Sneaky Sneek-e

Essie Sleek Stick Applique in Sneek-e

I'm always looking for ways to save time on a manicure, so when I found these Sleek Stick Appliques at my local Dollar Tree, I picked up a couple of sets to test them out. I was shocked to see them on sale for $1, seeing as they retail everywhere else for $9.99, but I love a good bargain!

They come in a pack of 18, so it's pretty easy to find a size match for every nail. It also includes a rough emery board-like file. 

The directions say to peel the sticker from its backing, smooth onto the nail, and file the excess from the tip. It was easy enough. But it was pretty difficult to peel the thin sticker from the plastic sheet. I found it better to use my tweezers instead of my fingers.

Once on the nail, the stickers were easy to stretch and smooth out. I was careful not to get the sticker on my cuticle, because it was tough to file down the excess once it was stuck. 

I experienced some wrinkling around my tips, due to my rounded nails, but it was minimal. Once I got the hang of filing down the edges, the wrinkling decreased. I was scared of peeling, so I wrapped my tips with Seche Vite. I didn't want to put top coat over the whole nail, because I was afraid of warping the sticker.

Even though I sealed my edges, the peeling with these appliques was gnarly! They barely lasted 3 days! I was so disappointed, but it could have been worse...

My tip is to put a base coat of nail polish under the sticker, for both aesthetic and practical purposes; the top coat will likely seal the tips better, and if the sticker does peel, you won't be left will a bare nail.

So here's the final verdict: I love the designs of the stickers, and if I can find them again at Dollar Tree, I'll purchase more. They are not worth $9.99 at all. They would be great for a night out or special occasion, but are not built for long-lasting wear.

Bright and Sparkly V-Gaps

China Glaze Nude and Icicle, Essie Devil's Advocate, Color Club Technicolor Doll

The v-gap style has become a favorite of mine, mainly because it's easy, and I can hide imperfections easily with a cute little border along the edges. It helps to have a striper brush to do this, but with a steady hand, I think it can be done with the polish brush. Here's what I do: I make a small line in the middle of my nail, from where the tip of the "V" is, to the tip of the nail. I then connect that small line to points halfway up my nail on either side. Fill in the section, and you're done! Don't forget to wrap the tips!

Plum, silver and pink is a winning combination in my book, and this mani is proof why.

Baby's Second Zebra Print

Sinful Colors Orange Cream, China Glaze Icicle, Kiss Striper Soft Blue

I don't know if I quite fulfilled my promise to do a zebra design with "all sorts of crazy colors," but I think I did an okay job!

I can't believe I've waited this long to try out a zebra print design, but I'm glad I did at all. It was super simple with a striper brush. All I had to do was begin the line from one side of my nail, then flick the brush toward the middle of my nail. Do this from both sides, and a couple of double stripes, and boom! Done.

This was also a good chance to practice my gradients, as they still need a bit of work. This is not a normal color combo for me, especially since the orange color made the silver glitter appear gold. But I'm not mad about it. It ended up warming and softening the mani!

She's Got the Whole World...

Base: Sinful Colors Snow Me White

This was my first foray into the world of water decals, and I must admit: it was much easier than I thought it would be! I saw this post on Moustache Manis and I IMMEDIATELY fell in love with the faded map look of these decals.

I ordered them from BornPrettyStore, and shipping took about 3.5 weeks. The wait was long, especially considering how excited I was to order them. But considering they were only $1, and shipping from Hong Kong, I let it slide.

I applied them the day I received them, and the process was not as painful as I thought it'd be. Here's the step-by-step:

1. Apply base coat.

2. Apply 1 or 2 thin coats of base color. I used Sinful Colors Snow Me White.

3. After base color is completely dry, peel plastic from decal sheet, measure out small piece of decal, and cut out.

4. With tweezers, immerse cutout in water and hold for 15-20 seconds. The decal will begin to slide away from the paper backing.

5. Moisten nail by dipping it quickly into water.

6. Separate decal from backing, and press it into position on nail.

7. Hold firmly to nail, while smoothing out wrinkles and bubbles.

8. When decal is dry, clean up cuticles with pure acetone.

9. Apply thick top coat to seal.

10. Repeat.

I used two sheets for my nails, one per hand. If I was smarter about measuring, I might have been able to squeeze 6 or 7 nails from one sheet, but that's being generous. My nail beds are fairly wide, so I do believe some of my more petite readers could get all 10 nails done with one sheet. And if not, accent nails anybody??
My only negative about these decals is that it takes SO MUCH acetone to clean up around the cuticle. I went through so many Q-tips, plus the acetone stripped all moisture from my cuticle and the surrounding skin, which explains my crusty skin in the photos.

All in all, I loved these decals! So much that I ordered three more sheets in different patterns. I'm still waiting on those, though...

Summery "Scallops"

Love & Beauty Lavender, Color Club Bright Pink, Kiss Stripers in Soft Blue and Light Green

This is one of those designs that started as one thing, but ended up being something completely different. I originally wanted to do something like a scalloped border around all of my nails, but I got halfway through my thumbnail, and decided to stop. I quite liked just one side being painted. I thought it edged up a fairly pink and pastel-heavy look.

This was one of my first designs of the summer, and it made me feel cheery whenever I looked at it. Next time I do something like this, I think I'll add some glitter, perhaps over the base, or outlining the "scallops."

 

Chip Off the Old Color Block

China Glaze That's Shore Bright and Tinsel Town, Sally Hansen Sun Kissed

I needed a change. My go-to color combo of blue, pink, and maybe another color was dragging me down. So I decided to use orange, which I rarely pull out of my stash, especially along with purple! I just went for a simple color block using masking tape to create a two-tone mani.

It looked good that way, but I needed a bit of sparkle. So I opted for a gritty silver from China Glaze. I freehanded the silver bits, and finished off with a thick coat of Seche Vite.

The result is an eye-catching, color blocked mani that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I even got compliments from a potential employer during a Skype interview!

I've Got a Bag on My Hands

Full list of polishes below!

For my second style-inspired manicure (see the first here), I decided to put my purse on my nails!

I was really looking forward to this manicure because there are so many designs to choose from! I ended up choosing just five for my right hand, and diving right in!

I realize I've got a bit of work to do on my steadying my hand, but I'm unbelievably proud of the way it came out! I love the bright colors of the purse, and I think the designs translated seamlessly into a mix & match mani. (Which you all know I love!)

There isn't much else to say! If you have questions, feel free to contact me on my Tumblr page! Enjoy the photos!

List of polishes:

China Glaze Nude

Revlon Empower

Nicole by OPI Candid Cameron

China Glaze Too Yacht to Handle

Wet 'N Wild Candylicious

Sally Hansen Sun Kissed

LA Colors Circuits

Pastel Sponging

Sally Hansen Lightening, Love & Beauty Sky Blue, NYC Times Square Tangerine Creme, Revlon Empower

I stand by what I said. The makeup sponge truly is a wonderful tool. I cannot stress how much I love manis that look complicated, but are extremely simple. There is also plenty of room for customization with looks such as this one. It's a great way to test out those unopened bottles, or to experiment with blend and formulas.

In my case, I knew I wanted to use these colors, but I didn't feel like creating any too involved. I also just wanted to see how these colors mix and play together. All I did was paint the colors in quadrants on the makeup sponge and stamp it, making sure to cover the nail. It helps to paint a single coat of the lightest color as a base, but if you'd like a more sheer look, simply sponge over a clear base or nude.