Listen...it's been 28 days. So when given the prompt "sparkle", I knew I could phone it in a bit and give myself a design break! So here's a sparkly polish with some sparkle nail art!
Showing posts with label glitter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label glitter. Show all posts
Inktober 2023 - Day 26: "Remove"
Know any teachers? I've got the perfect set for them to wear for their next school year!
Tiny pencils with even tinier erasers! And school-appropriate amounts of primary colored glitter. Perfect.
Inktober Day 19 and Day 20: Dizzy and Coral
Thanks for your patience about yesterday. I was so wiped out at the end of the day I just couldn't muster the willpower to stay awake and do a thoughtful design. But when I checked what day 20's prompt was, I thought I could combine the two into one! So here is day 19 (dizzy) and day 20 (coral).
My little seahorse carousel was done with another Zoya Pixiedust shade (Levi) and a hot pink I LOVED (Byrdie), plus a classic OPI I've always enjoyed (My Boyfriend Scales Walls).
Inktober Day 14: Armor
I'm so happy with Inktober so far! It's really expanded my horizons and I've loved it so much! Today I got to do some fantastic nail art on a dear coworker and friend, so when I got home, I decided that the "armor" look for day 14 would be a little more simple, but it's still striking if you ask me!
Here's my little crab, nature's natural knight, all armored up for this debut.
This was a pretty quick nail art to make tonight, as it only required 3 colors:
- My Boyfriend Scales Walls (OPI)
- Demetria (Zoya)
- Waverly (Zoya)
Inktober Day 8: Teeth
Last night, I posted a poll on my Instagram to see if you all wanted to see teeth for today's prompt as "scary" or "cute", and by a vote of 67% to 33%, the winner was scary!
So here's some bleeding gums for day 8 of Inktober.
I used only Zoya polishes for these freehanded chompers, including:
- Chyna
- Ruthie
- Janel
- Chantal
- Willa
- Claire
- Jacqueline
Apples of My Eye
We have all been through a LOT in 2020, and the punches just keep coming. I know I've gotten a lot of "COVID clarity" as I like to call it. There's been some personal realizations that I've made because I was forced to slow down and really take a look at things. One of these realizations is how much I love my job, and particularly the closeness I have with my clients and coworkers. It's been such a relief to go back into work and see my people! I also realized how important creativity is for me, especially to my mental state.
So when I reached out on my Instagram stories for some Fall nail art ideas, I was happy to hear from a few of you. One suggestion I got was from @mayumbatchibanga, who said "apples" would be a cute look. So these are the "Apples of My Eye"!
| Apples of My Eye |
I used the following colors from Zoya and OPI for this look:
- Zoya: Cece, Genesis, Willa, Daisy, Linds, Wyatt
- OPI: Make Light of the Situation, My Vampire is Buff, I'm Sooo Swamped!, Meet My "Decorator"
I like how the glitter on the apples coordinates with the other non-nail art fingers! It gives those little hand painted apples a little pop that makes me smile.
And we all need something that makes us smile!
Take care!
Inktober Day 26: Dark
I've really been on a gradient kick with this Inktober! So here's a simple dark one for day 26. I blended Zoya colors Courtney and Willa together, then added L.A. Girl's Uninhibited on top for this look. It's so dark it almost doesn't even look like an ombre!
| Inktober Day 26 - Dark |
Inktober Day 19: Sling
Today's prompt was a tough one! I got stuck on an arm sling, and couldn't get my mind off of it. Unfortunately, an arm sling isn't really that artistic, at least in my mind while I was doing this. BUT...in the spirit of Halloween, I thought about what a sling is for: to support broken bones. And broken bones are very on-trend for the season, so I thought about doing an x-ray look.
Then, I got tired after 3 nails, and added glitter.
The art was done with all OPI shades: Skull & Glossbones, "Liv" in the Gray, and Black Onyx. The glitter I used is My Three Glitters from Sonoma Nail Art. Thank goodness for that, because my eyelids were way too heavy to do two more nails!
