Fashion Friday: Fall Into Red...

I've got a fashion inspired manicure for you today. This is inspired by a Jenny Packham dress right of the Fall/Winter 2012 runway. Please don't be fooled, I have no idea what I'm talking about. I am really not someone who keeps up with current fashion or what's hot on the runways. This dress just caught my eye on Pinterest and I turned to trusty Google to clue me in on the designer. I figured it was perfect to go along with a shade from Zoya's runway Diva collection...

dress image source

Tutorial: Peel Off Base Coat

I recently learned of this technique and while it is not my original idea I wanted to share a quick tutorial with you because it is just pure genius. Anyone who wears glitter nail polish will know what a pain in the behind it is to remove. Sure there are tricks to make it easier such as the foil method, but how great would it be to not have to soak your fingers in acetone? Essence recently came out with a peel off base coat which does just that. It didn't take long for those who tried it to notice that it bears a strange resemblance to craft glue... which leads me to this extremely cheap, simple and effective peel of base coat...

Supplies:

• Elmer's School Glue (washable, safe, non-toxic)
• Empty nail polish bottle
• Polish of choice
• Cuticle pusher (optional)

Steps:

Instructions:

1. Transfer some craft glue to an empty nail polish bottle and apply to clean bare nails as a base coat
2. Allow the glue to completely dry. It will turn clear (slightly matte) and be non-sticky to the touch
3. Apply any polish and topcoat as you normally would. Shown here is three coats of Shimmer Melissa with a topcoat.

Enjoy your manicure! 


4. When you are ready to remove the polish, take a plastic cuticle pusher (or just use your other nails) and starting at the base of the nail and gently lift the edge
5. Continue to peel the polish off
6. Tada! Removing glitter polish has never been this easy. Wash hands to remove and remaining glue residue and you are done!

I will definitely be wearing glitter more often now! A little bit of waiting for the "base coat" to dry is nothing compared with the pain of glitter polish removal!

How long does it last?
That will depend on whether someone picks at their nails or not. Using the craft glue as a base coat will certainly not last as long as other base coats especially for those who pick at their nails. For those who are not pickers it can easily last for a few days. I've tried it a few times and it has lasted perfectly for a full day of wear until I chose to remove it. It easily survived through showers and dish washing which was my primary concern with a water based glue...

Is it safe?
Craft glue is safe and non-toxic. Children for generations have used this in schools, some I'm sure have even eaten it (although I would not recommend that). I will venture to say it is much safer than soaking your nails in acetone to remove glitter...

Really brings back childhood memories of putting glue on my hand and letting it dry just to peel it off later...

Have you tried this technique? Let me know what you think of this or if you have any questions! :)

UPDATE: Gina of Soguesswhat11 did a fantastic test wear video of this technique. Take a look to see how it holds up to days of wear compared to a regular base coat and even basecoat under glue!

Thanks for looking!
Anutka :)

Mermaid Scales...

I often draw inspiration from the name of the polish so it is only natural that Nicole by OPI Mer-Maid For Each Other inspired a mermaid tail manicure. With a bit of stamping and a dash of glitter this is exactly what I envision a mermaid tail to look like. Now if only I could find one to confirm.... ;)

Plucked Chicken!

So the title might be a somewhat misleading... I did not actually pluck or otherwise harm any chickens! Just thought it would make for a funny title. My brother and his family got five baby chicks this past spring. They have been growing and shedding some pretty feathers. I happened to be at their house a few weeks ago and picked up a few feathers outside the pen that I thought where pretty. This is a manicure I've wanted to make for quite a while, although honestly I always assumed it would be with store bought feathers. This just made it more fun...

Shimmer Polish: Melissa, Jennifer, Stephanie, Tracy and Jenny...

Just as promised, I have more Shimmer polish pretties for you today. These are all created by the sweet and super talented Cindy. In case you missed yesterday's post, make sure to check it out here to see more Shimmer polishes. These are gorgeous, incredibly sparkly and all very unique. I'm already dreaming of the glitter jelly sandwiches and the gradient tips manicures I'll be trying with these, but for now take a look at the swatches...

Shimmer Polish: Jasmine, Liana, Tammy, Linna and Vanessa...

I'm so excited today to show you some gorgeous glitter bomb creations by Cindy of Shimmer Polish. These polishes are all so unique and each one is an incredible mix of different color glitters that somehow work perfectly together. I honestly have not been this excited about glitter in a long time. That might be why I went a little crazy with photos, but I hope you don't mind...

OPI Germany Collection for Fall 2012: Part 2

As promised, I have for you today swatches of the second half of the OPI Germany Collection for Fall. You can see the first part of the collection here. This half gives us more gorgeous creams and shimmers making the game of favorites nearly impossible...