Autumn/Halloween Nails

I got lots of compliments on these even though I didn't think they were very good. I'm just glad people could tell they were trees!

Tools: 

• Detail brush
• Black, yellow, and orange polish
• Makeup sponge if you want to make it gradient

Step 1: 

Use the yellow and orange (or red) to make a gradient. 

Step 2:

Use your detail brush to make wavy lines like trees. This can be harder than it sounds. Just kind of go crazy. They don't all have to look the same. Finish with a top coat and you're done! 

Gradient Lace

I know I haven't posted in forever. I've been very very busy and have absolutely no free time. But I'm posting everything I have right now and I will be doing my nails again after I update my blog :)

Tools

• Detail brush or nail pen
• A few different paints
• Makeup sponge for gradient

Step 1:

Start with your gradient. Do whatever colors you like. If you don't know how to do a gradient click here. 

Step 2:

Now using your pen or detail brush make a curving line on top of your nail. 

Step 3:

Then make smaller loops underneath. Finish with a top coat and you're done! 

Gradient Sunset

This was my first attempt at a gradient and I'm actually really happy with the result. It took me a few tries and my friends help but I got it and I think I will be doing it a lot more!

Tools:

• Two or three colors
• I used red and yellow (no orange) and it ended up looking like a sunset
• Wedges
• The ones I get are from CVS in the beauty section. They have Latex Free on them and say they're for your face. Just says 32 wedges. I'll post a picture of them on my Instagram.

Step 1:

Start by painting a basecoat. I used white for these particular colors. I first tried it without a base coat with little success. Make sure your base coat is completely dry! 

Step 2:

This is the part that may take a few tries. But don't worry, all the nails shouldn't look the same. That's what makes it so cool. Make sure all of your polishes are open and that it will only require one hand to pull out the brush quickly. Take on of the wedges (it doesn't matter which side as long as it will cover the nail) and put a generous streak of polish on the top, then another color and so on. Do this as quickly as you possibly can because the polish will sink into the wedge. Blot the wedge on your finger in the same general area. This will help get the polish off. It will not work if you just press and hold. Don't be frustrated if it takes you a few tries. 

Step 3:

Once you are satisfied with the effect clean up the excess polish. I made a border and added a matte top coat but it's up to you what you want to do with your design. In the future I will probably add more designs on top.

T.A.R.D.I.S Doctor Who Nails

These nails were inspired by secretshellnails on Instagram. These actually aren't that difficult to do as long as you have a study hand and a detail brush.

Tools:

• Plastic baggie or small piece of plastic wrap
• Detail brush
• Lots of different colors
• Most importantly TARDIS (Time and Relative Dimension in Space) blue or something similar 
• Gold

Step 1:

Start by picking out all of your colors for the timey whimey stuff you want as the background. Once you have that you can paint a base coat if you want. I did not paint a base coat because if you do a base coat it must be completely dry before you do the next step. I would recommend a dark purple for a base coat.  Now crinkle up your plastic bag or plastic wrap. It doesn't have to be super wrinkly. Just put it inn your fist and crinkle it.

Step 2:

This step is the most tricky. Start by placing blobs of different nail polishes on one finger. Don't plop a ton of the stuff on there but a generous amount. Do different colors all around one nail.Once you have that (your nail doesn't have to be completely covered) take your plastic bag or plastic wrap and rub the polish all over your nail. Be careful not to blot to much or else you'll take the polish off. Make sure you get it nice and spread around and mixed up. It will get around your nail which you'll have to clean up later. Repeat this on all of your nails.

Step 3:

Make sure your nails are mostly dry before doing the next step. I only did the TARDIS and Doctor thing on one hand but that's up to you. This bit is up to you and how you want it to look. You can see I did half of the TARDIS on a different finger. I did a clock on my pinky and the Doctor on my thumb. Use your detail brush for this, cleaning it between colors.

Step 4:

Apply a top coat and clean up around your fingers and you're done! Hope you guys like it :)

When Messed Up Looks Cute

So these nails are great because they require absolutely no skill. Technically you're supposed to use plastic wrap with these but I just used a plastic bag which worked just fine.You can do these with any colors and any amount of colors.

Tools

• Plastic bag or plastic wrap (Reuse this! You only need a small piece of the plastic wrap)
• Base coat
• At least 3 other colors

Step 1:

Start by painting a basecoat. Color really doesn't matter but you want something that you're ok with showing through a little bit and something that's not too close in color to your other colors. Let this dry completely before moving onto your next step! I'm taking over night or at least a few hours of drying! I made this mistake and if you don't let them dry the polish will come off when you use your bag or plastic wrap and then you have to start over.

Step 2:

After your basecoat is completely dry put a few randomly placed, nice sized blobs of polish. Don't use your base coat color. I did and it was a mistake because all it does is blend in with the base coat. Waste of polish. Do steps 2 and 3 with just one finger at a time.

Step 3:

Now take your plastic bag and crinkle the section (no bigger than your finger nail) so it's very crinkly. Then dab and smear the polish over your nail. Do extra dabbing to get a kind of sponge effect. Repeat with all of your nails. 

Step 4:

With a cotton swab, use nail polish remover (I use acetone free) to clean up any polish that may have gotten around your nail. Paint with a top coat or a matte coat if you want and you're done! 

Organizing Polishes

So recently I ordered some nail swatch things to paint all of my colors on. It was so fun!

 I numbered each of the nails on the back and then painted the color on the front.


I also put the number on the bottle of nail polish so I would know which was which. Very handy. I love being organized!!

Rainbow Leopard

Tools:

• Different polishes of your preference
• Black polish
• Small detail brush
• Top coat

Step 1:

Start with a base coat. I would personally just use white if you're doing rainbow so it just increases the vibrancy of the spots and doesn't detract from them. 

