A Birthday Cactus

Hello there! Going to keep this one short and sweet much like the chubby little cactus on my middle fingernail. I was invited to join a collaboration on Instagram for StephyClaws Birthday so chose this design to recreate. It meant getting some classic polishes out to use and I like the fun summery colours and theme. I used two coats of each colour and three of the metallic polish and create a decal for the blue nail. The image is from Mo You London's Hipster 16 stamping plate and I'm really pleased with the colours I used for it. They give it quite a cartoony vibe I think.

Colours used: Bronze Bae - Barry M, Sloane Gardens - Nails Inc, Baker Street - Nails Inc, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Greenberry - Barry M, Cappuccino - Barry M

Marble Marvel

Hello all and happy Sunday! I had an annoying start to the day but the afternoon and evening have been good! Today's nail art is for the Glam Nails Challenge prompt of marble. I decided to take it easy and go with a stamped look with a stamping plate I haven't used in a while. I decided to go for blue as I love it, but added a little gold to add some interest.

I started with a base of pale blue and then added the thin lined marble image from Mo You London's Explorer Collection 33 stamping plate an a slightly darker blue. I then added the thicker image in darker blue over the top on three of my nails. I tried to change the positions of it across my nails so it didn't look to uniform. On the ring finger and thumb nails I added the final image in gold instead. I followed up with a careful top coat to avoid smudges and then a matte top coat for the final effect.

I like these. Though they may not be as striking as the butterfly ones from my previous post they have a simple and stylish end result I think. I think the best marble nails are the hand painted ones but these are not a bad alternative and a lot quicker!

Polishes used: Borrowed & Blue - Essie, Bluebell - Barry M, Cobalt - Barry M, Bright Lights - Barry M, Matte Top Coat - Nails Inc

Butterfly's All Over

Hi there! I'm pretty late posting this, bit pretty tired lately and busy with work etc. I did this freehand butterfly nail art for the Glam Nails Challenge butterfly prompt and followed a tutorial on Instagram. I decided to go for a bit of a skittle effect with different Barry M Under The Sea toppers.

I started with a couple of coats of neon pink, and then a couple of coats of shimmery topper on each nail (colours listed below the pictures). Once dry I used a striping brush and black nail polish to add the lines. I then used the brush from the polish bottle to fill in the area at the top of each nail. I then used a dotting tool (two different sizes) to add the white spots over the black. I finished the look with a glossy top coat.

I'm honestly so pleased with how these came out! If I'd known how nice they'd be I'd have done them for my sisters wedding at the weekend! I had a cobalt blue dress so they would have gone nicely. I have quite quickly ended up with some tip wear on the black but it can easily be patched up. Would definitely try this look again :)

Colours used: Bikini Bombshell - Wikkid Polish, Lady In Black - OPI, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Butterflyfish - Barry M, Angelfish - Barry M, Seashorse - Barry M, Moonfish - Barry M

Peeping Easter Chicks

-This was meant to be shared on Saturday! - Happy Easter everyone! Sharing Easter nails today as I won't have time tomorrow. These were for another Glam Nails Challenge prompt of Easter Chicks. I thought this would be a good opportunity to try some more of my new reflective polishes too since they are in bright/pastel colours.

I started with a base of yellow on my middle two nails, and reflective glitter on my index and little finger nails. While these were drying I got a decal going on my Uber Mat using Mo You London's Festive 58 plate. I think the zig-zag image has good Easter egg vibes! I did this nail art on the sofa as I didn't want to miss what I was watching so it was a little trickier than usual! I used a nail art brush to add the outlines of the egg shells in white then filled them in with the brush from the bottle. I then added a little beak with the same brush and eyes with a dotting tool. I didn't leave enough space on one nail so the little chick had to peek out the side of the egg instead!

All in all I like how Eastery these are but they could have been better. I think they are a little scruffy in places. Cute chicks though and I'm enjoying the reflective glitter so not all bad!

Colours used: Seven Dials - Nails Inc, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Black Widow - OPI, Beach Hut - Models Own, Flavour of the Week - Emily de Molly, I Knead You Now - KB Shimmer, Charity Polish: Heartkids - Emily de Molly

Springy Easter Bunnies

Heyy everybody! Some classic Easter nail art to share today and a new nail polish from Emily de Molly. I have a few of their shades but I ought to have more, almost every single one I've tried has blown my mind! This one is such a fun vibrant shade and the reflective sparkle is lovely. It's called Le 310 and I bought it from Rainbow Connection recently with a few other reflective glitters which I think will be perfect for Easter nail art.

