Animal - Day 8 of the January Nail Art Challenge

I'm back for day 8 of this month's nail art challenge and today's theme is 'Animal'.

Let's hop right into it.

Products Used:
Orly Bonder Base Coat
Glam Polish Unforgettable Dream
Shimmer Polish - Alice
Wet N Wild - Ebony Hates Chris
HK Girl Top Coat

I started with a base of Glam Polish Unforgettable Dream  because it was already on my nails and I'm loving it too much to want to take it off so soon. I then did my leopard prints using Shimmer Polish Alice and Wet & Wild Ebony Hates Chris. I chose to do leopard prints as its the only animal design I really fancy.

I'm really disappointed with this mani. I'm not a pro at this by any means but this was a major flop given I've done a good few leopard prints already. I have no idea what went wrong here. Don't you just hate when you envision an amazing mani and then the finished thing looks nothing like it. UGHHH!

I also wanted to use my 2 way black nail pen I got from the Bornpretty Store instead of my small dotting tool and black polish but I can't get the pen to work. I wanted to link it here but it seems it's no longer available. Has anyone else tried these pens and got theirs to work?

The review for Unforgettable Dream will be up this coming week.

What do you think of my attempt at photo editing? Still haven't gotten the hang of it yet as you can see.  Let me know in the comments!

Until next time...

Sparkles - Day 4 of the January Nail Art Challenge

Hi Guys,

I'm back again. I'm making an effort to post every Sunday...maybe more often but right now I can commit to every Sunday.

It's day 4 of January which means it's time for the 2nd mani of the January Nail Art Challenge. Today's theme was sparkles and I automatically knew which polish I wanted to use. I just did a simple mani really, contemplated adding a decal but decided to just let the polish be pretty on its own.

For this I used Essie's Lots of Lux. It's a textured polish which was released as part of the Encrusted Treasures Holiday Collection in 2013. Essie describes it as "shimmering lapis lazuli with a super matte finish" and the description is on point!! The fine shimmers definitely sparkle when they catch the light and it's gorgeous. I purchased mine from Collins for BDS$13.40 and I believe they may still have a few in stock. They also have others from this collection for anyone who is interested. Outside of Barbados it can be purchased online from Essie or other retailers 

For this mani I top-coated with my trusty HK Girl Top Coat. I used two coats for a smooth finish because textured polishes tend to be a bit top coat hungry.

without flash

without flash

with flash

with flash

These were taken under the artificial lighting in my room so tomorrow I'll take a few in natural light and post to my Instagram. I'm working on learning to take better pictures and will be making a light box sometime soon so hopefully that helps. I'm a complete ninny when it comes to editing images so I'm also on a hunt for an easy to use photo editor. Any suggestions?...even a Photo Editing for Dummies would help if its exists.

Have you tried any other polishes from this collection? Let me know below.

PS. the #nailartjan challenge is open to anyone to try so have fun with it.

Until next time...

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Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year!!!

It's the start of 2015 and I'm not big on resolutions but mainly I'm trying to b a better me this year. It's also going to be a bit of a selfish year because I'm working on saying no more often...not to be mean or harsh but no to things that are no good for me (excluding nail polish) whether be it bad people, negative energy etc. Basically, if it rubs me the wrong way its gotta go!!

Anywhooo I've started the January Nail Art Challenge after seeing a pic posted on Instagram by @sinney . I've always wanted to try one of these challenges but never had the time so this time around I'm making the time. The designs are also spaced over two or three days unlike the 31 one day challenges which are difficult for me and my schedule.

The theme for day two was "Fresh" which I thought was fitting for the new year as it's a 'fresh' start and all. So before I ramble some more my fresh mani is below.

Products Used:
CND Stickey Base Coat
Essie Mint Candy Apple
Glisten & Glow HK Girl Top Coat
Elf Concealer Brush for Clean Up
Clear Rhinestones
Nail Glue

Hope you like. Until next time!