Step 2:

Make messy dots of different shapes on your nails. Put them on randomly. Don't crowd your nails with too many colors and dots. It will make it look messy. I ended up just using 3 different colors and 5-6 dots on each nail.

Step 3:

Use your detail brush to make 2 small black lines around the edge of your dots. You can do the line all the way around for a slightly different look. Apply a top coat and best of luck!

Bubbles are Awesome!

Bubbles are Awesome! 

Tools Needed:

• Dotting tool
• As many different polishes as you want
• Nail polish remover

Step 1:

Start by painting a base coat and letting that dry sufficiently. Use a color that your bubble colors will show up on nicely. If you're not sure just use white!

Step 2:

 This step is optional but if you want you can do a French manicure look on your tips.

Step 3:

Start by using your dotting tool to make dots. Do all of your fingers before switching to another color so you only have to clean your dotting tool a few times. Line your dots up so that when your fingers are together the dots/bubbles descend. You don't have to but that's how I did mine.

Step 4:

Let your dots dry a bit before doing the next set. I used a darker shade of purple to go along with my light purple. Do the same steps with the dots. Make sure to clean your dotting tool between different colors. Use nail polish remover! Believe me, I have tried just washing them which was a terrible idea. 

Step 5: 

Again let your dots dry mostly before putting another set on. You can do as many dots as you want but I just did 3 sets. I used white this time, just filling in the empty spaces. Don't be afraid to layer/overlap dots. It looks really cool if they overlap to make a slightly different shade. 

 

Water Marble Fourth of July Nails

Tools:

• Toothpicks
• At least 2 different polishes
• Clear coat

Step 1:

With all of the polishes you want to use on a certain nail place a generous dot, and I mean generous. A nice large glob. 

Step 2: 

Use your tooth pick to spread the polish over the whole nail. Make sure to mix the polishes. This will give it a cool looking effect. Let it dry significantly before putting on the top coat. 

Disco Dots

Tools: 

• As many different polishes as you want
• Dotting tool
• Top coat

Step 1:

Start with a base coat. Let it dry almost all of the way. 

Step 2:

Use your dotting tool to make different size dots and in different colors. Put a top coat on and you're done! Cute but easy. 

Swirls

Tools

• Nail polish pen or detail brush
• Nail Gems for a 3D look or you can just use a dotting tool 
• As many or few polish colors as you'd like

Step 1:

Put down your base coat. You can use a different color on every finger or keep it simple and just use one color. 

Step 2: 

Don't wait for the base coat to dry!! You need it to still be wet so you can press the gem into the center of your nail. Use tweezers for this part. You don't have to press the gem in completely, just enough so it won't move but still sticks up above the nail. 

Step 3:

Once your base coat has dried, use your nail polish pen to start from the nail gem and make a swirl out. This works best if you don't life up while using the pen. Just keep it one fluid swirl. Add a top coat and your preferred method of drying and you're done! 

Easy Splatter Paint

Easy Splatter Paint

Materials Needed

• Cheap polish or one you have doubles of
• Small spray bottle
• Base coat (colored)
• Nail polish remover
• Top coat
• Q-tip (Just use this to clean the excess polish off from when you spray)

Step 1:

Take your old polish and pour at least half the bottle into your spray bottle. Make sure the bottle has been cleaned out. Pour a little bit of nail polish remover into the bottle. This helps thin the nail polish so you can spray it.

Step 2:

Paint your base coat on your nails and wait for it to dry. Make sure it's completely dry, that way if your spray messes up you can just wipe it off with polish remover. 

Step 3:

Put down an old towel and give a few sprays onto the towel. Keep your hand on the towel when you spray! Don't spray close to your hand!!! Make sure you keep the bottle at least 5 inches from your nails. You will probably have to prime the bottle a few times before spraying your nails. You may have to add more polish remover if the polish won't spray. Make sure the sprayed on stuff is dry and and then add your top coat! 

Braided Nails

Braided Nails 101

Tools:

• 4 Polishes
• Clear coat
• Stripers or extra brushes

These are actually pretty easy once you see how to do them. Mine look pretty sloppy and I took them off the next day. Vote on what you want to see next!

Step 1: 

Start with your base coat. You won't see much of this color in the end so save your favorite colors for the strands of the braid.

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

                                                                                               

Step 5:                

Step 6: 

Hawaii Nails

These nails did take a while and the only reason I did them was for a contest. After I finished and took a picture I took them off. The fingers with the islands on them are actually what the islands of Hawaii look like.

Tools:
Clear coat
Lots of different colors
Detail brushes

Step 1: The Islands
For these I'm pretty much going to just show you the pictures as there really are no steps to this. For this I looked at a picture of Hawaii and its islands and used my detail brush to make the islands.

 


Step 2:  The Black Sand Beaches 
On my pinky I did some waves with a black sand beach in the background.

Step 3: The Volcano 
Start with the mountain, the black hump. I used two different shades of purple for the back ground then I mixed some red and yellow to make some lava falling down the mountain and then exploding from the top. Add your clear coat and you're done.
 

Petite Roses

These are probably one of my favorite designs so far. Very in style for the spring and summer. These nails are actually very easy to do and work well with any colors and any outfit.

Tools
Detail Brush
3-4 colors
Clear coat

Step 1:
Start with your clear coat then a base coat.

Step 2: 
Make messy circles of different sizes and let these dry. You don't have to use the detail brush but it is helpful at this point.

Step 3:
Add green strips as leaves. Use the detail brush.


Step 4:
Add small white dashes with the detail brush to the circles and leaves. Add a small dot at the center of the big circles to indicate a center of the flower. Add a clear coat and use some handy Rapi Dry spray (see supplies page) to get your nails to dry quickly.