30 Mani Marathon - Manicure 4: Green Nails

The 4th task in the 30 Mani Marathon is Green Nails.

To represent Green Nails, I chose to create Melty Chocolate Mint Chip Waffle Cones! I began with a base coat, two coats of a chocolate brown Color Club that isn't labeled, and a coat of Dreams Nail Lacquer top coat. I used China Glaze Below Deck, and Bundle Monster plate BM-315 to create the waffle cone design. I topped that with a layer of Hard Candy Matte top coat to give the 'cones' a dull look that would contrast with the 'ice cream' drips.

Next, I used a large size dotting tool and China Glaze Re-fresh Mint to create the mint green drips, and added a thin layer of Dreams top coat to the mint green only. Then, I used a flat nail art brush to dab small amounts of Lush Lacquer Salt n Peppa over the green to create the 'chips' or 'sprinkles'. Finally, I added a layer of Gelous Advanced Gel top coat to the green drips only.

Click here for all the 30 Mani Marathon details, list of tasks, and timeline.

The Limelight Can't Be Tamed

Today's manicure began with two coats of Bondi New York The Limelight. I then painted small amounts of Orly Can't Be Tamed onto a piece of cosmetic wedge sponge, and carefully dabbed that to the tips of my nails to create the glitter gradient. I added two coats of Gelous gel top coat to smooth out the glitter and let that dry overnight. The next day, I sealed the manicure with a coat of Seche Vite top coat.

Products Used 

One coat Dreams Nail Lacquer 2-in-1 Base and Top Coat

Two coats Bondi New York The Limelight

Glitter Tips of Orly Can't Be Tamed

Two coats Gelous Advanced Gel Top Coat

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Strawberry Patch

Today's manicure began with base coat, two coats of Bondi New York Strawberry Fields, and a top coat.

(Strawberry Fields, Limelight, Brick Road)

Then I added strawberry stamps using Konad special white stamping polish, and Shany stamping plate SH19.

Next, I used a dotting tool to add Bondi New York Limelight to the tops of the berries, and Bondi New York Brick Road to the seeds in the middle.

When the green and yellow polish was dry, I added a top coat to seal and protect the manicure.

Products Used

One coat Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat

Two coats Bondi New York Strawberry Fields

One coat Diamond Dry Top Coat Brilliance

Shany Stamping Plate SH19

Konad White Special Stamping Polish

Small Dotting Tool, Bondi New York Limelight, Bondi New York Brick Road

One coat Diamond Dry Top Coat Brilliance

Color Club - Holiday Splendor

Today I am wearing Color Club Holiday Splendor.

Products Used:

One coat Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat

One coat Color Club Holiday Splendor

One coat Gelous Advanced Gel Top Coat

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Square Hue - July 2013

Square Hue is a monthly nail polish subscription that sends you three of their own, full sized nail polishes each month. They release the name of each month's collection during the previous month, but don't give any other spoilers or sneak peeks, leaving the colors a total surprise when you receive your box! The cost is $21.99 per month, but right now they are running a special limited time offer price of $14.99 for your first box.

The theme for July was 'The Salute Collection: Nail Polish For Freedom'.

The colors are: (above from left to right) Valor, patriot, and Honor

Square Hue Website

Tumble Weeds

Today I am wearing a polish I received in one of my June Birchboxes, Color Club London Calling.

I began with a base coat, added two coats of London calling, and then a layer of top coat. I then used Bundle Monster stamping plate BM-312 and Konad black stamping polish to create the grass-like design.

After giving the stamps a few minutes to dry, I finished with another layer of top coat to seal the design and protect the stamp.

Products Used:

One coat Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat

Two coats Color Club London Calling

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Bundle Monster Stamping Plate BM-312

Konad Black Special Stamping Polish

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Diamond Studded

Today's manicure begins with a gradient of Sinful Shine My Kryptonite and Sinful Shine In The Limelight.

