Stamping Sundays: A Pirate's Life For Me

Hey space turtles! I formulated todays nail art in my mind a good few days before I did it which is unusual for me at the moment, I've got out of the habit. It's for the final Glam Nails Challenge theme for July 2022 which is Pirates. I dug out an old pale grey polish I love for the base but didn't notice till I added the pictures how bubbly it's gone! I was particularly excited to try the ship and wave on my thumbnail.

I started with two coats of pale grey on all nails, and while they dried I created decals on my Uber Mat using Uber Chic's Mermaid Life 02 stamping plate. I then used my new Kads 011 stamping plate to layer up some wave designs on my thumb and ring finger nails. The base blue I used didn't stand out that well against the grey but I still like the look. I added the decals over the top and then used a nail art brush to carefully add a gold outline. Pirates do love gold so I hear!

I'm pleased with how these came out. The thumb nail doesn't look quite as spectacular as I'd envisioned but it still looks pretty good I reckon and I can always try again. They do look like they're in a spot of peril!

Colours used: Little Bo Peep - Rimmel, Laguna - Barry M, Cyan - Barry M, White Stamping Polish 0 Rainbow Connection, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Oyster - Barry M, Cappuccino - Barry M, Ruby - Barry M, Emerald Green - Barry M, Gold Digger - Barry M, Cream Soda - Barry M, Dead Heat - Barry M 

I do like to be beside the seaside

Hello again space turts! More nautical nails today for the next Glam Nails Challenge prompt on Instagram. Todays theme is Nautical. I went for some classic primary colours as my base and of course stripes as I couldn't do a nautical look without stripes!

I started with two layers of each base colour and once dry added white stripes from the Mo You London Tropical 34 stamping plate to all nails. I then used their Sailor 01 stamping plate for the other sea themed images I added over the top in black.I place the shell a bit off centre on my thumbnail so decided to add a bit of starfish so there was less empty space. I finished the look with a matte top coat.

This look was very much a make it up as you go along kind of look but pleased with how it came out. I think it's fun and I love an ocean/nautical theme as you may have noticed!

Colours used: Dead Heat - Barry M, Baker Street - Nails Inc, Seven Dials - Nails Inc, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend

Shy Mermaid

Hey space turtles :) More ocean vibes on my nails today with a shy mermaid. This was for yesterdays Glam Nails Challenge prompt of mermaids and I had quite a few stamping plates to choose from! I settled on this rather shy looking mermaid peeking out of the water. I decided to use some Femme Fatale thermals again although sadly the pinky/lilac one seems to have lost it's thermal effect.

For the mermaids face I created a decal on my Uber Mat and for her tail there were layered images on the stamping plate I used (Uber Chic's Mermaid Life 02) so I could stamp it directly onto my nails. I added the images roughly where my nail line is so that the thermal effect would make it look like they were coming out of the ocean which I think worked pretty well. I added this gorgeous shell design over the other nails in silver.

I think these are a little scruffy in places (e.g. some smudges on the mermaids face) but love the theme and enjoying the polishes too. I do wish they were both still thermal!

Colours used: Hook - Femme Fatale Cosmetics, Bluebeard - Femme Fatale Cosmetics, Foil Effects in Purple - Barry M, Charlotte Street - Nails Inc, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Foil Effects in Silver - Barry M

Disco Palms

Hey space turtles! Today's nail art is for Glam Nails Challenge again and the theme is Palm Trees. I went for something really bright to fit the super sunny weather we're having at the moment. Also think that neon shades go particularly well with the images on the stamping plates I used - Mo You London's Tropical 30 and Uber Chic's Mermaid Life 02 (thumbnail).

I'm not going to go into great detail of how I did this as it was pretty straightforward. I created a gradient with orange and yellow using a gradient sponge, and then stamped the images over the top in black. Voila! You can see how it looks both matte and shiny below, I'm not actually sure which I prefer. I like these but they don't blow my mind. I did receive a few compliments on them though which is always nice :)

Colours used: Beach Hut - Models Own, My Mate Illuminate - Wikkid Polish, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend

Wish Upon A Starfish

Hey space turtles! More sea themed Glam Nails Challenge art today, this time it's Starfish. I went for a fairly simple look for this one and used Mo You London's Atlantis 02 stamping plate to repeat the same starfish image in a variety of pastel neon colours. 

