Dark Rose Mani

Hey Everyone!  I can't wait to show you all this mani.  I don't even know how I came up with it, but it's so ME!  Let's check it out!

I started with two coats of a sparkly dark grey that I mixed myself awhile ago.  Then I used Julep Joy (mauve) and Zoya Posh (red) to create the abstract roses.  Then with my go-to black creme, Sinful Black on Black, and a super skinny nail art brush I added random curved lines to make the roses look like actual roses and less like red and mauve blobs.  Then with the same black polish, I did a color block.  I also used Zoya Veruschka mixed with a little Zoya Zuza to create the perfect green leaves and then I added a matte top coat and done!

I think this is such a cool, gothic style mani with a little bit of a girly flare.  It's definitely something I would be seen in if it were a fabric.  I actually used to have a dress that sort of looked like this but I lost it.  ):  I think someone stole it to tell the truth.  Hmmm...I should look into that.

Well I hope that you all love it as much as I do.  I know it's not Spring/Summer looking but, like I said, it's so ME! (:

Zoya Stevie Skittlette

Hey Everyone!  How is your morning going?  I hope you all didn't forget to turn your clocks forward one hour?  I have all mine set to do it automatically so I hope they did or else I'll be in trouble tomorrow when I show up to work an hour late.  lol

Anyway I am so proud of myself because I was able to get so much done yesterday around my apartment and I still had time to go out and run and do a fun skittlette mani for you all.  In case you are all wondering what a skittlette manicure is exactly, I found this definition from So Nailicious.

skit·tle·tte: Not quite a full skittles look, a skittlette manicure is one with at least two different accent nails.  Pick any formation you wish, but for a true skittlette at least two nails need to be the same (the others can all be different) OR two pairs of identical nails and a different nail.

I even had to ask some friends of mine if this mani was a true skittlette.  lol

The base color I chose is two coats of Zoya Stevie.  I just received it in a swap and I love it.  I was going to post just the swatch for you today but I couldn't wait to show you the nail art so I'll save it for another day.  For the nail art I just used Sinful Color Black and Black and Zoya Purity.  For the feather and stripes I just used a striping brush and dipped it straight into the bottles and for the dots, obviously, a dotting too.  This was a super fun and easy mani.  The hard part was really just letting it dry.

I hope you all enjoyed this.  It seems like my friends really love it so get to commenting and tell me what you think!  (:

Color Club Beyond

I can't believe I haven't blogged this polish before (at least I don't remember doing it) because I've had it for so long.  This is the first Color Club holo I bought but I've shown the other two and not this one.  I've worn it a hundred or so times but never thought to take a picture I guess.

Color Club Beyond is so appropriately named because the black base is super dark but the holo effect looks like far away galaxies.  This polish could be a one-coater if you really wanted it to be but I used two thinner coats for this swatch.  I mean there isn't much else to say about it because I know the photos speak for themselves.  I mean, the holo is to die for and who doesn't love a classic black nail?

I promise I'll post some nail art soon.  I have been trying to get inspired to do something fun, but what?  I think I'm gonna be copy-catting Pinterest manis and trying out tutorials until I can come up with something of my own.  

My Grungy Valentine

I figured since I haven't done any Valentine's manis yet and Valentine's Day is Friday, I should probably get on the ball.  Honestly I hate Valentine's Day and the whole hype around it.  It's not because I'm single or bitter about the so-called holiday.  As I got older I just didn't like it anymore.  This makes it really easy on the boyfriend though because he doesn't have to get me anything.  lol

Since I'm not that into it, I figured doing a grungy looking mani using Valentine's appropriate colors would be a fun alternative for me.  I started by prepping my nails with one coat of Color Club Blushing Rose which is a super light baby pink creme.  Then I used the dry brushstroke technique to apply the other colors.  If you aren't familiar with this technique, basically apply the polish using the brush from the polish bottle but with almost all of the polish wiped off.  This is what creates the effect you see.  If you are looking for a great tutorial, here is one from Sarah of Chalkboard Nails.  The other colors I used were a lavender purple, Zoya Malia, and an orchid, Color Club Sweet Pea.  When it was all dry I used Sinful Black on Black to do the grungy black brushstrokes.

