Froggy (I)

Poison Frog

Lately, I've been thinking about frogs. It started out when I accidentally made a few dots on a green polish base, which made me think about poison frogs, which naturally in turn made me google "poison frogs". One of the first picture results that came up was the frog seen below: Zimmermann’s poison frog (Ranitomeya variabilis). How great is that for manicure inspiration?

So, I decided to try. For this gradient I used a blue base (Isadora Wondernail Bel Air Blue) and a neon yellow (Depend #35) on top. I love using neon yellows on top of blues instead of using neon greens - I find it makes more electrifying neon greens and smoother gradients.

This gradient was done using a piece of a kitchen sponge, and was sponged 4 times before a smoothing top coat was applied. The black dots (Wet n Wild Ebony Hates Chris) was done with a tooth pick, but any kind of dotting tool or pointy thing found around the house would suffice.

Products used:
Wet n Wild Ebony Hates Chris
Depend #35
Isadora Wondernail Bel Air Blue

Picture Dump (I)

Just a bunch of pictures

Here's a few more or less successful manis from the last few weeks. I haven't gotten around to post them before due to either laziness or crappy quality of picture and/or nails. So please excuse any stray polish on cuticles (eh, eponychium, to be correct), hang nails, annoying instagram filters, etc... Instagram filters are, by the way, a guilty pleasure of mine. But you should know that I try use them to show of the colours as close to how they look in real life as possible.

I really like the ring and little finger here. They remind me of poison frogs!

Water marble on my nephew Jack.

Hey, I meant them to be uneven!

Ooh, I liked this one. Colour themed and with some bare nail on the middle finger.

A variation of this mani. I loved the other version, but this came out a bit too cute and bridal for me.

This is probably the kind of mani I've worn most in my life. It's quick and simple to make, and it shows of some bare nail which I've always been partial to.

Subtle Gradient

My nails are back!

Slowly but steady my hands and nails are getting back into a form I can dare to show off. The first few days after getting back, my cuticles were so full of small cuts and dry cracks that acetone really wasn't something I longed to introduce to them. Ouch. 

 

Here's a simple elegant mani - a purple to brown gradient with gold glitter on top:

Products used:
Essie Bangle Jangle
Essie Chinchilly
Deborah Lippmann Boom Boom Pow

Gradient (I)

Swedish brand Isadora

Isadora products was the first make up I ever bought. To this day, the only mascara I use is Isadora (~12 USD) and Lancôme (~30 USD). So, it turns out I've lived through my teenage years and my twenties without realizing that Isadora also makes nail polish. I bought my first Isadora Wonder Nail just a couple of weeks ago, but am already smitten with both their colours and formulas.

It also turns out that the company is from Malmö. Hey, that's my hometown! I can't go more local unless I start frankening.

 

Gradient using Isadora Wonder Nail # 65, , 700, 702, and 729 

 

Another picture

Layniefingers has a good tutorial for sponging a gradient.

Product used:

Isadora Wonder Nail 65 Smoky Grey
Isadora Wonder Nail 700 Bel-Air Blue
Isadora Wonder Nail 702 Blue Jeans
Isadora Wonder Nail 729 Marzipan

Indie Polish (I)

 Spottie Dottie from All That Glitters

Inspiration: gradients á la Layniefingers

Last week I purchased my first ever indie polish - Spottie Dottie Dark from All That Glitters, an all black glitter with small and large hexagons and bars. I love it on top of everything I've tried so far - but the gradient is by far my favourite. My only regret is not getting the white version as well!

On top of gradient and flakies (Essie Chinchilly -> Chanel Holiday + Sephora purple jewelry)

On top of taping (Essie Case Study and China Glaze For Audrey)

On top of french tipped manicure (Nubar Hot Yellow and China Glaze Liquid Leather)