Sometime the Simplest Things in Life Matter

For today's post I'll be posting only swatches :(. One of them is new while the other two are old. Actually I was going to stop updating my blog until April 27 but then I didn't feel right just ending my blog for a week without giving any notice/reason to be readers. The reason is I'm currently having my finals so for me to even do my nails is really in-vain (even though it reduces my stress level) because I usually end up ruining my manicure without realizing it (I'll post a picture at the end explaining what I mean :P).

For the first set of swatches I want to start with Catherine Arley # 676, it's a silver holographic nail polish. It's a Bulgarian brand of polish, and can be bought from beautycosmetic.biz; I bought mine from ebay (heard some people had terrible experience with the website). Anyways, the application is smooth (I did need to apply 3-4 coats because I found the formula to be a bit thinner than what I'm used to) and to top it  off you don't really need a top coat to finish the look because it dries really fast and has a smooth finish to it; in my opinion it's better than #61 from Nfu-Oh and unlike Nfu-Oh you don't need to buy a special base coat to apply it (or if you are using a normal base coat use 2-3 coats before applying Nfu-Oh). I think I might swatch this again after my exams are done because the swatches didn't turn out that great. Anyways, enough chip chapping, time to see the swatches:

 lol I can't really say swatches in sun light because the sun was setting when I took the pictures so they didn't turn out that great. So, swatches in partial Sunlight:

Moving on to the next color. For this manicure I used Splash of Grenadine by Essie, it's a pinky purplish color (actually it's somewhere in between the two shades). The formula is smooth and you can get away with just two coats, but to be on the safe side I used three. Actually if I had an option of wearing only two colors for rest of my life than I'd chose Splash of Grenadine and Papaya Punch (by China Glaze). Swatches of Splash of Grenadine:

I decided to layer Cream Pearl by Kleancolor (a clear glitter polish with really small glitters of purple, blue, green, orange and pink in it) on top. How it looked after I was done:

Finally my last design (yes I said design not swatch) for the day. For this design I used Dutch 'Ya Just Love OPI? by OPI, it's a dark reddish purple with golden and red shimmer in it (I forgot to take pictures of the color but I'll post it once my exams are done). I stamped bundle monster's flower print from plate BM-221 with yellow Konad stamping polish on top. Swatches of the final result:

If you don't want to see a ruined manicure (or be grossed out) than I think you should stop here before clicking on read more. Hope you enjoyed my post for today. If you liked it or hated it let me know in the comment section below. If you want to continue click on read more :-).

Simple Summer Manicure

I did this manicure a while back but forgot to post it.
For this manicure I used Papaya Punch by China Glaze, it's a yellow tangerine color, as my base color. Swatches of Papaya Punch (these swatches are new but the design on the bottom is old):

For stamping I used RA-111 (click here to obtain more information on red angel plates) with red Konad stamping polish. Swatches of the final design after applying a top coat:

Picture taken outside in direct sunlight:

Picture taken outside when it was a bit cloudy:

After few hours I decided to layered it with a glittery clear top coat #732 by Paris Memories Nail Polish, a clear glitter polish with green, red, blue, pink glitters. The glitters are not micro-glitter they are noticeable; also I don't know if the company has bad polish (it's the first time I used their polish) or it was my bottle but it smelled really bad so you might want to cover your mouth when applying this. How it looked after applying Paris Memories:

Hope you enjoyed my post for today. If you liked it or hated it let me know in the comment section below.

Floral Summer Manicure

For today's manicure I decided to something warm/summer like, especially since it's 25 degrees Celsius here in Toronto right now.

For the base color I used Papaya Punch by China Glaze, it's a yellow tangerine color. Swatches of Papaya Punch:

For stamping I used Konad special stamping polish in red, yellow, and pastel blue.

I used Konad plate m53, and m84.

Referring to the image bellow:
1. I stamped the roses from Konad plate m84 using red stamping polish by Konad.
2. I stamped the roses from Konad plate m53 using red stamping polish by Konad.
3/4. I stamped the butterflies from Konad plate m53 using pastel blue/yellow stamping polish by Konad. 

Pictures of the final manicure (without flash) after applying a top coat:

Pictures of the final manicure, with flash, after applying a top coat:

Hope you enjoyed my post for today. If you liked it or hated it let me know in the comment section below.