I started with a base of A Mantis Shrimps Favourite Colour (best.name.ever) from Bees Knees Lacquer (two coats). Once dry I added the base layer of the starfish images across my nails in a variety of colours. It was a bit time consuming as I had to keep cleaning the stamping plate but pretty straightforward to do. I then added the starfish detailing to each star in black.

I love how these came out! They're so bright and I like my nails this length. I've included a picture below from before the black detail. I have now added a matte top coat which doesn't feature below, will have to remember to share a pic of that on Insta.

Colours used: A Mantis Shrimps Favourite Colour - Bees Knees Lacquer, Peachy Beachy - Wikkid Polish, Bikini Bombshell - Wikkid Polish, Joyful L'il Jellybean - Wikkid Polish, May Mate Illuminate - Wikkid Polish, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend

Cirque Colors Bubbly Collection

Hello from a very sunny England! Preparing for possible record breaking temperatures over the next few days! These nail pictures are from a weekend away we had in the Cotswolds last weekend which was delightful! I sat out in the garden and tried out Cirque Colors new Bubbly Collection while we were there. It's a six piece collection of linear holo magnetic polish in some gorgeous shades which are on the sheer side with a holo streak running through once magnets are applied.

I'm not going to talk through each shade here (though I've listed them below the pictures) but just give a bit of an overview of my thoughts in general. I adore the colour palette here. The colours are somehow perfect summery even though they're not bright or pastel, I think they made my nails look like coloured glass beads! I started with one coat of polish on all nails then added a second coat and only applied the magnets to that coat. I didn't get that much of a magnetic effect on most of them which I think was down to user error. I wonder if the effect would have been better magnetising both layers given the sheer element to the polish.

On one of my thumbnails I tried a gradient effect which I really like, would definitely like to do more gradients with these polishes. The magnetic effect definitely came out better on my thumbnails though I don't think the pictures do it justice. I would definitely recommend these! I think Aperol Spritz is my favourite. I have a bit of a thing for orange nail polish at the moment and it's my favourite drink too! (Aperol Spritz that is, not orange nail polish :D)

Colours used: La Dolce Vita, Helter Seltzer, Soda Shoppe, Sparkling Yuzu, Aperol Spritz, Fizzy Lifting Drink - All Cirque Colors

Nostalgic Shells

Hey space turtles :) Next up in the series of Glam Nails Challenge catch ups is for the prompt 'shells'. I have many cool stamping plate options for shell images and decided to try this one from Uber Chic's Mermaid Life 02 plate. Having gone through a bit of a dark colours phase (I love dark colours but don't usually wear so many in the summer) I'm going for a neon look to balance it out!

I started with a base of peach and pink on my thumb and outer fingernails while leaving the middle two blank. I created decals on my Uber Mat for the middle two, colouring the shells with a selection of neons from the same collection. I made sure to add a pearlescent topper before the colours so it would show up when I added the images to my nails. I then added pearlescent topper to my other nails and once dry stamped the shell image on in white, finally adding the decals to my middle two nails.

I wasn't sure about these at first but now they are making me really nostalgic! I had a little sea themed necklace and bracelet with these pearlescent pastel shells on when I was a kid. They are certainly summery too!

Colours used: Bikini So Teeny - Wikkid Polish, Peachy Beachy - Wikkid Polish, Hello Sailor - Wikkid Polish, Joyful L'il Jellybean - Wikkid Polish, Jellyfish - Barry M, Angelfish - Barry M, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection

Flamingoals

Hey space turtles! More catch up Glam Nails Challenge nail art today as per usual! This prompt as you can probably guess was flamingo's. I had a couple of different stamping plate options (although I forgot about one of them till afterwards) so went with a couple of images from Mo You London's Tropical 06 stamping plate which has various images of tropical birds.

I started with two layers of  white/cream on my middle two nails and coral on the others (colours listed below the pictures). I then used my Uber Mat to create a decal for the flamingo nail. I had to Google them to see what colour the beak should be and am pleased with my choice of a peachy metallic. While this finished drying I added the flamingo silhouette image on my ring fingernail in black, The image is a little small for my nails so I filled the gap with green to match the leaves on my other nail, and added a little basic gold detail. I finished the look with a glossy top coat though I am tempted to try these in matte.

