Monday, April 7, 2014

Vibrant Mix & Match


Vibrant Mix & Match nail tutorial
Vibrant Mix & Match nail tutorial

Today, I am going share a mix & match design with a more energetic feel to it. I like neutral tone nails. Whenever I can't think of a specific theme, I usually reach for the nudes and the neutral colors. However, sometimes you just want something fun and bold. That is why I thought of this nail design. To achieve this look, you will need a white polish, black polish, dark blue polish, orange red polish, a gold glitter polish, some clear rhinestones, some striping tapes, and a dotting tool.

Vibrant Mix & Match

1. First, apply base coat to all your nails.
2. Apply base color according to the photo below.

Vibrant Mix & Match nail base color
Base color of the Vibrant Mix & Match

3. For your middle finger, put a stone at the corner of your nail. It will be used as a guide for the polka dots.

Vibrant Mix & Match nail 1
Middle finger with rhinestone

4. Use a dotting tool to draw some dots with a white polish.
5. For your thumb, draw some dots without the rhinestone.

Vibrant Mix & Match nail 2
Polka dots with white polish
Vibrant Mix & Match nail 3
Thumb with polka dots without rhinestones

6. Use striping tape on your index finger. Apply black polish on it. Then, remove it carefully.

Vibrant Mix & Match nail 4
index finger with striping tape
Vibrant Mix & Match nail 5
black polish over the tapes
Vibrant Mix & Match nail 6
Tapes removed

5. Apply top coat to all your nails and you are done! Isn't it easy ^^

Vibrant Mix & Match nail finished

Remember to let the polishes dry completely before putting tapes on them. You can apply a thin coat of fast drying top coat before taping if you like. If you make mistakes, use a nail art brush to fix it. It doesn't matter if the surface is uneven. A good top coat will smooth it out.

Some alternatives:
Striping tape: You can use a nail art liner or a thin nail art brush instead. Use some scotch tape to cover the sides of your finger and draw the lines carefully.
Rhinestone: You can skip the stones. Just draw the dots with white polish.
Orange red polish: You can use red polish instead.

Things used:
Dark blue polish: Nicole by OPI Wavy Navy NI 296
White polish: wet n wild Wild Shine French White 449C
Black polish: wet n wild Wild Shine Black Creme 424A
Gold glitter polish: china glaze Blonde Bombshell 80769
Orange red polish: Essie meet me at sunset 556

Vibrant Mix & Match nail polish
Things used in the Vibrant Mix & Match nail

Thank you very much for reading. I hope you like my post and find it useful. Please follow my blog. Also on pinterest and instagram. Thank you!

(I am not paid and all the materials I used in this post were bought using my own money.)

Friday, April 4, 2014

Fall Nail Design: The Earth


Fall Nail Design: The Earth tutorial
Fall Nail Design: The Earth tutorial

I know it is not fall at all. I am truly sorry about it, but I have so many nail designs piled up in my computer waiting for their own spot on this blog. Please bare with me.

Today I am back in business, sharing with you an earthy natural tone nail design with nude and taupe polish. To achieve this look, you will need a nude polish, a taupe polish, a white polish, a gold polish, some gold striping tape, some Scotch tape and some gold studs. Alternatives will be mentioned below. 

Fall Nail Design: The Earth
Fall Nail Design: The Earth


1. First, apply base coat to all your nails.
2. Apply white polish to the ring finger. Apply nude polish to all other fingers. I only did the tips in my photo. You can do the whole nail if you like. I am just lazy.

Fall Nail Design: The Earth base color
Fall Nail Design: The Earth base color

3. On your thumb, put a corner of a piece of Scotch tape at the tip.
4. Apply taupe polish.
5. Carefully remove the Scotch tape.
6. Repeat 3-5 with all other fingers except the ring finger.

Fall Nail Design: The Earth thumb
With Scotch tape
Fall Nail Design: The Earth thumb
Apply taupe polish
Fall Nail Design: The Earth thumb
Scotch tape removed

7. Use a pair of tweezers to add two strips of gold striping tape at the edge as shown.
8. Add a square gold stud diagonally at the corner.

Fall Nail Design: The Earth thumb
Add gold striping tape
Fall Nail Design: The Earth thumb
Add square gold stud

9. For your ring finger, it is pretty much the same as the thumb. The only difference is it is a reversed version. Cover your nail with a piece of Scotch tape leaving only a small triangle at the tip.
10. Apply gold polish at the tip.
11. Carefully remove the tape.
12. Add stripping tape and gold stud.

Fall Nail Design: The Earth ring finger
With Scotch tape
Fall Nail Design: The Earth ring finger
Apply gold polish
Fall Nail Design: The Earth ring finger
Scotch tape removed
Fall Nail Design: The Earth ring finger
Add striping tape and gold stud. Apply matte top coat.

