Five Shades Of Blue

Screw Fifty Shades of Grey (wink, wink).  This just seemed like the perfect name for the manicure (that turned out to be a very pretty on my nails).

I used the following colors in the manicure, all in three coats: China Glaze Electric Beat, Up All Night, Frostbite, Sea Spray, and Zoya Breezi.  On top with Konad Special Stamping Polish I used Bundle Monster plate BM201.  Seche Vite was used for the topcoat.

Starburst

I really enjoyed this manicure even if I envisioned the stars more yellow than green, but I still think the combination is great.  My only problem?  This manicure didn't last long enough!  I got chips within 24 hours.  So sad, I want my pretty manicures to last as long as possible.  This was just a one hit wonder.

I painted four coats of China Glaze Blue Sparrow with Bundle Monster plate BM202 with Special Stamping Polish in Yellow.  Seche Vite was my topcoat.

Psychedelic

This manicure was so pretty and depending on how the light was hitting it, the colors could change. Blue, purple, pink. Very fun.

With flash:

I painted three coats of China Glaze Blue Iguana and then added Bundle Monster plate BM 223 with Konad Special Stamping Polish in Psyche Pink. I finished the look with one coat of Seche Vite.

Yellow + Blue = Green

This manicure was a mini illusion. I recently purchased a new Shatter polish from OPI and paired that teal Shatter over a yellow manicure and green hues popped up all over the place.

I first painted three coats of Sally Hansen HD Hi Definition Nail Color in Lite. I added some yellow glitter to the top half of my nail and once the manicure was dry, I added OPI Turquoise Shatter and painted a thin line of China Glaze Platinum Silver to delineate the line between the color blocking. I painted one coat of Seche Vite to seal.

Blue Fish

I had no idea what to name this post.  This was a manicure that just evolved before my eyes and various glitters.  I really like the sparkle contrast and red/pink sparkle highlights.  You can tell, however, I painted these nails in pretty low light because I am WAY off of my cuticles on some nails.  Oh well!  Hopefully there is enough bling to distract the eyes.

I painted three coats of China Glaze Frostbite then added a layer of loose glitter from Yofi in Blue Angel and used clear polish and a thin brush to apply Cina Glitter Metallic Jewels .  I sealed with a clear coat of polish Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Flawless and a top coat of Seche Vite.

Hip To Be Square

I needed a quick manicure for my newly chopped, short nails.  Konad is always the answer!

Natural Light: 

Sunlight (see the holo!):

Base coat color is Ulta Soho Bleu and Konad Plate s6 was used with China Glaze DV8.  I used one coat of Seche Vite for shine!

Just A Spoonful Of Glitter

I am behind on posting and owe you some manicures!  I had fun doing Halloween themed nails, but I have been patiently waiting to try my new Zoya polishes from their Fire and Ice collection.  So both of these manicures focus on two of those colors.  I love them so much and they really are awesome and complex sparkle/foil/glitter polishes.  So the best way to enhance the sparkle is with more GLITTER!  

Blue sparkle is painted with three coats of Crystal with added glitter from LA Splash in Onyx

Red Sparkle is painted with three coats of Lisa with Ruffian sparkle in Yofi Cosmetics sparkle dust in Skinny Dippin'

Celebration Part Deux

I told you I had a wedding again last weekend and I need to post the pics of my re-designed manicure.  In preparation for the dress remix, I bought some new jewelery (although it was vintage, not new to the world--new to me) and decided to go with the theme of brushed metal.  I'm attaching a picture of the dress I had for inspiration.  I'm retiring it for next weekend, but I do have another wedding to go to...!

The Dress:

For the manicure I first painted three coats of China Glaze Liquid Leather.  Then I sponged on in layers Awaken, Millennium and Frostbite.  I striped clear polish over the center after the other polishes had dried and added the blue glitter.  I sealed that glitter with a top coat so the glitter wouldn't bleed (as much).  I used Essie Matte About You on the lower half below the glitter and added Seche Vite to shine the top half and for a final seal of the glitter.

Denim Scorpion

I bought this new China Glaze color from the Vintage Vixen collection and it immediately reminded me of denim.  So I decided I'd make pockets, and name the post after the best misquote from my sister of a local amusement park ride; it's named Steel Venom, but she calls the Denim Scorpion.  I love her misquotes mostly because they have so much conviction.

Right Hand:

Left Hand:

Three coats were used in Midnight Mission.  The colors used for the embellishments were Orly Rage, Luxe, So Easy Stripe Rite in White, Silver and Gold Metallic.  I sealed the look with one coat of Seche Vite and then matted the entire look with Essie Matte About You.  (I find that the matte finish tends to make polishes bleed--as you can see with my middle finger on my left hand where I did not seal first, so a top coat first makes a big difference.)

Close up of polish bleed and paint detail:

Thread Lightly

Today's manicure is simple, but a bit tedious to create.  I bought these Metallic Threads from Sally's and wanted to try them out, but they had to be cut to size, didn't all want to stay down or stay straight.  Either way, I still like the idea and the final look isn't so bad.  This is another one of the colors in Orly's Cosmic FX collection and I think they are so pretty, but incredibly hard to photograph--so the excess pictures this time are less about showing off the design and more about trying to depict the color and sparkle.  

