Gradient with Matching Glitter

Words cannot express how much I love this manicure! Seriously. This may be the last mani I ever do, cuz I never want to take this one off! Haha! (It'll be off in a couple of days, we all know 😉). 

I saw this on @chalkboardnails Instagram; you can also find it on her blog! 

I used Sally Hansen Pacific Blue (original formula) and Zoya's Shelby to create the gradient with a makeup sponge. I applied 3 layers, allowing drying time between each. Then I applied two coats of Polish Me Silly's Mr Bubble! If you've never tried Polish Me Silly, you need to check them out right now! They have a shop on Etsy and they hand make all their polishes. They have so many fun colors! After the glitter, I applied a top coat!

Mint Chocolate Chip Watermarble Nails

I decided that I need to get better at watermarbling! So I picked a few colors and went for it!

I used Nailtini's Adopt-Aperitif, Zoya's Snow White, and Zoya's Louise. I dripped each one into a cup of room temp water and made my bullseyes. I used a dotting tool to make my designs. I taped my fingers so only my nails were showing, and dipped my nail into the design. Here's what I came up with! What colors would you like to see next??

Vintage Roses

I saw this mani on IG from user @willpaintnailsforfood. I thought it was absolutely gorgeous so I had to try to recreate it! I started with a base of Nailtini Cement Mixer. I made a couple of large dot clusters toward the tip of the nail with Odette; these will be the bases of our roses. I also made smaller dots with Odette on the rest of the nail. Then using OPI Midnight in Moscow, I made dot clusters in the Odette dot clusters; I left some of Odette on the edges so it is still visible. While waiting for that to dry, I made leaves on some of the roses using Nailtini Venom. Taking a dotting tool, I made smaller dots inside the dots that are all over the nails using Zoya's Ziv. Then, using that same polish and a thin nail art brush, I made small lines and swirls inside the roses to add definition. I also added a little to the centers of the leaves. I finished with a top coat. 

I couldn't decide which lighting I liked better--the natural lighting (top) shows off the gold in the roses much better; the lighting inside (bottom) shows the base color much truer. 

Green and Orange Tape Mani

I was inspired by a mani I saw on Pinterest forever ago and decided to finally do it. The original poster is Southern Sister Polish. I started with a base of China Glaze Highlight of My Summer on all but the ring fingers; the ring finger base is China Glaze Peachy Keen. I added a quick dry top coat and waited about 10 mins for it to dry. I then made an off-centered T on my nails with striping tape, and painted Peachy Keen on all but the ring finger; it got Highlight of My Summer. I removed the tape after painting each nail so it wouldn't dry and stick to the tape. I added a top coat and that's it! 

Studded Nails

I think these nails are so freakin cute! I saw them on Instgram by user @lifeisbetterpolished. She has some great nail art so you should check her out! 

I started with a base of Zoya's Snow White. I added a clear polish when that was mostly dry in order to get the studs to stick. The gold studs and the mini gold beads are from Claire's; the colorful studs are from Born Pretty Store. I placed 3 gold and 3 colored studs on each nail. I then placed 4 mini gold beads around each colored stud. I finished with a top coat. 

On the ring finger, I painted a white base, then used a clear polish when it was mostly dry. I dipped the tips of a fan brush in loose glitter, then tapped it over the nail, concentrating it mostly toward the tip of the nail. I finished with a top coat.

Purple and Nude Gradient Nails

I saw these on Instagram by user @natashadangelo. Hers were slightly different but hers were where I got my inspiration. 

I started by placing Zoya's Odette and Cho on a makeup sponge, one on each half. I dabbed the sponge on each nail. When dry I did a second and third coat. I added a top coat of Seche Vite. With nail glue, I added a purple bow to the base of the ring fingers, and I added a diamond on the pointers from Hex Nail Jewelry. 

Realism: Roses

I am obsessed with these nails! I started with a base of Zoya's Anne; I had to do 3 coats to get them this opaque. I then placed various flower and leaf water decals on the nails. I ordered these from Amazon. I used a gold glitter nail striper to draw glitter around various parts of the nails. I finished with a top coat!

Abstraction

So I guess you can consider these nails to be "abstract" haha! Anyway, I really like how they turned out. They've got lots of different colors and they've got the pattern in there yet it's still a little random.

Start by painting a base of Zoya's Purity. Take 5 pieces of striping tape and place them horizontally across your nails, and try to keep them evenly spaced. Then using whatever colors you want (I used Zoya's Robyn, Caprice, Mira, and Rocha ) dip the edge of a fan brush in one color at a time and brush over a section of your nail. Clean the brush with polish remover between colors. Peel off your tape, add a top coat, and you're all done!

