Challenge #31: RECREATE

This is it!!

The last challenge of my nail challenge!

Will be strange/nice to do as I please!

The mani I decided to recreate was one that I knew would have been one of my favourites, but it didn’t survive more than 20 minutes…

MY FLOWER MANI!

So here’s what I used this time:

Revlon base coat, A-Ha Moment, Butler Please, and Revlon Quick Dry top coat

I started with one coat of the base coat, and 2 coats of “A-Ha Moment” from Sephora by OPI

I then stamped with my lovely Konad M71, using Essie’s “Butler Please”. Last time I had problems with the image not transferring, so this time I made sure to clean the plate really well after each nail. And I think it helped!

…. left hand

… and right hand!

Looking back on this whole challenge, I am definitely glad that I decided to do it. Not only did it force me to try things I probably would have never done, but it also forced me to keep blogging!! If I wasn’t responsible for finishing what I started, I don’t think I would still be here. So yay!

So what next?! I guess we will have to see!

Just Like Shellac?

In a random bet with my brother to eat some wasabi mustard (I HATE spicy, and I HATE the flavour of wasabi), I ended up winning $20! Woohoo!

So if course I took that and made some *hopefully* good purchases!

I found a post recently on Pinterest that claimed that you could have DIY shellac nails by using Sally Hansen Hard as Wraps Powerful Acrylic Gel and a No Chip top coat. I couldn’t find the top coat, so I got the Strengthening top coat instead.

So we will see if this works! I have never had shellac nails, so I am hoping to test this out on a friend who has and see what she thinks!

Which brings me to another matter…

I have been recently thinking of advertising my services to my friends for manis/pedis. Not sure of all the details yet, but I know of a few other local ladies who do this! Which brings me to my next purchase:

Again, we will have to see how this stuff works!

Have you ever tried any of these products? What do you think?

Have you ever charged friends a few bucks to do their nails? What were some things you had to consider?

Would love to hear from you! <3

OPI Liquid Sand: Solitaire and Pussy Galore

Because I finally decided to get the entire Bond Girls OPI Liquid Sand set, and they finally came in the mail…..

I just HAD to put the last mani of my challenge on hold!!

So these were the two I was most looking forward to: Solitaire and Pussy Galore!

The white of Solitaire is just so unique. And so is the pink of Pussy Galore for a Liquid Sand. And yes, my 13 year old self really enjoys that name. HA

So… TADA!

To show the texture

And to show the sparkles

My Empties: Part I

Joining Upclose&Polished’s empties tag here!

I have been meaning to write about this product for a while regardless… sigh. Perfect opportunity here and now!

The scoop: share the empties of products you have used in the past, and whether or not you would purchase again!

My first product

This is OPI’s RapiDry top coat. Put it on 60 seconds after your last coat, dries completely in 30 seconds.

I LOVED this product for the longest time, it dries super fast and was very handy! But I don’t love it anymore. I still have about half a bottle left, but it is so thick and syrupy that it is hard to apply. It also causes a lot of bubbling! Yuck! And at $11 (Canadian) per bottle, it’s not fair that I only got to use half of it

I don’t think I would buy this again! I am still going through a few different top coats, and so far they are better.

And there you have it!

What empties do you have?

Challenge #16: TRIBAL

So here we are. The final set mani of the nail challenge I had set myself out to do.

When I started this nail challenge, I though it would be a great way to keep me blogging and to help me try some new things with my nails. Yep… I think it worked!

Although I didn’t do them in order, and I didn’t do them daily, I still accomplished my goals. I really wanted to make myself try a few things, and it really wasn’t easy to do them!!

But alas, this is it.

Again, not a ‘traditional’ take on the tribal nails that I’ve seen, but still. Also, an homage to my new Jasmine Disney mini set!

Here’s what I used:

From Left to Right: Revlon base coat, All That Jasmine, Berry Tale Romance, A-Ha Moment, Aladdin’s Girl, Revlon Quick Dry top coat

I started off with 2 coats of Sephora by OPI’s “All That Jasmine”. Love it. Just the blue I was waiting for to come from this set based on her classic outfit!

I them free-handed triangles of “Berry Tale Romance”, “A-Ha Moment”, and “Aladdin’s Girl” in that order. Each was one coat, except “Aladdin’s Girl” was 2. Once that was done, I added a single dot of “Aladdin’s Girl” above the points of the triangles.

I absolutely LOVE how these turned out, and how beautiful my new colors are. I’m so happy!!

And an Instagrammed one

Now just to do my re-do to completely finish off this nail challenge…. which do you think it should be??

Leotard….. OPTIONAL

Dance competitions this weekend…!

With me dancing as well, that means it’s time to try another neutral polish!

This time around: Sephora by OPI’s “Leotard Optional”

This was after 2 decent coats.

What do you think? I’m not sure if I’m a huge fan, since it’s so close to my skin color. But if I need a skin colored base this would definitely be a winner!

Challenge #28: Inspired by a FLAG

This is a bit of a sentimental mani… so I have been saving it for a while

May marks the month of mine and my boyfriend’s anniversary. Our relationship really got a huge kickstart when I went to visit him while he was studying abroad in Sweden… It’s funny how a country so far from where we live was the stepping stone for us

So needless to say, I was waiting for my time to do the Swedish flag!

Here’s what I used:

Revlon base coat, Need Sunglasses?, Blue Me Away!, and Revlon Quick Dry top coat

I started by doing every second nail with “Blue Me Away!” by Sally Hansen. Only 1 coat was needed for this! what a treat!

The others were done with 3 coats of OPI’s “Need Sunglasses?”, then I cut some tape to do the cross of the flag on my ring fingers.

I have just been using normal clear Scotch tape… and I have had some troubles. I press it repeatedly on my palm to make it less sticky… but I still end up pulling up chunks of polish or with bubbles that form after I put on the top coat! So weird! The lines are also not straight AT ALL. Grr.

Do you have any tricks for using tape? What tape do you use?

On another note: I have been practicing very hard to keep my nails neat when I paint them. And I’m getting better! My right thumb made me feel proud:

Do you have any tips for keeping your nails clean? I’m hoping to become a pro at this!