Summer Mermaid/Fish Scale Nails!!!!

I was inspired to do this from an Instagram contest and pretty much loved the outcome. So I will let you know how to recreate this look (please excuse my ring finger, nail break :'( RIP)

Things you will need:

So basically 3 different blues going from light to dark. Light blue and darker blue transparent glitter hex, and tool for placing glitter, Q-tips, your favorite polish remover, base coat and top coat (I advise using Seche Vite because it is thick enough to encapsulate the glitter, although you risk shrinkage, make sure to cap your tips) - and lastly PATIENCE! lol


Now I know for gradients most people use sponges or similar things unless you have an airbrush machine (big $$$), but for this you don't actually need to sponge because the gradient is going to beneath the glitter therefore a perfectly even and precise gradient is not necessary.


HOW TO:
I started with 2 coats of Milani Pool Party as my base, after drying I took Spoiled Deeper Dive, making sure that the brush only had little polish I dabbed it from the tip to half way up the nail bed. Finally I took the Color Club Cold Metal from the Foiled Collection and capped the tip and merged up to a quarter of the nail into the Deeper Dive. 


NOW WE NEED TO USE THE PATIENCE! :P
I put one coat of top coat, dipped my placing stick into the top coat then tediously picked up each glitter hex and placed it on the nail. I did half in light blue and the half towards the tip in the darker blue hex. I suggest that you paint only half the nail with top coat, fill it with hex, then paint the other half, because the top coat at the tip will be dry by the time you are ready to place the glitter, which means you will have to reapply the top coat and just make the whole thing look thicker. Truth is you get quicker at it as you go :)


Now you encapsulate the whole design with a thick top coat such as Seche Vite, make sure to cap edges to reduce shrinkage :) and enjoy your fishy or mermaid fingers :*

ENJOY!!!! :) x

Anti-redness Make-up Secrets!!!

Yes I am one of those wonderful people who suffer with redness. I have super sensitive skin an have been through a few rough sunburns which haven't helped. So as I share in the constant annoyance with countless others who can't seem to calm or cover the redness without caking on gallons of foundation, I feel compelled to share my successful secrets!


I have met others who have used corrective green tones and just haven't applied it right therefore look like they are walking around with seasickness lol. For years the thought of looking green faced baffled me and made me not try that route. Eventually I came across L'Oreal Studio Secrets Anti-redness Primer and thought I'd give it a go. I did and I got results.


The key to this product is the application. It does not need to be this like foundation and it should not be applied all over the face, just where the redness is. I have taken some pictures of how I apply this in hopes that it will give some guidance.


Pros of this product:
I like the consistency. It is fairly thin, spreads far and certainly dulls out the redness.


Cons of this product:
It has some brightening tones in it which means it may interfere with your foundation coverage if you like a super matte look.

So I apply it to my fingers then dot it over my red areas....

I like to rub the dots in, you will immediately see that the green tones down the redness, and then apply your foundation. I use Covergirl NatureLuxe, it isn't a full coverage, but if definitely works well for me, particularly with this primer.

I hope that this has helped someone, because redness can cause such frustration and self-esteem issues, hopefully finding products that help will increase your confidence and give you the healthy glow you desire!!!

HOW -TO Do Diamond Jubilee Nails With A Summer Twist!!!!

In honour of H.M. Queen Elizabeth II's 60 years of reign, we celebrate her Diamond Jubilee!

So although I would do anything to be there in my home country celebrating and waving flags, I have to celebrate from afar. So I start here with my nails...

I switched out the navy blue and red on the Union Jack for baby blue and hot pink!

Items Used

Sinful Colors - Cinderella - this is a gorrrrrrgeous blue with pink hued flecks, just drop dead gorg.

White and Pink stripers

Top Coat

(simple huh!)

How-To

1. Ok so to do this I suggest you have everything you need ready. 
2. Paint your base color - whatever it may be (don't be afraid to switch it up!)
3. Then paint a fairly thin white "X" across the nail. Let it dry.
4. Take your red/pink and paint a thinner line within the white one. Let it dry COMPLETELY!
5. Get your white again and make a thick cross "+" through your current "X" (this will be roughly double the thickness of your white "X" lines) Seriously let it dry, it tends to be thicker and takes longer than the first lines you did.
6. Finally, take your pink/red again and paint a cross "+" within your white one, making sure to leave a white border of the white "+"
7. Let dry fully and add top coat, if you add a TC too early it will drag your design and mess it up (lesson learned!)

To all wonderful Brits, I hope you have a fabulous holiday weekend, and have a drink for me!!!!

x

Salon Express Nail Art Stamping Kit

We Love To Play With Our Tips! lol

Alrighty then, so we love to play with our tip, we have French, American, Chevron, Gradient, Ombre etc. So I decided to play up my new hot summer orange for an elegant but seasonal look, with a 2-color chevron mani with hex accents.


Items Used
Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro - Sunset Orange (this is fairly translucent, almost a jelly)
Nicole By OPI - Not A Gold Bigger
Milani Jewel FX - Red
Color Club Top Coat
Dotting Tool
Tape

I prepped as for any normal mani, and buffed nails (get rid of any yellow or ridges). Applied a clear base coat, I use CND Stickey (I know its green but it goes on clear!). I then taped diagonally across the tip for the orange. I paint across the tip and edge of tape and then remove the tape and allow the orange to dry. I decided last minute that I would free-hand the gold and it turned out ok, I'm lucky. But in future I will just use the tape as I would a normal Chevron mani not a stripe and wish for the best :)
I then used a dotting tool to pick and apply red glitter hex from the Milani polish to the nail. I finished with a good coat of top coat and voila! I likey these ALOT!


Enjoy,
x

Summer Snow with OPI? Huh?

No, I am not crazy, but with all these hot summer neon nail colors I have decided to flip the seasons around with this simple and elegant white and glitter gradient accent mani.


Items used:
OPI Alpine Snow - Semi-matte finish, streaky in 1 coat, pretty perfectly opaque in 2 (give or take a few bald spots)
Color Club - Foiled Collection - Antiquated (golden foil polish super fast drying)
Color Club - Some holographic glitters that I got in the Vixen pack with no names, mostly golden tones use here.


I am sporting short stubbie nails ;) but I think it works here...

Glitter gradient is extremely quick and easy to do, the key is to have the brush as dry/with as little polish on as possible, drag slowly from tip downwards. Repeat this with the same or different polishes, gradually building the tip up. Simple!


Enjoy,
x