Brand New Butterflies

Hey space turtles! Another Glam Nails Challenge look to share today - as you may have guessed the theme for this one is butterflies. I have a layered images butterfly stamping plate (Paradise 07) from Mo You London I've been meaning to try for a while so was pleased to finally use it for this look.

I started with a pale lilac base and then some silver glitter, followed by more silver glitter (colours listed below). I then added a glossy top coat which also has a hint of purple to it so between that and the base colour it gave the silver a bit of a lilac look. Next I added the butterfly images from the stamping plate, layering them up from dark to light before adding another layer of top coat. The pink one didn't really go to plan and I tried a few different colours but otherwise I really like this look. My favourites are the green butterfly and the one on my thumb nail.

	Colours used: Lavender Ice - Painted Polish, Cosmic Girl - Danglefoot Polish, Diamond Glitter - Barry M, Wardour Street - Nails Inc, Plum - Barry M, Laguna - Barry M, Cyan - Barry M, Acai Smoothie - Barry M, Pink Lemonade - Barry M, Key Lime - Barry M, Watermelon - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Essential White - Uber Chic

Spotted Sea Creatures

Hey space turtles! More simple stamping to share today as I chipped my strawberry nail art the day before going to London and wanted to neaten it up. I wanted to try out a new stamping plate from Kads Nail Art and thought this would be a good opportunity as it was something I could do quite quickly with no advanced stamping involved. I started with a base of pale blue and then added the block colour images in navy. The spotty images where added over the top in white stamping polish. I tried layering up two sets of images on my thumbnail but it didn't really work, I think I messed up the placement of the mermaid image. Finished the look with a glossy top coat and enjoyed!

Colours used: Pale blue - Brand I no longer support, The Serpentine - Nails Inc, White Stamping Polish - Uber Chic Beauty

The Space Cats Have Landed

Hey space turtles! Today instead of space turtles we have space cats! I wasn't sure what to do for the Glam Nails Challenge prompt of 'space ship' but then I rediscovered this space ship in the desert image on Mo You London's Sci-Fi 10 stamping plate. I decided to pair it with cat images for a 'the space cats have landed' theme.

I started with base coat and two layers of purple nail polish, followed by a layer of magnetic silver polish. I made decals for the planets on my thumbnail and the desert scene on my ring fingernail. I added dangling moon/star/planet images in silver on two of my nails and then added some black cat images, finishing off with a glossy top coat. I got the placement of the cat face logo on my index fingernail all wrong which was annoying! I also think with hindsight I should have made a decal for that one too and added a bit of colour. Despite that I do really like this look and think it's good fun!

Colours used: Purple (name not known) - Mark, Platinum Diamond - Fun Lacquer, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Foil Effect in Silver - Barry M, Counting Candles - Painted Polish, TBC - Painted Polish, TBC - ILNP

Unicorn Skin Galaxy

Hey space turtles! Appropriately I have some space themed nail art to share today. This one is for the March 2023 Glam Nails Challenge on Instagram, You'll see here my index fingernail has got even shorter. There was a bit which was damaged from the previous break and didn't last, it's still above the nail line though so could have been worse! I do wish I could shape it as it looks very blunt next to the others. I think I will file them down some more.

I started with two coats of dark green and then one coat of 'unicorn skin' topper to add the sparkly flaky effect. I love it so much! Next I added images in white stamping polish from Mo You London's Sci-Fi 10 stamping plate. For the planets and moon/star image I added other colours over the top, either with the layering image or just the same image over the top. The white helps the colours stand out against the dark background. I finished the look with a glossy top coat.

I really like how these turned out - it's a shame about my index finger but I love the images and the base colours and the theme!

Colours used: Watermelon - Barry M, Solar Unicorn Skin - Holo Taco, Essential White - Uber Chic, Burnt Orange - Not Specified, Cobalt - Barry M, Seymour Walk - Nails Inc 

A Post-Christmas Winter Reindeer

Hey space turtles! More Glam Nails Challenge nail art to share today, this time the theme is Reindeer. I had a few options for this but decided to follow a tutorial I saw recently by naglarbynattis on Instagram. I like it's wintery vibe the and tutorial was easy to follow, I did use stamping plates instead of doing a freehand reindeer but this worked well for me, The tree and reindeer images are from Mo You London's Noel 06 stamping plate.

