Day 165) Framed gradient/ombre

I hope gradients and ombres will last for a while.

I just love how colors work together in these.

There are so many different designs to make and each time that I'm wearing an ombre or gradient nail art, people always want to gaze at my nails.

For today's nail art I did some kind of frame nail art, but then a frame in frame in frame sort a thing.

I started with the lightest color and painted this on my whole nail. hen I painted the first frame in a slightly darker color and so on.

Day 152) Colorful tips

Today I have a nice step-by-step for you.

Step 1:
After the basecoat paint your nails in a white colour. Let it dry completely, a topcoat will speed up the process.

Essence floral Grunge nail polish (The Pearl) - 02 Lily Bloom

Step 2:
Take a striper brush and black nail polish and make a curved line (from right top down to the left where your natural tip starts).

Step 3:
Divide the tip by using striping tape.

Step 4:
I chose to do an ombre (light to dark) on the free spaces of the tip. I used different nail polishes for each stripe but of course you could just as well use a dark colour and white nail polish and mix these yourself to a kind of ombre (different shades of one colour).

Step 5:
Remove the striping tape.

Step 6:
Fix imperfections (I had to repaint my black line) and topcoat it.
Done!

For each tip I used a different colour (love colours!)

Have fun with it!

Day 134) HOT nails

The title of my blog post suggest that I have a very nice nail art for you...and I have!
At least, so I think ;-D
Not only is the look very 'hot'.
The word 'hot' is also a reference to the design of today's nail art; which is 'flames'.

After the basecoat I painted my nails black and applied a topcoat:

For today's nail art I used 16 different colors of nail polish (including the black nail polish from above).
This is a lot and I understand that if you aren't such a huge nail polish and nail art addict as I am, you might not even own 16 different colors or more.
In that case I recommend you keep it at one colour group which means you only need 4 colors (including the black). For example if you choose the colour group pink, you'll need a lightpink, a regular pink and a darker pink or possibly white, pink and red). Whatever you like!

The nail art itself can be made in 3 simple steps:

1. Start with the lightest colour and make long flames. Starting from the tip and ending almost at the cuticle
2. Then use the middle colour to make flames, starting from the tip and ending at 2/3 of the nail
3. Last you use de darkest colour to make flames, starting from the tip and ending at 1/3 of the nail

For the flames it's best to use a striper brush. This brush almost makes flames on it's own. Because in the beginning the brush releases more nail polish than at the end (which will be the end of your flames). Not sure about it...just try a few times on paper to get used to the technique.

To illustrate the steps I have some pictures for you:
1)

First make some wavy stripes one way (picture 1), then let these stripes be crossed by wavy stripes the other way (picture 2). Start with the lightest colour, beginning from the tip and ending almost at the cuticle.

2)

Make the same wavy stripes as above with the middle colour. Beginning from the tip and ending at 2/3 of the nail.

3)

Do the same with the darkest colour, beginning from tip but ending at 1/3 of the nail.
Apply a topcoat and done!

 To make this nail art really 'hot' I used a different colour group on each nail:
- Thumb: greens
- Index finger: blues
- Middle finger: purples
- Ring finger: pinks
- Pinky: oranges

And this is the outcome of today's nail art:

HOT or NOT?
Let me know!

Day 130) Nail art water decals white swirls

Like I said before: When I buy stencils or water decals I'm always looking for the designs that are hard to do by hand or at least not as perfect as when you do it yourself.
I think it's a waste of money when you can do it yourself.
Although I prefer to handpaint my nail arts, I do think stencils and water decals are an invention for those less   artistic.
That's why my blog also contains this kind of nail art.

Today's waterdecals are for the complete nails. Of course you can always cut them in other shapes if you like.
The pattern consists of white swirls and transparency, which means there's a see-through for your nail polish.

Arts Queen 

Professional Nail

Nail Tattoo

No BW009

White swirls

Step 1:

Paint your nails in the desired colour. I do recommend to use a dark colour because of the white swirls and the contrast it will make. Let it dry completely before you go further.

I've chosen to do an ombre to spice it up a little (and Iwanted to use my new polish ;-D )

Step 2:

Cut the water decals in the right size. Let it be well-cut at the curve of your cuticles and the width. The length should be longer than your nails; this is a further step.

Step 3: 

Remove the plastic film. This is a critical step and most of the instructions don't include this information! If you don't your water decals get stuck on the film and will be useless.

On the left: paper with water decals

On the right: plastic film

Step 4:

Put the water decals in some water. In a few seconds you can slide the water decals from the paper or in some cases this already happened on it's own.

Step 5:

Put the water decals on the nail surface (I use my index finger of the other hand). Gently push and smooth it. As long as the water decals are wet they are easy moveable. Sometimes too easy ;P When they are in the right place, don't touch them anymore but let them dry!

Step 6:

When you follow the instructions it will say you'll will have to remove the surplus part and then topcoat it.

I do it the other way because I don't want to risk that water decals move.

First use a topcoat and wait for it to dry. Then remove the surplus part (first cut with clippers or scissors, then buffer it). For the best result and longer lasting nails I recommend that you do another coat of topcoat after buffering. 

DONE!

They look great I think!

Only downside is that they are very fragile. The water decals easy crack when you're smoothing them on the nail surface. This doesn't show that well on the nails so it's an acceptable downside but it did frighten me.

What's your opinion on water decals in general? Are you a lover or a hater?

Day 87) Nail art beads

Day 25) Ombre with different tools

Sponging colour after colour

    Sponging all the colours at once

                                 With brush

                                 With tape

                                       With fanbrush

Day 18) Ombre nail art