Christmas Wrapping Paper Nails #2 // Mint Festive Design

This is mint version of a design I saw in Sainsbury's last year. I did a dark version of it here: https://ifndefnailsh.blogspot.com/2022/12/christmas-wrapping-nails-1-sainsburys.html

I think I prefer this one thanks to the over-stamping!

Method:

I started off with 2 layers of Neely. Then I applied Liquid Gold to Noel 07 and then stamped on top with Vibin using the same stamps but slightly offset. The Holly jolly text comes from Noel 12.

I then topped it off with some smudge proof top coat.

Polishes/Tools Used:

Base:

- Zoya // Neely (mint)

Stamping:

- Twinkled T // Liquid Gold (metallic gold), 'Vibin (black)

Plates:

- MoYou London // Noel 07, Noel 12

Top:

- MoYou London // Smudge Proof Top Coat

New Flower Wave // Pastel Art Synth Wave Design

I did this one earlier this year but I've only just got round to posting it now. If you couldn't tell, I think my obsession this year was line art and over-stamping.

I'm all for these simple looks that look like they belong in a museum or something. This one was quite simple to do. I started off with 1 layer of Mystery In Milan. Then, on a silicone mat I placed a large blob of Mystery In Milan and dotted Soho Square and Waterloo Place into it. I "smooshed" it together on the mat with a stamper and then applied it to the nail. I used stamping designs from Artist 29 in Blanc My Mind followed by the same stamps but offset slightly in Black Knight. I topped it all off with some smudge proof top coat.

Polishes/Tools Used:

Base:

Cuccio Colour // Mystery In Milan (off-white)

Nails Inc // Soho Square (peach/pink), Waterloo Place (bubblegum pink)

Stamping:

What's Up Beauty // Blanc My Mind (white)

MoYou London // Black Knight (black), Artist 29 Plate

Top:

MoYou London // Smudge Proof Top Coat

Minty Jungle // Pastel Green Leaf Design

I have wrapping paper that I bought from John Lewis a very long time ago that inspired this look. You could say it's a Christmas Wrapping paper look as I'll probably be using to wrap presents this year.

I'm not happy with how hard it is to see the leaf design (even though the background colour is so light). I'll go in with darker colours next time.

I started off with 2 layers of 'Til The Record Stops, then used a large stamp from Paradise 02. I put both Cobalt Indecent and I'm On A Sushi Roll onto the plate and mixed them together to create the stamp. I then over-stamped in some placed using Lor for that "gold foil" look.

Polishes/Tools Used:

Base:

- Color Club // 'Til The Record Stops (mint green)

Stamping:

- L'Oreal Paris // Cobalt Indecent (dark teal), Lor (gold)

- OPI Infinite Shine // I'm On A Sushi Roll (light teal)

- MoYou London // Paradise 02 Stamping Plate

Top:

MoYou London // Smudge Proof Top Coat

Holoween Boo // Negative Space Halloween Ghost Holo Design

I wanted something simple yet spooky and ended up stamping on these negative space designs while painting my nails one morning.

This is a super simple one; just 3 layers of Dare to Bare followed by the negative stamp designs using Mrs Danvers.

Polishes/Tools Used:

Base:

- Nails Inc // Dare To Bare (sheer pink)

Stamping:

- A-England // Mrs Danvers (black holo)

- MoYou London // Halloween 03 Stamping Plate

Top:

- MoYou London // Smudge Proof Top Coat

It's In The Cards // Tarot Halloween Nails

This was a fiddly design and I need waay more practice with layering stamps that are straight lines. This didn't turn out exactly how I wanted but it's close enough and I think it looks ok.

I feel like the tarot cards themselves need more colour on them. I started off with 2 layers of Cowboy Bye, then stamped in this order:

1. Card background using Cafe au Lait
2. Tarot design using Smokey
3. Card borders using Bright Lights

Then added a layer of smudge proof top coat followed by a matte top coat.

Polishes/Tools Used:

Base:

- China Glaze // Cowboy, Bye (dark brown holographic)

Stamping:

- MoYou London // Cafe au Lait (light beige)

- Twinkled T // Smokey (dark grey)

- Barry M Liquid Chrome // Bright Lights (gold)

- Maniology // M072 Stamping Plate

Top:

- MoYou London Smudge Proof Top Coat

- Barry M // Matte Top Coat

Cosy Plaid // Beige Autumn Plaid Look

This came about whilst I was swatching the Nails Inc Nails Spice Set. It doesn't get much more autumnal pumpkin spice vibes than these 4 shades and I thought they'd be perfect for a scarf look.

