Ride the Waves with a Pop of Pink

Ride the Waves with a Pop of Pink

akzentz black favorite freehand gel gelish nail art pink white

Black and white with a pop of color is a tale as old as time. It's such a classic combination: black and white on either end of the spectrum, with a color that falls somewhere in between. I had this manicure in my mind for a while now, and just had to pick the perfect base color. I found it in Gelish Tokyo A Go Go, a beautiful, bright pinky-purple.

And there's good news for those of you that don't wear gel: this pretty pink is also available in regular lacquer form from Morgan Taylor!

To begin this manicure, I applied Gelish Foundation before adding two coats of Gelish Tokyo A Go Go. It's just... ugh. So pretty. I'm obsessed.

Then, I used Akzentz Gel Play Paint in white to block out the general shapes of the waves. It was pretty opaque, but I went back after curing the first coat to fill in a couple of patchy areas. I used Akzentz Gel Play Paint in black to add on the thick and thin wavy lines.

Finally, I finished the manicure with Gelish Top It Off.

I was really happy with the outcome of this manicure and enjoyed wearing it quite a lot! It's always satisfying when a manicure you have in your mind turns out how you hoped it would on the nail.

Purchasing Information
The Gelish Hello Pretty collection is available from Esther's Nail Center, as well as Amazon.com. You may still be able to find the LE collection in Gelish MINI at Sally Beauty.
Morgan Taylor lacquer equivalents are available from Loxa Beauty.
Akzentz products can be purchased through Gellipop.

TUTORIAL: Bordeaux Gradient with Jewelry Half Moons, Inspired by Forever For a Year

TUTORIAL: Bordeaux Gradient with Jewelry Half Moons, Inspired by Forever For a Year

black dots essie gold gradient lvx nail art opi red tutorial video tutorial

This tutorial post is sponsored by Macmillan. 

Today's nail art tutorial is inspired by B.T. Gottfred's novel, Forever For a Year. Since the book is all about romance and first love, I've created a look that's perfect for date night. This sultry bordeaux gradient is accented with a gold jewelry-style half moon. It's a look that is chic, romantic, and put together... with just a touch of flash.

Forever For a Year has also provided a date night prize pack for a giveaway! Head to the end of the post for details on how to enter.

For my date night nail art, I used:
LVX Cameo (burgundy)
OPI Lincoln Park After Dark (dark purple)
Essie Good As Gold (gold)

You'll also need a cosmetic sponge, cotton swabs or a latex barrier, and dotting tools in three sizes (large, small, and pinpoint).

With this easy gradient nail art, you'll be date-night ready in no time! And no matter where the night takes you, you know your tips will be looking fresh.

About Forever For a Year
When Carolina and Trevor meet on their first day of school, something draws them to each other. They gradually share first kisses, first touches, first sexual experiences. When they're together, nothing else matters. But one of them will make a choice, and the other a mistake, that will break what they thought was unbreakable. Both will wish that they could fall in love again for the first time . . . but first love, by definition, can't happen twice.

Told in Carolina and Trevor's alternating voices, this is an up-close-and-personal story of two teenagers falling in love for the first time, and discovering it might not last forever. In stores now.

Learn more on B.T. Gottfred’s Tumblr, and follow the author on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Giveaway
So now that we've got a plan in place for your date night nails, you're gonna need some supplies! Forever For a Year is hooking up one (1) lucky reader with the following prize pack:

• A copy of Forever For a Year;
• $25 Sephora gift card;
• nail polish and compact mirror. 

To enter, just comment on this post describing your dream date night activity!

Here are the rules: 

• One entry per person.
• Giveaway open to US addresses only.
• Must comment with a valid email address to be reached for your prize.
• Must be 18 years or older (or have parent's permission) to enter.
• Entries close Friday, July 31st, 2015 at 11:59pm MST.
• Chosen winner will have 48 hours to reply to the notifying email, after which a new winner will be chosen.

Floral Bouquet Accent Nail with OCC Cosplay Nail Lacquers

Floral Bouquet Accent Nail with OCC Cosplay Nail Lacquers

floral flowers freehand grey matte nail art obsessive compulsive cosmetics orange pink purple shimmer

Way back in the day, when I was first getting into nails, Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics held a sale. I think they were changing their bottle shape and wanted to clear out their old inventory. I figured it'd be a good opportunity to try a new-to-me brand, and picked out "Grandma," a pretty coral, and "Ghostly," a lavender-grey. When I gave them a go, I remember being really impressed with the formula.

Now, here we are, some three or four years later, and I'm still just as pleased with the quality of OCC products. You may already know them for their Lip Tars, but if you haven't tried out their nail products yet, I definitely suggest picking a few of them up.

