Snowy Snow-globe Nails

Hello again! I have some more wintery nail art to share today. This one is actually from between Christmas and New Year, but I got a bit behind and wanted to post my New Year nail art on the last couple of days, so just getting round to it now! I was inspired by a nail tech/artist on Instagram with the account name The Beauty Room by Sarah. She did some absolutely stunning snow globe nail art which I knew I couldn't recreate but thought I'd try and create the same theme with the tools I have available! I'd totally recommend checking hers out they are beautifully done! Mine bear no resemblance at all to be honest, but the theme is the same!

I started with a base of metallic blue (colours listed below the pictures) and then added snowflakes from Mo You London's Festive 02 plate with white stamping polish. For my ring fingernail I created a snow-globe decal using an image from the Uber Chic Happy Christmas (Christmas 04) plate. After applying all the nail art and a matte top coat to my nails I stuck on some gems while the top coat was still wet. I then added another layer of matte top coat to seal them in, and a little blob of glossy top coat on top of each gem to bring the shine back! I also added a couple of layers of glossy top coat over the snow globe to make it look more glass like. It didn't have as strong of an effect as I would have liked, but was a nice touch all the same.

Overall I have mixed feelings. I know they were never going to be like Sarah's ones, but I thought I'd like them a bit more than I did. I think I'd have really liked them if I'd managed to get them a bit neater, not smudged the snowflakes on the thumb with the top coat (my matte top coat is awful for that!) and if the polish had come out a bit better. I'm blaming my matte top coat, definitely need a new one, it's just not quite matte enough and very smudgy!

Colours used: Aruba Blue - Essie, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Gold Digger - Barry M, Say Love - ILNP, Cream Soda - Barry M

Dance Legend Wazowski Leaves

Hello nail world - it's been too long!  These are my nails from the early May bank holiday (that's how behind I am!). I'm working through a list of untried polishes, and have banned myself from buying any more till I've tried them each at least once. I'm enjoying it more than I thought as I love trying new polishes and thinking of what to do with them nail art wise.

I did these nails in our little country cottage at Symonds Yat while away for the bank holiday, so they bring back fond memories! That's also the reason for the different picture background, which I think does happen to fit with the nail art quite well. I used Dance Legends Wazowski on all nails except my ring finger, and stamped a leaf image in black from Uber Chic's Lovely Leaves 01 plate. On my ring finger I used a pale shimmering taupe, and made advanced stamping decals (see how here) using Wazowski again.

Overall I like these as Wazowski is such a lovely polish, but I do think my nails were getting a bit too long  here.
Colours used: Wazowski - Dance Legend, Tickled Taupe - Painted Polish, Midnight Mischief - Painted Polish

Stamping Sunday: Whales & Penguins

Happy Sunday! Today I have another stamping design, nothing fancy but certainly very seasonal. I haven't used Topshops matte metallic polishes for ages, I got them a couple of years ago and very much fell in love with them, but of course I've fallen in love with many other polishes since then and they've got a little left behind! This blue is called Virtuous and I think it's a lovely elegant wintery shade. I decided of course to take away some of the elegance but adding little blubbery arctic creatures!

I used the penguin and killer whale images from Mo You London's Animal 04 stamping plate for the accent nail, and then used a small nail art brush to paint a small semi-circle using black matte metallic polish Scream. I liked the effect of this but it was actually only done because it was a necessity. My nails have got a little long for Mo You's smaller images at the moment so there was a gap underneath the images.

I'm off to Krakow in Poland with work till Thursday evening, so will probably be back with my design for Krakow on Friday. Have a good week!
Colours used: Virtuous - Topshop, Alpine Snow - OPI, Black Knight - Mo You London, Scream - Topshop

Christmas Poinsettia Nail Art

Hi nail people! Predictably I have more Christmas nail art to show off today! There is a lovely plant image on the Uber Chic Christmas-01 stamping plate, which I have since learnt is a Poinsettia. I love the rich red and green colours of the leaves, and the sort of matte velvety look they have. I used some matte metallic nail polish from Topshop to try and re-create the effect. Hadn't used them for some time so it was good to get them out again.

I stamped the images onto my Uber Mat in gold, and then used dotting tools to colour in the leaves. After adding a top coat and allowing to dry, I peeled off the images and placed them on my nails which I had also painted gold. To finish I used a matte top coat to seal it all in.

I'm happy with how these turned out, they look Christmassy without being over the top. Having said that, I really ought to get some over the top Christmas nail art on before it's too late for this year! Bring on the glitter!!
Colours used: Gold Digger - Barry M, Gold Foil Effect - Barry M, Cruel Intentions - Topshop, Shameless - Topshop

A Spot Of Polish

Today I'm showing off one of my favourite Nails Inc shades. It's nothing new, just think it deserves some appreciation! With the below nail art I'm using Nails Inc's Warwick Way, a lovely deep teal-y green.

On my middle finger I have used one of Topshops matte metallics (love love love them!), and on my ring finger I used these colours over a white base with a dotting tool. Altogether a very simple design, but nice and bright and perfect for this time of year.


Colours used: Warwick Way - Nails Inc, Scream - Topshop, Coconut - Barry M, 

Happy New Year!

Happy new year everyone! I originally intended to post this on new years eve, and for it to include a specifically new year theme, but I was far too attached to my Christmas day nails, so didn't get started on these till last night. I'm yet to actually try a new year design, not sure why but they never appeal to me quite as much. I think all you need for new year is something super shiny or sparkly!

I thought of the below design as I wanted to use these two polishes together again. I got them both for Christmas 2014 and think they make a good combination. I started with a base of Topshops Fear and Loathing, which is from their matte metallic collection. I absolutely love their matte metallics and have quite a few of them, they were a real favourite from last year. I think how subtly they shine, and how they somehow look matte and shiny at the same time!

As you can see below the thumb on my left hand turned out best. I've found the fishnet metallic effect harder to use than other magnet polishes, even by the same brand, but I love the effect when it does work!

I hope you've all had a lovely break and wish you a happy and successful new year!


Colours Used: Fear and Loathing - Topshop, Piccadilly - Nails Inc

Matte Metallic Criss Cross

Matte metallics, one of my favourite creations in nail polish! I first came across them when a friend got me three of Topshops for my birthday last year (in dark blue, dark green and black). This was my first try of the green one and it was love at first sight! I have since ended up with a further four, oops! I think Topshop were one of the earlier places to start doing these but they are now around a lot more, most prominently in Barry M's silk collection and Zoya's satins (still need to try Zoya, they look so beautiful!).

Below is Topshops Shameless with a patterned accent nail to jazz it up. The green is perfect for the season, dark and mysterious but with a bit of shimmer and subtle sparkle. I think the matte effect really brings out the intensity of the colour. For the accent nail I used a black striping brush and some loose glitter I got in  a Seventeen. The glitter had a vaguely green tint to it which was brought out by being next to the darker green. Can't wait to get the matte metallics out again this year!

Colours used: Shameless - Topshop, Matt White - Barry M, Nail Art Pen - Seventeen, Nail Glitter - Seventeen