Then, I got tired after 3 nails, and added glitter.
| Inktober Day 19: Sling |
The art was done with all OPI shades: Skull & Glossbones, "Liv" in the Gray, and Black Onyx. The glitter I used is My Three Glitters from Sonoma Nail Art. Thank goodness for that, because my eyelids were way too heavy to do two more nails!
Inktober Day 7: Enchanted
What comes to mind when you hear the word "enchanted"? Is it whimsy? Is it magic?
I certainly thought of pretty things like unicorns and fairy god mothers when I first heard the prompt for Inktober day 7, but then I brainstormed a little outside the box, and realized that something that is enchanted might come from a less positive light, and my mind landed on a poison apple.
I was also digging through drawers of polish, sorting through unused polishes I could put up as a gift for a non-profit, and came across some glitters I'd long forgotten about, like Frankenstein Spit (from Jindie Nails). That's the glitter on the majority of my nails, laid over Go Overboard (essie). On my poison nail, the base is But of Corpse (China Glaze), and the apple is Sheri and Desiree (Zoya).
I'm glad to bring out the spooky, even with a prompt that initially sounds more whimsical.
I certainly thought of pretty things like unicorns and fairy god mothers when I first heard the prompt for Inktober day 7, but then I brainstormed a little outside the box, and realized that something that is enchanted might come from a less positive light, and my mind landed on a poison apple.
| Inktober Day 7 - Enchanted |
I was also digging through drawers of polish, sorting through unused polishes I could put up as a gift for a non-profit, and came across some glitters I'd long forgotten about, like Frankenstein Spit (from Jindie Nails). That's the glitter on the majority of my nails, laid over Go Overboard (essie). On my poison nail, the base is But of Corpse (China Glaze), and the apple is Sheri and Desiree (Zoya).
I'm glad to bring out the spooky, even with a prompt that initially sounds more whimsical.
Inktober - Expensive
What is it they say? All that glitter is gold? And isn't gold one of the most valued elements? I paired this "expensive" element with tedious, hand placed glitter on a rich, luxurious blue from lakur called Beau of the City. Inktober day 22 certainly looks "expensive" doesn't it?
Inktober - Guarded
The prompt for Inktober day 13 is "guarded." My mind went to "chains" or "jail" or something similarly literal. Then I thought about another definition of "guard," and how fierce some animals can be to guard their herds or families, or in the case of my inspiration, their hive.
Bees will literally die to guard their queen...no hesitation! They are born with their roles, and they fiercely follow that to their deaths. So here's my tribute to the bees. May we all find someone as strong as them one day!
The pretty yellow base is Never a Dulles Moment (OPI), and the honeycomb pattern is done with Silly Daffodils (Misa). I pulled gold hexagonal glitter from my bottle of Rich in Opportunities (Sation) as well.
Would you rock a yellow manicure like this?
Bees will literally die to guard their queen...no hesitation! They are born with their roles, and they fiercely follow that to their deaths. So here's my tribute to the bees. May we all find someone as strong as them one day!
The pretty yellow base is Never a Dulles Moment (OPI), and the honeycomb pattern is done with Silly Daffodils (Misa). I pulled gold hexagonal glitter from my bottle of Rich in Opportunities (Sation) as well.
Would you rock a yellow manicure like this?
Inktober - Precious
I'm so sorry I didn't get a post up yesterday! I was literally at work from 8:30am to 10:00pm, so I didn't get day 9, "precious", up until today. You'll be treated to 2 lovely posts today though, as I'll post day 10, "flowing", later tonight! Set your timer to get both!
I knew I wanted to do some sort of crystal or gemstone for day 9, and I wanted some sparkle and depth. So I raided the polish drawers and found a few OPI glitters that were pure inspiration for this crystal nail art. Simple, but effective!
I used 4 OPI colors: Two Wrongs Don't Make a Meteorite, My Favorite Ornament, Shine for Me, and Black Onyx as the base. This look only took me about 15 minutes, but I love the contrast of the glitter against the black.
Day 10 is coming later tonight, so stay tuned for "flowing"!
I knew I wanted to do some sort of crystal or gemstone for day 9, and I wanted some sparkle and depth. So I raided the polish drawers and found a few OPI glitters that were pure inspiration for this crystal nail art. Simple, but effective!