I like these they're definitely growing on me. I'm enjoying the fun summer colours and I like my nails this length (they'd got a little too long so I filed them down a bit).

Colours used: Sloane Avenue - Nails Inc, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Yellow - Barry M, Spring Green - Barry M, Peachy Feels - Barry M, Gold Digger - Barry M

Beach Please

Hello space turtles! More Glam Nail Challenge catch up today. This time the theme is beach. I was looking for a fairly simple design for this and came up with the idea of a couple of my nails looking like beach towels and the others like the ocean. I also tried out a thermal polish I've had for a few years and was pleased to see it still works! Colours are listed below the pictures.

I started with two coats of blue/green on my ring finger, little finger and thumb nails and white polish on my index and middle fingernails. Once dry I used white stamping polish to add the ripple image from Bundle Monsters Twi Star stamping plate onto the blue/green nails, I then used a variety of neon polishes to create a gradient with images from Mo You London's Tropical 34 stamping plate. The patterns reminded me of the sort of thing you might see on a beach towel. I'd buy one!

I struggled to get good pictures of these so most of the below are outside in natural light. Good job it;s summer!I am enjoying the fun summery vibes though and still quite like my beach towel idea.

Colours used: A Mantis Shrimps Favourite Colour - Bees Knees Lacquer, Blue Beard - Femme Fatale Cosmetics, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Beachy Beachy, My Mate Illuminate, Joyful L'il Jellybean & Bikini So Teeny - All Wikkid Polish

Pow! Fruit Nails!

Hello space turtles :) I wasn't going to but I've decided to do the Glam Nails Challenge again this month as there were so many themes I was thinking of doing anyway. I will be very behind for at least the first few though as there's so much on at the moment! The first prompt for July is fruit. I thought I'd use this opportunity to use my WhatsUp Nails Summer Seeds stamping plate for the first time and also to use some bright colours again as I've still been veering towards darker ones even though it's now July!

I started with two coats of a variety of neon polishes (colours listed below images) in a sort of skittle mani effect. While the base was drying I created decals on my Uber Mat for the fruit and planned which nails each fruit would go on. I really love the banana nail and am tempted to try it out across all nails with different coloured backgrounds Andy Warhol style. After applying my glossy top coat I decided to try it matte which I think I prefer for this look as it helps the colours pop, you can see pictures with matte and glossy top coats below. Let me know which you like best!

I like these, which I'm pleased about as I wasn't sure if they'd be a bit too garish with all the neon colours and bright fruit. The lemon and banana nails are my faves. The lemon image is the reason I bought this plate so perhaps it's not surprising!

Colours used: Peachy Beachy, Bikini Bombshell, Down At The Deepend, My Mate Illuminate - All Wikkid Polish, Yellow - Barry M, Spring Green - Barry M, Pomegranate - Barry M

Mermaid Gradient - Mermaidient?

Hey space turtles (lets see if this sticks :D)! Some more sea themed nail art today after one of my last designs came out very dark so I decided to re-do them with something different. I have a trio of polishes from Native War Paints which are good for gradients and I haven't used for a few years so I thought it would be fun to get them out again. They're the only polishes I have from this brand (not sure if they still exist) as I had a bit of a nightmare getting them to the UK.

So I started with a base of magenta and then layered up a gradient with blue, purple and magenta. I did two layers of gradient on each nail and used a peel of barrier to protect my skin. I then cleaned up around my cuticles with a brush and some nail polish remover. I added mermaid images from Mo You London's lovely Atlantis 05 stamping plate in silver. I did these in the evening so didn't want to embark upon something like advanced/reverse stamping which would take longer.

I'm pleased with these and they look good with my space turtle nails (which I'm still wearing on the other hand). Glad I tried these polishes out again. They are still in good condition and do make a great gradient. Also as I've said many times, I love these Atlantis plates!!

Colours used: Officer Handsome -Native War Paints, Shot By Cupids Crossbow - Native War Paints, I'm Dating A Daredevil - Native War Paints, Foil Effects in Silver - Barry M