Glitter Me Monday: Models Own-Valerian

Hello loves!

So I decided to go a little more daring with my nails today and see if anyone at work minds or even notices! This gorgeous polish is from the Models Own Velvet Goth collection, which I have adored from afar since they first came out and I started seeing swatches of them. I'd heard mixed reviews so I'd never managed to justify dropping £20 on the set but luckily as it turned out I didn't have to! I got all of these in a couple of swaps over the last few months-swapping polishes is my new favourite thing...after buying them of course!
The goths are all absolutely stunning matte glittery polishes in different coloured bases-although I personally think they come alive with a lick of topcoat.

I used Valerian and on my accents (we're working up to a whole hand of nail art at work lol) I did a layer of Maybelline-Winner Takes It All and did a fun wavy design using some of my french tip guides from Ebay.

In these photos Valerian looks really sheer but I cannot see this in real life at all-and I've spent a lot of time peering at my nails today to make sure. I guess it's just my camera.

I really like this glitter! It's super pretty and sparkly, and the good news is no-one has noticed at work at all. Baby steps, haha!

Right, I'm off to try and do the bazillion other things I need to do tonight, working full time is HARD WORK.

~Nail Art Novice~

A-Z Challenge: Dark

Hello lovelies!

Only a day late with these! I'm really struggling balancing work with my home life. I'm sure it's something I might get used to in time but for now I am just wiped out when I get in and doing anything is too hard!

For my 'Dark' nails I did a green and black gradient. It was originally going to be purple and black but somehow that idea changed to green and I can't complain too much haha!

Polishes used: Revlon-Black Star, Rimmel-Mermaid Green and Camouflage. All gorgeous shimmery colours!

I really like these, they're my colours! They feel a bit witchy to me.

I'll add all the inlinkz later when I get back from work (still not used to saying that) but I just wanted to get them up for now.

Happy Friday folks!

~Nail Art Novice~

Sparkly Zig Zags

As I said in my last post, I am starting a new job tomorrow (aah!) and I don't yet know what the rules will be regarding nails so for the first couple of weeks I'm going to go with toned down nails which will be weird! Because of this I decided that I would do one last ridiculously colourful/sparkly mani before I go for something much more work appropriate later this evening.

I started with a base of Dark Metal Lacquer-Flashy Sparklies which is an amazing gold holo glitter polish that just looks fabulous. I used some zigzag vinyls from VyNails and then added bright colours on top using Barry M-Satsuma, Blue Grape, Kiwi, Passionfruit, Key Lime, Sinful Colors-Amethyst, Dream On and Sally Hansen-Brisk Blue, Sonic Bloom, Man-go Team! 

Bright and cheerful! I figured I'm probably not going to be able to wear most of these colours at work so I'd give them a final showing before they go into semi retirement for the time being. Also that base polish is just gorgeous, I love the way that it sparkles!

Wish me luck for tomorrow lovelies!

~Nail Art Novice~

A-Z Challenge-Copy Cat

Hello lovelies!

I apologise for my absence this past week, life got  a bit hectic and I just didn't find the time to post! I also have big news, but I'll tell you more later on that subject.

This week's A2Z challenge prompt is 'Copy Cat' and I chose to copy the pattern from my graduation dress because it's a bit different and interesting:

I used the blobbicure method, and I have to give some credit to Starfish Nails for reminding me of this techniques existence with her bold mani last week. I started with a base of W7-Black which is currently the consistency of glue and is a pain to work with. I need a new black! Whilst my second coat was still wet, I blobbed on Barry M-Spring Green and Maybelline-Bare It All and then added black dots in the centres of some of the blobs with the W7.

These were really fun to do-watching the polish spread out over the nails was fun. I think I matched my dress pretty well too, which is what I wanted! As ever make sure you check out the hub page/inlinkz for all the other awesome designs.

OK so my big news is that I got my very first full time job, starting on Monday!!! I'm excited and terrified all at once, and I don't quite know what this means for my nails. Hopefully, as I won't be interacting with any customers face to face it won't be too restrictive, but for the next few weeks I might keep it low key just in case. *Sadly puts holo polishes away*. I will certainly try to keep up with the challenge, especially as the next two prompts are easy to make work appropriate, but I shall have to see how it goes. Wish me luck though!

~Nail Art Novice~

A-Z Challenge-Bold

Hello lovelies!

Back with the A2Z challenge again this week and the prompt is bold. I love how these non-specific prompts are really open to interpretation so that everyone comes up with something different. Two things sprang to my mind for the word 'Bold'-black and white manis and really bright colours. As I did some pretty bright colours for last week's prompt I decided to go down the black and white route, but add a hint of bright colour to make it fun.

I started with a base of Barry M-Matt White and then triple-stamped on top of it using MoYou London-Back to the 80s 03 changing up the angle that I put the stamp on and generally playing around with them. For my stamping colours I used Sally Hansen-Brisk Blue and Lightening and Barry M-Satsuma.
This is how they looked at this stage (pre clean up) and I think it's a kinda cool effect!

I'm definitely going to have to do this again someday cos I like how it looks a bit mad and random.

Over the top of that I did some vertical stripes with striping tape and W7-Black.

What do you reckon? I think they're pretty bold and I love the flashes of colour underneath the stripes, plus they were really fun to do-not having to think about where you're placing your stamps is liberating!

That's all from me as I have to head out five minutes ago, but make sure you check out all the other Bold manis in the inlinkz and on the A2Z hubpage here.

~Nail Art Novice~

Glitter Me Monday-Firey Chevrons

Hello loves, happy Monday!

It's nearly bonfire night in the UK (one of my favourite nights of the year!) and I decided it was the perfect time for me to use these polishes together-the names and colours are really appropriate!

On the left is Tara's Talons-Bonfire and on the right is Dollish Polish-I Volunteer As Tribute (although personally I think this one should be called Girl On Fire, because it's just exactly how I imagine Katniss' dress in the second book. I realise if you've never read The Hunger Games that will mean nothing to you...). Both of these are full of firey glitters and I thought they really needed to be paired up.

I've done a chevron mani over a base of Barry M-Coconut (I really need to get a back up bottle of that bad boy!) using some guides I got from ebay ages ago.

What do you think? I think they're perfect for bonfire night and I'm looking forward to seeing all the fireworks on Wednesday!

~Nail Art Novice~

You can get Dollish Pollish here and Tara's Talons polishes here and you can currently get 30% off Tara's with the code 'Halloween' at the checkout!