Friday Triad: Inspired by @ladamenails

It's that time of the month again for a Triad post. This month's inspiration was chosen by Joyce, that was done by @ladamenails

I liked the combination of the two sets of animal print with the foil. So I decided to do the same. Let me show you.

I started with two coats of Ulta3 black satin on my thumb and pinky. On the rest of my nails I have two coats of Hean 402. I then stamped the same image from Lina Get Wild! 1 on my index and ring finger, on my middle finger another, with Nicole Diary black.

I then stamped a line from Lina Feeling Shapely 1 with ND black on my index and ring finger. It's the easiest way to make sure I had a straight line. I "coloured" in one side of my nail with black satin and top coated.

Once it was dry (read 20 odd mins later) I painted on some foil glue over the black portion and once that was dry, stuck the foil to it. I used a water based top coat on my nails with the foil, After that a coat of Seche. I don't think I quite waited long enough as the foil still shrunk, but I think it looks pretty cool.

What do you think? Don't forget to check what Joyce and Michelle did. I did enjoy this manicure.

As I'm sure you noticed I haven't posted in a while. And it's not because I'm behind, okay, maybe it is a little. It's more because I'm not able to do my nails as often as I want. And I haven't had much inspiration lately in any way. Maybe when things are back to normal, I will start posting again.

Thanks for reading!!

Friday Triad (on a Sunday): Inspired by @kt_tk1

So two days ago it was time for our Triad post, but due to my work scheduling changing, working multiple public holidays and three weekends in a row, I didn't have time for nails. I actually went naked for 3 days!! I can honestly say that was three pretty bad days. We had to do PPE training at work, how to don and doff face masks, face visors and how to properly sanitize our hands. And sanitizing my hands 4 times in a row, actually lifted my polish... That's one of the reasons I stopped wearing my engagement ring weeks ago. I don't even want to know what the over exposure to different kinds of sanitizers would do to the integrity of my ring.

Anyway, Joyce and Michelle was super understanding and allowed delaying the post by two days. It was my turn to choose our inspiration and I chose this manicure done by @kt_tk1. Let me show you what I did.

I started with two coats of Fair Maiden Polish vintage romance on my thumb and index finger. On my middle finger I have a coat of Tip Top pink lemonade. On my ring finger and pinky I have two coats of Catrice oyster and champagne.

I then stamped an image from Moyou fashionista 11 with Nicole Diary white on my middle finger. I actually like that I managed to pick up the gold in oyster and champagne. Normally it just looks slightly pink in photos.

What do you think? I kinda like how it turned out. I wish I had more time for nails... I'm actually behind with the 52weeknailchallenge and I don't mean with just posting. Normally I have time to do 3 mani's in the space of two weeks. That way I stay slightly ahead, now I only have time once maybe twice in a two week period. Which is very depressing for me. Doing my nails is essential ME time. I always feel better with a new mani.

Don't forget to check what Michelle and Joyce did with my inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by!

#52weeknailchallenge: half moon

I always feel at a bit of a loss with this prompt... And since my one is late as usual, I've seen some very pretty ones pop up on Instagram. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do for my one... But I'm not sure about how it ended up.

Let me show you what I did... I started with two coats of China Glaze flying dragon on my thumb and index finger. On my middle and ring finger I have two coats of Tip Top bare with me. On my pinky I have two coats of Hean 856 sugar.

I then stamped an image from Lina make your mark 1 with Nicole Diary NS05 at my cuticle. I then stamped another image from Lina twirls and swirls with Nicole Diary white.

What do you think? Flying dragon ended up darker than I expected, but the blue flecks in it is gorgeous. I'm also having some trouble with my pictures. I got a new phone recently and I'm not used to the camera yet... So for the next couple of posts the colour will be slightly off until I get it right. Any tips?

The next post's pictures was still done with my previous phone, so those will be normal.

Thanks for reading!!

Friday Triad: Inspired by @nail_art_by_tal

Triad time! This time it was Michelle's turn to choose our inspiration and she chose this by @nail_art_by_tal. I originally had this pinned for recreation too and I'm not sure how I feel about taking it off my list! I feel cheated... But at least I actually end up doing it. Let me show you what I did.

I started with two coats of OPI DS pewter on my ring finger and pinky. On my thumb, index and middle finger I have two coats of OPI don't touch my tutu, with a coat of OPI int'l crime caper over that.

I then stamped from Lina @shannasnailartadventures collab with Mundo de Unas light grey and then Nicole Diary black.

Top coated and then added a coat of essence matt to meet you. I feel like this polish is a dud... On my middle finger it's a proper matte polish, looks and feels matte. On my thumb I added two more coats to get the same effect as my middle finger. Which is annoying!