I hope you all enjoy this mani.  I do because I know I can wear it for more than just Valentine's Day and it's so easy to accomplish.  I think I might be able to bust out some more love-y dove-y manis before Friday so make sure you check back.  (:

Metallic Matte Ruffian

So I saw this mani on Pinterest and unfortunately I can't find the original pin (because I was lame and forgot to pin it) but I saw it and loved it!  You also get a little sneak peek of the polish you can win in my giveaway.  You can find more info on that if you click through the photo in the upper right hand corner of my blog.

I started with a base of OPI Lay Down That Base because I don't think the effect will work if you don't.  Next I applied one coat of OPI Push and Shove which is the silver foil you see peeking out from under the black.  After that was dry I carefully made the ruffian design using Zoya Dovima.  Then I applied a second coat when the first was dry.  I didn't use a top coat because I didn't want to ruin the matte effect so of course this mani lasted only a day.  I still loved it though.  I just hate how my middle finger looks...short and fat.  Wah!  lol

So what do you all think?  Is this your kind of mani?  Oh and aren't you super excited that you entered to win a bottle of OPI Push and Shove (because I know you clicked the photo and went to the giveaway page, right?)  ;)

Pink Matte Glitter

So I haven't really been motivated or inspired to do any nail art lately.  I've been in kind of a funk so instead of just doing a solid color polish, I've been slapping on glitter and then moving on.  Here is my recent glitter mani.

I started with two coats of Zoya Micky which you will see swatched on the blog soon.  I used one coat of my black and white glitter Cover Band Sticks 'n' Stones and then one coat of OPI I Snow You Love Me which is the holo cirlces.  I just can't get enough of those holo circles!  When all was finally dry (yes it took a while) I added my Sally Hansen Big Matte top coat and away I went.  I received more compliments on this mani than any others recently.  I think it was just so Bubblegum Barbie and who doesn't love Barbie, right?

So what do you think?  Glitter manis for the win?  Let me know in the comments below! 

Zoya Dovima

Oh yes!  This is the best Zoya polish that I own without a doubt...maybe the best ever.  I guess if you are into black polish and matte polish then this is definitely for you.

Behold...Zoya Dovima.  I only needed two coats for full opacity.  I love the fact that it's not just matte black.  It has some shimmery bits in it which are a great surprise in sunlight because they a slightly blue.  At least that's what I see.  It dries fairly quickly if you apply thinner coats.  I've had thicker ones take quite a bit to dry.  Do I know what this looks like with a top coat?  No.  I refuse to tarnish it's true beauty with a glossy finish.  lol

Do you own Dovima or any of the other Zoya velvet mattes?  I have all (yes even the brights) but one...Harlow.  Anyone wanna give up their bottle?

Random Trip Haul

Hey lovelies!  Today's post is going to be short and sweet because I'm not even home. My bf and I decided to take a spur of the moment mini weekend vacation to Louisiana. There is something great (to me) that we don't have in Houston and that's Rite Aide.

From L to R: Silver Bells, Gift of Gold, Sugar Plum Fairy

From L to R: Sleigh Ride, Mistletoe, Ho Ho Ho

From L to R: On a Silver Platter, Autumn Spice, Black on Black, Treasure Chest

I think I did a pretty good haul considering it was unplanned. What do you think?  Let me know in the comments below. (:

Neon Grunge

Sorry this post is kinda late but I just got back from my fitness class.  Luckily this mani was already done so I just have to whip of the post.  (:

I was inspired by Sarah of Chalkboard Nails' distressed nail art tutorial, specifically her neon version.  Instead of using a black creme polish over the neons, I used OPI Spotted which has failed me once again.

