Fish Egg Friday (aka. Banding Together Against Ciate)

This picture was never actually meant to be posted. I decided to try the "fish egg" look a couple weeks ago and took this picture just to show some friends and my mom.

However, after I started seeing these "Fish Egg Friday" posts going up around the nail blogs, I wanted to join in. I support my fellow bloggers and it's irritating to see companies attack them for ridiculous purposes. (Not to mention, it's kind of just plain stupid on their part if they understand the blogging community at all.)

Basically, Ciate has been sending C&D letters to bloggers who have been using the term "Caviar Nails" or "Caviar Manicure" with the explanation that they are IN THE PROCESS of trademarking it. Not only is this silly because they do not yet HAVE the trademark, but there is also another issue: someone else had done it first! THIS blog post on the idea was posted over a year ago! The full story of the letters sent to one blogger can be read here.

Fish Egg Manicure

So here are the Kaviar/Fish Egg nails! This look can be done for a FRACTION of the price of Ciate's (the Ciate Caviar Manicure retails for $25!). I got a set of microbeads from Michael's scrap booking section for about $7 for 6 "tubes" (that will last for MANY manicures). You don't need any special polish either. I found that using a coat of Gelous OR Seche Vite both worked to stick the beads on, though with SV you have to work really quickly or the beads won't stick.

So join me and the other bloggers in boycotting Ciate and their overpriced "fish egg" manicure. To quote Cris from Let Them Have Polish...

"Ciate can kiss my microballs!"

Here are some of the other bloggers who participated in Fish Egg Friday!

Katniss, Girl on Fire: Hunger Games Midnight Release Mani

Edited to add sun pictures.

After re-reading the Hunger Games in the last couple of days, I was reminded that Katniss herself had her nails done for the interview directly preceding the beginning of the Games. In the book, Katniss says Cinna's team decorates her by "painting flame designs on [her] twenty perfect nails." So of course, I had to do a flame design.

(sun)

(sun)

(artificial light)

For a background, I used Orly Iron Butterfly. I wanted it to look a bit like smoke and ashes as well as being representative of District 12's coal industry. It's an easy one-coater matte black with silver shimmer, and it resembles China Glaze Stone Cold from the Colors from the Capitol collection.

(artificial light)

I wanted a flame design but I wanted it to look a little more natural than the typical hot rod flames. So I opted to paint the flames right over the charcoal instead of using a more opaque base. I started by freehanding the flame design in China Glaze Riveting, a red-orange glass fleck.  At first I'd planned the flames coming up my nails from the tip, but decided since Katniss was the girl on fire, the flames should be coming from her nails instead.

(indirect sunlight)

After doing all the red, I used Zoya Tanzy to fill in all the flames, leaving a bit of a red outline around the edges. I went over it twice to make it a little more opaque.

(indirect sunlight)

Lastly, I added some Milani Gold Glitz to the base of each flame (at the cuticle), to make it fully opaque and add a little bit of extra sparkle. It also toned down the fire to a bronzey-gold. Again, I didn't want bright hot rod flames, but more natural coppery flames.

(indirect sunlight)

I tried so many "versions" of flames (including the "hot rod type" which were made by painting black over the flames instead of the flames on the charcoal), but these actually came out exactly how I wanted them to.  I had a heck of a time trying to get pictures of these in natural light because the glare wanted to wipe out the flame shapes.

I won't lie, these were NOT easy, and it took a LONG time. But the result made it all worth it to me. I feel like the Girl on Fire.

Viva La Nails Water Decals and Stickers Review

Awhile back I ordered the Sample Pack from Viva La Nails. It's free for any blogger or youTube artist to review - all you pay is shipping! And let me tell you, I'm impressed!

First up are some of their colored water decals. These are very elegant pink flowers, with green leavs and stems. I was originally going to try these over an ivory or white, but when I tried Zoya Posh on the other day, they matched too perfectly to NOT try them on! Plus these were super easy - just cut out the design, wet the back paper with a sponge and slide the design off and stick it onto the nail!


Next up are some of their black water decals. On these, any part that is not black is clear, so you can put them over any color and it will show through. I've been wanting to do a "red with black roses" mani for a while, and these were perfect for it! See how clear the designs are? I know you could probably do something like this with Konad, but I'm not very good at the stamping stuff yet, so I like this better. This was over Sinful Colors Ruby Ruby (which is an almsot neon red).


Lastly were some of the rhinestone stickers they sent me. I love the look of the black with white flowers with the little colored accents! However, I didn't wait long enough for the polish to completely dry (even with SV, it was still "squishy") so the stickers ended up pulling on the polish underneath and it ended up pretty bumpy. It still looked awesome, though! Just make sure to let your polish dry COMPELTELY before pressing on the stickers.


I didn't wear any of these for an extended period of time, so I can't really comment on the wear of these, but I can imagine the water decals would easily stay on just as long as a nail polish would. I think I'm definitely going to order more of these!

Have you tried using stickers or water decals on your nails? How do they wear? Have you ordered from Viva La Nails?