Alphabet Nail Art Challenge : Z for Zebra

Helloooooooo everyone ! So it's the final theme today for the last letter in the alphabet, and today it's "Z for Zebra". It doesn't feel like it's been a month (including the 4 day gap when I went on holiday to Brittany) since I started this challenge as it's gone really quickly ! I'm going out with a bang with today's design though, so here it is !

I've done zebra print once before but that was a long time ago, waaaay before I started blogging and sharing photos on here and to be honest it really didn't look that great and I found it quite difficult to paint ! I loved the zebra print stamp on the Konad M-57 plate but I've gone off stamping recently and so I decided that I really needed to try doing it freehand again and I'm so glad I did !

I started with a base of OPI Can't Find My Czechbook, which I left to dry completely before starting my gradient (to avoid getting annoying bits of make-up sponge on my nails) using OPI Planks A Lot and OPI Suzi's Hungary Again, and I used black acrylic paint to do the zebra stripes. The rough effect of the stripes were done by doing a "dabbing" effect with my nail art brush when painting on the acrylic, which I think really adds to the whole look !

I did think about maybe doing the stripes in white to make a bigger contrast with the gradient background, but I'm glad I stuck to the black because it really does look good in my opinion ! I even did both  hands, I'm glad I'll be able to keep my designs on for a bit longer than 24 hours for a while now as there were several days during this challenge when I would have loved to keep the design on !

Right, it's getting late now and I'm heading off to Ikea tomorrow so I'm going to go to bed to make sure I get plenty of sleep ! Goodnight everyone !

Geometric Gradient and my Belated Blogaversary !

Helloooooooo everyone ! So I was meant to write a post yesterday as it was my official first blogaversary, but I ended up getting completely sidetracked and totally forgot until I'd turned my computer off and was laying in bed, but by that time it was gone midnight anyway and no longer my blogaversary.. oh well, I'm here today ! But anyway, I've got a great design that I'm in love with to share with you today !

So these nails were inspired by a design I saw by Chelsea at Get Nailed, which just happened to pop up on my Tumblr feed when I sat down to do my nails on the day before I left home to come to Berlin. I loved the colour combination and just the way it was so simple and minimalistic, yet really eye-catching at the same time !

For this design, the nail varnishes I used were OPI Funkey Dunkey, OPI Planks A Lot and OPI Steady as She Rose, and topped off each nail with a plain silver stud. I think I prefer the lighter purple base, as on my thumb, ring and little fingers to the darker purple, but I also love the way the colours and reversed designs all fit together ! I'll definitely be trying this with different colours soon !

So that's all for today everyone, I still can't believe it's already been a year since I first started posting here, and I'm so glad that I've been able to entertain you all and share my designs with the world for a whole year now ! Here's to another year everyone !

Gradient Confetti

Hey there guys ! So I've been doing my nails LOADS this week so I have plenty to post at the moment, hopefully I'll be able to do my nails while I'm in Berlin, but I won't have my light box so lighting probably won't be great but I'll do my best ! Plus I'll only be able to take a few polishes with me so I'll be limited in that aspect, especially as I want to be able to buy some while I'm away ! We'll see what happens !

So I got this idea when I first got L'Oreal Confetti, you can see the swatch here ! I wondered what the different glitters would look like if they were over black and white, and then the idea struck me to do a gradient !

For this design, I used American Apparel Hassid and American Apparel T-Shirt to do the gradient, and then I used one coat of L'Oreal Confetti over the top. I really like the way the white glitter stands out over the black and vice versa, and I bet it'll look great over different bright coloured gradients as well, so many possibilities !

So that's all for tonight everyone, I'll definitely post on Tuesday, if not before ! See you all then !

NOTD : Tone Gradient

Hey there everybody ! I told you it wouldn't be too long before I posted again so here I am ! I've been doing loads of nail designs these past couple of days in preparation for me going away for a month, so I'll still be able to post when I'm away, even though I'll still be doing my nails, I don't know what my lighting etc will be like so we'll just have to wait and see !

Today's design is really simple, going off a colour combination from a design that I will post when I go away to Berlin. I don't know where the idea came from, I was tired though and wanted something quick and easy to do, so a gradient it was !

The colours I used for this design were P2 Jetset, Essie Mint Candy Apple, Essie Splash of Grenadine, OPI My Very First Knockwurst, OPI My Back Pocket and Essie Meet Me at Sunset. I like the fact that they're just small gradients, as opposed to the usual half-nails I tend to do for my gradients.

Right so that'll be all for tonight, I really need to go to bed now, I've been writing this post for the last 2 hours ! See you all again soon everyone !

NOTD : Golden Royale

Good evening everybody ! So I'm back after my week away, and believe it or not, my galaxy nails from last Thursday's post actually survived the WHOLE week (only a bit of tipwear, nothing major), so today has been the first chance I've had this whole time to do my nails ! I've got a few more days off before my lectures start again, so I'm hoping that I'll be able to fit as much nail art as possible between now and Thursday, I don't have anything planned in particular, so we'll just have to see how things go !

I've been wanting to use some more of the OPI Skyfall collection polishes, and when I did my godmother's nails during the week using OPI Casino Royale, I suddenly got the idea for today's design ! I foolishly didn't take my makeup sponge for doing gradients with me (or my gold flake top coat either) so I couldn't do this design for my godmother, but I knew I'd be doing it for myself as soon as I could do my nails again !

For this design I used a base of OPI Casino Royale, then I used OPI GoldenEye on my index and middle fingers for the gradient, and on all the other nails I used OPI The Man With the Golden Gun (words can't express how much I love this nail varnish). GoldenEye is such a great nail varnish for doing gradients with, it's really easy to build up on the nail, and the gradient effect is really easy to obtain !

So that's all for today everybody, hopefully I'll be back again tomorrow with a new NOTD or a swatch, we'll see what happens ! I'm also super excited because I've just pre-ordered some of the new polishes from the OPI Euro Centrale collection, plus OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls, so I'm already planning nail art I can start doing with those, not to mention planning bright Spring nail designs (not that my nails ever really reflect the seasons, I wear anything whatever the weather on my nails), it's just an excuse to do loads of floral designs, happy days !

I'll see you all soon guys ! Have a great day !

Swatch : Shimmer Polish - Fanny

Good evening everybody ! So I've been super busy since my last post last week, but I promise I have very good reasons for my absence ! I got back to uni late last Saturday, and I didn't lift a finger work-wise the entire time I was home in France, so I've had lots of catching up to do, plus house hunting for somewhere to rent for next year ! See ? Told you I had a good reason ! So anyway, I still have an essay to finish, so this'll have to be a very quick swatch post for you all today !

So this beauty is Fanny by the wonderful Shimmer Polish ! There's a huge mix of different coloured glitter such as pink, red, gold, purple and a subtle green, in a light dusty pink tinted base. The mix of colours makes for a really interesting polish, which shines in all different colours in different lights !

For this swatch I used three coats of Shimmer Polish Fanny on my thumb, ring and index finger, then for the two accent nails I did a light gradient over OPI Casino Royale. I absolutely love this shade in both the plain glitter and the glitter gradient, I think I'll definitely be doing more gradients with this polish, it applied really well, and looks great !

The formula on this polish was great, as was Jasmine by Shimmer Polish which I swatched a while ago ! Three coats is definitely enough for this glitter by itself, and any visible nail line is pretty hard to spot !

You can buy Shimmer Polish either through the blog, or via the Etsy website, and there is also a Facebook page for you to keep up to date with news and giveaways !

So that's all for today folks, I'm off to write some more of this essay, oh joy ! Have a great evening everyone !

