31 Day Challenge - Day 11: Polka Dots

- Pink on Pink Polkas -

I put those dotting tools to good use again today with this simple but adorable pink on pink polka dot manicure. I love the clean look of this, and it was so easy to do! All you really need are a few complimentary polish colors, a large dotting tool and a steady hand, and then there you have it!

Polishes used: China Glaze - Something Sweet & Happy Go Lucky

31 Day Challenge - Day 10: Gradient Technique

 - Bam! Take THAT, super difficult gradient technique! IN YO FACE! -

For today's challenge I revisited one of my favorite looks with this blue to purple gradient. As much as I love this look, I'm always a little anxious when it comes time to paint. 

This technique can be tricky, polish that is too thick can create strong lines instead of the faded look, and polish that is too thin causes the two colors to overblend. This means a lot of trial and error when it comes to picking out the right polishes, but I have found that the two China Glaze polishes For Audrey and Beach Cruise-r play together very nicely to create a perfect fade!

Polishes used: China Glaze - For Audrey and Beach Cruise-R, O.P.I - Pirouette My Whistle

If you are going to be trying this technique, I do have a few tips to help you along the way:

First, use wax paper to pre-mix your colors. Paint a strip of each color side by side, then use a dotting tool or toothpick to mix them slightly in the middle. 

Next, wet a makeup wedge and ring it out, leaving it damp. Dip the wedge in the polish on the wax paper and pat straight down on the nail, moving up and down slightly. 

Repeat as necessary and finish with a quick dry top coat. 
Once you add the top coat, you will notice how well the colors will blend together!

31 Day Challenge - Day 09: Rainbow

- Rainbow Dotticure -

When I accepted this 31 day challenge, (I say that as if someone actually challenged me, but I like to think the universe was challenging me by having such a challenge exist) I had NO idea just what a challenge day 9 would be. 

I did my nails no less that 4 times trying to come up with a design for today that I was happy with. My first attempt at splatter nails failed miserably. Polish, polish everywhere. More on that someday in the future if I ever decide to post a few out takes...

After much heartache, a few shed tears, and possibly a bald spot, I finally decided on this simple dotted rainbow manicure... 

Sinful Colors - Aquamarine, Revlon - Posh, China Glaze - Happy Go Lucky, China Glaze - Papaya Punch, WetNWild - Everybody Loves Redmond

31 Day Challenge - Day 08: Metallic

- Metallic Madness -

While today's theme may seem simple in theory, you wouldn't believe how difficult it is to find a nail polish that keeps its perfect metallic sheen when dry. In a momentary fit of rage, I debated working a bit on tin foil into my manicure, but thought that might constitute as cheating, so I continued the search for metallic polish.

Waaaaay down deep in the bottom of my nail polish bin, I found the perfect polish! Of course it's a lesser known brand called Magicolor Cosmetics that I must have picked up somewhere along the way in my travels, and I have no idea where it came from, or how to go about purchasing any more should I run out. This means I must use it sparingly, but I love you all enough to use some of it today.

If you happen to randomly find the brand and pick it up, I must warn you that the formula was a bit on the streaky side and also takes a veeeeery long time to dry. Seche Vite does not play well with it either, it seemed to make it more goopy as opposed to having the quick dry effect it has on most polishes. Be prepared to spend a lot of time sitting perfectly still until this one dries completely. 

I finished the look off with a bit of metallic striping tape, and there we have it, day 8 down!

31 Day Challenge - Day 07: Black & White

- High Contrast Sugar Spun Nails -

For the black and white theme, I decided to try a technique that is new to me. I've heard lots about sugar spun nails, and honestly thought they would be perfect for day 7. I love the way my nails seem to pop with the white on black.

Polishes used: China Glaze - White on White, Orly - Liquid Vinyl

Sugar spun nails consist of using a dotting tool or toothpick to drag very tiny strands of goopy polish from side to side across the fingernail, which makes it extremely time consuming, but the end result is well worth it. 

I quickly found that there is a bit of a learning curve with this one, it took a bit of trial and error to get the strands to be the right consistancy, but once I got the hang of it, it was smooth sailing from there!

31 Day Challenge - Day 06: Violet

 -A Little Bit Of Purple Passion For Zoya Aurora-

By my own admission, I have never been a huge fan of violets or purples in general, so in all honesty I was not entirely looking forward to the color of today's challenge. (I know, I know...Please direct all hate mail to IhateUnitedInBeauty@thisemailisfake.com) 

I'll understand if you feel the need to make a voodoo doll with my name on it after reading that confession. If there is one thing I've learned in my 30 years on this colorful Earth it's that people are passionate about their purples.

