Pride 2012

Nuff said really....

Off to a party later, and lets just say what I am wearing matches my nails, and not vice versa! :D

El Ombre!

I have been having a nightmare time with my thumbnails lately. Of all my fingers they are the ones with the most badly damaged nails, the nail beds themselves are soft and porous, which means the surface has to be filed, they are flattened from the years of biting, and although they are improving, the sides are still in a parlous state. This means if any nail is going to break at the quick, its usually and often, my thumbnails.
I mostly to resort to silk wrapping whilst a break grows out, which is a REAL pain when continuously changing nail polish, and have yet to find a decent nail repair kit. I am currently trying daily applications of Sally Hansen's 'Hard as wraps' (clear) but I have to say I am unimpressed thus far, nail polish chips within hours! despite heavy application of Seche Vite.

Despite current nail trials, I have a nice Ombre mani at the moment,
Layer 1: is a frankenpolish because I couldn't find a milky coffee light enough.
Layer 2: Rimmel Pro 'Beige Babe'
Layer 3: 2True shade No 38 (it's a dark brown....duh!)
Layer 4: Orly 'Chocolate Martini....a truly lovely copper foil type.

I did make one or two boobs because the 2true did not apply well with a sponge... it seems to dry REALLY fast...but i don't really mind , some things look better when they are not perfect.

Burgundy is the new Red?

According to fashion mags Burgundy is the 'in' colour for the next season, I'm down with that, as you know a deep vampy red is my favorite colour, add a touch of purple and I am in vamp heaven.

So with that in mind, and the fact that due to new job and stress over Uni placements I have been neglecting you , if not my nails, here is ....

This is a lovely dark red from Rimmel Pro called 'Celebrity bash'. Maybe not dark enough to be a true vamp, but dried blood like it is, so I say Yay!
The spiral pattern is done by hand with Amazing Shine silver nail art pen, £5 from Amazon and available in Gold and Red as well, easy to use and handy for those not confident with brushes.
Top Coat is Seche Vite...as always these days :D
In other news, my place at University of Brighton is now confirmed, so roll on September, if any of you are going there, find me and i'll do your nails for you ;).

Recovery

Its been a while. I decided to rest my nails for a week, they were getting a little flaky at the ends, and as I had had to shorten them so much it was time for a manoliday.
However it is my sisters 40th tomorrow, and that demands a nice nail job, so out came the trusty Cuter Pewter from Models Own Pro and some black nail art accents...something abstract..ish. The nails are not quite back to perfect length, but a week or so should do it.

Lilac...nope still not doing it for me.

I love Lilac as a colour....it however does not like me, clearly blue toned pinks in a light polish..or clothes..are not for me.
However, I have a job interview tomorrow so needs must and pale polish it is. Well as pale as I can stand anyway.

It also makes my cuticles look even worse than they usually are :(.
never mind, this is Models Own Lilac Dream, unlike some pales, it was opaque in one coat, and went on beautifully, it must have known I wasn't impressed with the colour on me. I do not like the way pale colours always look like the have a dark border on me, like I have missed a bit.
I am sure however that if it survives the nervous chewing tomorrow it will make a nice base for some spicing up with nail art later on.
Wish me Luck!

Chameleons BarryM

Three New BarryM's came out this month, so I used some saved points and splurged on all three today.
These lovely foils change colour when you add a clear topcoat, making it east to do some nice designs.
This one is Chameleon Pink, with a strip of Pink Silver Glitter down the middle, and one side top coated to show the changed colour. The glitter also causes the colour change and adds a nice sparkle.

 I cant wait to try out the other two, Chameleon Lilac and  Chameleon Blue. I also got a free BarryM Nail Paint for spending over £6 on BarryM products, it's called Retro red, and is gorgeous, so expect to see that soon.

The Quest for the Perfect Green...Level Complete

I have been up to London this weekend, a scary prospect for me in itself. It was a wonderful party , full of wonderful people. There were however one or two problems...well four to be exact. Repeated conflicts with my suitcase caused the death of no less than FOUR nails! Now this may seem like a disaster, but to be fair, the tips of all were getting a bit frail, so it's the perfect opportunity to file them back down to beggar all and start again, boy! typing feels odd again.
The weekend itself was only improved upon by a visit to the Grayson Perry exhibition ' The vanity of small differences' at Victoria Miro Gallery , to which my friend Suzanne selflessly took me along with some of her friends....it's a must go see, the Tapestries are wonderful, and the Pottery is....well its inspirational ;)
....and She also gave me This!

TA DA!

Yes! it's the perfect green at last, meet OPI 's Here Today Aragorn Tomorrow, as about a black a green as you can get.

Level Complete.