If you all happened to see a guest post I did for Nail Polish Addiction awhile ago, I briefly explain the technique I used for the "radioactive" mani and how my OPI Spotted was a bust.  I used that same process this time except with neon shades in China Glaze Kiwi Cool-ada (green), China Glaze Creative Fantasy (purple), Color Club Lava Lamp (orange), Sinful Colors Pink (pink), Ulta Blue Streak (blue), and of course a white base - Zoya Purity.  I applied OPI Spotted and I can't say it was a complete fail.  I mean, it did separate but the colors were not as visible as I would have liked so I dipped a cotton swab in acetone and gently removed or smeared some of the black to create that grungy look.

Thanks to Sarah for making a great tutorial eventhough I didn't follow it to a tee.  lol I really enjoy both versions of this mani and I hope you all do too.  Let me know what you think in the comments below!

7 Days of Halloween - Day 3

I am super excited about this mani.  I was going to post it before I left for vacation but I decided to hold on to it for this series.  I really love how it came out and it was totally not planned.  I just kept adding until I was happy and I am so happy.

The gradient I used was supposed to look like a dusky, nightfall behind the graveyard.  The purple is Color Club Eternal Beauty and the black is Color Club Beyond.  For the moon (yes I know it looks more like a sun but whatever) I just used a dotting tool and some yellow, orange, and pink cremes all swirled together to make it happen.  Then I just used a striper brush and black creme polish in random shapes for the headstones and crosses.  I thought this mani kind of looked like an old, creepy graveyard or those headstones you see in old westerns.  lol I don't know what I'm saying.  Just ignore me.

So let me know what you think about this mani in the comments below.  Thanks for stopping in.  (:

Butterfly Nail Art

Hey!  Remember yesterday when I said I was gonna do some nail art with China Glaze When Stars Collide?  Well here it is.  I really wanted to wait to post this but I got home later than I thought and don't have time to bust out a new mani.  I couldn't bear to NOT post something so here goes...

So there's not much to say about the color since I talked about it yesterday but it is called When Stars Collide by China Glaze.  The butterfly design I just free-handed.  I really thought it would be more difficult.  Like all the times I've seen this mani on Pinterest and other blogs I was like, "there is no way I could ever do that", but I did.  And it was easy.  And I can't wait to do it again.  All I used was a black striper polish and then a dotting tool with white creme.  I did add a gel topcoat and a coat of Seche Vite and it didn't effect the holo particles at all so that was cool too.  Now it's getting late and I have to get prepped for bedtime.  Have a good night!

31DC2013 - Inspired by a Color

The color I chose was black because why not?  I think everyone else in the challenge may be using a brighter color, but I didn't want black to feel left out.  Besides I had a great idea.

So here is my mani inspired by the color black.  The is not the best photo to show you how awesome it really looks but you can easily see the stripes I did and two different shades of black.

I started with one coat of Color Club Beyond which is a deep black linear holo polish.  Can you see it peeking through a bit?  It added a nice little rainbow flash in the right light.  After that was dry I added striping tape in a diagonal pattern and then layered one thick coat of OPI Stay the Night for a textured finish.

There's the holo effect!  Doesn't it look so cool?  I really love how it pops out of nowhere behind the textured polish.  OPI Stay the Night does still look a bit wet in these photos because it was.  Because I used such a thick coat to cover the holo, it took forever and day to dry.

Other than that small issue, I really love this mani.  I think it's really cool and sleek looking and not goth-y at all.  I know all black manis can tend to look that way, but I think it's really fun.  Have a great day and come back tomorrow to see if I've figured out a mani inspired by a song.  /:

31DC2013 - Metallic

Hey My Lovelies!

I am so tired today because I stayed up way too late last night so this will be a short post, however I was able to come up with a great metallic mani...at least I think I did.

So don't ask me why I decided to do metallic on metallic because I know it's difficult to see but the next photo is much better.

 There we go.  I used 3 coats of Zoya Loredana which is a silvery grey matte metallic polish.  Then I used Ulta High Roller for the gold art.  Can you tell what it is?  It's a key on my ring finger and a heart with a keyhole on my middle.  I thought it was cute.

I'm so sorry that I'm rushing through this but I really need a nap or a coffee...or both.  lol (: