Neon Ombre

Just another Ombre Mani with Neon colors.
China Glaze: Sun Worshipper, Celtic Sun, Pool Party

Last gasp of summer, and it's neon mani's ahoy.
See my tutorial below for the Ombre Nails if you need help.

Happy Manicuring!
-LadyJ

Crackle Nail Art

Crackle Nails!
This is probably one of the easiest ways to create nail art. It's great if you're short on time and just want to get a quick mani done.

You will need: A base color, a crackle color of your choice.
Colors used: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear - Lacey Lilac, Pure Ice Crackle - All Shooked Up (available at walgreens)

1.) Prep Nails (remove polish, file, apply base coat etc)
2.) Apply 2 coats of your base color. (Sally Hansen's brand can be thick, I only needed one coat but apply what you need)
3.) Let your nails dry (5 minutes at least)
4.) Apply ONE (and only one) coat of the crackle polish on top. (More than one, and you won't be able to see the cracked design)
5.) Finish with top coat for shine.

Have fun experimenting with different color combinations. My ring finger nail had broken, and I had to file it down, so that's why it looks a tad bit short.

Happy Manicuring!
LadyJ

Striped Tips

Easy Striped Tips!
For those who don't have a steady hand, this is a perfect way to get a fabulous straight tip line.

You will need: 2 colors of your choice, regular desk transparent tape

1.) Prep Nails (remove old polish, file, etc.)
2.) Apply clear base coat. (optional)
3.) Put on two coats of your base color.
4.) Let dry completely! (If you don't, the tape will peel off all of your nail polish)
5.) Tape off as much of the nail you want under your tips.
6.) Paint second color onto tips.
7.) Carefully peel off the tape once the tips are semi-dry.
8.) Apply top coat for shine. (optional)

Feel free to experiment in different tape patterns and colors. The possibilities are endless! :)

Happy Manicuring,
LadyJ

Independence Day Nails!

Happy Independence Day!
4th of July is a few days away, and it is a perfect excuse to decorate your nails in a patriotic fashion!

Colors Used: Wet N' Wild - Red Red, Pure Ice - Flash Crackle, Sally's Beauty Supply 99 cent white polish, China Glaze - Splish Splash, Wet N' Wild - Kaleidoscope (Glitter)

What you will need: A Red, White and Blue Color, White Crackle Nail Polish, Glitter Polish Salon Express Nail Stamping kit (optional), Top/Base Coat.

1.) Prep Nails (Remove old polish, file, apply base coat)
2.) Apply Base Colors, Blue on thumbs, red on others.
3.) Let dry
4.) Put one one thin layer of white crackle to your red painted nails.
5.) Let dry
6.) If using the Salon Express Stamping kit, use the plate with the whole nail of stars. Follow directions, and apply stamp onto Nail. (Can be substituted for hand painted stars, or even nail/plain star stickers)
7.) Put a coat of glitter over each nail
8.) Finish with a top coat!

And there you have it! Stay cool, and enjoy your BBQ's, parades and patriotic nails!

Happy Manicuring,
LadyJ

Ombre 2.0 (Glitter)

Ombre 2.0 (Glittery!)

This is similar to the traditional Ombre, except it has glitter!

Color used:
Sinful Colors - Daddy's Girl
China Glaze - Grape Juice

You will Need: A couple of makeup sponges, a piece of paper, 2 similar colors of your choice (one with glitter for your tips!) and a top coat.

1.) Prep Nails (remove polish, file, buffer, apply base coat, etc.)
2.) Apply 2 coats of you bottom color. In this picture, I used Sinful Color's Daddy's Girl. (It is a deep purple, with a bit of sparkle)
3.) Let dry (5-10 minutes at least)
4.) Sponge on your tip color. In this picture, I used China Glaze - Grape Juice. Sponge from the middle of the nail towards the tip.
5.) Apply top coat after sponging on the color for each nail BEFORE you move on the the next nail. (This lets the colors blend nicely)

Tips: I like to use Orly's Nail Defense as a base and top coat. It keeps nails from chipping, and works as a wonderful glossy top coat. I absolutely fell in love with the Ombre technique because of the many combinations of colors you can create.

