Return of the Cactus!

Hey space turtles! Back with more cactus nail art today as I had more than one cactus nail art idea and thought this would be a good opportunity to try out this yellow reflective glitter I got for Christmas (last untried from my Christmas polishes!). 

For the cactus images I used Uber Chic's Succulent stamping plate to create some decals on my Uber Mat.They were nice and straightforward to do using only two colours. While these dried I applied two layers of off-white to my middle two nails and two layers of glitter to the others. After trimming the decals and applying them to my nails I finished the look with a glossy top coat. Ta-da!

Colours used: Radiant Forces - Emily de Molly, Cream Soda - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Spring Green - Barry M

A Cactus Collection

Hey space turtles! I haven't had as much time for nail art recently but am glad to be back! I'm not doing the Glam Nails Challenge on Instagram this month but couldn't resist dropping in for just one theme as I haven't done cactus nails for ages! I liked the idea of a mottled background to look like a paving area covered in little cactus pots.

I started with two layers of pale blue and then used cling film to apply some grey nail polish over the top. For the cactus images I used Mo You London's Hipster 18 stamping plate to create decals which I placed over each nail. I chose large images and I'm pleased with my choices as they fit my nails well. I finished the look with a matte top coat. You can see them both matte and shiny below. I really love how these came out! Just what I wanted :)

Colours used: Pale Blue - Not listed, Grey - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish - Dance Legend, Spring Green - Barry M, Terracotta - Not listed, Cream Soda - Barry M, Raspberry - Barry M, Cyan - Barry M

Donut Swap!

Hello again! More catch up today. This donut nail art was inspired by 'a bit of glitz on the tips' on Instagram, who had been inspired by 'isolated.color'. We agreed to do a 'mani swap' where we each chose one of each others designs to recreate and I liked this one as it was achievable for me to do freehand (a lot of hers are more intricate and a bit tricky for me!) and fits with the general sweet things around Easter time theme. 

I started with a base of bright pink (colours listed below pictures) and then added a bit of brown to represent the donut. This colour was a bit too dark and looks more like chocolate or a burnt donut but I stuck with it! I added a matte top coat to the brown part to differentiate it more from the icing. I then used a small nail art brush to add a variety of sprinkles. Someone did ask me if it was a donut so it must have worked! These were good fun and I enjoyed our mani swap :) 

Colours used: Bikini Bombshell - Wikkid Polish, Cappuccino - Barry M, Joyful L'il Jellybean - Wikkid Polish, Hello Sailor - Wikkid Polish, My Mate Illuminate - Wikkid Polish

Easter Yellow

Happy Easter everyone! I started the day with an Easter lake swim wearing bunny ears (impractical but fun)! I've got different Easter designs on each hand and I'm loving them both. I particularly like the novelty of this look since I don't usually wear so much yellow. It feels very seasonal and fun and I'm enjoying wearing them matte too. 

I started with a base of yellow on some nails and cream on others (colours listed below the pictures). I made decals for the little chick's using Mo You London's Festive 58 stamping plate and while these dried I added patterns from the same plate to the yellow nails in white. I enjoyed how simple the chick's were to do with just a couple of colours on each decal. Once dry I trimmed and applied the decals to my nails and added a top coat and a matte top coat. Spring ready :)

Colours used: Seven Dials - Nails Inc, Cream Soda - Barry M, Black Stamping Polish - Rainbow Connection, Atlantic Road - Barry M, Ridley Road - Barry M, Essential White - Uber Chic Beauty, Matte Taco - Holo Taco

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 

Botanical Sophistication

Hey space turtles! I have something a bit gown up to share today, and also the aftermath of my nail disaster from last week! Having half of the nail art on my index finger as well as half of the nail made me too sad so once I'd finished filing my nails I decided to add a new design that may fit a bit better to their shorter length.

I started with a shimmery base coat then two layers of quick dry polish (colours listed below pictures). I then added images from Mo You London's Botanical 13 stamping plate in gold. I carefully added a top coat to avoid smudging the images before I added the matte top coat. You can see a couple of pictures of the look shiny as well as matte below. I really like these. It's a beautiful stamping plate which I haven't used much and was perfect for this. I do think this length (apart from the broken nail) looks quite stylish too.