You can see here my thumb still looks shiny compared to my middle finger. Anyway, what do you think? I love this! I'm bummed about my right hand not being properly matte, but I can live with that. Don't forget to see what Joyce and Michelle did with our inspiration.

Today is also the first day for our country wide lock down... Since the lock down was announced two days ago, people have lost their minds. Everyone and their aunt has flocked to the shops, ignoring the whole distancing thing. I won't be surprised if there's an increase in the amount of Covid cases because of this. 

Just calm your tits and chill. You will still be able to go to the shop and get food, as there will be food. The only thing that is changing, is that you can't go when you want and with your whole household. We are trying to prevent the spread of this virus. Not encourage it!

I, however, will be at work. Among all the other essential workers. So, if you aren't essential, stay home. Get to know your family again. Spend time with them, make the most of this. Start a new hobby, do that thing that you've been putting off because you didn't have time. Read a book! Because I kinda wish I was in your shoes... At home, with my other half. But I can't.

Just. Stay. The Fuck. Home!! Do what you can to prevent the spread!

Thanks for reading!

#52weeknailchallenge: unused polish

Before I start this post I would like to say something about the Corona outbreak... I'm not going to tell you to wash your hands and cover up when you cough and sneeze, because you should KNOW to do that in any way!!! As most of you might know, I am a medical receptionist at a practice with 13 Dr's.  On an average day we see about 250 patients per day. On a busy day we have closer to 300, now imagine having to deal with over 300 people for a couple of days in a row...

In the past 2 weeks I have experienced people lying about traveling, people refusing to follow our protocols of sanitizing their hands before they enter our practice and refusing to wear face masks. Putting our whole practice and subsequently putting all of the staff members, the Dr's and our families at risk. The selfishness of people shocks me to my core. BUT I have also seen people in our community offer to do shopping and odd tasks for the immune compromised and the elderly and that gives me a tiny bit of hope for humanity.

And as exhausted as my colleagues and myself are, we still try and do the best to our abilities for our patients. So if you happen to find yourself in a medical facility and the staff look harassed and exhausted, try and take it easy on them. We are worried of being a risk to our families and we are worried for the well being of our patients. We don't need you to be assholes. Hell offer us a cup of coffee! We will love you for it. With that said, be safe and look after each other.

Now to the nails.... That's what we here for right? It was easy finding an unused polish, but doing a manicure with it is the tricky part. Let me show you what I did.

I started with three coats of ILNP funhouse on my thumb, index and middle finger. On my ring finger and pinky I have two coats of Catrice PLUMdogmillionare.

I then stamped a design from Lina @urbannailart collab plate with Nicole Diary black on my middle finger.

Easy peasy and I absolutely loved this!! Funhouse almost glowed in low light and I was constantly shifting my nails looking at the pretty.

Quick and easy nail art for a long ass post. What do you think? Both of the nail art and the outbreak? Are you also in the medical field and feeling it with me?

Thanks for reading!!

#52weeknailchallenge: beach

I had some high hopes for this prompt... And then that didn't work... So here I am with something super easy, pretty and very much open to interpretation. Because no one got it. Let me show you what I did and judge for yourself.

I started with two coats of China Glaze beaches and toes on my thumb, index and middle finger. On my ring finger and pinky I have two coats of a Pahlish mystery polish.

I then stamped an image from Lina Summer 3 with Nicole Diary white on my ring finger and pinky. And there we have waves...

Easy and pretty, well I think so. What do you think? I really like beaches and toes. I wanted to add a stamped bikini to it... but it looked like a smiley face, so I decided against it and surprisingly I didn't have foot prints in stamp form... And since my original idea didn't work out, no way I was going to freehand that shit.

Thanks for stopping by!!

#52weeknailchallenge: neon

I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do for this prompt. I knew I didn't want to do another gradient, as I did one last year for the yellow and green prompt.. And I used neon polishes for that... But then I thought screw that and did a gradient anyway.

I started with two coats Ulta3 tahiti on my thumb, on my ring finger and pinky I have two coats of Ulta3 fruit tingle. On my index and ring finger I have one coat of Hean white not worrying about opacity.

For the gradient I used Ulta3 tahiti and Ulta3 fruit tingle. It looked better blended in real life than in the pictures. It definitely didn't have a visible line. Once that was dry I added a tattoo-esque stamp from Konad Square 7 with Nicole Diary black.

What do you think? I liked it, mostly because neon polishes make me look more tanned!

Thanks for reading!

Friday Triad: Inspired by @gert_nails

It's that time of the month again. This time it was Joyce's turn to choose our inspiration and this mani done by @gert_nails was her choice. I did this mani early in the month and I nearly forgot about the post. So I either forget about it entirely and do it too late or I do it to early. Let me show you what I did.