Happy Manicuring!
LadyJ

Ombre Nails

Ombre Nails!
This one is fun and is easy to do! To begin, I would start with two colors. But for those who are more ambitious, the amount of colors and combinations are endless!

Colors Used: Sally Hansen Scented Nail polish! Banana, Orange and Cherry... My nails smelled delicious after this manicure!! :)

You Will Need: some makeup sponges, a top coat (or clear coat, either is fine), a piece of paper, and a few different colors of your choice.

1.) Start with first color, in this case, banana yellow! Paint on 1-2 coats (depending on your nails)
2.) Have your two remaining colors ready (with the caps undone so you can get your colors on quickly), as well as your top coat. You're going to have to work at a brisk pace to get the colors to blend the way you want them.
3.) Put a few drops (1-3) of the next color (here orange and then red) on a piece of paper and get it on the the sponge, or directly put the nail polish on the make-up sponge. (A little nail polish goes a long way)
4.) Sponge from the middle of the nail all the way to the tip, make sure you sponge enough on to where you can see the definite change in color. Depending on how much of a gradient (or fade) of color you want, sponge polish on the nails as much or as little as you wish. For the last color, use the middle of the second color to start sponging the color onto your tips.
5.) Once you finish your nail, put a layer (or two) of top coat over it to blend the colors together. You must do this one nail at a time, because you don't want your colors to dry out all bumpy!
6.) Repeat steps 3 - 5 until all nails are done.

And there you go!

Tips: Everyone has their own method of doing Ombre nails, this is just an idea as to how to go about doing it, as it was successful for me! I prefer to have a piece of paper to pick up the different colors so I have more control as to how much color I have on the sponge. Don't forget to put a topcoat over your nail BEFORE you move on to the next one to ensure the colors blend. The separation between each color that I did is pretty definite, but you can also create a different effect in spreading out the colors and the fading a bit more. I also suggest finding out what colors look good together by trying them out on paper.

Here is another example with two different shades of green and blue sparkles for the top that I did for a friend:

Have fun trying different combinations of colors and such!

Happy Manicuring!
LadyJ

Striped Tips

Striped Tips


Colors used: China Glaze Sun Worshipper (Orange), China Glaze Rose Among Thorns (Pinkish Red), Stripe Rite in Black, 


1.) Prep Nails (remove previous nail polish, file, buffer, etc..)
2.) Apply Base Coat (Optional - Some prefer not to use one)
3.) Apply 2 - 3 coats of China Glaze (Sun Worshipper)
4.) Let Dry! (This is important, to avoid smudging)
5.) Using a steady hand (or tape if you don't have a steady hand), paint your tips using China Glaze (Rose Among Thorns) 
6.) Let Dry! (10 minutes at least)
7.) Using Stripe Rite, paint a line between Orange and Pink 
8.) Draw vertical stripes with Stripe Rite (or any way you want it to look)
9.) On pinky nail, Add a stripe of purple if desired. 
10.) Finish with a Top Coat for Shine


And there you have it! I like the bright colors that China Glaze has, since they can work so well in many different designs. I decided to change up the pinky nail just for fun, 


Tips: For best results, let every color dry, even though the wait is tedious, you won't have to worry about smudging your nails. If you're in a bit of a rush, take a pea size amount of hand sanitizer, rub into hands, and lightly brush your hands over your nails. All nail polishes act differently, some need 2 coats, some need 3 depending on how thick your nail polish is. When using tape for tips, I suggest letting the 1st color dry completely, to avoid pulling the polish off with your tape. Don't give up if the pattern isn't exactly what you expected, nail art takes practice and lots of trial and error. Nail art should be unique, feel free to experiment with different colors, brands and patterns. 


Happy Manicuring!
LadyJ