Fire Opal

This time I want to share a quick experiment, sorry for the lazy looking "artwork". I've had a mani with Color Club "Sparkle And Soar" from their Take Wing -collection since Midsummer Eve. Working in the garden has been hard on my nails, so the polish was looking very sad. I had to make a quick repair for a sudden visit, so I just added to the old mani.

I love Swarovski's Fire Opal crystals, their vivid and sparkling colours. And there I got the idea: I used China Glaze neon polish "Japanese Koi" on the tips, about half the lenght of the nail. Over that one more coat of "Sparkle And Soar", top coat - and that's it!

In the photo I'm holding my earrings with bicones in Fire Opal, so you can see the resemblance. This mani is intriguing, looks a bit like duochrome. The neon polish layer shows in the middle fingers, but not in the pinkie and pointing finger. :) Love this mani, I have to do it properly some other time.

 

Midori Feathers

After a very, very long time I'm back with some nail art. Thank You for waiting, my dear reader.

I have been thinking whether to continue this blog or not. As I told earlier, I have psoriasis and it's affecting my nails, too. Now one bad phase is behind me and I will go on posting. :)

This is Zoya "Midori" polish, three coats, and some feathery water decals. I liked this mani a lot. As my nails are very bumpy, I use ridge filling base coat (this time it was by Nubar). And of course top coat; after Midori I applied a layer of Poshé quick drying top coat, then after putting on the water decals I added one coat of simple supermarket top coat, Rimmel.

Tähtisumua - Stardust

Olin jo lopettamassa tätä blogia, sillä taannoin diagnosoitu hankalahko psoriasiksen muoto vaikuttaa jo kynsien ulkonäköön. Jos kuitenkin jaksatte katsella näitä kuvia, voin laittaa silloin tällöin joitakin koristeluja edelleen.

Vaan itse asiaan: ystäväni Papun blogista löysin tähtisumumanikyyrin ja siihen Asamin opastusvideon. Oli ihan pakko kokeilla itsekin! Paremminkin olisi voinut onnistua, mutta ehkä seuraavalla kerralla.

Peruslakkana yksi kerros China Glazen tummansinistä "Little Drummer Boy" lakkaa, joka peitti ihan mukavasti. Sitten töpöttelin China Glazen hologrammilakkaa "2Nite", joka antoi kivan sumuisen vaikutelman (näkyy nimettömässä parhaiten), mutta hologrammiefekti ei kyllä näy yhtään. Ensi kerralla jotain muuta. Vielä sinne tänne hiukan punaruskeaa Zoya "Tiffany" -lakkaa, päälle kerros Goshin moniväristä glitteriä ja Poshén pikakuivattaja.

I was about to close this blog, because of the unpleasant form of psoriasis is affecting my nails already. But if you, my dear reader, can still look at these pictures, I'll post some nail  arts once in a while.


But let's get to the point: I found a lovely stardust manicure in my friend Papu's blog and also a tutorial video by Asami. I just had to try! I could have done a better job, but perhaps next time I'll be wiser.

The base colour is dark blue "Little Drummer Boy" from China Glaze. One coat was enough. Then I sponged some China Glaze holographic polish "2Nite" diagonally over the nail. It gave a nice, cloudy effect (best visible in the ring finger), but the holo effect doesn't show at all in the final mani. Perhaps some other polish next time. Then I sponged some brownish red Zoya "Tiffany" randomly here and there. One coat of Gosh sparkle glitter on top and of course Poshé fast dryer. 

"Ranskikset" - "French Tips"

Kun ei kerran itse osaa tehdä kunnon tippivärjäyksiä tai -leimauksia, on turvauduttava vippaskonsteihin. Taannoin tilasin Nail Delights -kaupasta muun ohessa tippitarroja (Design French Sticker). Päätin lopulta kokeilla niitä nyt, kun kynsillä on hiukan mittaa. Jospa suojaisivat kärkiä katkeamiselta kun kaivelen tuolla puutarhassa. 