Colours used: Sprint Finish - Barry M, Bright Lights - Barry M

Mountainous and Blue

Hey space turtles! Today's nail art is one I'd wanted to try for ages - some landscape nails using Mo You London's Noel 18 stamping plate. I saw a look on their website and deiced to try and re-create that as best as I could with the polishes I have available. I started with two coats of blue nail polish and created decals on my Uber Mat for the mountains - it was refreshingly easy to do these as it was all one colour and easy to colour in! Once the decals where dry I placed them around the middle of my nails and then added some trees in front in blue. I also added some clouds on the thumb nail and a blue bird of prey on my ring fingernail. I finished the look with a matte top coat.

The trees would have probably been better if they came out a bit darker and more opaque but I do like them. On my thumb nail I tried lighter trees in front but they didn't really come out that well so that's why it looks a bit blurry. I did also end up with a few bubbles from the decals. Overall though I like these - they're not perfect but they're blue and landscapey so that's fun!

Colours used: Laguna - Barry M, Essential White - Uber Chic, Cappuccino - Barry M, Indigo - Barry M, Cyan - Barry M

Cosy and Blue

Hey space turtles! Todays nail art is another Glam Nails Challenge one, this time the theme is 'cosy and knitted'. Very fitting for this time of year but if only they could keep my fingertips warm! I made some decals on the Uber Mat for the ring finger and thumb nails and the little star on my middle finger (actually stamped that onto my mat by mistake but decided to colour it in and keep it and I'm glad I did!). On my other three nails I painted them blue and stamped cosy jumper patterns on in white. All images are from Mo You London's Fall In Love 08 stamping plate. I added the decals and then finished the look with a matte top coat. Ta-da!

I'm happy with the way these came out :) Haven't worn this sort of colour scheme in a while and I like the way the matte top coat makes the colours pop.

Colours used: Blueberry - Barry M, Oyster - Barry M, Grey - Barry M, Essential White - UberChic 

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

Cosy Chrome Powder Nail Art

Hey space turtles! I was inspired by some nail art by two.peas.and.polish who used a matte background and added some leafy images in bronze. I don't have a bronze nail polish that stamps well so I decided to try out chrome powder nail art again. Previously I've tried it but the powder has stuck to the whole nail to some extent and not just the image.

I started with two layers of grey polish and then used black sticky stamping polish to add images from Mo You London's Fall In Love 08 stamping plate which I absolutely love for this time of year, and any time to be fair - it has some great images. I then used an eye shadow applicator to rub some gold chrome powder into my nails, and brushed of the excess with a soft brush. I was so pleased with how well it stuck to the images! I love the super shiny effect it gives and how being on a dark background made it a rich dark gold. It didn't last longer than a couple of days as I added no top coat but a great look for a night our or something like that where it doesn't need to last long.

Colours used: Grey - Barry M, Sticky Stamping Black - Dance Legend, Gold Chrome Powder

Holo Taco Topper's

Heyy space turtles! A couple of random swatchy type looks to share today. I was short on time for doing nail art so decided I'd try out a couple of untried Holo Taco polishes I have instead. Hoping to find some time to do nail art this evening or tomorrow. Some thoughts on each look below.

Skittle - The first two pictures are of a skittle look I did with some darker colours as we move towards autumn. I am so pleased to finally have Holo Taco's Everything Taco. It's such a gorgeous sparkly topper. Below I've added one coat over each colour, followed by a glossy top coat. I like my toppers but particularly like the depth you get when glitters are actually included within the polish. However this is the topper of all toppers to me - I love how sparkly it is and how much there is going on! Having the different colours and flake sizes adds some depth too.

Sparkly purple - I was undecided on Holo Taco's Got Cake for ages but decided to pick it up with my last order as it's so well reviewed. I then saw 'a bit f glitz on the tips' on Instagram use it over purple and it looked amazing, so I decided that's how I'd swatch it. I added one coat on each nail over purple (thickness of the coats varies as I think the first one was too thick!). It's a very snazzy sparkly look! I'm tempted to try it out over darker colours too even if I wouldn't technically consider this one a topper.

Colours used: Skittle: Plum - Barry M, Watermelon - Barry M, Indigo Ink - Nail Paint Palette, Kensington High Street - Nails Inc, Everything Taco - Holo Taco

Purple: Disco Dress - Color Club, Got Cake - Holo Taco