Instagram Purple Nails for Boston Reciprocal Gradient.

     Today, I have some nail art for you guys. This one is part of an Instagram effort to show solidarity/support to/for the victims of the atrocity that happened in Boston yesterday. Basically the idea is to wear purple on your nails to show support for the victims. So, I figured if I was going to do this, I was really going to do this and do a really involved mani (which this is my first time attempting this type of manicure) to show support. How it helps...I'm not quite sure but it's a principle thing I think. Anyway, here is my first attempt at a reciprocal Gradient manicure. This manicure is inspired by a manicure I saw on Simple Little Pleasures YouTube channel.

Pictures:

Indoor with flash . 

Indoor no flash. 

Outdoor in sunlight. 

Outdoor in shade. 

What I used: 

China Glaze - Spontaneous

China Glaze - VIII

OPI - Rumple's Wiggin' (I used my fave and HTF OPI so you know I mean business)

Striping tape

     I really like how this manicure turned out. And I forgot how ombre/gradient manicures make your nails look even longer (some kind of optical illusion). But over all I am very pleased with how this manicure came out. It's pretty, it's purple and it took forever (just over 2 1/2 hours) to get right. But I think it's worth the effort to show Boston our support. I now challenge all of you, my lovely readers to also paint your nails purple to show support for the Boston Marathon bombing victims. And show me what you guys come up with. That's all I have for you guys today. Until next time, stay classy, and stay polished.
XOXO

There Will Be No Pinching. My Saint Patrick's Day Manicure

     Today, I have my Saint Patrick's Day manicure to show to you guys. I'm only a tiny bit Irish...and by that I mean if you round up (a lot) I'm 5% at best...I'm mostly Scottish, English, and French with a tiny bit of Indian (India). The Indian doesn't show in me, only in my brother (Seriously, could I be any whiter?). But 5% Irish counts as some Irish blood...right? Not that it really matters, I don't think you have to be of Irish decent to not want creepers pinching you on Saint Patrick's Day. You just need to wear some green. And being this pale (I blame the french genes) green has never been a friend to me, so my green will usually (okay, always) be on my nails. Want to see what I did this year? I thought that you might. Here it is.

Pictures:

Indoor no flash.

Indoor with flash. 

Outdoor in sunlight. 

Outdoor in shade. 

What I Used:

China Glaze - Cha, Cha, Cha

China Glaze - Running In Circles

China Glaze - Swanky Silk

Americana - Hauser Dark green

10 small medium green gems

    I started this manicure with one coat of Swanky Silk then built up a gradient of Swanky Silk, Cha Cha Cha, and Running In Circles using a makeup sponge, until it was as dark as I wanted it. I also employed the make your own decals method for the four leaf clovers. Translation: I put top coat on a piece of plastic, painted the clovers on with acrylic paint, applied the gem stones, let it dry, then removed them from the plastic, cut them apart and applied them to my nails with top coat. I waited till all this dried then applied another layer of top coat to make sure everything stuck were and how it was supposed to. If you guys want, I can do a tutorial on how to use the create your own decals method. Let me know below with a comment if that's something you would like to see. But I digress, how do you like my Saint Patrick's Day mani? I really like how it turned out. The gradient itself is just lovely and the shamrocks that I painted free hand turned out awesome. I didn't know I had it in me. Anyway that's all I have for you today. Until next time, stay classy, and stay polished.
XOXO

New Year's Eve Manicure.

     Today I have my New Years Eve manicure for you guys. It's a dual process manicure (stamping, gradient, and free hand).

Indoor with flash. 

Indoor no flash. 

Outdoor in shade. 

Outdoor in sunlight. 

What I used:

Color Club: Worth The Risque

China Glaze: Glistening Snow

OPI: Number One Nemesis

Nubar: Black Polka Dot

Konad: Black

Ceramicoat: Black

Cheeky Plates: CH5, CH36, CH37, CH42

     So there you have it my New Years Mani. I hope you all enjoy your holiday and be safe. Make sure you have a designated driver so you can have fun and still be safe/smart. I don't want to get to preachy about it, but it's very important to me that people not drive drunk. I lost my mother when I was a kid because of a drunk driver. So this issue is very close to my heart. Go out, have fun, but don't be stupid. Call a cab, call a sober friend...do whatever you have to do, just don't drive drunk tonight (or any other night). No child should have to loose her/his parent/sibling/relative and no one who's reading this needs to be responsible for such travesties. Please be safe and smart. Until next time, stay classy and stay polished.
XOXO

Gradient Nail Art

Some gradient nail art manicures:

 Blue glitter gradient:

Nail Polishes used: All Finger Paints; Art You Blue, Easel-y Entertained, Easel Come Easel Go!, and Laugh My Art Off

I had to mix some of them together to get the gradient.

 Brown/Grey Gradient Glitter

Polish Used:

Nail Polishes used: Brown glitter (Nubar: Jewel), Metallic grey (China Glaze: Jitterbug), dark grey chrome (China Glaze: Black Diamond) and holographic glitter (China Glaze: Fairy Dust).

The White Queen Gradient Glitter

 Polish Used: 

Glossy peach base (China Glaze: Love Letters), small white holographic glitter (China Glaze: Glacier), medium holographic glitter (China Glaze: Snow Globe), large holographic flake glitter (China Glaze:  Luxe and Lush) and small micro holographic glitter (China Glaze: Fairy Dust).

Pink to Red Gradient Glitter

Polish Used:

Finger Paints: Romanticism Ruby, Easel Come Easel Go!

China Glaze: Seduce Me

All mixed and matched to achieve the gradient. 

 Purple Gradient Glitter

Polish Used:

Finger Paints: Hue Left A Message, Purple Palette

China Glaze: Shooting Stars, VIII

 Silver and gold gradient

Polish used:

China Glaze: Ooh la la peach (base color), Passion, Nova, Techno, and Golden Enchantment.

 My New Years Eve 2012 manicure a silver glitter gradient I call Star Crossed Lovers.

Polish used: 

Color Club: Worth the Risque

China Glaze: Icicle, Nova, Fairy Dust

With black star shaped glitter for accents. 

Black To Silver Gradient Glitter.

Polish Used:

Orly: Goth

Finger Paints: Easel Come Easel Go!

Mixed in the middle to get the gradient.

Okay so yeah not technically a gradient manicure but since ombre manicures look like gradients to me this is where I am going to put it. 

Pink Ombre:

Polish Used:

China Glaze: Fifth Avenue and Dress Me Up

As with other posts if anyone wants to me to do a tutorial on any of these leave a comment and let me know.