12. Apply matte top coat to all of your nails and you are done.

Fall Nail Design: The Earth finished
Fall Nail Design: The Earth finished

Remember to let the polishes dry completely before putting tapes on them. You can apply a thin coat of fast drying top coat before taping if you like. Before taping, stick the Scotch tape to your hand several times to reduce the stickiness of it. If you make mistakes, use a nail art pen to fix it. It doesn't matter if the edge is not perfect. A good top coat will smooth it out. You can apply a thin layer of clear top coat before applying matte top coat. You will have a smoother finish this way, but more layers means it will peel off easier.

Some alternatives:
No gold studs? Use a dotting tool or a bobby pin with some gold polish.
No stripping tape? Use a nail art pen or liner with some gold polish to draw a thin line. 
No matte top coat? Use a clear top coat. However, I think the matte finish do add an earthy feel to it which is the theme of this nail design.

Things used:
Nude polish: Loreal park ave luncheon 201
Taupe polish: Essie case study 765
Gold polish: Sally Hansen Xtreme wear Golden-I 485
White polish: china glaze White out 545
Matte top coat: Essie matte about you
3mm square gold studs
gold striping tape

Thing used in Fall Nail Design: The Earth
Things used for Fall Nail Design: The Earth

Thank you very much for reading. I hope you like my post and find it useful. Please follow my blog. Also on pinterest and instagram. Thank you.

(I am not paid and all the materials I used in this post were bought using my own money.)

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Happy Halloween


Happy Halloween!! So, tomorrow is Halloween. I am going share a design which is simply called "Happy Halloween". I know I am too lazy on the naming thing. To achieve this look, you will need a white creme polish, orange creme polish, a yellow texture polish (of course, yellow creme works too), a black glitter polish, a black creme polish, dotting tools or toothpicks and some Scotch tape.

Happy Halloween Nail
Happy Halloween Nail

1. First, apply base coat to all your nails.
2. Apply black glitter to the thumb, index and pinky. Apply white polish to the middle finger. Apply yellow textured polish to the ring finger.

Happy Halloween Nail base color
Happy Halloween Nail base color

3. Put Scotch tape around your nail of the ring finger. Apply orange polish in the middle of your nail. Paint from left to right to get a straight edge.

On the ring finger of Happy Halloween Nail
On the ring finger

4. After it dries, apply white polish on the top part of your nail. Carefully remove the tape.

Happy Halloween Nail ring finger
Ring finger finished

5. Put scotch tape around your nail of the middle finger. Apply black glitter polish to make the stripes. Carefully remove the tape.

Happy Halloween Nail middle finger
Use Scotch tape around your nail on the middle finger
Happy Halloween Nail middle finger
Middle finger finished

6. Take a piece of Scotch tape and fold it in half with the sticky sides out. Use a pair of scissors to cut out half a circle on the folded side. Unfold the tape and you will have a small hole in the middle. It will be the head of the boo. Continue to cut out the bottom part and both hands.
7. Stick the tape on your thumb and apply white polish on it.

Happy Halloween Nail thumb
Apply white polish on your thumb

8. Carefully remove the tape.

Happy Halloween Nail thumb
Scotch tape removed

9. Use a dotting tool or a toothpick to draw the eyes and mouth with black polish.

Happy Halloween Nail thumb
Thumb finished

10. Apply top coat to all of your nails.

Happy Halloween Nail
Happy Halloween Nail finished

Remember to let the polishes dry completely before putting tapes on them. You can apply a thin coat of fast drying top coat before taping if you like. Before taping, stick the Scotch tape to your hand several times to reduce the stickiness of it. If you make mistakes, use a nail art pen to fix it. It doesn't matter if the surface is uneven. A good top coat will smooth it out.

Some alternatives:
Yellow texture polish: You can use a regular yellow creme polish. I chose the texture polish just because I think it might be fun to make a gumdrop candy corn.
Black glitter polish: The black glitter polish used here is actually a black base with green fine glitter in it. It is not very obvious but I think it looks very "Halloween" so I chose it instead of a regular black polish. You can use a regular black creme or a black glitter of your choice.

Things used:
White polish: wet n wild Wild Shine French White 449C
Orange polish: Essie fear or desire 921
Yellow polish: Nicole by OPI Gumdrop Lemon Lolly NI 427
Black glitter polish: china glaze Smoke and Ashes 1127
Black polish: china glaze Liquid Leather 544

Happy Halloween Nail polishes
Polishes used in Happy Halloween Nail
 
Below is a graphic version of this tutorial. Hope you will like it.

Happy Halloween Nail tutorial
Happy Halloween Nail tutorial

Thank you very much for reading. I hope you like my post and find it useful. Please follow my blog. Also on pinterest and instagram. Thank you and Happy Halloween!!

(I am not paid and all the materials I used in this post were bought using my own money.)

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Simple yet Chic


Today I am going to share a very simple design. A pale pink mixed with dark brown with a champagne gold accent. To achieve this look, you will need a pale pink polish, a dark brown polish, a champagne gold glitter polish, some Scotch tape and some gold studs. Alternatives will be mentioned below.