I started with one layer of magnetic polish on three of my nails and then another layer which I magnetised with my new zig-zag magnet. On my middle two nails I started with two coats of black and then one layer of sheer white for the smokey look. I moved the polish around a bit to make it uneven and more smokey looking. Next I added some tree images with black stamping polish and then another layer of sheer white followed my a reflective glitter topper. Finally I added the reindeer image and followed up with a glossy top coat.

Really pleased with how these came out. The tutorial was easy to follow and I love how it looks with and without flash. I'm blown away by the beauty of this magnetic polish I got for Christmas too! (colours used listed below pictures)

Colours used: Illusionist - Mooncat, Lady In Black - OPI, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Reflective Taco - Holo Taco, Sheer White - Unspecified

Gingerbread Time

Hey space turtles! Coming at you with more Christmas nail art today, this one is for the Gingerbread Glam Nails Challenge prompt. It feels very fitting that depending how these last I may be wearing them on a trip to a gingerbread town! This is an idea I've had in my mind for a while but haven't ended up going for as they're not typically something I associate with Christmas - but glad to finally be getting round to it!

I started with two layers of shimmery white nail polish while my gingerbread man decals dried, You can tell which ones are the decals by how much darker they are. The polish is the same as the house and the other gingerbread man but due to the thickness and the black outlines they look quite a bit darker. The gingerbread man decals are from Uber Chic's Holiday Spirit stamping plate, and the hot chocolate and other gingerbread images and from their Happy Christmas plate. I enjoyed the layering options for the images on my index and ring fingernails as it's such a simple way to get a good look.

I really like these though I would perhaps change the outlines of some of the gingerbread men to white if doing this again as they look a tad burnt! Otherwise pleased with the colour choices though and the final look :)

Colours used: White Moonstone - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Cappuccino - Barry M, Red Hot Rio - OPI, Love & Liberty - Painted Polish

Ho Ho How About Some Nail Art

Hi Space turtles! My first proper Christmas nail art of the year is here! I decided I'd try and combine the first two Glam Nails Challenge (Instagram nail art challenge) prompts for this look. The prompts were Santa and Christmas Plaid. 

For the Santa nails I made decals on my Uber mat using images from Mo You London's Noel 01 stamping plate. For the other nails I used Mo You London's Holy Shapes 19 stamping plate which has a range of different lines and patterned lines you can put together to create tartan looks. I went for a classic green and red colour scheme to feel Christmassy! I'm pleased with the look and think it's a good start to my Christmas looks for the year.

Colours used: British Racing Green - Butter London, Foil Effect in Silver - Barry M, Foil Effect in Gold - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish, Red Hot Rio - OPI, Dazzle - Orly, Cream Soda - Barry M, Cocoa - Barry M, Emerald - Barry M

Pumpkins Preparing

Hey space turtles! The next Glam Nails Challenge prompt for October is 'scary pumpkins'. Similarly to the cat nail art from my last post I didn't want to go too crazy with the Halloween themes yet so kept it a bit more subtle and autumnal. My idea was to include a pumpkin patch where the pumpkins were just starting to get their Halloween faces on. You'll see below some are further on than others!

I started with base coat and a couple of coats or green. Once dry I added leaf outlines in white from Mo You London's Fall In Love 05 stamping plate. I followed up with other colours over the top and then the detailing in black. While I was doing this some decals I had prepared on my Uber Mat earlier were drying. The pumpkins without faces are from the same stamping plate, and the other two are from Mo You London's Halloween 09 and 13 stamping plates. I finished the look with a glossy topcoat.

Super pleased with these although I think my pictures could have been better. I'm enjoying the colours, the glitter, the autumn feel and the smiling pumpkin!