These are the steps I use to create a gradient. *Normally, I will paint one coat of the lightest color that the gradient will contain as a base color for the gradient polishes to grab on to (or a coat of white for a neon gradient). This time, however, I forgot to start with a base color, doh!, and just started with plain base coat.* Using the back of a metal stamping plate for a palette, I placed some Kryptonite and some In The Limelight next to each other. Taking a small piece of cosmetic wedge sponge (very lightly dampened with water and squeezed out), I dipped the sponge into both colors at once, and lightly dabbed it onto the nail keeping the lighter color toward the tips, and darker color toward the cuticle. Since I forgot the base color, the polishes didn't want to *grab*, and I had to repeat the dabbing 3 or 4 times for each nail (waiting a bit between dabs to let the polish dry) to reach desired opacity. I then added a layer of Seche Vite to smooth out the gradient.

Next, I used individual holographic glitter pieces from Sinful Colors Watch It Shine, stacked against each other to create a wavy pattern down the length of the nail.

For this step, I used the 'water marbling tool' from my Bundle Monster Nail Art Kit to fish the glitters from the bottle and place them in a stacked design. This was not as tedious as I had thought it would be, it took maybe 5 minutes to complete each hand. 

The diamond glitters have lots of pointy sharp edges, so it took 3 or 4 coats of Gelous gel top coat to smooth them out completely. When applying the Gelous, I kept it concentrated to the strip of glitter, rather than covering the entire nail with each coat. When they were fully smoothed over, I finished the manicure with a layer of Seche Vite top coat.

Below is a picture of the polish and materials used for this design, minus base and top coat.

Products Used:

One coat Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat

Gradient of Sinful Shine My Kryptonite and In The Limelight

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Glitter accents from Sinful Colors Watch It Shine

Four coats Gelous Advanced Gel Top Coat (Concentrated to the strip of glitter)

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Camouflage

Today's manicure started with a base coat, two layers of China Glaze Kalahari Kiss, and a coat of Seche Vite top coat.

Using the Mash-38 stamping plate, I stamped the camo design first with Sinful Colors Exotic Green, and then again with China Glaze Below Deck, so that the two stamps offset and overlapped each other on the nail.

You could do this with any colors and it would look great. Shades of blue, pink, or purple would make a cute camo too! I followed the stamps with another coat of Seche Vite to seal the design.

Products Used:

One coat Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat

Two coats China Glaze Kalahari Kiss

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Mash-38 Stamping Plate

Stamps in Sinful Colors Exotic green and China Glaze Below Deck

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Gummys On A Wednesday

Well it was inevitable, I chipped a nail corner yesterday, so it was time for a trim and to start again with fresh, even nails. 

Today's manicure began with a base coat, followed by two coats of Zoya Wednesday. Wednesday is the perfect base color for the glitter that I applied next, one coat of Hard Candy Gummy Green.

I followed this with one coat of Gelous gel top coat to smooth out any glitter bumps, and then added a coat of Poshe top coat when the Gelous had dried.

Products Used:

One coat Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat

Two coats Zoya Wednesday

One coat Hard Candy Gummy Green

One coat Gelous Advanced Gel Top Coat

One coat Poshe Super-Fast Drying Top Coat

A England - Dragon

For fun, I challenged myself to feature the color Green in each of my manicures for the month of March. My last March manicure is a simple, yet truly beautiful one, A England Dragon.

Above is Dragon in direct sunlight, and below is with a little flash. It really is a fabulous color, indoors and out.

Products Used:

One coat Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat

Two coats A England Dragon

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Hard Candy Jubilee

Today's Green manicure features Hand Candy, Jubilee. 

As always, I began by applying a base coat and letting it dry. For the base color beneath this grassy glitter, I chose two coats of China Glaze Starboard. When Starboard was dry, I applied one very careful coat of Hard Candy Jubilee to each nail.

I'm quite glad I did some research on this glitter before using it, so that I was aware of the curling issues of the orange bar glitter. Apparently they have a tendency to stick straight up. To remedy this, after applying a careful coat to a few nails, I took the end of a tooth pick and gently dabbed the ends of the bar glitter into place. Somewhat tedious, but effective. 

I followed that with a coat of Gelous gel top coat, and then a coat of Seche Vite top coat, waiting  for each coat to dry before adding the next. The result is smooth and glossy, with no curling glitter. 

