Born Pretty - Nail Foils

Born Pretty Store is now carrying some nail art foils! They can be found here for $2.99.

The "how to use" instructions on this page did not work for me. They instruct you to apply several coats of a base polish and when the top layer is mostly dry, to apply the foil and it will stick... This didn't work. No matter how little or long I waited, it either didn't transfer or pulled up chunks of my base polish. I still had some Transfer Foil Adhesive from the website Dollar Nail Art. So I used that.

First up is #22.

Purple to pink to red abstract gradient. Reminiscent of your 1980s Trapper Keeper cover.

 Here I applied it over Color Club Power Play. Once the foil transfer adhesive dried, I just pressed it on and removed it, then pressed it on in a different spot.... repeat all over. Pictures are without topcoat because this adhesive reacts funny to topcoat.

Next up is #25

Yellow to orange to fuchsia gradient.

 Same process as with the other foil. I just dabbed it on over Spoiled Jail Bait until the entire nail is covered.

I applied topcoat for this picture so you can see how it crackles and dulls the foils. It's some kind of strange chemical reaction thing...

I would choose to wear these without topcoat to get the most out of the metallic-ness. This will most likely shorten your wear time though.

*Provided for review*

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Pure Ice - Not Now

I was in Walmart and heard an employee in the nail polish isle say "This must be new or something, there isn't a slot for it." And then she just flung them on an end cap randomly. My polish senses were tingling, so I immediately ran over and took a glance. Several Pure Ice polishes! I can never pass up $2 a bottle, especially if it looks interesting.

Not Now is a metallic teal/green/blue almost duochrome.

The bottle is gorgeous! The nail is "meh."

Here is 2 coats.



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Sinful Colors Rain Storm & Essie Blue Rhapsody

Here is a great way I tried out two new polishes and a new image from Bundle Monster.

The image plate I used here is BM322

The base polish is Sinful Colors Rain Storm. I love blues and this is a gorgeous deep navy. It also could have been opaque with just one careful coat! (Here I did 2 for the heck of it)

Essie Blue Rhapsody is from the Mirror Metallics collection and my Wal-Mart had them marked down to $3/each! So I picked up this blue one and the gold one. Just a quick swatch on my thumb. Here is 2 coats on my thumb. If you find it has too many brushstrokes for your taste, try out this method here.

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OPI Black Spotted over Metallics

Another cool way to use OPI Black Spotted. (It's a French Sephora exclusive, but I've also heard it's being sold in the Netherlands) Here I layered it over a metallic blue gradient.

Color Club Lumin-icecent to Cold Metal (both are from the Foiled collection)

Prior to the application of Black Spotted, this is what my gradient looked like.

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Essie Penny Talk Stamps

This is the only polish I really wanted from Essie's Mirror Metallic collection. I have something similar to all of the others, but I thought a copper colored polish could be useful if it's stamp-able.

Here are some swatches, and then later a look I created utilizing it as a stamping polish.

 Here I painted 2 coats like normal, then I used my previously mentioned method of sponging on the final coat. This helps to even out any noticeable brushstrokes.

So here I painted my nails with Zoya Skylar then stamped just one accent nail using an image from M.A.S.H. 44.

This image makes me think of those Caesar leaf headband things....

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31 Day Challenge - Day 8 - Metallic

Now this is getting more challenging! What cartoon is metallic?

 Lumière from Beauty and the Beast! He was a candelabra, and therefore metallic in nature.

I started with a muted ivory polish that I frankened.

Then I wanted a marbled or antique looking backdrop. So I stamped bundle monster BM07 with Barielle Coco Bar all over. 

Then some black acrylic paint.

This is acrylic paints with the exception of the gold. That is Color Club Gingerbread Man (because I don't have a gold acrylic paint)

More acrylic paints....

A thick coat of Seche Vite!

He's so cute and full of personality. I love it!

What's coming up for Day 9 and Rainbow????

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Barielle Haul - Part 1

Hi guys! I recently acquired lots of Barielle polishes. I got them through the online deal site Hautelook for $4 each. They just came in the mail and I can't wait to show them to you. I will split this up into 4 parts so as to not overwhelm you with pictures all at once. :) I'll show you each row in a single post and save the 10th polish wonder for it's own special post at the end.

Top Left is - Out Grey-geous

I was disappointed in this polish. :( The bottle is gorgeous. A silver metallic with fine gold shimmer/glitter. But it looks so dull on the nail.

 It was very thin formula and this was 3 coats. Honestly, it might have helped to have a 4th coat because I still noticed some visible nail line at certain angles.

 You may be able to see the gold shimmer on the middle nail is this picture. I was hoping it would be more present, but it was hidden the entire time.

Top Middle is - Wrap Me in Ribbon

The formula of this was also very thin. It required 3 coats for opacity. The color is a deep pink metallic.

 It's a nice color that I actually didn't have already. So I'm happy to add this shade to my stash. I just wish it were opaque enough to stamp with.

Top Right is - Polished Princess

A metallic medium grass green. Same story with this one, 3 thin coats until opacity. Not opaque enough to stamp with. :(

 It's quite a vibrant and eye catching shade. It fits well within my collection.

Come back tomorrow for more Barielle!

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