My first braided mani!

I've seen so many amazing braided manis around lately, I finally decided it was time for me to tackle this design! I expected it to be complicated, but it's really as easy as it looks - the hardest part for me was trying to keep the "overlapping"area centred (failed on that one). Not unlike a fishtail braid, it also took quite a while to do. I knew I wanted to do thinner stripes, just to see what it would look like, but I had no idea that it would take me much longer than in the video tutorials.  

31 Day Challenge, Day 21: Inspired by a Color

I'm a little later than usual to the party today, but there was no way I was going to get this post up last night. I'm sorry! I have to learn to manage my time better, I just started a new job and my schedule is all over the place.. but enough of the excuses! Here is my "inspired by a color" mani.

I wasn't sure where to go from this theme, so I just picked a polish I love and and did the first thing that it inspired me to. You see three thin coats of the perfect Essie Turquoise & Caicos here, stamped with BM-319 and Orly Glitz, and then mattified with Essie Matte About You.

When I bought this color, the first thing I thought was that it needs some gold with it. Then I had it and did basically everything except my initial idea :D So I figured now was finally the time to execute. I wiggled the stamp a little bit, to add some movement to the lines, my pointer finger is my favorite this time. I think the delicate gold lines look like they're moving in the wind or water. 

I really love how this mani came out, I think it looks pretty calm while still interesting. What do you think of my wiggly stamps? Thank you for stopping by!

31 Day Challenge, Day 19: Galaxy Nails

We've reached Galaxy Nails day! I have a weird mix of pictures for you, because it was cloudy from sunrise to sunset. I took some pictures under the halogen lamps of our vanity, and others with my desk lamp. Above you see how warm the light in out bathroom looks :D 

I really had fun doing these nails, although what you see here is my third attempt. The ones before ended up too sheer and too glittery, but I'm really happy with this one. My favorite is the spiral on my middle finger! 

For this mani, I started with a base of Jordana Black Charm and then put Catrice Return Of The Space Cowboys on top of it. Return Of The Space Cowboys is one of their Million Styles Effect Topcoats, it has a very fine multichrome shimmer that shifts to green, blue or purple.

For the actual galaxies, I sponged first with Maybelline French White and then with Maybelline Fireball on my thumb, middle finger and pinky. For the pointer and ring finger I used a metallic blue polish that's so old, the label has completely worn off. It's likely some random drugstore brand. 

To define the galaxies a little bit more, I sponged Catrice Blue My Mind! along the edges. 

The "stars" are two dollar store polishes, that have very sparse but partially holographic glitter. One has only small silver & holo glitter, the other has small silver & purple glitter along with holo hex glitters.

This mani sparkled like crazy, and I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't get to take pictures in the sun. I loved doing galaxy nails, though, so maybe you'll see a part two when the weather report gets better :) 

I can't believe two thirds of the challenge are almost over! I'm really looking forward to the galaxy nails of the other bloggers, I have a feeling this is one of those challenges where every mani is going to look really different! Thank you for stopping by!

31 Day Challenge, Day 8: Metallic

Welcome to day 8 of the 31 Day Challenge, metallic nails! I got my first Orly polish recently, and I'm completely in love! You might have already seen it in my day 6 post, but this is ther first time I actually used it as a base. 

This is two coats of Orly Glitz, stamped with Essence matte black stamping polish and BM-323.  On my pointer I'm wearing 2 coats Jordana Black Charm. I love how sparkly and warm the gold is, you get perfect coverage with 2 coats and it's not gloopy or streaky. When I first applied it, I thought this would show every little brushstroke, but once it dried down, they mostly disappeared. This polish is a win all around! 

The black nail is supposed to break up the pattern a little, because I found out that there is such a thing as too much gold for me :D I've completely fallen in love with Orly (their bottles are huge!), but they're a little hard to get here. I'm really lucky I got this one, though! 

PS: Please excuse my especially shameful looking cuticles here, I've been trying a new cream and somehow it left then even drier than before? So, the hunt for a good, affordable cuticle moisturizer continues!