Products used:

One coat Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat

Two coats China Glaze Starboard

One coat Hard Candy Jubilee

One coat Gelous Advanced Gel Top Coat

One coat Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat

Happy St Patrick's Day/Happy Birthday Me!

Obviously, I would have liked to get this post up yesterday, but with it being St Patrick's day AND my Birthday, I had a full day of festivities! So, Happy St Patrick's Day everyone, and Happy Birthday to me! Below is the manicure I created to honor this special day.

I drew my inspiration from the colors of the Irish flag. For the orange, I reached for my untried China Glaze in Sun Worshiper. I hated this polish!!!! This is 4 coats of runny, streaky, draggy, no coverage AT ALL Sun Worshiper. I don't know what it's problem was, but it was horrible, and I'll be throwing it away shortly. Anyway, after getting it somewhat presentable after 4 coats, I topped it with some Seche Vite, and that helped to even out the mess and give it a smooth & shiny look. When that was dry, I applied some Orly Mermaid Tail glitter onto a piece of cosmetic wedge sponge, and dabbed that to the tips of my nails. I followed that with one coat of Gelous gel top coat to smooth out the glitter.

The shamrock stamps are from Bundle Monster Plate BM03, and I used Konad special white polish. After letting the stamps dry for a bit, I applied another coat of Seche Vite to seal and protect the manicure.

Products Used:

One coat Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat

Four coats China Glaze Sun Worshiper (blah)

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Orly Mermaid Tail Glitter

One coat Gelous Advanced Gel Top Coat

Bundle Monster Stamping Plate BM03

Konad White Special Stamping Polish

One coat Seche Vite Top Coat

Here's a 'bonus' picture of me, in my birthday hat and Irish nails, celebrating at the local Saint Patrick's Day Festival! 

And here's a couple of throwback pics of last year's birthday manicure, Pots of Gold :)

Princess Bevin's Breath

This manicure starts with Zoya Bevin. I decided to go with a blue/green polish for this look, to compliment the glitter that I applied on top. This is two coats of Bevin applied over a base coat, with one layer of Out The Door top coat. 

After Bevin was dry, I applied two coats of Jindie Nails 'Princess Breath'. I followed with two coats of Gelous Gel top coat to smooth out the glitter.

I will follow this up with a coat of Seche Vite in a few hours, to make everything glassy smooth and protected. I like to give Zoya polishes lots of time to dry before adding Seche Vite, as it does not mix well with Zoya, and causes the polish to shrink back from the nail.

Products used:
One coat of Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat
Two coats Zoya Bevin
One coat of Out The Door top coat
Two coats Jindie Nails Princess Breath
Two coats Gelous Gel top coat

Neon Green Color Club (Limelight?)

For my next Green manicure, I chose this Color Club that I've had for a while and had not yet tried. The color is a bright neon green, but I don't know the name. It came in a set of other bright colors from Ross. It is a vivid, neon lime green, and dries matte. If you have any idea what the name of this polish is, please let me know! :)

*Someone has mentioned that this could be Lime Light, looks pretty close to me!*

Products used:
One coat of Beauty Secrets Moisturizing Base Coat
Two coats of Neon Green Color Club polish
One coat of Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat

Zoya Gemma + CG Optical Illusion

For the month of March, I have decided to do an 'All Green' challenge. Every manicure I do this month will feature the color green in some form. 

For my first March manicure, I have chosen Zoya Gemma. Gemma has a lovely flash of blue shimmer, so to play off of that, I chose to accent it with a blue/green glitter from the China Glaze Prismatic Collection called Optical Illusion. I painted the glitter free hand, starting at the base of the nail and creating a line just below the halfway point of the nail. You could also use a piece of scotch tape to section off the part of the nail you want to paint with glitter.

Products used:
One coat of Beauty Secrets moisturizing base coat
Two coats of Zoya Gemma
As much glitter as you like, this is about 1.5 coats of Optical Illusion
One coat of Gelous Advanced Gel Top Coat to smooth out the glitter
One coat of Diamond Dry Top Coat Brilliance