Yellow and Purple Half Moon Nails

This has been one of my favorite manis for awhile! I'm really digging the Zoya Daul polish - it looks yellowish in some lights, brown in others, and purple other times! It's just just a beautiful color! 

I started with a base of Lime Crime Crema de Limón. When that was dry, I used some of those little French tip  nail stickers and placed those at the bottom of my nails. I then added two coats of Daul. I took off the stickers before the polish dried, then added a quick dry top coat! What colors would you try with this manicure?

Fiesta Like There's No Mañana!

I LOVE these "Fiesta" nails! They've got sugar skulls, dancers, mariachi chilies, banners! 

So I'm not gonna go try naming all the polishes because that will take me all day. I'm including a pic with the names, so you can check that if you're curious of the exact color (the black is Ebony Hates Chris--it wouldn't fit in the 2nd pic lol).

Ok, so I started with a yellow base. When that was dry, I used a Winstonia stamping plate (if you'd like to know the exact number, leave me a comment and I'll dig it back out!) to stamp each of the designs on the nails. They're all from the same plate so that makes it easier! You can check the picture and see which colors I used for what. Just dab them in those specific areas, scrape them, and stamp! Pretty simple! 

Fall Nails

Fall--the most wonderful time of the year! I used mostly Nailtini polishes for this mani. I did a gradient with Bloody Mary, Mai Tai, and Ginger Lily using a makeup sponge. It took a few coats (it probably would have been ideal to paint a white base, but I wasn't feeling it! Ha!) but I think it came out beautifully! After the gradient dried, I stamped a full-nail leaf pattern with a Ceci and Sesi nail plate. I finished with a top coat. Yay for fall!! What's your favorite season?

Lightning Nails

I had a friend send this nail art idea to me on Pinterest ages ago and am just now getting to doing it! The watermark said justtryinyournail.tumblr.com. 

I started with a base of Wet N Wild Ebony Hates Chris; let dry. Using a small makeup sponge, I dabbed Zoya's Caprice, Mira, and Yummy in random patterns, leaving some parts black. Then using a thin nail art brush, I drew squiggly lightning bolts down each nail. I finished with a top coat!

Pastel Galaxy Nails

Another boring galaxy nail design?? (Ok they're really not but just go with it!!) Heck no--we're going pastel with this sucka! I got this idea from Sammie over at thenailasaurus.com. 

I started with a base of Zoya's Purity. When that dried, I used a small chunk of a makeup sponge and dabbed Zoya's Hudson in a few areas of the nails. Then I did the same thing with Zoya's Shelby and Neely. Using a small nail art brush, I drew a good-sized star on each nail, and a few small dots to represent smaller stars. I finished with a top coat and BAM!

Paisley Nails

These are pretty straightforward nails. I googled "paisley" in images, picked one I liked, and tried to recreate it.

I started with a base of Zoya's Arizona. Then I used a small nail art brush to draw the paisley design with white acrylic paint. I finished with a top coat! 

Geometric Nails

These didn't turn out quite as I had hoped--I seem to have trouble with masking tape sticking completely to my nails, so some always gets under on one part or another and then looks sloppy. Anyone have a better suggestion?

I started with a base of original formula Sally Hansen Pacific Blue. Then I made a square in the top corner of the nails with Zoya's Neely using the brush from the polish. I then taped off triangles that overlapped the squares after the squares had dried. I thinned Essie's Big Spender and painted the triangles. I finished with a top coat.

 

Watermarble Nails

I started out this mani by painting a coat of Elmer's glue around the edges of my nails and down my fingers a bit. I then painted a coat of Zoya's Purity. 

Next, I took Essie's Big Spender, Mojito Madness, and Go Overboard and a cup of cold water, and dripped a drop of each polish, alternating through them until I had a huge bunch of concentric rings. Taking a dotting tool, I drew lines through the circles to make crazy designs. Then I dipped my fingers into the design where I liked it. Then, I could peel off the glue like this--

I had much less clean up to do this way! I finished by cleaning any excess polish and adding a top coat. 

Flowers, Stripes, and Polka Dots

Love this mani! It makes me wish it wasn't already fall! I saw this on Pinterest--original artist is IG @adelislebron. 

I painted a base of Lime Crime's Crema de Limón on the thumb, pointer, and pinkie fingers, and used a small dotting tool to dot Zoya's Pippa all over the nails. On the 3rd and 4th fingers, using a small nail art brush, I alternated different strips of Zoya's Dove, OCCs Pool Boy, and Crema de Limón. Using the same brush and white acrylic paint, I painted half-flowers on top. I finished with a top coat.