All of the shades I used for this manicure are from their latest collection, "Cosplay." I thought it'd be nice to do a floral accent nail to show off the range of colors, and drew inspiration from Paulina's Passions' distinct floral aesthetic.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics - Silence (greyed beige, base)
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics - Femme (pink)
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics - Cosplay (green)
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics - Cha Cha (orange)
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics - Belladonna (purple)

I created the shade variations by mixing the colors with a white nail polish, and finished the manicure off with a matte topcoat.

The standout here, for me, is definitely Silence. It has this gorgeous silver shimmer to it and covered well in two coats. Super chic, very "me," I'm in love!

These lacquers are available now for $10/ea from occmakeup.com.

Kawaii Watermelons, or How to Make Your Fruit Cute

Kawaii Watermelons, or How to Make Your Fruit Cute

favorite freehand green kawaii kbshimmer nail art pink

I love watermelon, but I don't know that I would necessarily think of it as cute. UNTIL today. I've done some summery watermelon nail art before, but I wanted to take it in a different direction this time. In a cute direction. In a SUPER cute direction! And now I want to kawaii-fy ALL the things! All you gotta do is add faces!

I used two of the new KBShimmer summer shades for the classic watermelon pink/green! I did this as a ruffian with the pink over the green, but I think it probably would have been easier to just paint a green band on top of the pink.

KBShimmer Lei It Again
KBShimmer For Sail By Owner

Both polishes were opaque in two smooth, easy coats. I really enjoyed working with them.

I also used black and white polishes for the faces and other detailing.

Formula X Dark Matter
Essie Blanc

I dunno what else to say! I just love their little faces so much! KAWAII FOREVER

Disclosure: This post contains press samples.

Nail Pop x Skelanimals Decals

Nail Pop x Skelanimals Decals

decals grey nail pop studs water decals

Have you visited Nail Pop lately? They've got some awesome new decal designs, including some that may make you seriously nostalgic for the early days of the internet. One of their latest collaborations is with Skelanimals. Read on for more details and my thoughts about these babies!

Nail Pop decals are water slide decals, which means that you cut out the image you want to use, soak it in water, and slide the decal off of the backing paper. You can then situate it on your nail where you want it, and seal it in with topcoat. I found them pretty easy to use, though I do have a couple of tips!

• Cut around the decal as closely as possible. This eliminates any extra material from around the image and will make it much easier to work with when you go to place it on the nail.
• Choose a light color as your base to help the decals show up better.
• Use a paper towel or makeup wedge to soak up any extra water on your nail before you topcoat.
• Work over a dry or mostly dry manicure. I pressed down pretty firmly on my decals, so you don't want to dent the goods.
• As the water dries out of the decals, they will start to look slightly translucent. Don't worry! The topcoat will soak in and make them clear again. 

Though these aren't my usual style/aesthetic, I do have to admit that they're pretty cute!  I like all of the small pieces too, which could be used to add just a touch of flair to your manicure.

Skelanimals decals are available from Nail Pop or Dolls Kill.

Disclosure: This post contains a press sample.

Contrary Polish's When In Rome from the August "A Box, Indied"

Contrary Polish's When In Rome from the August "A Box, Indied"

contrary polish grey holographic indie polish purple

Readers, meet Contrary Polish's first ever linear holographic nail polish! Yes, it's true... The brand best known for its gorgeous shimmers has branched out into the world of holo.

It's named When In Rome, and it's being released as a part of August's "A Box, Indied" polish box. The theme of the box is All Hail Holo, so holoheads... be sure to mark the release on your calendars.

The polish consistency is on the thinner side, but it applies evenly. I used three coats for the coverage you see here.

So let's break it down: not only is this an awesome shade of greyed-purple, WITH holo, but it also has a gorgeous flash of rose gold shimmer (in true Contrary fashion). You can check it out in the first pic up there; look at the area around the white light reflections.

In addition to Contrary Polish, the "All Hail Holo" box will include special releases from Colors by Llarowe, Cupcake Polish, Different Dimension, and Glisten & Glow. It is available as a monthly subscription or as an individual box.

Look out for the release on July 26th at llarowe.com.

Ladybird Inspired Nail Art

Ladybird Inspired Nail Art

black butter london dots nail art orange red

I remember when I was a kid, one of my favorite times of the year was when we released ladybugs into the garden during Sunday School. They had boxes of ladybugs for us, and we got to set them free into the garden to help manage the pests. They'd crawl all over us, and we'd run around looking for where they'd landed in the dirt. Their bright red backs always stood out against the dark soil.

I think that butter LONDON has nailed that bright, vibrant red-orange ladybug color for this lacquer, fittingly named Ladybird. I applied two coats for the base - the formula is smooth and even. It has that sort of squishy feel to it, without showing any nail line.

Then, I added some black spots in various sizes to take the ladybug look even further! Try using a pencil eraser to "stamp" on the largest spots, and a dual ended dotting tool for the other sizes.

Ladybird is available through butter LONDON & Amazon. And PS, if you really like the color, check out their Ladybird LIPPY Lip Crayon!

Vintage Striped Wallpaper with China Glaze Desert Escape

Vintage Striped Wallpaper with China Glaze Desert Escape

china glaze dots nude pink red rose gold stripes

Have you guys checked out the China Glaze Desert Escape collection yet? I really dig the color makeup of it. There's something for everyone, you know? You've got a neutral, a metallic, a squishy red, a girly pink, a funky turquoise, and a silky magenta.

I reached for four of the six shades from the collection to put together this easy nail art. I think it's kind of charmingly vintage, yeah? Like, maybe you'd see it in your grandma's bathroom, and she's had it like that since the 1960s.

And gueI think just about anyone could pull this off. All you need to be able to do are vertical stripes (the easiest of all the stripes) and dots!

The shades I used are:
China Glaze What's She Dune? (nude)
China Glaze Don't Mesa With My Heart (pink)
China Glaze The Heat Is On (red)
China Glaze Meet Me In the Mirage (rose gold)

1. Begin by applying a base of the nude. 
2. Use a nail art brush to paint on a wide stripe of rose gold down the middle of your nail. 
3. Stack a medium red stripe on top of the rose gold stripe.
4. Stack a thin pink stripe down the middle of the red stripe, then add two sets of two thin pink stripes at the edges of each nail.
5. Add red and pink dots in pairs of two in the open spaces.

Unlike China Glaze collections you may be used to, the Desert Escape collection is only available on LockandMane.com. Each shade retails for $7.50. Have you picked up any? Do you have plans to?

What's green, glittered, and glowing all over?

What's green, glittered, and glowing all over?

akzentz artiglio favorite freehand gel gelish glow in the dark green nail art rockstar

I had a lot of fun with this manicure. I was heading off to Las Vegas the next day and needed to do a new and fun gel manicure. I kept adding elements and piecing together and making up patterns and eventually I ended up with this glowing, patterned, glittered combo.

AND! I successfully replicated the pattern on my other hand, so hooray!



As I said, these are gel nails, but they could easily be done with regular nail polish too! I'll list the products I used below but also recommend some close RNP equivalents.

GEL NAIL POLISH // REGULAR NAIL POLISH
Gelish Mini - Do You Harajuku? // OPI - That's Hula-rious!
Akzentz - Lights Out Glow in the Dark Gel Topcoat // China Glaze - Ghoulish Glow
Akzentz - Gel Play in black // Formula X - Dark Matter
Rockstar glitter nail with Artiglio Odessa // Zoya - Storm

Working with the glow in the dark gel topcoat was really cool, because the glow got supercharged in the gel lamp as I cured it.

Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as heavy-hitting in the glow department during my regular life. I would catch it glowing sometimes at night, but it wasn't super remarkable unless I charged it.

Still, it's neat to have the option for glowing gels, and I was really happy with this manicure overall. The light green Gelish Mini shade is super delicate and youthful, and the Gel Play paint is awesome for handpainted nail art.

Nude and Mauve Ombre with Lacy Glitter

Nude and Mauve Ombre with Lacy Glitter

a england color club glitter nude ombre purple sally hansen white

I recently received a package of some current Color Club shades. As I pulled the bottles out of the box, fate took control and lined up four of the shades from lightest to darkest. They looked gorgeous in an ombre together, and I had to oblige the universe's wishes.

Of course, I was still missing a fifth shade, and while I was searching for the perfect polish, I figured it couldn't hurt to add some glitter, either.

So, the four fated Color Clubs that I was destined to use are:
Color Club Blank Canvas (white)
Color Club Barely There (light tan)
Color Club Get a Mauve On It (mauve)
Color Club Midnight Mulberry (plum)

Then, I grabbed A England Elaine for the thumb, and added a layer of Sally Hansen Eyelet from the Luxe Lace line on all the nails. The glitter density was good, but I ended up with a lot of bubbles on the nails. Not sure what happened there.

I haven't done an ombre in a while, but I totally should wear them more often. They're really gorgeous and chic, especially in shades of nudes/neutrals like this. Big thanks to the universe and to Color Club for setting me up to hit one out of the ombre park (IMO)!

How To: Party Like a Rockstar (In Purple Glitter Gels)

How To: Party Like a Rockstar (In Purple Glitter Gels)

artiglio gel glitter holographic purple rockstar tutorial

Whether you call them glitter gels or rockstar nails, there's no denying that the smooth, glassy finish of this gel style is to die for. They're super easy to do -- all you need is your gel foundation and topcoat, plus a loose glitter of your choice.

Rockstars are fun, whether you're wearing them as a full manicure like this or using them as an accent to nail art. They have great staying power, and DAT SPARKLE! Read on to learn how to get this gel look for yourself.

I was taught this rockstar method in nail school. Some of the students there had previously learned different methods, so there are other ways to do these, but I think this process produces the best (and sparkliest) results.

1. Prep your nails for a gel manicure. Push back your cuticles, remove any dead tissue from the nail plate, buff your nails, and cleanse with a nail cleanser solution and a lint free wipe.
2. Apply your gel foundation/base, and cure in your LED or UV lamp. Curing time will depend on your lamp type and product of choice.
3. Apply another coat of gel foundation. DON'T cure.
4. Sprinkle loose glitter over the wet gel. I like to do this over a piece of paper or a small paper cup so I can put the extra glitter back into the jar afterwards. Lightly tap your nails to remove any excess glitter, but remember that the nails aren't cured yet!
5. Pop your nails into the lamp and cure.
6. Using a nylon brush or other stiff bristled brush, brush away any glitter that did not get cured into the base gel. You can be pretty vigorous with this, as most of the glitter should be cured onto the nail.
7. Apply one coat of gel topcoat and cure.
8. Cleanse the sticky layer off of your nails, and then use a fine grit buffer (240 or higher) to lightly buff the gritty glitter smooth. Cleanse off any dust that you generated.
9. Finish with a final coat of topcoat to bring back the shine. Cure and remove the sticky layer.

I know it looks like a lot of steps, but rockstars are SO easy once you get the hang of it. 

Your options are endless when it comes to choosing a glitter to use. You don't need to use cosmetic grade or solvent resistant glitter, because it won't have a chance to bleed into the gel. At school, we used the Recollections glitter sets from Michaels (don't forget your coupon!). This manicure features Artiglio by Sarah Bland's "Heather" glitter. 

Just keep in mind that finer glitters usually produce better results (and they're easier to work with, too). 

Happy glittering!

The Easiest Nail Art Ever: Sharpie Marbled Gel Nails

The Easiest Nail Art Ever: Sharpie Marbled Gel Nails

blue gel green presto gel sharpie marble watercolor yellow

If you recently found yourself wondering, "Gee, what has Sarah been wearing on her nails for the past two weeks?" then you're in luck! I have been wearing this Sharpie marbled gel manicure into the ground.

Sean was even like, "Whoa, those are really grown out. When are you gonna change that?" When I finally took them off on Monday, I sent a snap to my sister and she replied "FINALLY!"

So yeah, I got the point, people. It was time for them to go.

Sharpie marbles are ALL the rage right now. Everyone at my nail school was crazy for them! I've seen a bunch of tutorials for this look, but the one that I used was by Celina Ryden.

Honestly, these were SO easy you guys. You should go check out the tutorial, but here's the basic gist:

1. Perform a gel polish manicure like you normally would, including prep, base coat, and color coat. Stop before you apply top gel.
2. Use alcohol and a lint free wipe to remove the tacky layer from your color gel. Celina's instructions recommend a buffed nail, but I found that to be enough.
3. Working one color at a time, doodle small marks on your nails with a Sharpie.
4. Dab a small brush dipped in isopropyl alcohol on top of your doodles to spread out the ink.
5. Repeat with as many colors as you want!
6. Finish with top gel, cure, and remove the tacky layer.

One tricky thing that I ran into was that, sometimes, the Sharpie/alcohol mix would run into my cuticles before it could evaporate, leaving them blue and icky. I ended up fixing that problem by ignoring it until the end (after curing the top gel), and then cleansing the tacky layer with acetone. It removed the Sharpie residue from my cuticles completely without damaging the cured gel. Of course, this method will only work with gels.

I used Presto SC-32 as my base color, which is basically my favorite gel ever, as it looks just like OPI My Vampire is Buff. I was also a bad girl and combined it with my Gelish Foundation and Top It Off, because I like the system so much. They lasted me a good 2 weeks (plus an extra 2 days, at that)!

Have you given into the Sharpie trend yet?

Black and White, Post-Apocalypse

Black and White, Post-Apocalypse

abstract black cnd freehand tribal white

You may or may not know this about me: I'm obsessed with CND's work at Fashion Week. For this look, I was inspired by their nail artistry for The Blonds F/W 2015 show. The theme was the ultimate contrast between utopian and dystopian, with post-apocalyptic elements and all the amazing drama we've come to expect. If you're at all interested in high fashion nail art, I highly recommend you check out the CND lookbook for the show.

Some of the elements in their nail design focused in on black and white, and I wanted to do the same. I ended up with a manicure that felt somewhat abstracted, sort of tribal, very contrasted.

I used CND VINYLUX Weekly Polish in Black Pool and Cream Puff for my interpretation, and while I tried my best to channel the "hopeful apocalypse" look, I think I need a bit more practice with the theme!

Do you keep up with Fashion Week comings and goings? I know I'm a bit late, timing wise, with this one, but I just couldn't let it pass.