Simple yet Chic nails
Simple yet Chic nails

1. First, apply base coat to all your nails.
2. Apply pink polish to the thumb, index and middle finger. Apply champagne glitter to the ring finger. Apply brown polish to pinky.

Base color of the Simple yet Chic nails
Base color of the Simple yet Chic nails

3. Put several strips of Scotch tape on your index finger as shown below. Apply brown polish on it. Remove the tapes carefully.

Scotch tape on index finger
Scotch tape on index finger

Scotch tape removed
Scotch tape removed

4. Use a stick and some clear polish to set the studs on your middle finger to form a straight line on the left side of your nail as shown below.

Set gold studs on middle finger
Set gold studs on middle finger

5. Apply top coat to all of your nails and you are done.

Finished Simple yet Chic nails
Finished Simple yet Chic nails

Remember to let the polishes dry completely before putting tapes on them. You can apply a thin coat of fast drying top coat before taping if you like. Before taping, stick the Scotch tape to your hand several times to reduce the stickiness of it. If you make mistakes like I did, use a nail art pen to fix it. It doesn't matter if the surface is uneven. A good top coat will smooth it out.

Some alternatives:
No champagne gold glitter and dark brown polish? Use a regular gold glitter and Black polish.
No gold studs? Use a dotting tool or a bobby pin with some gold polish.
No Scotch tape? Use a nail art pen to draw the border line. I do recommend using Scotch tape because it is so much easier.

Things used:
Pink polish: Sally Hansen insta-dri Petal Pusher 150
Brown polish: Essie little brown dress 728
Champagne glitter polish: china glaze champagne kisses 1114
2mm round gold studs

Things used in the Simple yet Chic nails
Things used in the Simple yet Chic nails

Below is a graphic version of this tutorial. Hope you will like it.

Simple yet Chic nails tutorial
Simple yet Chic nails tutorial

Thank you very much for reading. I hope you like my post and find it useful. Please follow my blog. Also on pinterest and instagram. Thank you.

(I am not paid and all the materials I used in this post were bought using my own money.)

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Fall nail design: Purple and Teal French Tip


Sorry for not updating for a while. In fact, I have been busy with some remodeling of my house. Now I am done with painting the walls. It's time for me to go back with painting my nails. ^^

About a month ago, I bought 2 nail polishes from the China Glaze Fall 2013 Autumn Nights Collection. One of them is a dark blue creme called Queen B. The other one is this dark purple creme called charmed, I'm sure. I like the color very much. It's deep and dark and is the perfect color for fall. So I decided to do a nail design with it and came up with this Purple and Teal French Tip I am going to share with you today. A color contrast between purple and teal with a little bit of sparkles. I chose to do a French Tip twist because I wanted to keep it simple and let the colors be the focus. I hope you will like it.

Purple and Teal French Tip
Purple and Teal French Tip
 
To achieve this look, you will need a dark purple creme polish, a teal polish, a silver polish (optional), a silver glitter polish and some Scotch tapes. It is always hard to get a even coat of glitter polish especially those with the larger flakes. Putting a coat of silver polish underneath will make it look more even and opaque.

1. First, apply base coat to all your nails.
2. Apply teal polish to the thumb, middle finger and pinky. Apply purple polish to the index finger. Apply silver polish to the ring finger.
3. Apply silver glitter on the ring finger on top of the silver polish.
4. On your thumb, put a piece of Scotch tape on your nail leaving the bottom 1/4 of your nail uncovered. Paint the uncovered part with teal polish. Carefully remove the tape.
5. On your index finger, put a piece of Scotch tape on your nail leaving the tip uncovered. Paint the tip with teal polish. Carefully remove the tape.
6. On your middle finger, put a piece of Scotch tape on your nail diagonally. Paint the uncovered part with purple polish. Carefully remove the tape.
7. On your ring finger and pinky, put a piece of Scotch tape on your nail leaving the tip uncovered. Paint the tip with purple polish. Carefully remove the tape.
8. Go back to your middle finger, use a piece of Scotch tape on your nail leaving the tip uncovered. Paint the tip with silver polish. Carefully remove the tape. Apply silver glitter on top of the silver polish.
9. Apply top coat to all of your nails.

Purple and Teal French Tip
Purple and Teal French Tip

Remember to let the polishes dry completely before putting tapes on them. You can apply a thin coat of fast drying top coat before taping if you like. Before taping, stick the Scotch tape to your hand several times to reduce the stickiness of it. Don't bother about getting a super clean edge. A good layer of top coats will fix it.

Things used:
Purple polish: china glaze charmed, I'm sure 1232
Teal polish: Sephora by OPI Ocean Love Potion SE 283
Silver polish: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Silver Sweep 230
Silver glitter polish: Essie luxeffects set in stones 958

Polishes used in the Purple and Teal French Tip

Thank you very much for reading. I hope you like my post and find it useful. Please follow my blog. Also on pinterest and instagram. Thank you.

(I am not paid and all the materials I used in this post were bought using my own money.)