Lakkasin ensin normaalisti Nubarin Ridge Filling aluslakalla ja kolmella kerroksella henkäyksenkevyttä Nubarin "Bikini Blush" läpikuultavaa, hennon persikkaista glitterilakkaa. Päälle Poshén pikakuivatus ja yön yli nukkuminen. Liimailin tarrat paikoilleen ja ohjeen mukaan viilasin kärjistä yli menevät osat. Tarra on jotain muovin tapaista ainetta, joten viilailla saikin ihan kunnolla. Onneksi löysin vanhan metalliviilan - ei näihin raaski lasiviilaa tuhota. Kaikille kynsille ei oikein löytynyt sopivaa leveyttä, mutta muuten hauskat. Näitä on vaikka minkälaisella kuviolla, pitänee tilata jossain vaiheessa lisää, jos hyvin toimivat.

Komeuden kruunaa kerros Nubarin Diamont Seal & Shine päällyslakkaa ja sen kuivatukseen Nubarin Freeze Dry öljyisiä tippoja, jotka toden totta kuivattavat märän lakan samantien.

As it seems that I never learn to make decent french manicure neither by painting nor by stamping, I had to take advantage of "plan B". Some time ago I added couple of Design French Sticker -gizmos to my shopping cart in Nail Delights. Now I decided to give them a try, when my nails are a bit longer. And they really could use some extra protection when I'm digging and scratching in the garden.


First I put on one coat of Nubar Ridge Filling Base Coat and then three coats of Nubar's "Bikini Blush", which is feather light sheer glitter with a hint of soft peachy colour. Finished with Poshé Quick Dry top coat and left it like that till the next day. Then I fiddled the stickers in place and filed the excess part off, as the directions told me. The stickers are some kind of plastic, so I really had to do some filing. Gladly I found an old steel file - I don't want to destroy my glass file with plastic and glue residue. The stickers had not enough suitable sizes for all my nails, so I had to take the closest one. These are quite fun, and there are lots of different designs in the shop. If they are durable enough, I'm sure to buy some more.


I sealed the tips with Nubar's Diamont Seal & Shine and dried it with Nubar Freeze Dry drops, oily stuff that really dries the polish in a moment. Nice helper, when you're in a hurry.

China Glaze OMG "2Nite"

Olen laiminlyönyt kiireen keskellä kynsieni lakkauksen täysin. Ihme, etteivät ne ole katkenneet. Mutta kasvaneet ovat! Pituus alkaa olla sitä luokkaa, että päätin varmistaa komeuden keston kunnon lakkauksella. 

Värin valinta aurinkoisena kevätpäivänä, kirkasta sinitaivasta katsellessa, ei ollut vaikeaa: uskomaton hologrammilakka China Glazen OMG-kokoelmasta: 2Nite. Lakka on intensiivisen sininen ja holoefekti on yhtä upea kuin hopeisessa OMG-sävyssä. Tosin ei sitten varjossa... väri on suorastaan arkinen. 

Aiemmista kokemuksista poiketen lakkaus sujui kuin tanssi, kun käytin Goshin Fix Base Coat pohjalakkaa, josta kerroin täällä. Ei kaljuja kohtia, ei murheita. 

Päällä Poshén pikakuivattaja, värilakkaa kaksi kerrosta.

 

I have been neglecting my nails totally for a few weeks, there has been so much work and other things to do. Being such a long time without any polish but growing nicely, my nails now really needed some protection. Surprisingly I haven't broke them yet!


I was very easy to pick a color watching the clear blue spring sky sparkling with rays of sun: the incredible holo polish from China Glaze OMG collection: 2Nite. The colour is very intensive blue and the holographic effect is just as perfect as in the silver OMG. But in the shade the polish looks... quite ordinary.


This time applying this holo was like a dream, which it really wasn't last time. Now I used Gosh Fix Base Coat, and no bald spots, no troubles. I posted about it here.


Topcoat is Poshé Quick Dry and I have two coats of colour polish.