NOTD : Thistle Gradient

Hey there everyone ! So it's Friday (finally) but no rest for me this weekend as I've still got plenty of work I need to finish up and hand in ! Still, I'll try and do my nails both tomorrow and Sunday, hopefully I'll have time to do them ! Today's nails are just relatively simple, didn't want to do anything too fancy as it was already quite late into the evening when I finished dinner and actually sat down to do my nails !

So as some of you may know (or if you happen to have passed through Google today), it's Saint Andrew's day, the official national day of Scotland ! I was originally going to stick with blue and white nails, after all, they are the traditional colours of Scotland and the Scottish flag, but in the end I ended up looking up photos of thistles, and instead went with a relatively simple thistle-inspired gradient !

For this gradient, the nail varnishes I used were Essie Splash of Grenadine for the purple, and the greeny colour is OPI Mermaid's Tears. For the gradient, I started with a base of the Essie colour, and then I painted on strips of both the colours I wanted in the gradient straight onto a makeup sponge, and just dabbed it over each nail until I got the desired gradient. Simples !

And that's all for today's post everyone ! I hope you like my slightly alternative take on Saint Andrew's day nails ! I really like how the colours work together, and I think the gradient is quite Summer-appropriate, as opposed to what you may expect in almost-December ! OMG Christmas is so soon, I can't wait !

See you tomorrow everyone ! Have a great day !

NOTD : Funky Skittles

Good evening everyone ! So I've got a quick post for you all tonight as I needed a break from working (even though theoretically it's not really that much of a break as I'm still sat staring at my laptop) ! I've been sat here all day and haven't got half as much done as I would have liked to, but isn't that always the way ? I'm planning on getting up early tomorrow so that I can actually get plenty done, there's no way everything's going to be ready on time otherwise !

So this design is pretty much an amalgamation of every idea I had for my nails today, and being the procrastinator that I am when it comes to taking a break and then struggling to start working again, I, of course, had to do all of them ! Oh well, I really like them, and then at least that way if I don't have time to do my nails tomorrow at some point then I'll be quite content to keep these on for another day !

The nails varnishes I used for this design were P2 Elegant, OPI Every Month is Oktoberfest, American Apparel T Shirt, OPI Don't Pretzel my Buttons, OPI You Don't Know Jacques, Essie Lapiz of Luxury, Essie Splash of Grenadine, Essence Circus Confetti, as well as my Models Own Wah Nails nail art pens in black and blue. I was originally going to do a paisley nail, but once I'd started drawing it I thought it looked awful so I switched design ! Never mind !

Right now I'm going to have to get back to work ! I've almost finished making the Powerpoint presentation for one of two presentations I'm doing next week, plus I'd better get a start on my Italian coursework.. and let's not even mention the 3 essays I've got to write up before the end of the semester ! Ugh.. so much work !

I'll see you all again soon guys, wish me luck with all this work I've got to finish !

NOTD : Gradient Studs

Hello there again everyone ! So I'm back from my weekend away, and I have part of a recycled mani to show you all for today's NOTD ! I don't really wear gradient manicures a lot, so when I got this design stuck in my head it was kind of surprising considering I hardly ever do gradient nails, however I decided to go with the flow and I really like how this design has turned out !

So I decided to recycle the studs I used in my last NOTD from Thursday, first of all because I really really really like them, but also because the nail glue I used on them is so industrial it'll take forever to take them off, so I thought I'd make their usage worthwhile !

For this design (please excuse that highly over-exposed photo, it's too late for me to go and find another one now), the polishes I used were OPI Nein! Nein! Nein! OK Fine! and then Barry M Gold Foil for the gradient, and the two accent stud nails are the same as the other day, just the OPI base colour with square studs stuck on top. For the gradient I just painted the two colours onto a makeup sponge and then dabbed it on each nail, super simple !

And that's it for today ! I'm off to go and finish some Russian work for tomorrow, I have to say it's been great having some time off from the intensive studying that's required for my course ! Now there's only a few weeks left before Christmas, time really is flying !

See you all tomorrow guys, maybe even with the same studs, who knows ! Have a great day !

NOTD : Dior Gradient

Hello there again everyone ! So I'm back from my weekend away in Oxford, and I hope you enjoyed the two posts I prepared for you all to keep you busy whilst I was gone ! BUT, I'm back, and this is my 100th POST ! Can you believe it ?! I can't believe it's already been 100 days since I first started posting on here, and 100 consecutive posts of my nails ! So to celebrate, I've got a great mani for you all, which is very special as it's doen using some of my brand new Dior nail polishes !

As soon as I saw these three polishes together I knew exactly what I was going to do with them, and a gradient was necessary ! All three have shimmer going through them, like most of the Dior nail varnishes, but these were larger than the usualy superfine shimmer you get in the cremes. I'm tempted to say that these polishes had quite a jelly finish, almost a creme/jelly hybrid !

For this gradient design the three polishes I used were Dior Pink Porcelain (189), Dior Flapper Pink (453) and Dior Indie Orange (447, also known as Mandarin Orange). I think these three colours all go really well together, and make for a nice gradient. The brush in the bottles is amazing as well, once you work out how much nail varnish to actually hae on the brush it all works perfectly !

And that's it today for my 100th post ! Here's to another 100 ! My god, that will be at the end of January next year, not long now at all, and that'll be roughly the 6-month mark for this blog as well ! Exciting stuff !

See you all tomorrow for another nail art post (probably Dior again !), have a great day everyone !

NOTD : Spotty Gradient

Hellooooo everybody ! So just a quick post from me this evening as it's already quite late, and I've got loads to do still ! I'm going away up to Oxfordshire this weekend to visit some family friends (super excited !) and so I've organised some scheduled posts for you all ! But I've still got plenty of packing to do before I go to bed tonight, there's not enough time in the day !

So I was originally going to just to a plain and simple gradient for my manicure today, but of course it had to be something I would be happy to keep on my nails until Sunday as I'm not planning on doing my nails again until then ! I contemplated doing a floral design, then it was going to be a gradient, but I just didn't feel happy with something as boring as just a plain gradient. In the end I remembered a tutorial for a "dot gradient" that Sarah from Chalkboard Nails posted the other day, and I knew exactly what colours I wanted to use !

The polishes I used for this design were OPI Schnapps Out of It for the base, a really lovely terracotta colour that just looks amazing on, like all of the polishes from the Germany collection as a matter of fact, as I've said ever since I got them ! The spots were done with OPI Don't Pretzel my Buttons and then OPI German-icure by OPI.

All in all I'm really happy to have this design on my nails for the next couple of days, a relatively long time in my book, considering I usually change my nails every day, at the moment anyway ! Another reason for me to look forward to this weekend is because I'm going to be acquiring some Dior nail polish, exciting stuff ! I'm sure I'll be showing them to all of you at some point next week, so you've all got that to look forward to ! Happy times !

So I'm going to wish you all a great weekend, and I'll see you all on Sunday ! Stay tuned for the scheduled posts tomorrow and Saturday, I have a super amazing swatch and a nail art design for you !

NOTD : Gradient Leopard Print

Well hello there everybody ! I've got a brand new NOTD for you all today, and I promise you, it won't disappoint... well that's if you like it as much as I do ! I've had the idea for this design stuck in my head for a while now, and only yesterday after my cupcake manicure did I realise that I had the absolutely perfect basecolour for the design.

So this isn't your average gradient leopard print you see going around the nail blogosphere, in fact I don't think I've actually seen this design anywhere before, unless anyone can point me to someone who did it so I can give credit ?

I really love how this turned out, I was a bit dubious at first but the end result looks way better than I had expected ! I may even have to keep this design on for more than just 24 hours.. who knows !

So for this design I used, like yesterday, OPI My Very First Knockwurst, a gorgeous light dusty pastel pink shade from the OPI Germany collection, and then my Models Own Wah Nails nail art pen in black for the leopard details. I can't wait for Models Own to release more colours in these nail art pens, I saw that they have gold and silver ones coming up soon from their Facebook giveaways, but a red one would be amazing ! Might have to pop in to Sally's and get myself one I've seen there !

And that's it everyone ! I hope you like this design, and I hope you like my short nails ! They're really growing on me.. maybe I'll have to start being less lazy about filing them regularly so I can keep them at about this length ! ... So much hard work !

I'll see you all tomorrow, hope you enjoy your evening !

15 Day Nail Challenge (Day 10) : Gradient

Oh my god we're already two thirds of the way through the Makeup Savvy nail challenge, it seems to have gone really quickly ! Today's challenge is gradient nails, however I've already a sort of gradient for the nude nails on day 5 of the challenge, and I've already posted a typical gradient design here, so I decided I'd go outside the box for today's gradient !

I got this striped gradient idea from Candice at MrCandiipants' tutorial she posted not too long ago, and I love the way it looks ! I was a bit wary at first about how time consuming it looked, but it actually turned out relatively quick to do and just required a little bit of patience getting the colours right (I mixed instead of using all different polishes).

The photos I took didn't come out as well as I wanted, but they'll do for now ! They don't do the real-life design any justice whatsoever, they look just as awesome close up as they do from a distance, and I love that about this design !

The polishes I used for this design were OPI Steady as She Rose, OPI Sparrow Me the Drama and OPI Dim Sum Plum. I had a bit of trouble mixing for the darker colours when I used Dim Sum Plum in the mix, as it's sooooo pigmented,  it darkened the colour I was aiming for really quickly ! I did get the hang of it in the end, I just ended up using quite a bit of the lighter colours to get the colour I wanted.

So that's it for today's design ! I hope you liked my "slightly different" gradient nails, and you must ABSOLUTELY go and check out Candice's blog, her nail art never fails to impress !

Enjoy your day ! Ahh oh I totally forgot it's Friday... have a great weekend !

NOTD : Dotty Gradient

Oh my life, another day of 30°C sunny weather and me expiring in the lounge ! Plus I've been having to sort out hay bales which is actually the WORST job ever ! But anyway, I really haven't been up to much, just sitting around and running a few errands when I have to, I decided my nails needed re-doing !

I've been seeing this design around for quite a while now, ever since gradients became the "in-thing" in the nail art world ! I suppose people wanted to step out from the crowd and do their own thing with the gradient trend ! I quite like the design, and it's actually really simple to do, whether it's quicker than a plain gradient or not I couldn't say !

So the colour I used for the base of this design was Barry M Strawberry Ice Cream, then for the dots I used my Models Own Wah Nails nail art pen in pink. Now I wasn't expecting for the pink to be neon in this pen. I can't decide whether it's a good or a bad thing as I mean neon is great and everything, but it's not the most practical colour for me to use for nail art. All the same, I'll still be using it on a regular basis I should imagine !

And there we are ! Another day's manicure, until I get bored of it and start again ! Hope you're still enjoying the weather, and that you're not being forced in moving hay ! If however you are, I feel for you, I really do !

NOTD : Nude and red gradient

Ok guys, as promised : today's post will be my current manicure !

So Sammy from The Nailasaurus posted a tutorial on how to get the perfect gradient a couple of months ago, and I'm afraid I have to admit, I hadn't tried it until doing this manicure yesterday ! Nonetheless, I can confirm that it is the best method I have ever tried for creating a gradient with two solid colours !

I am thrilled to actually finally be able to do nice gradients that look well-blended on my nails, as every time I tried beforehand it really just looked like two separate blocks of colours that didn't blend together at all !

I actually think that the more I practised  the better I seemed to get at this design, after looking at both my right hand and left hand (I always start with my left), I realised that I actually prefer how my right hand turned out !

The colours I used for this manicure were P2 Elegant for the nude base, and OPI Big Apple Red for the red.

I can't wait to try this design out again, and experiment with different colour combinations !

Have you used this tutorial for gradient nail art yet ?