I used 4 OPI colors: Two Wrongs Don't Make a Meteorite, My Favorite Ornament, Shine for Me, and Black Onyx as the base. This look only took me about 15 minutes, but I love the contrast of the glitter against the black.
Day 10 is coming later tonight, so stay tuned for "flowing"!
Inktober - Poisonous
If you follow me on Instagram, you saw earlier today that I'm following a challenge unique for October, and actually not exactly designed for nail art, but practically meant for it - Inktober.
This challenge gives a prompt each day in October for artists and illustrators, all themed appropriately for the year's spookiest month. Here's a look at the prompts:
As you can see, today's prompt was "poisonous". Here's today's poisonous nails. Feels good to have nail art on my hands after a long, much needed break.
I only used a few polishes for this look. The yellow base for the danger skull is Funky Yellow (Kleancolor), and the green is TLC (Kleancolor). My black fingers are Licorice (essie), and the Uninhibited (LA Girl) is the black matte sparkle for my thumb.
Tomorrow's theme, tranquil, has me thinking, but if you have ideas, send them my way! I'd love to collaborate!
This challenge gives a prompt each day in October for artists and illustrators, all themed appropriately for the year's spookiest month. Here's a look at the prompts:
As you can see, today's prompt was "poisonous". Here's today's poisonous nails. Feels good to have nail art on my hands after a long, much needed break.
I only used a few polishes for this look. The yellow base for the danger skull is Funky Yellow (Kleancolor), and the green is TLC (Kleancolor). My black fingers are Licorice (essie), and the Uninhibited (LA Girl) is the black matte sparkle for my thumb.
Tomorrow's theme, tranquil, has me thinking, but if you have ideas, send them my way! I'd love to collaborate!
China Glaze - Happily Never After and The Enchanted Forest
I know that Christmas has already reared its beautifully snowy head around most of the US. In fact, the MORNING after Halloween, I went to Target to see what sort of Halloween candy wasn't picked over yet. To my complete surprise, not only had the Halloween section been ravaged of everything other than pretzel sticks, all but one aisle had already been transformed to Christmas-mode. Full blown Christmas mode.
Let's pay tribute to Halloween's memory tonight with China Glaze's Halloween 2017 collection, Happily Never After. The theme is a little more "evil queen" and a little less "gloom and doom", but the shades are a little spooky when they're put together in this 6-piece collection. You could make an argument for some as winter colors.
I was stuck for ideas the night I did the nail art for Happily Never After. I started with a falling leaves and floral look, but as I got going, I thought my tree was looking a little more fauna than flora, so I call this look "Enchanted Forest" because the tree could be a deer, and the leaves could be birds. It's a spellbinding mystery you're welcome to solve yourself.
| Enchanted Forest |
The forest green shade is Life's Grimm, and you're seeing Sin-derella layered with Queen, Please! for the thumb and background. Isn't it enchanting? ;)
Swatches
| China Glaze - Crown for Whatever (with Seche Vite top coat) |
| China Glaze - Crown for Whatever (with no top coat) |
Crown for Whatever (2 coats) could have probably been a 1-coat color, and as you can see, it dries much differently than a normal polish. The bottom swatch is NO top coat. It's completely matte! Then, when you add a top coat (top picture) the polish gains interesting dimension with gold and purple shimmer over the deep navy/purple base.
| China Glaze - Do You, Boo! |
Do You, Boo! (2 thick coats) is a sheer base with black matte glitter (thick bar glitter and larger hex glitter) and gold glitter (thin bar glitter and hex glitter), plus tiny specs of both.
