Nail Art Challenges

For years, I've seen all the different nail art challenges and I'm always interested in them. I've never done one yet, but since it's summer, I'm thinking I should try one out. Should I do a 30 Day Challenge or should I go for the Heroes Vs. Villains? Let me know what you think!

Polka Dots and Mermaid's Tears

Can I just say, I LOVE OPI's Mermaid's Tears from the Pirates of the Caribbean collection? When it first came out last year, I searched everywhere for it. It wasn't until the end of the summer when I was in Disney World that I finally found it at The Grand Floridian where I was staying. Then, a couple months later, I found the bottle broken! :( I was tempted to cry. But, luckily a couple months ago, I found Mermaid's Tears at Marshall's. And now I'm happy. :)

So, Mermaid's Tears is a gorgeous sea foam green creme. It goes on perfectly and looks awesome. I used four coats, but it would've covered well with three. I'm just perfectionistic when it comes to even coverage.

 Sunlight

 Flash

I decided to add some embellishment, so I put polka dots on the ring finger and thumb. I kept it simple, because it's exam week, so I didn't want to be focusing only on my nails... Okay, I did, but I know I shouldn't. :p

Doodle Nails

Here's my latest nail design; doodle nails!

alt="Doodle nails" title="Doodle nails">

To make them, I splatter painted my nails using nail polish diluted with nail polish thinner, then used India ink and a calligraphy pen to write the words on. Make sure you clear coat a couple of times to ensure the ink stays on! Enjoy!

Starfish on the Beach

My latest nail design: starfish on the beach!

alt="Starfish on the Beach" title="Starfish on the Beach">

The blue (Sinful Colors's Love Nails) is the water, along with some clear glitter. Then the "sand" is Essence Sweet as Candy and the starfish are with a Migi nail pen.

Nail Tips and Tricks

Gorgeous nails are easy to come by if you follow the right rules. Here are my top tips and tricks for beautiful, healthy nails.

1. Moisturize
Moisturizing your cuticles is key to having strong nails. Aim for applying cuticle oil or creme nightly. I like Burt's Bees Cuticle Creme and Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil.

2. Push Back the Cuticle

After soaking your fingers in water for about 5 to 10 minutes, *gently* push back your cuticles. Do not clip the cuticles, as this can cause infection and trauma to the nail bed.

3. File, Don't Cut

Filing nails is much better, as clipping can cause tiny breaks and trauma to the nail bed. Aim for filing your nails once a week. I like Revlon's files. They come in lots of different colours, designs, and grit sizes.

4. Buffing

Buffing your nails helps to create a smooth surface for painting. It also allows for smooth looking nails without polish. Buff *gently* every one to two weeks. Do not overbuff. I like the Mambo 3 Way Buffer, which has different grit sizes.

5. Fix It

If you have a crack in your nail that cannot be filed or buffed away, carefully apply some nail glue on it. This will stop it from catching on clothing, etc. Gently buff the area, and your nail is good to go. I like Nailene Brush On Glue.

Tale As Old As Time...

Here's my latest nail design.

Yup, it's Chip from Beauty and the Beast! This design came from a sociology assignment I have where we're supposed to watch a beloved childhood movie and talk about different social aspects of it. But, enough of my boring talk :), let's get to the tutorial.

alt="Beauty and the Beast" title="Beauty and the Beast">

This was painted with acrylic craft paint.

1. Paint the cup shape in white. (I started with a base of four coats of Essence Sweet as Candy)

2. Paint the base of the cup purple.

3. Add pink and light blue decorations on the base of the cup.

4. Outline the base of the cup in yellow, as well as the top of the cup. Add Chip's "nose" or the handle of the cup in yellow.

5. Add Chip's eyes. You can make the eyes by painting a black oval first, letting it dry, then painting white over top (photo below).

6. Add Chip's mouth, clear coat and you're done!

For the other nails, I made a wavy french in purple acrylic and yellow acrylic to match the base of the cup.

Nailsmag

Nailsmag.com just put my Classic Winnie the Pooh nail design up for day 155 of the 365 Days of Nail Art. Check it out at http://blogs.nailsmag.com/365NailArt/archive/2012/06/03/Day-155-Winnie-the-Pooh-Nail-Art.aspx! New nail design coming soon, hopefully with a tutorial!