Simple Spring Manicure With a Straight French Tip

For today's manicure I decided to do something simple spring manicure. Tutorial for the manicure:

Products used:
- French White by Wet n Wild
- Konad plate m83
- Lavenbaby by Kleancolor
- Dim Sum Plum by OPI
- Scotch tape
- Top coat by Seche Vite

Pictures of the final manicure:

Hope you enjoyed my post for today. If you liked it or hated it let me know in the comment section below.

Fish Egg Manicures NOT Caviar Manicure

My post for today is a continued post from yesterday. Sorry for not posting it yesterday it's just I was really tired from studying all day. Also I tried uploading the pictures but they refused to be uploaded so I'm posting as a video instead :(. It finally allowed me to upload the images :D.

Tutorial for the manicure:

For the base color I used I Only Drink Champagne by OPI, it's a gold champagne frosty color with hint of shimmer in it. Side note: the picture is old so don't assume I applied I Only Drink Champagne on all my nails. Swatches of I only drink Champagne using flash:

 Without flash (it was cloudy that day so the picture didn't turn out that great):

I bought the beads from Dollarama’s craft section ($1 for 6 bottles); you can find these in most craft stores, dollar stores, ebay and etc for under $3

Up close image of the beads:

I used a separate container and added small amounts of all the color beads in it. Don’t forget to mix them after putting them in a small container.

The one on the bottom are the beads I mixed, and on the top is one of the bottles of the eighteen bottles that I bought ebay for $3 (in other words for $3 you get 18 bottles).

Steps:
1. I applied “I Only Drink Champagne” by OPI on all my fingers except for the ring finger and thumb. For stamping I used Konad plate m65 with red Konad stamping polish.(I posted the swatches of I Only Drink Champagne on top). How it looked after the stamping:

2. Apply any black polish (I used Black Satin by Rimmel London) on your ring finger.

3. After you apply the polish dip your nail into the container; in-order for the beads to stick to the nail make sure your nail polish is wet.

4. Using any paint brush, doting tool or your other finger remove any access beads from top and under your nails. Side note: If you remove any beads that have nail polish on them don’t put them back in the container.

5. Do the exact same for your thumb:

6. For this step you need tape for your tips. Before applying the tape make sure your nails are dry and the tape isn't too sticky (simply apply the tape on your skin and remove it 2-3 times in-order to lose the stickiness). Apply the tape horizontally on your tips. Apply black nail polish on your tips and dip them in the container (like you did on your ring finger and thumb but this time your are only applying the nail polish and beads on the tips).

Swatches of the final design:

Hope you enjoyed my post for today. If you liked it or hated it let me know in the comment section below.

Fish Egg Manicures NOT Caviar Manicure

Today's post is about a company named Ciate who emailed several bloggers, telling them they needed to remove any reference to their company and they were no longer allowed to use the term "caviar manicure" in their posts. Before saying anything I would like to thank Ciate for making me realize how behind I'm in the nail world and for making me realize how I managed to miss such a beautiful manicure (hello I'm a student :P). I don't think Ciate should be allowed to obtain copyrights on something they didn't even come up with.


The culture I come from teaches me if you are about to start something new you should do it with everyone's support, and you should avoid any fights that you can if you want to be successful. <= Something Ciate company owners need to realize. All there move did was make people realize how greedy and rude they are. By greedy I mean they expect a person to pay great sum of money for something that costs under $2, yes I said under $2 all you need are small metal beads (which can be purchased from from most art's and craft store, ebay or dollar stores).

I'll do a video tutorial and a step by step post on it later (sorry I've been studying since morning for my exam and I'm really tired right know). Click here to see swatches and a step by step tutorial on this manicure or simple watch the tutorial bellow:

My caviar fish egg manicure:

I know I messed up my manicure a bit but it was my first time trying it.

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Simple Stamping Using Red Angel Plate

For today's manicure I used Fair Game by Essie, it's a gunmetal gray with multicolored shimmer in it. I had a bit of a hard time photographing this so sorry for such terrible swatches of such pretty colors (I might come back to this post and post a better image once my exams are done). Swatches of Fair Game:

For stamping I used RA-114 (click here to obtain more information on red angel plates) with pastel pink Konad stamping polish. Swatches of the final design after applying a top coat:

Hope you enjoyed my post for today. If you liked it or hated it let me know in the comment section below.