These stamp better than I thought they would!

Polishes/Tools Used:

Base:

- Nails Inc // Pudding Lane (off white)

Stamping:

- Nails Inc // Bread Street (pale mauve), Honey Lane (beige), Nutmeg Lane (terracotta)

- MoYou London // Trend Hunter 27 Stamping Plate

Top:

- MoYou London // Smudge Free Top Coat

Autumn Lane // Nude Beige Autumn Nails

This came about whilst I was swatching the Nails Inc Nail Spice collection. I wanted to see how well the darkest shade could stamp and I think it turned out quite well.

I started off with 2 coats of Honey Lane, then dry brushed on some Pudding Lane and Bread Street for contrast. I used Nutmeg Lane for the base stamps and then used the L'or to bring some shine in via the gold before sticking a matte top coat on top.

This was a pretty quick look and quite effective! It feels like witchy vibes but make it pumpkin spice.

Polishes/Tools Used:

Base:

- Nails Inc // 

Honey Lane (dusty peach), 

Pudding Lane (pale pink), 

Bread Street (dusty pink),

Stamping:

- Nails Inc // Nutmeg Lane (terracotta)

- L'Oreal Color Riche // 660 L'or (gold shimmer)

- MoYou London // Fall in Love 15 Stamping Plate

Top:

- MoYou London // Smudge Free Top Coat

- Barry M // Matte Top Coat

Tropical Terracotta // Tropical Leaves with Nude Background

This look was inspired by a painted plant pot I saw on pinterest! I was swatching some new Barry M shades I got and I thought Honeysuckle would make the perfect background for the dark blue and white and I was right! It's just neutral and soft enough to provide the perfect contrast.

I started off with Honeysuckle as the base then stamped on the designs from one my favourite paradise plates. Followed by some gold dots and topped off with a matte top coat.

Polishes/Tools Used:

Base:

- Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine // Honeysuckle (terracotta)

Stamping:

- MoYou London // Midnight Madness (dark blue)

- Twinkled T // Glow Up (white)

- L'Oreal Color Riche // L'Or (gold)

- MoYou London // Paradise 01 Stamping Plate

Top:

- Barry M // Matte Top Coat

 

Pastel Paradise // Tropical Summer Nail Look

So I did these nails whilst swatching my latest Essence haul (swatches here) and I knew they'd all go beautifully together to create some wonder tropical looks; including this one!

This was pretty easy but the large brush on Essence polishes make it hard to free-hand circles and shapes cleanly (especially as the formula is a bit gloopy). But it turned out fine in the end.

I started off with 2 layers of Sugar Blush, then placed random splotches of Bubble Trouble followed by Isn't She Minty. The stamps are from Paradise 01 using Ghosted and then I used a dotting tool to place random dots of Don't Leaf Me and Swirl Pool. I topped it off with a layer of Smudge Proof top coat, and then a matte top coat.

I think using a dark grey instead of black made this much better.

Polishes/Tools Used:

- Essence // 05 Sugar Blush (sheer pink), 40 Isn't She Minty (light green), 04 Bubble Trouble (pastel pink)

- Essence // 42 Swirl Pool (blue), 19 Don't Leaf Me (teal green)

- Twinkled T // Smokey (dark grey)

- MoYou London // Paradise 01 Stamping Plate

- MoYou London // Smudge Proof Top Coat

- Barry M // Matte Top Coat

Christmas Wrapping Nails #1 // Sainsbury's Country Walk Linework Leaves Christmas Bag

I can't believe it's that time of the year again already. Every year, Sainsbury's do some amazing designs on their wrapping paper and bags that are just begging to be put on nails. Case and point this bag design.

I went with some designs on the MoYou London Noel 4 plate and Liquid Gold. For the text I used what was left over from stamping the pinkie nail (as it left the perfect oval centre) and then stamped the text in the space.

It's not exactly like the bag as the designs aren't as detailed, however I'm waiting for some more Noel plates from the Black Friday sale so hopefully I should be able to get a little closer to the bag.

This is a cute and quick set though!

Polishes/Tools Used:

Base

- Essence Shine Last & Go // 46 Black is Back

- Barry M // Matte Top Coat

Stamping

- MoYou London Stamping Plate // Noel 04

- Twinkled T Stamping Polish // Liquid Gold

Christmas Peppermint Candy // Red & White Pinwheel Nails

Doesn't this just scream Christmas! I knew the moment I got Chakra that this is the look I should do with it; it's just taken me 4 years to get round to it.

This was a real simple one to do but make sure you where a couple layers of basecoat because Chakra stains!

I did 3 layers of Chakra (it's kind of jelly shade so it builds up beautifully). Applied a layer of top coat. Then applied the stamp with Blanc My Mind and added a layer of smudge proof top coat. Then sealed it in with another layer of top coat.

It's mesmerising!

Polishes/Tools used:

- Cuccio Colour // Chakra (red shimmer)

- What's Up Nails // Blanc My Mind (white)

- Barry M // Wet Set Quick Dry Top Coat

- MoYou London // Smudge Proof Top Coat

- MoYou London Stamping Plate // Princess 12

Feeling Summery // FabFitFun Summer 2022 Nails

Oh my god a new post! So, it's been a while. Was feeling a bit burnt out, then tried to buy a house so packed everything away. It's now been 4 months and no house in sight so I've unpacked all my nail stuff. 

I had to though, look how adorable the FabFitFun box was this season. I knew the moment I saw it, I had to match my nails to it. Can you believe though I only had 2 shades of purple that somewhat matched the FFF box? Looks like I'll have to buy some more polish.

I started off with 1 layer of Feeling Free. Then picked up the ice lolly stamps off Tumblr Girl 06 with Nether Noir. I then painstakingly painted in each lolly with Violet Haze, Living Your Best Life and Dance Party Teal Dawn. The lollypop stick are Cappuccino and the bite marks Coconut. I then topped it off with a smudge free top coat, then a matte top coat.

It took about an hour in total but it was worth it. I'm going to have to recreate this look though with pastel colours and a light background as it would look super cute!

Polishes/Tools Used:-

Base:

- Orly Breathable // Feeling Free (purple)

- MoYou London // Smudge Free Top Coat

- Barry M // Matte Top Coat

Stamping

- What's Up // Nether Noir (black)

- Ciate Plant Pots // Violet Haze (aubergine)

- Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine // Coconut (off-white cream)

- Kure Bazaar // Cappuccino (cream)

- OPI // Dance Party Teal Dawn (teal)

- Nails Inc // Living Your Best Life (yellow)

- MoYou London // Tumblr Girl 06 Stamping Plate

Spooky French Manicure // Candy Corn and Skull Negative Space French Tips Design

It's the 1st of October! That means it's time for spooky!! I love Halloween; it's my favourite holiday however I just wish it wasn't so cold. I detest winter.

These nails though could pretty much be warn all year round if you don't look to close. They're inspired by this post I found on Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/363665738669621160/

Unfortunately I can't find the original nail artist and a reverse google image search didn't reveal anything either.

It took me quite a while but I'm glad I took my time as I love it! I'm not wearing a peel off basecoat for once so I think I'll wear it for a few days. I also used that new stamper technique to achieve the french tips. What a life hack.

How I did it:

Started off with the brightening primer basecoat and then topped that off with 2 layers of Thirsty Nails for that perfect pink/nude base. I applied some Pretty in Putty to an old large stamper and then pushed the tips of my nails into it an angle to achieve the french tip. I did that twice for each nail to build the colour up and then applied a layer of quick dry topcoat.

Next for each nail I pick up the bottom left-most design on the Halloween 03 plate with Nether Noir and removed the already filled hearts and skulls with the tip of a dotting tool. Using a tiny brush I filled in the candy corns with Cantaloupe, The Heat Is On and Pretty in Putty and then filled the skulls in with a large brush and Pretty in Putty. I then left the design to dry on the stamper for a minute or so, applied another layer of quick dry top coat and let it go tacky (about 5 seconds) then stamped on.

Polishes/Tools Used:-

Base:

- OPI Infinite Shine // Brightening Primer

- Nails Inc // Thirsty Nails (sheer pink)

- Ciaté Gelology // Pretty In Putty (off-white)

- Barry M // Wet Set Quick Dry Top Coat

Stamping:

- Whats Up Nails // Nether Noir (black)

- H&M // The Heat Is On (orange), Cantaloupe (yellow)

- Ciaté Gelology // Pretty In Putty (off-white)

- MoYou London Stamping Plate // Halloween 03