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!

Christmas Nails!

BREAKING NEWS: GLITTER IS DIFFICULT TO PHOTOGRAPH, ESPECIALLY IN HORRIBLE LIGHTING.

This seems intuitive, but I went ahead and wore these glitter bombs I call nails for Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love this manicure so much (especially when compared to 2012's Christmas nails). I wish I could've captured their beauty more accurately for all of you.

I'm at home in Georgia for winter break (whoooo! the semester's finally over!), and the lighting at home is very dim and yellow (damn incandescents). I resorted to taking these photos in the bathroom, where I could find the brightest light, so please excuse my conditioner and soap in the background...

This mani combines my favorite things: glitter, gradients (done with a wedge makeup sponge), and dots (with inexpensive dotting tools)! I hope you love them as much as I do!

Chaotic Graffiti Nails

Sinful Colors Snow Me White, China Glaze That's Shore Bright and Goldie But Goodie, Sally Hansen Blue Me Away!, Wet 'N Wild Candylicious, and L.A. Colors Circuits

 Here's the story behind these nails: I had done this beautiful matte color blocking manicure, and I COULD HAVE SWORN that my nails were dry, but because there were so many layers of paint on my nails (from the top coat between tapings), they ended up looking like crap by the end of the day.

So I scrapped those nails, and decided to try something different. I saw this Chalkboard Nails tutorial, and decided that I wanted to give it a shot (it looked very doable, and I didn't have much time).

I love how they turned out, though they're not quite what the tutorial called for. I just loved layering the colors, and the barely-any-polish-on-the-brush technique.

My mom said that they are "beautiful and absolute chaos," and I have to agree.

I've been away a while...

And I am so sorry about that! It has been a crazy busy start to April, and it's not going to slow down until summer! That being said, I have a swatch and a simple mani to show you!

China Glaze Running in Circles

I love this color so much! I've read so many rave reviews about this one; it's said to be the "must-have" of the China Glaze Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away Collection, and I have to agree. I don't have anything like this, and I can't imagine there are any dupes! 

Also, for my BIRTHDAY, which was on the 12th, I did a quick surf 'n turf mani (it's supposed to look like the water and sand colliding)! I just sponged on gold glitter over blue nail polish, threw on a bit of Seche Vite, and I was good to go for my dinner and party. The theme was Under the Booty, so these nails were more than appropriate :)

China Glaze Splish Splash and Sinful Colors Nail Junkie with China Glaze I Herd That

ASB Nails!

Nicole by OPI's A Phil's Paradise with Revlon Empower and Essie Devil's Advocate
For the first week of my spring break this year, I took a trip with 11 other Bowdoin students to New York City to participate in an Alternative Spring Break (ASB) trip. We volunteered as teaching assistants in an elementary school in the Bronx, and did a week long service project in Harlem. I had such an amazing time, and I made so many new friends. It's hard to put into words just how blessed I feel to have gone to NYC.
I did the nails above on the first night, thinking I'd do something fun and simple (and quick) to reflect my optimism and excitement for the week. I had just bought Empower and Devil's Advocate the day before in a Rite Aid sale, and I really wanted to use them. So I just went for it with my dotting tool, and it ended up as leopard print. Not even mad, though. I got many compliments from my second graders and other kids at the school, so it worked out. :)  

China Glaze I Herd That with Sinful Colors Snow Me White

 I did these gold nails for my friend Tori on our last night in NYC, after a long day of volunteering and sightseeing. Since St. Patrick's Day was right around the corner, she wanted something eye-catching and sparkly. I forgot my green polish, but I Herd That seemed to do the trick. Add in a mix and match (my fave), and we were good to go!

Modified French

Kiss Striper in Soft Blue and Color Club Art Club Striper in Fine Gold

I can't remember the last time I did a french manicure without a base polish, but I need to do it more often! I cannot stop staring at my nails. And these were freehanded, so they took literally 25 minutes. The key was to put on a few coats of my regular base coat so my natural nails look healthy. I think I'll try this design with more polishes, even ones that don't come with stripers. I'll just use toothpicks or a dotting tool...

Here's an accidental flash photo:

Sassy & Sparkly Leopard

China Glaze I Herd That with Sally Hansen Purple Potion and Blue Me Away!

This week is definitely going to be a busy one, so I decided to take a breather and paint my nails before things really picked up. I really wish I could capture how sparkly and jewel-like these are! I really like this combo; it's very similar to these, only with gold glitter instead of silver.

Soon, I'm going to need to buy another bottle of I Herd That. I'm almost finished with it, and it's only been about 5 months... Good thing I stumbled upon this website that sells CG nail polishes for only $3.25! What up.

There Are Two Types of People in the World...

Wet 'N Wild Candy-licious with Wet 'N Wild I Need A Refresh-Mint

KleanColor Red Alert with China Glaze I Herd That

Yesterday, two of my friends were auctioned off (for charity; the prize was a dinner date) for an annual Valentine's Day event at Bowdoin. I was so happy to do their nails and make them feel just a bit more special! I also think their nails match their personalities a bit!

For spunky, bubbly Katie: bright colors that scream happiness.

For sassy, polished Priscila: a red base (that matched her dress, btw) with gold accents that ooze class.

Free-Handed Half Moons

China Glaze Cast A Spell and I Herd That

I freehanded some half moons because I have seen them everywhere, but never got around to buying the hole reinforcement stickers used to create the look (I finally have them, but I'll try the technique later). Even though this took forever, I love the mani, and love the glitter combo even more!

Is It Christmas Yet?

I was really anxious for Christmas to come, because I really put a lot of thought into my family's gifts, and I couldn't wait to see their faces when they opened them! So I attempted a Christmas tree (of sorts). Colors: China Glaze I Herd That, and Sinful Colors Sugar Sugar and Exotic Green.