cuticle and I couldn't get it off without ruining the whole mani so I got over it! 
Not sure what designs will be happening next week - need some nail inspo! 
A direct link below to purchase your own born pretty store glitter. 

http://www.bornprettystore.com/hexagon-nail-glitter-dust-powder-noble-sheet-decoration-colors-p-785.html
xox

Tuesday 6 May 2014

Water-Marbling

I have a love hate relationship towards water-marbling. It creates some of the coolest designs but is SO messy.
I used: Models Own - French white (for the base colour), Sally Hansen - Back to the fuchsia and Flormar - N014. And many other materials that I will not list. 


I find it difficult to get the same effect on every finger, because of this I tried a different design on each finger to see which one I liked the best... and it has to be the thumb!  I am going to have to try this on every nail soon - even if it takes me 3 hours. 
As my boyfriend pointed out it looks like charlie and the chocolate factory movie colours - gotta love the guy for his elaborate compliments but I'll take that!
I may do a pictorial on this if I have the patience at some point. However, I might end up getting polish all over my camera so perhaps not. 
Anyway, I love my thumb nail but not so much the rest. Definitely going to nail this technique one day. 
xox

Monday 5 May 2014

Ombre day




I still power through my inability to do ombre like all the nail guru's. 
I used: Essie - Fifth Avenue, Sally Hansen - Man-go Team, Sally Hansen top coat and striping tape. 

Not really sure where this mani came from. I was guna do a girly pink ombre but I've already done that so wanted to try something a little different. And then the tape just happened after a few hours of getting bored of just the plain ombre.
I didn't realise the colour missing on my thumb until I was editing :( 

I quite like these colours and I do always love the effect of the ombre, so I will keep soldiering on until perfect. 
Water marble practice this week!


My cat is making this photobombing thing regular. 

xox

Sunday 4 May 2014

Monochrome moon

I haven't done any dark colours in ages so about time. 
For this I used: OPI - my boyfriend scales walls, Rimmel, Black cab, Sally Hansen, top coat and Born Pretty Store glitter.

I always use those french mani tape strips to do half moons but they aren't good, so gloopy and muck it all up. Go free hand guys. I have finally learnt my lesson. Mine are a bit messy because of this but hopefully it hasn't ruined the mani. 
This is the first time I tried out Sally hansen top coat, it is so good, I definitely recommend! 
I'm back from uni for summer pretty much and back on the blogging game.
Until tomorrow... xox 

http://www.bornprettystore.com/

http://www.bornprettystore.com/hexagon-nail-glitter-dust-powder-noble-sheet-decoration-colors-p-785.html
http://www.bornprettystore.com/hexagon-nail-glitter-dust-powder-noble-sheet-decoration-colors-p-785.html

Thursday 1 May 2014

May mani

 Can't get enough of sparkling up any colour with the born pretty glitter! 
Today I went for my new Crabtree & Evelyn polish - it is called Peony/Rose Delicat. And of course I love it ... It is a pale pink. I could wear pale pinks and whites everyday, always a safe option taking into account unprepared outfit days! 
I started off the day with just the polish on. Then I had a lecture break so obviously spent my time adding glitter. Can I just mention, I finished my first year of uni today... which means... more mani time! Anyway, I saw this design online ages ago and whoever had done it, had done it well! It's hard to get look right. I'm not completely loving my version. My nail shape is a little crazy recently maybe that contributes? Or it just did a bad job! 
I think I will be using this glitter again very soon.
Sorry for lack of posts - assignments due, exam season and all that!
xox 

http://www.bornprettystore.com/

http://www.bornprettystore.com/hexagon-nail-glitter-dust-powder-noble-sheet-decoration-colors-p-785.html