I painted three coats of Orly Lunar Eclipse.  I used Seche Vite to adhere the threads and to coat on top to seal them.

She's Like The Wind

Besides rockin' that song Karaoke for our beloved and belated Patrick Swayze, it has been crazy windy here in MN the past few days. Watching the leaves blow wildly outside today was my inspiration for this post.

I used a base coat polish of China Glaze Secret Peri-wink-le. The wind consists of Sexy In The City, Bahamian Escape, DV8, Dorothy Who?, White On White, So Easy Stripe Rite Hot Blue, Orly Royal Navy. I used on coat of Seche Vite to seal the deal.

Blue and Gold

I was out of town and caught up in work the past few days, so I have to catch you up on a few manicures you've missed. I apparently am on a blue and gold kick (mostly because of the new "foil" polish I picked up last week that I keep wanting to use). So here you go:

Blue Moon:

All Laced Up:

Blue Moon:

Base coat blue is China Glaze Sexy In The City, the gold accent is Orly Luxe. I used Seche Vite, one coat on top.

All Laced Up:

Base coat China Glaze Frostbite and Bundle Monster Plate BM11 with Luxe again for lace detail. Seche Vite to coat.

Quiet As A Whisper

I purchased a new color yesterday and wanted it to be the highlight of my manicure, so this is a super subtle design.  I really like it because it feels sneaky--so pay attention, I'm only going to whisper.

The base coat color is China Glaze Towel Boy Toy.  I used DV8 with Konad Plate m63.   Two coats of Seche Vite finished the look.

Behind the Veil

Picturing this manicure in my head, I was thinking about those beaded doors that only partially hide something fun behind.  You want to get to the other side behind the veil.  I wish the glitter polish would pop more in real life, but it's still fun.

I used China Glaze Frostbite as a base blue and then put two coats of Dorothy Who? on top.  I used Konad plate m65 with Millennium.  I used two coats of Seche Vite to coat the manicure.

Better Than Kanye

This manicure reminds me of those sunglasses from the 80's, but my husband was only calling them "Kanye Glasses" while I was sporting the look (which I didn't like).







I used Essie Midnight Cami (blue) for the both the base color and the blue Konad, and China Glaze First Kiss (pink/off white) for the base polish and Sally Hanson White On for the white Konad element. I used Konad plate s6 again and topped with two coats of Seche Vite.

Growing Crazy

I have no idea what this manicure reminds me of--shark teeth, sharp petals, bear claws.....  Either way it was inspired by a truck I saw driving the other day and I thought maybe it might make a good manicure.

I used Orly Passion Fruit for the base pink.  I striped the blue with So Easy Stripe Rite in Blue Metallic and used White for the border.  I coated twice with Seche Vite on top.

Ode to Jasper

I have been waiting to do a Jasper post until I can really ride him.  And by Jasper, I mean my scooter.  I have taken the scooter out on some little joy rides, but with the weather shaping up this week, I thought it was time to break out a Jasper inspired manicure.  I picked the blue because it's the color of my scooter and the swirls are symbolic of the glorious feeling of air, nature and connection I feel riding it everywhere I go in the warmer months here in Minnesota.  So, ride on!!!!!!

Left hand:

Right Hand Close Up:


Artsy Shot:

Base color is China Glaze, Frostbite.  The swirls are done with another CG color in light blue Bahamian Escape.  And So Easy Stripe Rite in White and Purple Metallic.  I then coated a clear coat of polish over the center of the swirl design and sprinkled glitter from Cina from their Metallic Jewels collection.  I then coated the manicure twice with Seche Vite and I'm ready to ride!!

Four Squared

I swear this picture makes these nails look like they were inspired by the new tile in my bathroom, but that coincident was discovered during the photo session.  And really the color of the nails is not very true to life and I couldn't capture that very well.  The blue is "Jasper" blue (or a cobalt blue) and the green is a teal color.  But no matter how the picture does the manicure justice, the picture is still shown as followed:

Colors used are all China Glaze Frostbite and Turned Up Turquoise.  I then highlighted the squares with a vertical stripe in Atlantis and a horizontal stripe in Dorothy Who?.  I applied one coat of Seche Vite for a top coat.

Stardust

This mani was inspired by this blog post.  I was going for more whimsical since I only had one glitter choice.  I really think this one is  

I went to the original blog post where the idea came from and watched a video with English subtitles, but I was still unclear quite how to do the look, so I interpreted the technique on my own.  My base polish was China Glaze Sky High-Top.   I, then, took a clear stripe of polish to the base of my nails, put a light dusting of regular glitter on top, then applied a clear coat of polish to adhere and drag the glitter.  Then I did a second layer of glitter by adding a larger, hexagonal glitter on top (with the same application technique).  I also topped of the look with Seche Vite for added shine.