Pink and Teal French Tip Mani

I did this manicure months ago at this point.  I am letting my nails have a little break while I wait for my new base coat to ship to me.  I, luckily, have three older manicures saved up for occasions such as this.  

I started out with a coat of Essie Protein Base Coat.  I then applied two coats of Essie Go Overboard.  When that was dry, I applied a coat of Seche Vite top coat before applying pieces of striping tape for my french tip guides.  I then used Sally Hansen Rockin' Hard for the french tips and immediately removed the striping tape after painting each tip.

I finished off with two coats of Seche Vite.  I then threw out my bottle of Seche Vite because it always shrunk my manicures.  I think I just had a bad bottle because everyone else who talks about Seche Vite says it is great and never shrinks their manicures.  Maybe my bottle was just old.  I ordered it online.  I might try a new bottle of it some day.

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Looks Like Gunmetal

I'm back!  I was away with my best friend for almost a week.  I did this manicure right after my pink pearl one, but didn't feel like posting it right away.  I had said in that post that I couldn't wait to use Essie Oui Madame over a black polish.  Well, I tried that soon after.  I was hoping that the final effect would be a darker black pearly color, but I ended up liking it because it did make a really neat color. It turned out to look like gunmetal.

I started out with a base coat of Sally Hansen Double Duty.  I am really excited because I ordered OPI Natural Nail Base Coat yesterday!  I can't wait to try it!  I've only ever tried two base coats before.  Sally Hansen Double Duty is okay, but does not prevent staining at all.  That is why I really wanted a new one.

Anyway, I then applied two coats of Sinful Colors Black on Black.  I waited until that was dry, and then I applied one coat of Essie Oui Madame.  I was surprised with the final product.  It was actually really pretty.  Just unexpected.  I finished off with two coats of Sally Hansen Dries Instantly.

I am also excited because I ordered some triangular silver studs and a new nail polish from Amazon.  Ever since I saw a picture of it on Hannah Rox It's Facebook page, I was on the lookout for Essie Just Stitched, a light pink matte polish from the new Cashmere Mattes collection.  I will definitely be swatching that one!

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Luck o' the Irish

So, St. Patrick's Day is soon (Tuesday), and I wanted to be festive.  I think I may have gotten better at doing festive manis sooner, so you guys can see them BEFORE the actual holiday.  Haha!

I started out with a base coat of Sally Hansen Double Duty.  This is not good at protecting against staining.  I really need to get a new base coat.  Any suggestions?  Anyway, after applying the base coat, I applied two coats of my polishes.  I used Sally Hansen Golden-I on my thumbs and ring fingers, and I used Essie Mojito Madness on my other nails.

I waited for that to dry, then I used a tiny nail art brush dipped in Revlon Rain Forest to paint on the stems that would be part of the rhinestone shamrocks.  I then took Double Duty and a dotting tool to apply four dark green rhinestones to my thumbs and ring fingers.  After that, I moved on to my green nails.

I used green and gold  holographic loose glitter to line the free edges of the green nails.  I used Double Duty to apply the glitter, and to pick it up with a dotting tool.  When that was done, I applied a coat of Essie As Gold as it Gets (a fine, gold glitter.  I got it because it was on sale for really cheap.  Honestly, it is NOT as gold as it gets.  It is a little disappointing, but it can look pretty over certain colors.  It is just really subtle.) on the green nails.

I finished off with two coats of Sally Hansen Dries Instantly.

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Pink Pearl

I finally figured out the best use for one of my polishes!  Essie Oui Madame, a sheer pearly color (also, one of the first polishes I ever bought) is best for giving any polish a pearly finish.  It is soooo pretty! 

I started out with a base coat of Sally Hansen Double Duty.  I then applied two coats of Sally Hansen Pink Blink.  When that was dry, I applied a coat of Essie Oui Madame and finished off the manicure with two coats of Sally Hansen Dries Instantly.  Super easy!

I am now really excited to use this polish over other colors!  I really want to use it over black!  It is just SO SO pretty!  You can also use Oui Madame by itself, but I am really liking it over top of colors!

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International Women's Day Nails!!

Well, I had been doing well with blogging.  Oh, well.  I am super excited about this manicure today!!  March 8th is International Women's Day!  I will be away this weekend with my two best women (my sister and my best friend), so I won't have time to do a mani then.  I decided to do it a little early!

My inspiration:  Rosie the Riveter

I started out with a coat of Sally Hansen Double Duty.  The I painted two coats of polish on all my nails.  On my thumbs I used Sally Hansen Pink Blink; on my ring fingers I used Sinful Colors Gogo Girl; and on the rest of my nails I used Avon Sunshine.  I then applied a coat of Sally Hansen Dries Instantly on the yellow nails to get them ready for tape.  

On my thumbs I took a bunch of earthy polishes to represent skin tones and then dotted those on to form a female sign.  I used a couple different sized dotting tools to do this.

Then I moved on to my ring fingers.  I used white acrylic paint and a dotting tool to make my polka dots, like on Rosie's bandanna.  

I then applied corners of squares of masking tape near my cuticles on the yellow nails and then painted over that with Sally Hansen Thinking of Blue.  These are supposed to be Rosie's blue shirt.  I used yellow because it matches the background of the Rosie the Riveter poster.  

Anyway, after the blue dried, I mixed gray and white acrylic paint together to make a lighter gray.  I then took a small detail brush and outlined the collars of the shirt and painted on the lapels and buttons and line showing where the shirt comes together.  I used gray acrylic paint and a dotting tool to add Rosie's lapel pin.

I finished off with two coats of Sally Hansen Dries Instantly.  

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!  BE PROUD TO BE A WOMAN!!

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