Kevät - Spring, Orly "Aspen"

On pitänyt töissä niin kiirettä, ettei energiaa ole riittänyt muuhun kuin peruslakkaukseen. Nyt oli niin keväinen viikonloppu, että teki mieli kehittää keväinen manikyyri. Sehän käy helposti: otetaan pastellisininen Orly "Aspen" ja koristellaan kukkatarroilla. :)

Pohjalla kerros, paikoin kaksikin, Nubarin Ridge Filling Base Coat. Päällä kaksi kerrosta Orlyn Aspen, Poshén pikakuivattaja päälle. Hetken päästä sain tarrat paikoilleen ja päälle vielä kerros Nubarin Diamont Seal & Shine. Nyt eivät tarrojen läpinäkyvät muovit menneet ruttuun, hurraa!

Aspen on kaunis väri, mutta koostumus on aika hankala levitettävä. Lakka on paksuhkoa, mutta jättää hyvin herkästi kaljuja kohtia. Myös siveltimen jäljet jäävät näkyviin. Lakka suorastaan tuppautuu kynsinauhoille, eli siistimisessä on kova työ. Mutta kannatti! Tarrat ovat jostain aikoja sitten ostetusta paketista, lähikuvassa näkyy niiden herkkä kauneus ja pienet kimallehippuset.

Lately I have been terribly busy at work, with no energy left to fiddle with manicures. Just some basic polishing, that's it. But now we had a weekend with sun and a hint of spring in the air, so I felt like doing something spring-y with my nails. And what's easier than take light pastel blue Orly polish "Aspen" and some flower stickers. :)


Base coat is Nubar Ridge Filling Base coat, then two coats of Orly "Aspen" and quick dry with Poshé. After a while I put on the stickers, which I bought a long time ago (can't remember from where). On top I have one coat of Nubar Diamont Seal & Shine, which doesn't destroy the plastic of the stickers. Hooray, we have a girly spring mani! 


"Aspen" is a very pretty colour with subtle shimmer, but it's difficult to apply. The polish is somewhat thick, but I get bald spots anyway. Brush marks are visible and the polish just likes to "climb up" to my cuticles, so it's quite a job to get the mani cleaned. But it's all worth it! Just look at the pretty sticker in the close-up picture, isn't the flower pretty with those tiny flakes of glitter?

Valentine's Nails with Misa

Auringonpaisteen kunniaksi tämä viikko on menty Valentine's-henkisillä kynsillä. Värilakkana Misa "Burnished Bronze", josta aurinko tietysti vei kauneimman pronssisävyn. Pullon yläkulmassa näkyy kimalletta hieman. Lakkaa kaksi kerrosta, levittyy kuin unelma ja kuivuu nopeasti.

Koristeluna valkoisia kukka- ja terälehtitarroja, päällä yksi kerros Nubarin Diamont Seal & Shine -päällyslakkaa. Aluslakkana Nubarin Ridge Filling Base Coat.

Lakkaus ja koristelut on tehty sunnuntaina ja tätä kirjoittaessani on siirrytty jo torstain puolelle. Kaikki tarrat ovat edelleen paikoillaan, ainoastaan kynsien kärjissä on työviikon aiheuttamaa normaalia pientä kulumaa. Onnistunut kokonaisuus, olen tyytyväinen.

This week we have had bright sunshine and Valentine's Day on Monday. So I have a mani to celebrate those. The polish is Misa "Burnished Bronze", and of course the winter sun was too harsh and took the warm shimmer away. You can see some of the shimmer on the upper right corner of the bottle. I'm wearing two coats, which is opaque on my short nails. Misa applies very nicely and dries quickly.

For decoration I used white flower stickers and sealed them in with just one coat of Nubar "Diamont Seal & Shine". And of course the base coat is Nubar "Ridge Filling Base Coat".

I did the mani on sunday, took this photo on monday and now, when I'm writing this, we are about one hour on Thursday's side. All stickers are in place and mani is OK, only slight tip wear because of the constant typing at work. I'm very satisfied.