Vertical Half Moons

Polishes Used:

CND Stickey Base Coat

NYC Tudor City Teal

Revlon Parfumerie Wintermint

HK Girl Top Coat

I also used my Teisom half moon nail vinyls and my Elf contour brush and # gel brush from the Bornpretty store for clean up.

I started out with two coats of Tudor City Teal and topped of with a coat of HK girl to set everything and speed up the drying. This polish has an amazing formula for the price. I got it from CVS on a trip to NYC a year ago and it was only 99cents ($1.98BDS). Its got a nice jelly formula and I used two coats so there was no VNL. I've never seen this polish sold in Barbados so I was sure to pick up a few more in NYC this year.

After this I tape off a section of my nails with my nail vinyls. Be sure to top coat with quick drying top coat or wait for your base colour to completely dry before placing your vinyls. If the base colour isn't fully dried the vinyl will most likely pull off the base colour when you remove it and ruin your mani.

After placing my vinyls I painted the section of the half moon I wanted with Revlon Parfumerie polish in Wintermint. Revlon Parfumerie in Wintermint is a mint green frosty polish with gold shimmer and the teeniest ocean blue glitter and some bigger glitters of the same colour. It smells like mint and the smell's not so strong its overpowering...just a nice fresh scent when your hand passes your face.  I got mine from Cave Shepherd for $16.99 BDS and I intend to pick up a few more but I'm waiting for the price to drop. They're also sold at IMart. 

Everything was topped off with a coat of HK Girl Top Coat.

Until next time!

Blue and Gold!

I've been trying to find a cute name for this nail art but nothing's clicking just yet. I've been wanting to try this look for a while after seeing it on Instagram and finally got the chance on Sunday.

Polishes Used:
Orly Bonder Basecoat
Essie Bikini So Teeny
Essie Beyond Cozy
Glisten and Glow HK Girl Topcoat

I started out with two coats of My Bikini So Teeny on all my fingers except my middle and ring finger. On my middle and ring finger I used two coats of Beyond Cozy and topped it off with one coat of Glisten and Glow HK Girl topcoat.

Once everything was dry I placed my straight nail vinyls from Teisom in the design I wanted on my ring finger and went over with another coat of Bikini So Teeny. I topped everything off with my new Glisten and Glow HK Girl Topcoat...its as good as they say it is. Will do a review soon and comparison with Seche Vite.

Have you guys tried vinyls before?

A Series of Unfortunate Events!

Hi Guys!

So I recently got back from NYC *cue the angelic singing*...there are few words to describe my love for that city and all it has to offer...and my nails took a beating. People always say travel is hard on your nails but good God man!

First I broke every nail but my thumb nail on my left hand trying to close a window. I cut them down to make all the same length only to realize two days later that there was a tear on my nail on my ring finger...pulls out nail clippers...only to realize a few days later that I had another tear on my pinkie...cue nail clippers again.

But it didn't end there, 

I broke the nail on my index finger on my right hand. World's biggest clutz!! So I cut down those nails too and now I'm down to nubs on both hands. I took off my polish and have been polish free for two days.

The accident prone hand.

My right hand. Yes I consider these nubs!

Here's the silver lining! I recently purchased Bliss Kiss Pure Nail Oil that most of the nail world has been raving about so hopefully this is my saving grace. I'm going to try it on my nails and toes and see how it works. Hope it works miracles for my toes cuz they been taking a beating from all the dancing and constant polish has them badly stained.

WARNING!! (lol)

Ugly toe pics below.

Just to let you know the above pics are all pre Bliss Kiss. I'll be back in about 5 days with an update and hopefully a mani as I'm expecting mail from Bornpretty Store this week.

Ps. I used the oil for the first time while writing this post. Its been on for about an hour now and my nails look better, especially my toes. It absorbs into the skin nicely and doesn't leave you feeling greasy at all. 

That's all I got for now.

Byee :))