A nail experiment! Nails Inc and Boots No7

Here are today's nails. They were a bit of an experiment - after sponging the Galaxy nails I wanted to try something similar, or at least try sponging again. So here they are!

 

Just after sponging, before topcoat

What I used:

• Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle basecoat
• Nails Inc Chalk Farm (2 coats all over nail)
• Boots No7 Sing The Blues (sponged from middle of nail)
• Boots No7 Betty Blues (sponged onto tip)
• Nails Inc Electric Lane holographic topcoat (1 coat all over nail)
• Nails Inc Albert Bridge topcoat

I used Chalk Farm all over the nail, then sponged the two colours in a gradient style. I then put Electric Lane holographic top coat over the whole nail.

With Electric Lane

I'm quite pleased with the effect, you can see the way that the colours blend into one another. The effect looks a lot more dramatic in real life, but as usual, I can't get the topcoat to show very well in a photograph. I think I would like to try sponging without a topcoat, if I can get the blend smooth enough.

I'm surprised that I managed to resist Konading this though...

What do you think?

Nails Inc Mink, Bundlemonster215

I did my sister-in-law Rachael's nails again last night. It was the first time I had used my other Konad Special Polishes, and we chose the blue.

 

What I used:

• Nails Inc Kensington Caviar basecoat
• Nails Inc Mink (2 coats)
• Bundlemonster plate 215
• Konad Special Blue Polish
• Nails Inc Albert Bridge topcoat

I love the blue Konad polish. I didn't expect it to shine like it does. I was also pleased with the way it didn't dry out immediately, because I could stamp the excess onto paper. Normally I have to clean the stamp after each nail.


What do you think?

Galaxy Nails!

This is my first attempt at galaxy nails, and I'm pretty pleased with how they went:

What I used:

• Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle basecoat
• Boots No7 Betty Blues (2 coats)
• Barry M 293 Grey
• Models Own Lemon Meringue
• Models Own Snow White
• Leighton Denny Hanky Panky
• Nails Inc Albert Bridge topcoat

I started with a basecoat, then painted my nails with two coats of Boots No7 Betty Blues which is a midnight blue with a tiny bit of sparkle. I then sponged Barry M Grey diagonally across the nail. Once that was dry, I mixed a drop of Models Own Lemon Meringue, which is a very pale yellow, with Leighton Denny Hanky Panky, a metallic orange. I sponged this in a thinner line over the grey.

Once this was all dry I used a wooden toothpick to dot Models Own Snow White 'stars' onto the nail, and finished off with several coats of Nails Inc Albert Bridge topcoat, because without the shine, this look is nothing!!


I'm really pleased with my first attempt at nail art that isn't stamping.


What do you think?

Nails Inc Basil Street, Konad M73

I couldn't resist doing my nails again this evening too...I got to try out my newest plate, Konad M73.

Nails Inc Basil Street (no flash)

with flash

What I used:

• Sally Hansen Nailgrowth Miracle basecoat
• Nails Inc Basil Street (3 coats)
• Konad M73
• Konad Special Black Polish
• Nails Inc Albert Bridge topcoat

I just felt like doing a more neutral nail today. I have lots of bright colours, and you know you just fancy a change sometimes? I think this stamp is quite pretty. For a whole nail stamp it was fairly easy to do, though not all the fine detail came through perfectly.

Basil Street is one of my favourite neutrals, and I made sure to take a picture with the flash to show how much paler it looks in the light. It's almost light coffee (mmm, coffee...) coloured without the flash, but I prefer how it looks in real life!


What do you think?

Boots No7 Vivid Violet, Konad M28

Tonight we have guest nails! My friend Louise is here, so this is the first full manicure I've done on someone else.

What I used:

• Nails Inc Kensington Caviar basecoat
• Boots No7 Vivid Violet (3 coats)
• Konad M28
• Konad Special Polish White
• Nails Inc Albert Bridge topcoat

I feel a bit more practiced at doing other people's nails now, it still seems easier for me to paint my own but I think I just need more practice. Volunteers?


What do you think?