Hmmm... may be time to move back to blogger!

Before Instagram, blogging was my one outlet for my nail art and manicures.  After all, my husband can only get excited about so many holos and glitters and cremes before he freaks out.

I like blogging, it lets me get more detailed about manicures... as to why I loved it, or hated it.  But it also gives me more time to think  about what I want (and do not want) to say.

I love gradient manicures... but I cannot do a good gradient manicure to save my life!

I have watched numerous videos, read a million 'how to' articles and tried countless methods, and still my gradients are less than stellar.

One gradient I can do with little or no drama... the glitter gradient!

I use an eyeshadow applicator.  This allows me to have more control over the placement and the amount of glitter.

I started this manicure with one of my favorite indies, Loaded Lacquer.  Heather from Loaded Lacquer has an amazing brand.   I have all three of the Nude Jiggle Trio.

After two coats of No Bra, I added a quick dry top coat.  I am currently on a HK Girl kick, by Glisten & Glow.

Once the polish was dry, I grabbed one of the eyeshadow applicators and went to work.

Remember, glitter is a little like perfume.  It is easier to add a little bit at time, but impossible to take off if you added too much!!

I start at the top, and then slowly work my way down.

After I am happy with the glitter placement, I add one last coat of HK Girl and I am good to go!

Lovely Neutral... Jacqueline

I have the worst time finding a good nude or neutral polish.   In the store, those many beautiful neutral/nudes beckon me to bring them home, but as soon as I get those colors on my hands, my heart is quickly broken by colors that make my fair coloring look more washed out than usual.

I finally have a beige polish that looks good on my hands!!  (insert happy dance here!!)

I found this polish on a bloggers site, and I fell in love with the color.  The blogger had fair skin with a red undertone, just like me!  My heart began to mend... could a nude that looks good on my hand actually exist?

Be still my beating heart... and say hello to Zoya's Jacqueline!!

Zoya's website describes this polish as, "full-coverage, perfect magnolia nude cream. This light creamy beige has slight warm undertones and a glossy creme finish."




I love this color!!  I have worn it all by itself, which is high praise indeed.

My camera cannot do this polish justice.  My hand does not have such red undertones (as seen in the picture above).  

A Tale of Two Gargantuan Green Grapes

Okay... this is strange.  I purchased OPI's Gargantuan Green Grape from Ulta a few weeks ago.  When I finished my manicure with the new color, I was slightly perplexed.





There are two (2) different OPI's GGGs.   One is a minty, creamy green, the other is a creamy, milky blue.  

Obviously, I purchased the milky blue GGG.

I love this color, but I still need to purchase the green version of this polish, because I still need a good mint green polish.

Tomoko and Arabella

The Zoya PixieDust line is really a superior product, one of the best.  The formula is unbelievably easy to apply, and the colors and textures amazing.

Today I did a quick free hand design using two PixieDust colors, Tomoko (described as a "champagne silver with a matte, textured, sparkling metal finish") and Arabella (the Zoya web site describes this color as a "rich fuchsia pink in a matte, textured sparkling finish").



Now, Zoya does not recommend using a base coat or a top coat.  However, I always use a a base coat and so far I have not had any problems.

A little art...

Okay, I added a few polka dots to my OPI's Pinking of You manicure.

On my index and ring finger, I added Maybelline's Color Show Polka Dots in Clearly Spotted.

The white accents are China Glaze in White on White.   The black accents are also China Glaze, Liquid Leather.

Side note, I love Clearly Spotted.  You can add it to almost any type of nail polish (cream or jelly or sheer) and it can really change the look of the manicure with very little effort.  Plus the price!!!  Walmart sells Maybelline's Color Show for only $3.00!

I try to keep my nail art very simple, for a good reason, I am a horrid artist.  I mean it, I cannot draw to save my life.  So I rely on good dotting tools and tape.

A little pink to perk up my day!

I know... it is fall, not spring or summer.

I should really be doing Halloween or Thanksgiving manicures, using all those rich fall colors, such as navy, khaki, hunter greens and rich browns.

But I was in the mood for a little pink!!

October is Breast Cancer month, so everyone has been doing all sorts of beautiful pink type manicures and I wanted to get in on the action.

This lovely pink is by OPI called Pinking of You.  

As usual the formula was just lovely.  I actually used four coats (yikes!) to get rid of my vnl.

I like this creamy pink.  It is more bright that the standard baby pink, and a little richer too.

What do you think?

I may have to add a little something... hmmm.  But what to add?

Eh... I have done better...

but I have also done worse.  

I am not in love with this manicure, but it is different.  I was fooling around with some more PixieDust and tape.  I started with a lovely nude by Sally Hanson Complete Salon Manicure in Almost Almond (which I will swatch and post all my itself one day because it is a lovely nude with a slight shimmer).   Then I add Zoya's PixieDust in Dahlia.

However, the black stripes were completely overwhelming the shimmery nude.  I added a coat of Zoya's PixieDust in Tomoko over the nude and it worked a little better.

This is what happens when you are polishing your nails when you should be getting some sleep... which is where I am off to right now!  I will be back on Monday with a new manicure.