If you're still reading, I have great news! There's no need to track me down and cover me in purple paint in a fit of rage! Luckily, my Zoya haul from the 2013 promotion arrived in my mailbox today, and included was Aurora - an intensely sparkly and holographic wonder of a polish - perfect for today's theme! I think these pictures speak for themselves:

31 Day Challenge - Day 05: Blue

My Balloon Gone Wild

I felt like today's theme needed a little bit of extra oomph after yesterday's plain colored mani, so here we are with my balloon in the sky look.

I started by painting all the nails with a Orly - Snowcone. After they were dry to the touch, I sponged on a few white clouds using China Glaze -Snow, and added the red balloon and black string with a bit of acrylic paint I had lying around.

As you can see, I need quite a bit of practice with my brushwork. Let's just use our imaginations and pretend it's not all funky looking, alright? Pretty please?

Polishes used: Orly-Snowcone, China Glaze-Snow

To give you a few different views of the colors, the first picture was taken outdoors in direct sunlight and picture two was taken indoors.

31 Day Challenge - Day 04: Green

Gorgeously Green

Day 4, here we are with green. Today's color is a bit bitter-sweet for me... I'll start with the sweet part. Sweet because it just happens to be my absolute favorite color, and also one of my wedding colors! I laboriously worked to pick out the perfect polish in the exact shade of green that I adore to show you today, and came up with Revlon's Posh. 

Now for the bitter part of today's challenge. In my excitement, I for some reason opened the bottle like an angry gorilla eating a banana after a week long fast and splattered polish all over my favorite white blanket... what sadness. How could I be betrayed by something I love so much? Nooooooo! I'll never look at you the same, wonderful green polish, never.

On the upside, I was able to get some great daylight shots that really show the true color of this polish. If you're in need of a good green, consider Posh.

3 Coats of Revlon - Posh
  

Could we have a moment of silence for this wonderful blanket that sacrificed  perfection for this manicure to be possible? <Insert silence here> R.I.P white blanket. You served me well.

31 Day Challenge - Day 03: Yellow

Before I get to debuting day 3, let me first just say that I blame this manicure completely for giving me a hefty dose of Spring fever today, while in reality it's a snowy, blustery 2 degrees outside. At least for the time being I can look down at my cheery nails and imagine I'm sprawled out on warm sandy beach somewhere with a drink in my hand, so that  gives me a miniscule amount of comfort. 

Now let's get down to business...

 2 Coats of China Glaze - Happy Go Lucky

In all fairness, I really think yellow polishes have a habit of getingt the shaft from a lot of people, myself included. I think this polish changed that for me. This is 2 coats of China Glaze - Happy Go Lucky with Seche Vite on top. 

There is another China Glaze polish called Sunshine Pop that is extremely similar in color, however that polish has a shimmery sheen to it, while this is just pure yellow color. Personally, I prefer the pure brightness of this shade. 

I will definitely be working this color into the rotation more often once Summer hits!

31 Day Challenge - Day 02: Orange

Orange Gradient Topped Off With 3d Fruit Slices

The theme of the day is orange, and what better way to represent than with a bit of fruit on my nails? I started out by painting the entire nail in China Glaze Peachy Keen, then used the sponge technique to create a gradient by adding in CG Papaya Punch and High Hopes. 

Once dry, I dipped a dotting dool in topcoat and used the tip to pick up the orange slices and place them randomly on each nail. Finished with Seche Vite and viola, here we have day 2!

 

Polishes used: China Glaze Peachy Keen, Papaya Punch, and High Hopes

31 Day Challenge - Day 01: Red

 Wet N Wild - Everybody Loves Redmond

While out and about today, I picked up a bottle of Wet N Wild - Everybody Loves Redmond because, well because it's a lovely red and everybody knows I can't pass up a polish with a good pun for a name. 

Everybody Loves Redmond is a thick, red creme polish with orange undertones that covers well with only 2 coats. The color becomes a bit deeper with an added 3rd coat, but that is really just a matter of personal preference and not necessary at all. Be extra careful with this one to polish carefully, I did notice that the red is very potent and will definitely bleed over and stain the skin and cuticles if not cleaned up right away.

In person, the color reminds me of being in elementary school and drawing fire on my notebook paper by rubbing the red crayon on top of the orange crayon to get that perfect firey blend.

The 1st three pics are with the flash, and the last picture is without flash to show the orangeness of the polish.

31 Day Nail Polish Challenge

As if I'm not crazy enough, I've decided to go ahead and take on the 31 day polish challenge. For those of you unfamiliar with this insanity, I am going to attempt a different nail design each and every day for 31 days. I may succeed, I may fail, but either way I am going to document all this craziness for you to enjoy.

If you want to follow along with me, here's the 31 day challenge chart:

 Hold on, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

31 Day Challenge - Day 11: Polka Dots

- Pink On Pink Polkas -

Not too much to be said on today's challenge. I think the pics speak for themselves!

Polishes used: China Glaze - Something Sweet & All Laced Up