nail art | still a thing for me

I'm just gonna post all the nail art I failed to post starting with this sponged on look from back when I was obsessed with sponged on looks...I didn't care for the color combo, but I liked the matte effect.

...clown nails maybe? I was playing with negative space at the time and I remember the glitter was from Urban Outfitters.

 

A few moments with chevrons. The neon one was with Orly nail colors, a brand I was using for the first time; their base coat is still a favorite of mine.

 

This isn't artistic really, but this is one of my all time favorite nail colors by Essie, "high class affair"; I think it's such a luxurious color against my skin tone.

...some color blocking or whatever. The yellow is Essie's 1000th color called "aim to misbehave" and I wish I just kept it on its own, it's pretty with a french tip.

Also from Essie around the same time, their water color palette sets were so cute and fun, above and below are the two looks I tried; I think the one below turned out better...

 

Finally, this was my holiday/winter nail art look; second day so it's a bit chipped. I worked so hard on the tree, meticulously placing a chunk of glitter for the star on top (at first it was just going to be an evergreen, but then I was like, 'why not act like I have Christmas cheer?'). 

Right now my nails just have a neutral nail look that I had professionally applied for the first time ever while I was on a winter vacation in San Diego. I'm sure I'll come up with more nail art looks in the new year, but getting the salon treatment every now and then might become a thing as well.

essie gets twisted

 

...I mean the packaging wins all the awards first of all, but also I'm super excited about their already legit gel top coat getting an upgrade--review coming soon.

essie love

 

...about to try out these new silk water color palettes from Essie that I just picked up yesterday. I've never seen anything like this concept before and I'm actually kind of excited...I mean, my nails will probably end up looking like gray blobs with glitter over them, but I'll do my best.

The 1000 color is called "aim to misbehave" and it's a super gorgeous dandelion/marigold color with a silvery sheen, I'll probably do that with a glitter accent later.

Nail Art | Cool and Uncool

 

I did my best to compile all the nonsense going on with my phalanges. I'll start with what's on my nails now:

 

I tried the whole crystal thing for the first time, I've always thought it was very nouveau riche bougie (in a classy way). 

 I stayed pretty conservative for my first attempt using these crystals and sponging on a little French tip to be minimalist cutesy.

 ...I used a beauty wedge to sponge on "sure thing" from Revlon's Gel Envy line (it's pretty legit)...

  

 ...and "sugar daddy" by Essie is a great color if you want a neutral tone to gloss over the white; I think the nude color by F21 is a great cheaper alternative (definitely doesn't last as long, but the color is about the same).

American Apparel's "cameo blue" with Revlon's "sure thing" and Sally Hansen's "cheery on top" (seen below)

 ...here's another sort of botched look with white tips. It's not the cutest combo; the glitter was so unnecessary and like, I had to do the inverse on three of them because I messed them up...bleh. Whatever.

 

 ...this glitter combo is my new fave, I thought it was really effective with this next look:

American Apparel "smoke dazzle" with Art Club white and neon nail art polishes.

...this is honestly one of my favorite nail art looks ever; the neon swipes made it so striking in person. Definitely doing some variations in the future.

 The metallic polish is new; it needs two good coats to achieve a bottle opacity and the Art Club neon works best with white underneath.

I also experimented with mattes:

(L-R) Urban Outfitters; American Apparel; NYC; Essie; Forever 21

  ...I will be updating you guys on which ones I think work best; so far I'm loving Essie's super chalky matte look and I was moderately impressed with Urban Outfitters version.

F21's matte top coat over their nude polish; UO's "afterhours" and Art Club's black nail art polish.

Revlon's "sure thing" and Essies matte top coat with "a cut above" (pink glitter).

  

For spring/summer I'm also getting into pastels--it's an overall aesthetic as you already know:

 

...here's a few Essie pastels I'm loving right now (there's even more in my collection after these pixs were taken).

Essie's "romper room" & "a cut above" with Revlon's "sure thing" on the tips

Essie's "romper room" with "mint candy apple" and the pink glitter again

 ...and above and below are a few uncool pastel looks...maybe the bottom ones are sort of cooler I guess...

I thought this was pretty cool, probably would have been better without the glitter; Essie's "who is the boss" used.

 And finally here's a random look from the holidays: 

Revlon's weird and not that great bohemian line (I don't even know what it was called but it sucked so RIP to that); this was the red one called "confident".  It chipped too much and it was just so whatever. L'Oreal's "the statement piece" was the gold accent (from their still fabulous textured metallics line).

Okay, that's all for now...and not one mention about a Mormon dress.

Nail Art | Neon Lasers Over a Blue Sky

 'scuse the edges guys! 

I always shoot right after I'm done because I always chip them right after I'm done. 

For this look, I went with a contrasting geometric paint streak look (or whatever...not like I'm a manicurist)

{with flash}

This is how the neon really looks in the sunlight.

Essie Who's the Boss and Art Club Psychedelic Dream. Check out my other polish picks!

These nails were actually a fail

I had to edit them a bit to make them presentable. There were bubbles EVERYWHERE.

 {with flash}

I'm trying again tomorrow.