I started with two coats of essence a hint of love on my thumb, ring finger and pinky. On my index and ring finger I have three coats of OPI don't touch my tutu.

I then stamped a square from Lina feeling shapely 9 with Nicole Diary white. The vertical and horizontal lines are from Lina feeling shapely 1 stamped with Nicole Diary black.

I then added the leaves from Lina Summer 3 and Autumn 1, also with Nicole Diary black. I had to add a matte top coat.

I used the OPI one and I do prefer it to other matte top coats. The rest doesn't have the same affect.

What do you think? I loved wearing this. It did have a valentines vibe, but that was unintentional.

Thanks for reading!!

#52weeknailchallenge: foil

I was both excited and nervous for this prompt... I have foils, but I've never used them before and they always seemed a little finicky to me. Let me show you what I did.

I started with two coats of Essence gossip girl on my thumb, index finger and pinky. On my middle and ring finger I have three coats of Hean 870.

I top coated my middle and ring finger as I was going to use the foil on them. I waited about 20 mins  and then used Nicole Diary foil glue. I tried for a brush strokey distressed look, but it didn't quite work.

On my index finger I stamped a single line with Nicole Diary black from Lina feeling shapely 1. I then used a piece of foil immediately after wiping some alcohol on the back of the foil. It didn't transfer as nicely as I wanted it to, but at least its there.

What do you think? I'm not sure how I feel about it... Some of it I like more than others, but overall I feel a little meh about it.

Thanks for reading!!

#52weeknailchallenge: hearts

I'm glad that we don't have a valentine's day prompt for this year, but I'm not too happy about this one either. I generally have all these ideas I want to use, but I can't seem to pull it together. And that frustrates me. But let me show you what I did.

I started with two coats of Starrily gamma ray on my thumb and index finger. On my middle and ring finger I have two coats of China Glaze let's chalk about it. And lastly, on my pinky I have two coats of Hean 852 sugar.

I then stamped some hearts from Lina @shannasnailadventures colab with BPS gold polish and Nicole Diary NS05.

Top coated and that's that. I do like how this turned out. I feel like it's missing something though, but I didn't want to mess with it.

What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by!

Friday Triad: Inspired by @manicure.d

Time for the monthly Triad post. This month it was my turn to choose the inspiration, so I went with this mani by @manicure.d. I just loved the look of the metallic with the marble. I know some people (eyes Joyce) was a little daunted by the fact that actual watermarbling was involved in achieving the look. Let me show you what I did.

I started with two coats of China Glaze swatch out! on my ring finger. On my thumb, index, middle finger and pinky I started with a coat of Tip Top perfect look. I then stamped an image from Lina @tanya_wish collab with Nicole Diary black.

I added another coat of perfect look. Once that was dry I stamped another marble looking image from Lina make your mark 8 with Mundo de Unas light grey. I then added another stamp from Lina @kombucha_witch collab with BPS gold.

I top coated and waited for it to dry as I was going to use vinyls. I used half moon vinyls from TwinkledT and painted a coat of swatch out! in the area between the vinyl and my cuticle, removing the vinyl immediately.

So I really enjoyed this. I was considering adding another layer to it, but decided against it. I like how the black is darker in some areas. What do you think? Don't forget to head on over to Michelle and Joyce and see what they did. I'm not even going to hazard any guesses as to what they may have done. They've been surprising me lately.

Thanks for reading!

Catch up on #52weeknailchallenge

I've been terrible with posting the challenge posts as the weeks just seem to get away from me, all the time. Since I'm late already with the new year's challenges, I decided to post the remaining ones from last year all together and hopefully this year will be better... But with planning the wedding I might not.

Let's start... First up: Mermaid

Polishes used:

Hean sugar 856 pink

Hean 401 

Hean 408

Sinful Colors green ocean 

The rest is decals.

Summer

Polishes used:

Pahlish Scamander

China Glaze let's chalk about it

The rest is decals.

Nude

Polishes used:

China Glaze beaches and toes

China Glaze meet me in the mirage

Stamping plates:

Lina feeling shapely 1

Lina feeling shapely 9

Lina @tanya_wish collab

Stamping polishes:

Nicole Diary white

Nicole Diary black 

Konad 17

Black and white

Polishes used:

China Glaze bump in the night

Hean black

Hean 401

The rest is decals.

Christmas

Polishes used:

Pahlish Godric

Pahlish Salazar

Hean 401

Stamping plate:

Lina can't wait for Xmas! 2

Stamping polishes:

Mundo de Unas caramel

Moyou fresh basil

New Year

Polishes used:

Tip Top sparkle queen

Hean sugar 852 gold

Vinyls: 

Numb3r5 from @becauseishop

And that's it. All the ones I missed from this year. They are all up on Instagram already. Now to get to work on this year's ones.

Thanks for reading!