Foxy Nails

A friend sent me these nails on Pinterest and I've had them in my list of nails to do, and now I'm finally getting to them! The original artist is at eeeeknailpolish.com. 

I started with a base of Zoya's Purity. Using a thin nail art brush and Nailtini's Mai Tai, I drew in the head of the fox on my middle finger. I drew a curve from the top middle of the nail to each of the outside edges to make the markings of the face, then a half moon shape across the nail to make the head shape. I then drew two little tufts of hair coming off the top of the head. I drew a triangle on either side of the hair for the ears. Using a dotting tool and Zoya's Raven, I made a dot at the top middle of the nail for the nose, then one on either side of the face close to the markings for the eyes. I also drew a little eyelash with the nail art brush. Taking a smaller dotting tool and Purity, I made a small white dot in each of the eyes. For the tail, I just drew a kind of S-shape, then one below that and connected them. I then filled in the part that would be closest to the body. When I got toward the end and with no extra paint, I dragged what was left over to make the streaky end part of the tail. On all the other nails, I used a large and small dotting tool to make footprints along the nails. I finished with a top coat. I think these are so cute!!

Stripes, Glitter, and Half Moons

I used the circle stickers you can buy in the office section of Walmart to tape off my half moons. I then painted a coat of Zoya's Purity. Then, using a purple nail striper, I made horizontal lines across the white, being careful not to get it in the half moon place. I then took a pink glitter striper and traced the half moon shape. I added a top coat and it's done! 

I found this nail art on Pinterest. The picture was not watermarked but the image came from ameblo.jp (?). 

Teal and Brown Polka Dots

I saw this on Pinterest and the original artist is heartnat.blogspot.com.

I started with a base of Zoya's Spencer. Using various sized dotting tools, I used Zoya's Louise and Bellapierre Aqua Teal to make large and small dots tapering down the nails. I added a top coat and that's it! Super easy and super cute!

Skittle/Monochromatic Mani

This is a pretty simple mani. All colors used are from Zoya. I started with Purity on the thumb, Dot on the pointer, Shelby on the middle finger, Caprice on the ring finger. I used a Nailtini polish on the pinky--Valentini. I finished with a top coat. What colors would you use for a skittle mani?

Black and White Stamped Nails

I started with base of Wet n' Wild Ebony hates Chris on all but the ring fingers; they are a base of Zoya Purity. Using Winstonia stamp plate W203, I stamped the white swirls on the black nails and black swirls on the white nails. I finished with a top coat of Seche Vite! 

I can't really tell the difference between white over black and black over white, so it really doesn't matter if you do that--you can just do it one way or another!

Primary and Secondary Tape Mani

Hiiii! I saw this awesome tape mani on IG forever ago from @vanessa_carinaa. All polishes are from Zoya; the red is Tamsen, yellow is Pippa, blue is Robyn, orange is Jancyn, green is Tilda, purple is Mira, and matte black is Dovima.

I did red, yellow, and blue (primary colors) and then orange, green, and purple (secondary colors) on alternating nails. I painted equal-sized vertical strips of each polish; let it dry or use a quick drying top coat.

Using 3 pieces of striping tape on each nail, make different designs. Paint with the matte black over each nail; take off the tape after each nail so the polish doesn't get tacky and make a huge mess for you. 

Do NOT finish with a top coat, because that defeats the purpose of the matte polish! 👍😊

Geometric Neutral and Blue Nails

I pinned these nails to my Pinterest ages ago and have never quite had the energy to try to get all those nice, straight, crisp lines. I decided that the time is now!

I'm not sure of the original artist; the link takes you to imgfave.com and the image wasn't watermarked or anything. 

I used Zoya's Ryan, Zoya's Flynn, and a custom color I mixed myself! It was a purple from OPI, & a blue and black from Sinful Colors. I mixed them in one of my empties from my Nailtini Lacquer Cabinet box. 

I started with Flynn and painted all my nails from cuticle to end; I did a coat of Seche Vite and waited about 5-10 mins for it to dry. Then I used scotch tape and taped a diagonal section; the section should leave open the tip part of your nail, not the part closer to your cuticle. I used my custom color to paint this section of nail, and removed each piece if tape as I went so the polish wouldn't get tacky. I painted a coat of Seche Vite and let it dry 5-10 mins. Then I taped the opposite diagonal section (once again making sure the open part is closer to the ends, not the cuticle) and painted a coat of Ryan; I once again peeled off the tape as I went so the polish didn't get tacky. I finished with a coat of Seche Vite, and that completes the mani! 

What colors would you use for this nail look??