I started with a peel off base coat followed by two layers of Le 310 and a 'glitter grabber' coat. I then used my Festive 58 Easter themed stamping plate from Mo You London to add the daisies and white part of the bunny images, followed by the black outlines. I then added some yellow pollen in the daisies with a dotting tool and decided on a whim to add some yellow spots too. While I did all of this I had a decal drying on my Uber Mat for my thumbnail. I adore the image with all the tiny round bunnies - they're so cute!

So as I said before, I LOVE this polish! It's a real treat and I love the way it makes my nails look. I think it suits me and I'm pleased with how neatly I painted it so it must have a good formula too! I'm not sure if I should have added the yellow dots, I think it would have been fine without, but overall really pleased with this look!

Colours used: LE 310 - Emily de Molly, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, White Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Notting Hill Carnival - Nails Inc, Acai Smoothie - Barry M, Key Lime - Barry M, Surfboard - Barry M

One More Easter Egg, One More Nail Polish!

Hi nail people! As Easter is on the horizon I'm sharing my first Easter related nail art for the year which is also my second Glam Nails Challenge prompt for this month, Easter eggs. I used a new reflective polish from KB Shimmer called Love You Brunches and it's gorgeous! I've included pictures with and without flash below, I love it in all lighting!

I started with a base of Love You Brunches on two of my nails and A Mantis Shrimps Favourite Color on the others. While they were drying I used my Uber Mat to create decals for my thumb and ring fingernails. For the Easter egg I used Mo You London's Festive 58 stamping plate, and for the hand Uber Chic's Nail Polish Is Life plate. I added some wording from the nail themed plate on my middle fingernail too. I thought it was very fitting for both nail polish and Easter eggs! I was really keen to use a reflective nail polish on the nail image as I knew the fiddly details would really stand out and match my own sparkly nails.

Love how these came out! It's a random combination with the nails and the Easter eggs but I think they tie in well with the 'just one more' wording. I really adore that image and am pleased with the colours I chose throughout the look (bit of  Cadburys vibe with the purple polish!). Only issue is the slight smudging of the wording but I'll probably try and keep these for a little while.

Colours used: Love You Brunches - KB Shimmer, A Mantis Shrimps Favourite Colour - Bees Knees Lacquer, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Little Bo Peep - Rimmel, Charlotte Street - Nails Inc

Floral Reflections

Hey everyone! I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself today. More plans being scuppered with Covid and still not feeling back to normal yet though I'm testing negative. I have decided to try and take part in the Glam Nails Challenge on Instagram this month as I haven't done for a little while and I miss it! Today's prompt is flowers. In my recent nail polish order I finally got hold of the gorgeous Tapped Out from KB Shimmer (along with another of their reflective polishes) which I've wanted for a while. It does not disappoint! 

I started with a base of two coats of white polish on my middle fingernails and two coats of Tapped Out on the others. I could have just about got away with one but decided to pad it out a bit as I love that formula! In the meantime I created decals on my Uber Mat from the Flower Power 27 stamping plate from Mo You London. You can see how here.

As you'll see below I've included pictures with and without flash and also with two different nail polish bottles. I adore Tapped Out, it's such a gorgeous shade and so sparkly and reflective. I padded it out with a glitter grabber layer and top coat but it's gorgeous with it's textured finish too. I like how the simplicity of this look allows Tapped Out to shine!

Colours used: Tapped Out - KB Shimmer, A Mantis Shrimps Favourite Colour - Bees Knees Lacquer, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend 

Accidentally Christmassy Nails

Hello and Merry Saturday! Today I have more Spring themed (in theory) nail art to share featuring another sheer polish from Picture Polish. Pine Bath is a gorgeous forest green sheer polish which is perfect for nail art. I decided to try it on it's own but with an accent nail. The plan was to pick a plant and make it a bit more Spring like, but it seems I've inadvertently chosen mistletoe!! I blame my post Covid brain... I'm not sure what I thought it was but I added peach coloured berries so I guess it's not quite mistletoe!

I started with a base of sheer nude polish (colours listed below pictures) and then three coats of green on all nails except the accent nail. On the accent nail I added a layer of pale pink and created a decal using my Uber Mat for the image. I chose this mistletoe (oops) from Mo You London's Botanical 13 stamping plate and used the same green polish for the leaves for a consistent look.

I did actually really like this despite accidentally doing Christmas nails! I love the shine on the green jelly polish and enjoyed the accent nail too.

Colours used: Soft Focus - Polished For Days, Pine Bath - Picture Polish, Strawberry Ice Cream - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Papaya - Barry M