One character immediately came to mind when I saw the name of the polish too...
| Image Source |
| China Glaze - Life's Grimm |
Life's Grimm (2 coats) turned out lighter than I thought it'd be after seeing it in the bottle. That's what swatches are for! Though it's a black base, the poisonous green shimmer catches the light and reflects it back.
| China Glaze - Lookin' Gore-geous |
Lookin' Gore-geous (2 coats) is a lushious deep dark mulberry creme. This did not dry matte like Crown for Whatever, though it's almost as dark.
| China Glaze - Queen, Please! |
Queen, Please! (3 coats) is a great topper option to change up any color (for example, used in my nail art on top of Sin-derella), but needs lots of layers to cover the nail underneath. I only used 3 coats for this shot, and I liked the effect. You're not really going for full coverage with a glitter polish like this.
| China Glaze - Sin-derella |
Sin-derella (2 coats) is a really interesting shade! There's so much dimension, but it's almost a grey base with pink shimmer? But there's more...the pink shimmer is iridescent, so the grey/pink shifts to gold/teal in the right light.
Whether you get the whole collection or not, you can't deny there's some show-stopping shades to tide you over until the China Glaze winter's collection...which I'll have up here shortly!
The products in this post were given for review purposes. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.
Zoya Enchanted Collection Swatches and a Bug Infestation
What do you do when you get a nail polish collection with such a range of colors, it almost doesn't make sense as a "collection"? Do you pick out your favorites, and leave the rest in your shopping cart? Do you throw your hands up in frustration because it just makes no damn sense? Do you buy it all because you have no willpower or self-control? I'll tell you what I do...
I paint bugs.
The Zoya Enchanted holiday 2016 collection could quite possibly be the 6 most unusual colors mashed together as a "collection". I don't know what the good people at Zoya were doing the night this collection was born, but creative juices were definitely flowing. With that said, this collection also contains 2 of my new favorite polishes. These are polishes I wouldn't normally warrant 3 seconds of my time either! But after swatching the colors from Enchanted, consider me converted.
I was so drawn to Olivera in fact, I immediately knew the nail art I wanted to do with it. This duochrome beauty could quite possibly be made of crushed beetle shells, except I'm pretty sure Zoya doesn't do that (though I can't find anything specifying they're cruelty-free or vegan on their website). So I painted bugs!
These critters were done all freehand with my favorite liner brush and polish. I had up a picture of a beetle and butterfly, and took a stab at it. They came out beautifully!
This little beetle was done with Olivera, but the picture doesn't do the polish justice. The polish shifts from one color to another more obviously later in the full nail swatch.
Then after painting the little beetle, I realized that another shade from Enchanted would make a fantastic butterfly, so I did him in Saint with accents of Alice.
Then after all that was said and done, I had to edit myself and stop from doing too much with glitter and rhinestones, so I gave the beetle and butterfly a habitat with simple grass on the other nails.
Here's a look at Enchanted as a whole.
Olivera (2 coats) is one of only two colors in Enchanted that is NOT a PixieDust polish. It's a smooth, deep purple to teal duochrome shifter. I almost got away with ONE COAT for it...that's unheard of with duochrome polishes! Here's another angle to help show the shift:
Saint (2 coats) is the other smooth finish polish from Enchanted. I used this as the butterfly's base (with accents of Alice). What you get from Saint is a smooth, periwinkle shimmer with an iridescent finish. I was surprised to like this one as much as I did.
Alice (2 coats with no top coat) is a PixieDust polish, so the texture and grit is intentional. This one is a light lavender periwinkle, accented with pink and iridescent glitter. I'm pretty sure this is what the Little Mermaid's bra was made of.
Elphie (2 coats with no top coat) is a Christmas green PixieDust. Nothin' but green in this polish.
Lorna (2 coats with no top coat) is all in the pink family, but this magenta-based PixieDust is accented with brighter pink glitter.
Waverly (2 coats with no top coat) rounds out the collection as a royal blue PixieDust. It looks a little squishy doesn't it?
The Zoya Enchanted collection is available through their website HERE. And if you have no self-control like me, you'll probably just end up with all of them. I should note, bugs are not included in the polish, so you'll have to start a butterfly farm separately.
The products in this post were given for review purposes. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.
I paint bugs.
The Zoya Enchanted holiday 2016 collection could quite possibly be the 6 most unusual colors mashed together as a "collection". I don't know what the good people at Zoya were doing the night this collection was born, but creative juices were definitely flowing. With that said, this collection also contains 2 of my new favorite polishes. These are polishes I wouldn't normally warrant 3 seconds of my time either! But after swatching the colors from Enchanted, consider me converted.
I was so drawn to Olivera in fact, I immediately knew the nail art I wanted to do with it. This duochrome beauty could quite possibly be made of crushed beetle shells, except I'm pretty sure Zoya doesn't do that (though I can't find anything specifying they're cruelty-free or vegan on their website). So I painted bugs!
These critters were done all freehand with my favorite liner brush and polish. I had up a picture of a beetle and butterfly, and took a stab at it. They came out beautifully!
This little beetle was done with Olivera, but the picture doesn't do the polish justice. The polish shifts from one color to another more obviously later in the full nail swatch.
Then after painting the little beetle, I realized that another shade from Enchanted would make a fantastic butterfly, so I did him in Saint with accents of Alice.
Then after all that was said and done, I had to edit myself and stop from doing too much with glitter and rhinestones, so I gave the beetle and butterfly a habitat with simple grass on the other nails.
Here's a look at Enchanted as a whole.
| Zoya - Olivera |
| Zoya - Olivera |
| Zoya - Saint |
| Zoya - Alice |
| Image Source |
| Zoya - Elphie |
| Zoya - Lorna |
| Zoya - Waverly |
The Zoya Enchanted collection is available through their website HERE. And if you have no self-control like me, you'll probably just end up with all of them. I should note, bugs are not included in the polish, so you'll have to start a butterfly farm separately.
The products in this post were given for review purposes. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.
OPI Breakfast at Tiffany's Collection with Jewels for Breakfast
Although it's definitely not winter, I have a winter collection to share today. One might argue it's still relevant today, another might say this post is long overdue. I would agree with both people, and again apologize for all the delayed posts. Even so, you can still purchase the Breakfast at Tiffany's Collection from OPI at some retailers, like HB Beauty Bar here.
The collection is meant to reflect Holly Golightly's (played by Audrey Hepburn) effortless and classic beauty with a sense of playfulness. I also jumped straight to jewels and diamonds when thinking of nail art for this collection, so I present, "Jewels for Breakfast".
Of course I myself had to adorn myself in diamonds...albeit fake and born from a candle.
The beautiful blue base for my diamond nails is I Believe in Manicures. The base for the marble nails is Breakfast at Tiffany's, then I swirled Black Dress Not Optional and Five-and-Ten in to get the effect of marble.
The glitz and the glam go beyond what I've done on my nail art though. There is a LOT of glitter in this collection...ready?
Apartment for Two (2 coats) is one of the colors I meant as being relevant in this spring and upcoming summer season. It is a hot pink magenta creme.
Black Dress Not Optional (2 coats) is a dark charcoal metallic - like a luxury car's paint job.
Breakfast at Tiffany's (3 coats) is a nude off-white based creme with light gold shimmer throughout. You can barely see the shimmer, but it makes a special effect I haven't seen before.
Can't Read Without My Lipstick (2 coats) feels more winter, but this classic blood red creme rivals all-time OPI favorites like Got the Blues for Red and I'm Not Really a Waitress (without the shimmer).
Champagne for Breakfast (2 coats) is a straight-up holographic glitter in a sheer base.
Fire Escape Rendezvous (2 coats) is a fiery red metallic with shards of red glitter for texture. Each piece of glitter is cut randomly and jagged - no rhyme or reason.
Five-and-Ten (2 coats) is a very interested silver metallic. Interesting, in that it's a pinkish silver with iridescent shards of shimmer. The pink sheen was hard to capture on camera, but it is a little rosy.
Got the Mean Reds (2 coats) is as classic as they come - just a bright, easy, cherry pie red creme.
I Believe in Manicures (2 coats) is a light, baby blue creme. It applies nicely - not chalky like some pastels.
Meet My "Decorator" (2 coats) is a favorite, bright orange-red creme - again, great for summer.
Rich & Brazilian (2 coats) is definitely rich! I wrote "WOW" in the swatch book on this one. This deep burgundy base has interesting pink shimmer adorned throughout - but it's not textured. Really dreamy.
Sunrise...Bedtime! (2 coats) might be the favorite in this collection...another glitter suspended in a clear base, this time light pink and holo glitter. This one is slightly more dense than Champagne for Breakfast as well.
The products in this post were given for review purposes. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.
The collection is meant to reflect Holly Golightly's (played by Audrey Hepburn) effortless and classic beauty with a sense of playfulness. I also jumped straight to jewels and diamonds when thinking of nail art for this collection, so I present, "Jewels for Breakfast".
Of course I myself had to adorn myself in diamonds...albeit fake and born from a candle.
The beautiful blue base for my diamond nails is I Believe in Manicures. The base for the marble nails is Breakfast at Tiffany's, then I swirled Black Dress Not Optional and Five-and-Ten in to get the effect of marble.
The glitz and the glam go beyond what I've done on my nail art though. There is a LOT of glitter in this collection...ready?
| OPI - Apartment for Two |
| OPI - Black Dress Not Optional |
| OPI - Breakfast at Tiffany's |
| OPI - Can't Read Without My Lipstick |
| OPI - Champagne for Breakfast |
| OPI - Fire Escape Rendezvous |
| OPI - Five-and-Ten |
| OPI - Got the Mean Reds |
| OPI - I Believe in Manicures |
| OPI - Meet My "Decorator" |
| OPI - Rich & Brazilian |
| OPI - Sunrise...Bedtime! |
The products in this post were given for review purposes. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.
OPI Starlight Collection Swatches with a Melting Moon Manicure
OPI has two fabulous new collections coming in (the Hello Kitty collection and the New Orleans collection), but my favorite 2015 release might have to be what I'm sharing with you today - the Starlight collection. This huge, 18-piece collection is chock-full of amazing glitter, chrome, and even some holographic. I'll let the collection do most of the talking, but I have a few things to call out.
First, some of the glitters are...strange. A few of the chromes have glitter buried in them, which come out looking odd. To me, it looks like someone accidentally got glitter or dirt trapped in their polish and just left it that way. Not my favorite look. That being said, it might be perfect for someone else, so I'll just give my honest review as always and let you make your own decisions.
To start the swatches, here's a fun "Starlight-inspired" look and name. Everything seems to have some ties to space, so I'm calling this "Melting Moon".
Melting Moon was created with two Starlight shades - I Drive a Supernova and I'm in the Moon for Love. First, I created a half-moon shape at the base of the nail with a small detailing brush. Then I brushed up toward the tip of the nail in small little strokes. Super simple!
Now strap in for all 18 swatches from Starlight, and be sure to let me know which is your favorite!
By the Light of the Moon (2 coats) is one of those weird, buried glitter chromes that I just can't get my mind around. The glitter is all large, hexagonal shaped, and it's paired with a silver chrome. Two coats is plenty for coverage, so that's good.
As much of a disappointment as By the Light of the Moon was to me, Ce-Less-tial is More (2 coats, no top coat) is a home run. The dense glitter mix is rosy-gold with...wait for it...rainbow glitter too! You're looking at 2 coats with no top coat. I love this one, especially in gel because then you lose the chunky, gritty texture that you get in regular lacquer.
The darkest shade of the collection also happens to be fabulous. Center of the You-niverse (2 coats) is a charcoal jelly with silver micro glitter and little flecks of matte black glitter. It has a bit of texture to it, but a top coat wipes it out for the most part.
First, some of the glitters are...strange. A few of the chromes have glitter buried in them, which come out looking odd. To me, it looks like someone accidentally got glitter or dirt trapped in their polish and just left it that way. Not my favorite look. That being said, it might be perfect for someone else, so I'll just give my honest review as always and let you make your own decisions.
To start the swatches, here's a fun "Starlight-inspired" look and name. Everything seems to have some ties to space, so I'm calling this "Melting Moon".
Melting Moon was created with two Starlight shades - I Drive a Supernova and I'm in the Moon for Love. First, I created a half-moon shape at the base of the nail with a small detailing brush. Then I brushed up toward the tip of the nail in small little strokes. Super simple!
Now strap in for all 18 swatches from Starlight, and be sure to let me know which is your favorite!
| OPI - By the Light of the Moon |
| OPI - Ce-Less-tial is More |
| OPI - Center of the You-niverse |
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