Say Hello To My Little Friends!

After breaking/splitting 5 nails I decided to chop them all off! School is about to start and I'm afraid I won't have time to mend my nails on a full-time basis.

Sooooooooooo, I must say that I'm lovin' my new shorties. No more bumping my nails against just about everything. This is a small change but huge for me because my nails are about half the length they were. I feel so much lighter and can do just about everything faster without worrying about a break or split. Don't worry, I'll be back to my long nails in no time (I hope). For now I'm happy with my new nubbins. Now I can take full advantage of BM & Konad plates :)

Here are a few looks I played with over the weekend.

So do you like or hate my new nubbin's?

Orly Cosmic Fx Collection Space Cadet Swatch

Happy Monday! Look and see what followed me home yesterday, Space Cadet! All I can say is wow to this amazing duochrome. When I saw it in person, the color changed as I moved the bottle from side to side and I just new I had to have it. It goes from bronzy to a smooth mauve/rose color. My camera didn't pick it up but there are also flecks of green/teal in this purple base. This is really beautiful and my pics just don't do it justice. Here she is with 3 coats.

(sunlight)

(indirect sunlight)

(shade)

I forgot to mention I cut my nails. Say hello to my new nubbins :)

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!

Orly Cosmic Collection It's Not Rocket Science Swatch

Don't you just hate when people tell you "It's Not Rocket Science". I know I do, but one thing I don't hate is this new polish. I'm in love, love, LOVE with this sizzling hot green! Now, I'm normally not a green fan, but this one has me wide open.

Do you find this color unsual? It reminds me of an army green turned up a few notches. It has a bronzy green base jazzed up with flecks of gold and green glitter. This is definitely one of my favs.

(shade)

(natural light)

So what do you think? Will this one find it's way into your basket this fall?

China Glaze DV8 Swatch

Happy Thursday! Hope you're doing well today and staying cool in the dry heat. It got up to 104 scorching degrees in my town yesterday but luckily we were able to get to the pool. I thought the chlorine would do a doozy on my nails but somehow I emerged with all of my polish intact.

Today I'm sharing one of my first polishes from the China Glaze OMG collection. This collection came out prior to my polish addiction. I've heard that holos have poor coverage, but after 3 coats there were no bald spots, so all is good.

This is my first true holo. For some reason I thought it would feel like silk after it was dry but it didn't lol. I'm really impressed with this finish, I just wish it would look like this out of the sunlight.


In other news, I'm really sad about my return to school. I think most schools begin 2 weeks from now but I go back on Monday :(, I'll try to update my blog at least once a week............. I'm also planning a second giveaway and I'll try to get that up later tonight or tomorrow :)

That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by!

Foil it Up!!! Nail Foil Tutorial

Foiling is an easy way to create an impressive look with little effort. I've gotten a few questions about my technique so I prepared a quick tutorial. I choose this design because I thought it was unique, but foils can also be used for a more conservative look.

Before beginning, apply your basecoat + polish and allow to dry completely. If your nails are not strong (like mine), I recommend at least 2 layers of polish to provide stability. Foils are paper thin and will not provide support as nail polish does.

Products you'll need: foil glue, foil and cotton swab:

Select your favorite foil and cut into squares, then follow the steps below.

1. Apply a thin layer of glue and allow it to dry, about 2 minutes. The glue will turn clear.

2. While holding the foil, straighten it with your fingers so that its flat and not curved. Apply it to the nail. (Straightening the foil will help alleviate wrinkles and allow for a better application). Aim for the middle of the nail, it will serve as the base of the design.

3. Using a cotton swab, smooth the foil in the middle from the base to the tip. Smooth the right side, then left (or vice versa). Continue to smooth until the entire nail is covered.

4. Eventually the foil will lift on its own. Be careful not to smooth too roughly or the foil could fall off. Its important for the foil to stay in the correct place or the design could overlap or color go into the wrong section. If you have to, you can hold one corner in place with the adjacent finger (this may take some practice). Slowly lift the foil to reveal the design. Don't abruptly remove it. If you see any missed spots while lifting, simply push it back down and keep smoothing. Continue to smooth and lift until you have the results you want.

Apply your favorite topcoat and you’re done! Clean leftover foil with acetone or remover.

Other Hints/Tips:

-Foils are very thin and are not durable. A daily topcoat will help maintain your mani.

-Foil glue attracts cotton. Avoid leaving cotton on the nails from cotton balls/pads. Nails sponges are best.

-Non-metallic foils are easier to work with and require less precision.

-Nail polish can also be used to hide missed spots (although it may be difficult to match).

-Polish color can affect the final result, especially if the foil is transparent. Selecting a color close to the foil is best to help hide imperfections.

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That's all I can think of for now. I hope you found this helpful and not confusing. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Disclaimer: The products in this tutorial were purchased by me. The opinions expressed are my own and not the manufacturer(s) of the above products. If you have any questions please contact me at Enamelgirl@gmail.com

The foil was purchased from http://foilsonline.com/ and the glue was purchased from http://dollarnailart.com, I am not affiliated with either company.

Vampire Challenge Entry + Bonus Pics

Happy Saturday! I wanted to make a very quick post of my PHD vampire entry. If you haven't already, check out the other fab entries. I also included pics of super easy nail art I did a couple of weeks ago.

...............Well I have to go now. Today is my daughter's birthday party and I have so many things to do. Have a great day!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Blue Ice Water Marble

I gave water marbling a try again. I originally wanted to use lemon and lime, but they didn't work so well together. I wanted my nails bluer, but as you know, marbling can be unpredictable. I'm happy with the results though :)

Please excuse any messiness. I didn't realize I was out of tape until I started (he he). So clean up was a drag. The pics are from day 2 and I still couldn't get them totally clean.

Products used:
Nicole - It's Up to You
Wet n' Wild - Bijou Blue
LA Colors - Live

(Sunlight)

(Shade)

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a great polishing day!