HELP!!!

Hi All!

I know you guys out there have been following me via Google+, Facebook, etc. But I really need to up my follows on my actual blog. After approaching many nail polish brands, a lot will not consider me to do swatches until I have more followers.
This is really disappointing to hear as I have tried so hard to get more followers but to no avail.

So I am asking you to please help? Please follow my blog.
Get your friends to follow my blog.
Get your family to follow my blog.
Get your grandparents to follow my blog.

I need all the help I can get.

Thanks guys (in advance).

B xxx

Sea Spray!

So a few weeks ago I was send a beautiful shimmer nail polish from a company called Rhasdala.

Rhasdala is run by Gai who started up the company by experimenting with different bath and body products and moved into make up not soon after. She prides herself on hand making all her products from natural ingredients, which I think is AMAZING. 

If you think about it we use these products everyday, maybe natural is the way to go.
I suggest you go have a look at all her products on the website.... http://rhasdala.com.au/.

NOW, for my nail art. 

Gai sent me a bottle of 'Sea Spray' which is a beautiful shimmer with a slight greeny-blue colour through it. When I got it, it looked quite plain. I wasn't sure what to do with it. But as soon I put it on my existing nail polish it made my fingernails light up. The effect it has on normal nail polish is amazing. I played around with it on many different colours. Here is the combination I came up with in the end...

I started off with a couple of coats of Kiko - Shade 389.  Once it had dried I covered 4 of my nails with Rimmel Pro Matte Finish.
On my ring finger I topped the nail with Rhasdala - Sea Spray. 

Once the matte coat had dried completely I used some sticky tape to create a triangle shade at the base of the nail, and covered it with the Rhasdala - Sea Spray polish again.

To top it all off I added some silver studs from Sparkly Nails.

I had originally done the piece without the matte polish but the shimmer polish didn't really POP, like it should have.

Anyway I think the whole design looks beautiful.

So I suggest you all get on the Rhasdala website and look at all the different polishes she has to offer and try some out.

Let me know how you go??

B xx

How to.... make your own flocking!

So what is flocking??

For all you nail art beginners, flocking is the name of the stuff you put on your nails to give you the 'velvet' effect.

Here are some prime examples...

Georgina from 'Cupcake's Clothes' - Coral Velvet Nails

Alli's - Turquoise Velvet Nails  from her blog 'The Daily Varnish'

Leslie's Royal Blue nails from her blog 'Polish Art Addiction'

As you can see velvet nails have an amazing look!!

Now, from what I gathered from my extensive research (haha), flocking originated for scrap booking purposes. So one day some brilliant nail art pro decided to dip her wet nail polish into a tub of the stuff and hey presto VELVET NAILS! Pretty genius I think.

So when I decided to make my 'Cookie Monster Nails' I actually did go to a scrap-booking place to get my very own royal blue flocking. BUT for someone who has limited cash, the tiny bottle of blue flocking was really expensive (at $8.50AUS). If you were to use it all the time or for all 10 nails then it would defiantly be worth it. BUT I just wanted to try it out on a couple of nails so I had to look for a cheaper alternative.

*For all those lazy people out there and want to purchase it yourself you can get them from nail art supplies store online. Born Pretty Store sell a tub of one colour for about $4 USD. Or Ebay for about £1.50.

How to make flocking from ribbon...

I looked on HEAPS of sights for different ways to create my own flocking. Some suggested cutting into pom-poms from the craft store, other suggested felt material. But the best idea was this one...

1. Buy what ever coloured ribbon you like. I got this one from Spotlight (Australian craft store) for about $2AUS.

2. Cut off a piece. I did them in 3 inch pieces. (Just easier to work with).

3. Next, you need to cut ONE side of the ribbon, just the end that holds all the tiny threads together.

4. Using you fingers slowly and carefully pull all the little threads out.

5. Once you have done a little section it should look like this. Notice that it has 'frayed on both sides - short and long ways.

6. Cut into tiny pieces, the smaller the pieces the better it looks on the nail.

It took me about 10 mins to create enough flocking for 4 nails and I have PLENTY left over.

This flocking (on my nails) lasted 3 days and it could have lasted a lot longer. I was really worried when I had a shower that is would all fall out or go a bit gross, but it was fine.

Ok so there you have it, how to make your own flocking...

If you try it at home, let me know how you go! :)

Enjoy!

B xx

C is for Cookie!

Hello all you lovely people!
I am super excited because I have FINALLY been able to find the time to create my very own Cookie Monster inspired nails. Here is my journey (hehe)...

On Saturday I sat down in my usual spot trying to ponder my ideas of what nail art I should try today. Sifting through my colours and glitters and stamping equipment I stopped  at my Cookie Monster blue polish. Now this is not a unusual event, most weekends/week nights I stop at this colour hoping and wishing for the day I can fulfil my dream of creating my very own Cookie Monster design. When SUDDENLY I realised I had all the supplies (and the time of course).

Going into this I knew there was at least a 80% chance of my failing miserably for many reasons...I smudge it so many times I give up, the flocking* doesn't work or the fact that I suck at fine detail so my Cookie looks a bit 'off'. But I steamed forward and this is what I came up with (and I am so freakin' happy with how it came out)...

I started with my base blue colour. I got this beautiful blue polish from Barry M - Cyan Blue. 

To make Cookie Monster's face I used BC&Co. - Shade 11 and Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Color - White On. 
I free handed the mouth (which I think turned out really well) and I used a dotting tool for the eyes.

For the cookies I used Avon Nailwear Pro - Perfectly Flesh for the base and for the choc chips I used Rimmel Wear Maxx - Sunset Bronze. 

