Nail Tattoos!

Today I have a nail tattoo manicure!  I saw these Big Ruby nail tattoos on another blog (I forget which one, they've been on several), and then when I saw the sea creature ones were on sale I had to buy them.  I used Essie Go Overboard as the base color.  Go Overboard is awesome.  It's a dark teal, it's a one coater, it is so freaking pretty.  I can't wait to use it as a stamping color.  Anyway.  My favorite of the nail tattoos were the little whales so that's what I decided to use.  I wish I had taken pictures of the tattoo pack to show before I cut them all up, but I shared the pack with my step daughter so it's all in pieces now.  But you get 1 sheet of normal fingernail sized tattoos then a sheet of special pinky and thumb/big toe sizes.  Application is the same as any other temporary tattoo: cut around the tattoo as close as you can so you get accurate placement, lay face down on your nail, press with wet cloth for 15 seconds, remove cardboard backing and voila!  Cute little whale on your nail.

I like the teal with the cream tattoos.

And I love this 'lil whale.

Overall I really like the Big Ruby nail tattoos and think it's a fun, easy way to give your nails that little je ne sais quoi.  I want to get the bird ones next but I think they are sold out right now.  But there are owls in that pack.  OWLS!

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Colors Used: Essie Go Overboard
Technique: Used Big Ruby nail tattoos
Purchased: CVS, Bigruby.com
Verdict on the colors: Go Overboard = new favorite

Hunger Games Week: Day 4

Today I actually have a Hunger Games THEME instead of just using the colors :-)  I have a fishing manicure using District 4, the fishing district's polish: Hook and Line.  I stamped fish scales on all but my ring finger, using Smoke and Ashes.  I stamped a fish skeleton on my ring fingers.  Then I used Northern Lights Holographic top coat to make the scales look shiny and approximate real scales.  I really like the end result, but I have to say I am NOT a fan of Hook and Line.  Did anyone else have a problem with this polish?? It was so streaky and thick!  I feel like if I hadn't used my fast dry top coat it would have taken forever to dry and even then been one of those polishes that will dent even after it's dry.  So yeah...not a fan.  But I do like the end result here.

I pressed too hard and kind of messed up my middle finger...

I like my fishy.  I was outside trying to get the last of the sun but it started to drizzle.  The water drops fit though.

The fish on my right hand went kind of more diagonal.  Lately my right hand has been looking better than my left, which is so weird!

Today I bought Electrify and Agro, so the only Capitol Color I'm missing is Mahogany Magic.  I wasn't going to buy either Agro or Mahogany Magic, but at this point I feel compelled to finish the collection. I'm going to do a fire-y water marble to go see the movie with my Dad and sister on Saturday using Electrify, Smoke and Ashes, and Riveting; so I should have that tomorrow.




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Colors Used: China Glaze Hook and Line & Smoke and Ashes
Technique: Stamping, Red Angel plates RA111 & RA 107
Purchased: Polishes at Sally, plates on Amazon
Verdict on the colors: Surprisingly the first China Glaze I'm not happy with!  Hook and Line was streaky and thick.  I do love Smoke and Ashes and it stamped well!

Dotty Flower Manicure and OMG I HAVE A MATTE

Last weekend my sister discovered that one of the new Spoiled polishes I'd picked up was...a MATTE!  I was super excited, I love all the matte polish pictures online and they are high on my list of WANTS.  I found Seche Natural at the CVS by my house and had been hoping it would work as a matte top coat, but alas it does not.  I decided to use it as a base for my first dot manicure effort.  I was hoping I would be awesome at this from the get go and could use this as a submission in the Chalkboard Nails dotting contest, but...no.  I'm not displeased with it for my first try, but definitely want to practice before the March 5 deadline.  Here it is!

Spoiled Distant Memory.  I would say this is actually "matte-ish."  Is still has a little sheen, but is much less glossy than a regular polish.  The finish is almost plastic-like.  You can still see some of the micro glitter flecks in it, even with the less than glossy finish.  It's very pretty, and I love teal shades!

 

 

And the dotty flower manicure:  This has a top coat over it, you can see the difference in finishes on Distant Memory.  I like it with a top coat too!

  

I meant for these to be 3 petal flowers...it's a less defined than I was going for.  I think it's still cute!

 

My husband and I are currently redoing out living room and den, so naturally 30 minutes after I finished this I went to bring cans of paint in from the car and smudged my flowers all to hell.  This did teach me that you want FLAT dots though.

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Colors Used:  Spoiled Distant Memory (base), Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear White On and Hot Magenta (spots).  I used 2 coats of Distant Memory, but it was pretty thick with 1.  Making mental note to try it with stamping.

Technique: Dotting tool

Purchased: I got Spoiled at CVS, and Sally Hansen's from CVS or Kroger.  I know those are super common, but whenever I see colors I like on a blog I always wonder where they got them (for less common brands) so I decided just to make it a regular part of mine.

Tape Manicure/First Julep Box

I didn't take pictures of my first Julep Maven box, but February's "It Girl" box came with Rachel, Oscar, and Elizabeth.  I'd never tried the Julep brand before, but the deal on the Maven boxes is amazing and was the perfect opportunity to try!  I love them.  I decided to try a tape manicure with Rachel and Elizabeth.  Rachel is SO pretty.  I took probably 50 pictures trying to capture how shimmery and deep the color is and still don't feel like I adequately captured it.  It really is beautiful in real life. 

This one is way over exposed, but you kind of get more of the glimmery-ness of Rachel here.

I really liked this manicure.  I got multiple compliments about it at work and even a referral credit for Julep out of it. 



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Colors Used:  Julep Rachel and Julep Elizabeth
Technique: Taping
Purchased: Through the Julep Maven program (disclaimer: not being paid by Julep).  If interested you can find out about the Julep Maven program HERE And use discount code COLOR2012 to get your first box for only $0.01. 

Verdict on the colors: LOVE both of them!  I really like the Julep formula, it's so smooth and the colors are really vibrant.  I used 2 coats of Rachel, but both are already pretty opaque in 1 coat.  I want to try stamping with them.