Dash dash dash

Well I have basically been a bit rubbish with the posts lately - I've got a bit of January inertia! I plan to make a more concerted effort from now on!

I'm using two new polishes in today's post. I went on a bit of spree before Christmas so have quite a few to try.

The base blue is from a RCH Style Society gift set in the Boots Christmas range. After two coats of that had dried, I applied a horizontal brush width stripe on each nail using Essie Nail Lacquer in Fancy Pants (love this name!). Any wonky lines I just straightened up with some more of the blue.

The I simply added some pink and white dashes using Models Own nail art pens.

This is one of the designs that there's no need to worry about being exact as the overall effect is what you're after.

I finished it all off with a coat of Save the Nail 45 Second Top Coat to make it all nice and shiny!

Happy Painting.. the nailist xxx

Dark side of the half moon

Hey there, it's been a while but I'm back!

I wasn't going to blog these nails but for a few reasons I changed my mind. So I work in marketing in the retail industry and I get to here about up and coming trends and the word on the street is that come Spring/Summer nail art with be out and stripped back nails will be in! It will be all about muted colours and very simple designs such as the half moon. I'll still be going strong with nail art mind you!

On a recent photo shoot I was at the nail artist did a half moon design in a navy and gold colour combo which I just loved, so I had to recreate it (I used a slightly lighter coloured blue and did bigger half moons)

So the trends news and the colour combo were two reasons for me deciding to blog this look but another is that this has lasted for a whole week without any chips whatsoever and no top coat touch ups! I'm well impressed particularly as the blue colour is a very cheap brand. It's two coats of Angelica Nail Colour in Sapphire 55 from Primark, which I picked up for the grand price of £1.50!

I then added the gold half moon using a nail art pen from a No7 Christmas gift set and finished off with a coat of Seche Vite Quick Dry Top Coat.

Simple but very effective!

Happy painting... the nailist xxx

Christmas nail art overload!

So it's almost the night before Christmas and up til now I haven't done any Christmas inspired nails. I've had a few designs in mind but for one reason or another haven't had time to do them. So tonight it's a Christmas nail art overload! 
It will take me ages to go through how I did each nail so I won't go there, but here's which polishes I used...

Rudolph thumb
Base colour - No7 Stay Perfect limited edition in Sultry Sands
Face - Essie Nail Colour in Lady Godiva
Eyes - 17 Lasting Fix in Mini Skirt (from limited edition Best of British nail art kit) and Models Own nail art pen in black
Nose - 17 Fast Finish in Knockout Red (from limited edition Best of British nail art kit)

Christmas tree index finger
Base colour - No7 Stay Perfect limited edition in Sultry Sands
Tree - one coat of Ruby and Millie Nail Color in Green 720C followed by a coat of Bad Apple in Green Bramley
Tinsel - 17 Fast Finish in Knockout Red (from limited edition Best of British nail art kit) with dots using a No7 nail art pen in silver
A silver nail art diamante for the star on top!

Santa suit middle finger
Base colour - 17 High Gloss in Risky Red
Fur trim - 17 Lasting Fix in Mini Skirt (from limited edition Best of British nail art kit)
Belt & buttons - Models Own nail art pen in black

Christmas pudding ring finger
Base colour - No7 Stay Perfect limited edition in Sultry Sands
Christmas pud - Essie Nail Colour in Lady Godiva
Icing - 17 Lasting Fix in Mini Skirt (from limited edition Best of British nail art kit)
Berries  - 17 Fast Finish in Knockout Red (from limited edition Best of British nail art kit)
Holly leaf - Ruby and Millie Nail Color in Green 720C

Gift little finger
Base colour - Barry M  Nail Paint Instant Effects in Gold Foil
Ribbon & bow - 17 Fast Finish in Knockout Red (from limited edition Best of British nail art kit)

My particular favourite is Rudolph!

Then I've just mixed up the designs on the right hand...

Right I'm going to eat my body weight in mince pies!

Merry Christmas and happy painting... the nailist xxx

80s disco ball

Very quick post tonight as I'm mid gift wrapping and general Christmas business!

I absolutely love this glitter polish - and the W7 brand in general... they have such a wide and usual variety of shades and, although on the budget end of the market, they're great quality. Nail Polish Direct have a good selection.

The glitter polish is two coats of W7 in Moondust (I even love the name!). Then, as the glitter reminded my of a disco glitter ball, I added an 80s inspired zig zag line. First, a single line using a Models Own nail art pen in black. Then, a line either side of the black using Andrea Fulerton Nail Boutique dot & flick pen in pink.

Here's my right hand...

All finished off with a coat of W7 top coat.

Happy painting... the nailist xxx

Studded pink party nails!

It was my work Christmas do this week so I set about creating some party worthy nails. I bought some silver ball nail art studs a while ago so, as I was aiming for a bit of bling, I thought I'd try them out. I'm really happy with the result but did struggle firstly, with the top coat which went a bit bubbly for some reason and secondly, with actually taking a decent photo - believe me they look a lot better in the flesh!

I started off with two coats of Max Factor Nailffinity in Onyx. Once dried, I free hand added inverted pink triangles using Bourjois 10 days no chips in shade 15. Then the time consuming bit began... the balls are individually stuck on using top coat and a cutcile stick. So one nail at a time I painted top coat on in a line where I wanted to add the balls. Then, by adding a bit of top coat to the end of a cuticle stick you can pick up the little silver balls and dab them onto the nail. Add the top coat line by line and nail by nail, otherwise it will dry too quickly.

Then to make sure they were all sealed on, I finished three coats of Seche Vite quick dry top coat. I think I added these too quickly one after another  - hence the bubbling... lesson learned for next time!

Happy painting... the nailist xxx

Accidental silver tips

They're accidental as I intended on doing a purple base with two silver vertical half moon lines, so it divided the nail into 4 purple sections... but I went wrong on the first nail so improvised!

The purple base colour is Mavala in 30 'Mexico' and I free hand painted on the silver design using a No7 nail art pen from a Christmas gift set. It's basically two outward bracket shaped thick lines touching in the middle and then the top section filled in.

Happy painting... the nailist xxx

Python skin

This design is probably more appropriate for Halloween seeing as it looks like my nails are haemorrhaging! But I thought I'd share anyway as I love how well this crackle effect cracks...

This is two coats of Models Own in Utopia followed by Bourjois Top Coat Python in unnamed red shade. Finished off with a Save the Nail 45 second top coat.

Might go and get myself a different colour!

Happy painting... the nailist xxx