*For my ring and pinky fingers I chopped up my Cookie Monster soft toy to stick on my fingers.... JOKING! Hehe! I would NEVER harm any of my Cookie Monster toys.

I did, however, create my OWN flocking.

What is flocking you ask?? 
Well It is basically the fuzzy stuff you see on my nails.
I am in the process of creating a tutorial on how to make it for a fraction of the price you can buy online or in store.
So stay tuned!


Ok tell me what you think?

B xxx

Finally!!!!

So I have finally joined Instagram!
Join me here   ------------------------------------------------------>

Or here...

http://instagram.com/justnailin

B xx

Kayisforkaren

Hey All!
I want you all to check out one of my new favourite blogs...

My friend Karen has created this super cute website about life, likes and fashion. Definitely one of those go to blogs that will help you see the brighter side of life.

Check it out!

https://kayisforkaren.wordpress.com/

B xx

Bit of Burgundy?

So for my friends birthday I decided to do my nails (not that he would notice...hehe) and I based them on this really nice burgundy dress I had bought.
Here they are...

 

Now this design seems like it is pretty easy to do but for some reason it took forever and I kept stuffing it up. 

Don't you get get that feeling?? ...especially when you have just painted you nails and they look perfect but then you knock them on something. Well this is what happened to me over and over again with this design. It was driving me crazy... I took a good 2 hours to get it right.
Gah! I nearly gave up like 5 times... glad I didn't.

ANYWAY...I decided to match this really nice burgundy colour with a neutral colour and I think they go really well together. I also added a little bit of bling with some gold. 

For my thumb, pinky and ring finger I used one of my favourite colours (that I have used many, many times before) by NYC - Boundless Berry. For the neutral colour I used 17 Lasting Fix - Forever and for the gold dots I used Barry M - Foil. 

Anyway this story does end well with it matching perfectly with my outfit...not that anyone noticed. Haha!

What do you think?

B xx

Caviar anyone?

What are caviar nails?
Well Caviar Nails have been around for the past year or so. It is basically nail polish covered in tiny little beads to look like caviar. They first made they début on the runway and nail art enthusiasts went crazy!!
Since then most nail polish brands have come up with their own version/colours.

How to put them on?
It's pretty simple....
1. Base coat.
2. One or two coats of your desired colour.
3. One coat of the same colour or clear nail polish and before the polish dries carefully pour the caviar beads over the wet polish.
4. Once the nail is covered, lightly press down on the beads to secure them.
5. Now you can leave it as is over cover with another topcoat.

My attempt...

I actually got my first little bottle of caviar beads from a really good friend. Because of the darker colours I was holding off using them till the cooler months (I have this weird idea that dark colours should be used in the cooler months). So here they are...

The beads I got are the MUA Nail Constellation - Libra and I paired them up with Kiko no 342. I think this colour really brought out the beautiful turquoise beads amongst the black beads.

I got lots of positive comments about this manicure....what do you think?

B xx

Inspired by.....Roy Lichtenstein.

So after doing lots and lots of 'pretty' nail art I have decided to go a little bit wacky.
Now after searching for my inspiration someone very wise told me to try Roy Lichtenstein.

Roy Lichtenstein is famous for his revolutionary pop art in the 60s.
His art was made up of large scale paintings and prints that resembled comic stripes.
These bold images were very familiar in the 1960s linking heavily to comic strips and newspapers of the time.



Ok so now the fun stuff....my nails!

Using some of his most famous pieces as inspiration I created my Roy Lichtenstein design. 

Now for a bit of pop culture...

This piece (in the middle) is called 'The Girl in the Mirror' it was created in 1964. As you can see he has coloured this girl's skin by using a number of tiny red dots on a white background. I used this to inspire my index finger, using a white background and red dots.
I also found the yellow of her hair to be a striking feature of his pieces. When he does decide to make the women in his artwork blonde it is so vibrant compared to the rest of the white/black/red tones. So I decided to make my middle finger just a snippet of her hair. 

This piece, created in 1963, is one of his most famous artworks. Simply called 'Whaam!' it depicts a plane crashing (delightful, I know). I used the explosion design for my ring finger.

Lastly, I created an eye design on my thumb. When I was researching all his famous artworks I was always struck at how vivid the eyes were in his art. So I thought I would attempt it on my thumb. I don't think I did anywhere near a good of a job as Roy but I tried.

OK so now it is your turn..... I NEED INSPIRATION!!!
A dress, a painting, a character! Put me to the challenge ppl!!

B xx


Images from Wikipedia. 

Yellow Stripes...

So I am loving my new yellow nail polish. And I have been trying to find a way to use it in new and different ways. So I have gone to my trusty striping tape and create my new masterpiece. 

Combining these two colour were a GREAT idea.

 I started off by painting four of my fingers (minus the pinky) in the beautiful light yellow, Face of Australia - Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy. 
Then once the polish has dried I had lots of fun coming up with some funky designs. Then I put on a layer of NYC - Park Ave.

I obviously did the opposite for my pinky, starting with the grayish colour first and then the yellow on top.

I have so much fun using striping tape, simply for the fact that you have no idea how each design in going to turn out. And the feeling you get when you take of the tape and it has worked AND looks great.

What do you think?
-B x

Family do!

So when my family gets together it is a HUGE deal! Last night I went to a 25th wedding anniversary. With over 350 guests and 'formal' dress code my mind went straight to " How the hell am I going to paint my nails???".
So before I got too carried away with my nail design I needed a dress! Once I found it everything seemed to fall into place. And instead of going all out with my nails I decided to take a simple and elegant approach. So here is my COMPLETE outfit.... let me know what you think??

The Dress....

The Shoes....

The Hair and Make-up...

And FINALLY the Nails...

B xx