Colours used: Watermelon - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Yellow - Barry M, Red Hot Rio - OPI, Cappuccino - Barry M, Zyler the Cat - Holo Taco

Dino Mountain Nights

Hey space turtles! I've had Mo You London's Jurassic Park 04 stamping plate sitting around for a while now and somehow haven't used it yet. Now is finally the time and I'm pleased to finally be creating dinosaur landscape nail art!

I started with a base of blue and then added the silver stars from Mo You London's Sci Fi 10 stamping plate. I then chose the base layer mountain image for each nail and added them in white to create a background for the purple polishes and stop them blending into the blue. I then added a later of light purple over the top, and a final mountain image on each nail in dark purple. I finally added a dinosaur in black to each nail and finished with a glossy topcoat. I'm enjoying the colour scheme of these, the landscape effect and the fact that there's a dino on each nail - so a winner all round!

Colours used: Aruba Blue - Essie, Foil Effect in Silver - Barry M, White Stamping Polish - Purple - Mark, Dark Purple - Mark, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend

Trees in the Mist

Hello space turtles! Today's nail art is inspired by my view when I was swimming in the lake near me on a cloudy day. I absolutely love wild swimming and while it's wonderful on sunny days I also enjoyed the view of all the trees in the mist. I've also added birds as we're sometimes joined by birds on the lake.

I started with a couple of layers of sheer white and then added the back row of trees from Mo You London's Noel 16 plate in green. I then added another layer of sheer white followed by some more trees at the front. Once dry I added clouds followed by birds and then a glossy top coat to finish.

I really like the inspiration for this one but it didn't come out as well as I'd hoped. I think there isn't enough contrast between the trees and the base looks a bit dull (although maybe it should since it's mist!). I think I would have benefited from a tinted base coat and maybe more layers of sheer polish between the trees and over the clouds, with the birds added at the end. Great stamping plate though so I look forward to using it again.

Colours used: Allure - Essie, Forrest Green - Mo You London, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend

Travelling Taco's

Hey space turtles! Who doesn't love a travelling taco? The perfect treat for hungry nails! I tried out Hatch from Cirque Colors again as they had a competition recently where to enter you had to swatch your first ever Cirque Colors polish. Was interested to look back and see that Hatch was my first, closely followed by the first installment of my beloved facets collection. Couldn't resist doing a few more Glam Nails Challenge prompts this month so added some Travel themed nail art over the top of Hatch. I went for a Mexican theme as I like the look of travelling to Mexico.

I added three images from Uber Chic's Let's Taco Bout It stamping plate in gold, followed by black slightly to the side so the gold would show through, On my remaining fingernails I used patterns from Mo You London's Explorer 33 stamping plate. I finished the look with a glossy top coat. Verdict - fun! These were pretty simple to do and I like the effect.

	Colours used: Hatch - Cirque Colors, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Foil Effect in Gold - Barry M

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

Return of the Space Turtles!

Hey space turtles! Perhaps that's how I should address people now? Sometimes I call you nail people but perhaps you are space turtles? A few years ago I was inspired by Kim Joy on the Great British Bake Off to try some space turtle themed nails (after one of her many adorable bakes). While I loved the theme they didn't come out that well, so when Turtle came up as a Glam Nails Challenge prompt I decided to give it a go again but with different techniques.

I started off with two coats of Emily de Molly's magnetic polish Seventh Seal, which I ADORE! It's so beautiful, it looks even better in real life. Once dry I layered up turtle images from Mo You London's Atlantis 02 stamping plate and Uber Chic's Just Beachy stamping plate. I started with white so the turtles would stand out against the darker background. I finished up with some little stars and moons from Mo You London's Atlantis 04 stamping plate in silver. I finished the look with a glossy top coat.

So I love these! I keep looking at them, especially in bright lighting where the base colour really shifts. I like them so much better than my previous attempt and it has many of the components I love in a nail look (blue, ocean themed, cute, space themed etc). Maybe there will be a third set of space turtles :)
Colours used: Seventh Seal - Emily de Molly, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Key Lime - Barry M, Watermelon - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend