Tag: Freehand

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Black Diamond Studded Nails 🖤 (Makes my Emo heart happy)

Hello darlings, & happy Monday. I hope everyone had a lovely weekend, no matter what you found yourself doing. My weekend was mostly spent working, but I find the weekend rush fun.

Today I’m sharing a really fun manicure, featuring yesterday’s Swatch Sunday pick & a whole lot of black rhinestones! While swatching Dark Dahlia, I was trying to figure out a fun (but different manicure) & I stumbled across a small bag of black diamonds that I’ve never used. One thing led to another, & suddenly I was carefully placing each stud on my nail.

& I am obsessed. Actually, obsessed is an understatement! I literally want to recreate this design using every colour of the rainbow.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Strengthner
  • Top Coat: Sinful Colors Power Paint Top Coat + Essie Speed Setter
  • The Creme Shop Calcium & Protein Clear Polish (from the Hollywood Nail Art Kit)
  • CND Vinylux Dark Dahlia
  • Black Diamond Studs
  • Diamond Art grabber pen

It has been a long time since I pulled out my nail studs, & played with them. I’m not even sure why I don’t play with them more often, minus the fact I’m always worried about one popping off. Thankfully, these were nails to rock around home & not at work because I feel like they’re not the most practical…. but damn they look so cool.

Like really cool. You have no idea how bad ass I felt wearing these.

Were they a little more complicated & time consuming to do? Yes. Would I 100% do them again. Also yes.I also think the almost-black of Dark Dahlia paired with the black of the studs made the studs look better. I was kind of worried it was just going to look weird & lumpy, but it didn’t. Instead, it really did look like black diamonds on my nails.

& as an elder Emo who spent her formative years listening to Taking Back Sunday, Brand New & the Ataris while wearing exclusively black nails…. these scratch a little Emo itch that regular black nails could never.

So, what do you think about this rock star worthy manicure? Do you love it as much as I do? Let me know all your thoughts down in the comments below, & what polish & stud combo you would want to try!

Happy Monday My Loves!

❤︎

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Vivid Stained Glass Accent Nails 💎

Hello lovelies & happy Thursday! I hope everyone has had a peaceful week so far. I know we’ve had some super sad celebrity deaths this week (RIP Dolly & Tim Curry). This year has just been brutal when it comes to icons of my childhood.

But I’m not here for sad vibes, & I’m always hoping to perk up someone’s day with some pretty nails so let’s get into it! I’ve really been trying to do some new things lately… or old things I haven’t done in a hot minute. Stained glass nails are definitely in the latter category, & I’m excited to share my latest version because I feel like these are the closest to real, true stained glass.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Strengthner
  • Top Coat: Sinful Colors Power Paint Top Coat + Essie Speed Setter
  • OPI Black Cherry Chutney
  • OPI Cyber Cherry On Top
  • OPI Y2Slay
  • OPI My Gecko Does Tricks
  • Essie Ballet Slippers
  • Sally Hansen InstaDri Ghouls Night Out
  • NailStuff.ca 11mm Mermaid Tail Liner Brush

I really love these metallic shimmer nail polishes give the effect of glass, like in a stained glass window. After I started, I realized I should have tried to do some kind of design like a heart, or a flower, but I guess I’ll have to say that for next time.

But these colours look so, so beautiful together. They’re bright & colourful, which plays off well with the darkness of OPI Black Cherry Chutney. A fun look to wear at this end of Summer season. Also staring at these made me excited for more nail art looks to come — especially as we enter my favourite time of the year — the ‘Ber months! It’s the best time of year for fun nail art looks, so I’m already saving a million ideas to give a try.

What do you think about my stained glass nails? Would you look at these & know exactly what the inspiration was? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below, & what nail art trend or design you’re excited to try for Fall (I’m definitely pumped to do anything pumpkin themed. They’re one of my favourite things to paint!)

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70s Groovy Autumn Vibes 🍂✨

Hello lovelies & happy Monday. It is rainy, & gloomy, & humid outside, & I’m really not enjoying it. It has me dreaming of better days — aka, Autumn. I did my best, I tried my hardest, but honestly… I just love Fall. I love everything about Fall, & I can’t wait for it to be here! I want knee high boots, tights, & plaid skirts, okay?

So I felt like some fun Autumn-esque toned nails were exactly what I needed.

I also had a horrendous break on my middle finger while opening a bin of coffee beans at work, so a bit snip was in order. But just because my nails are super duper short, doesn’t mean they can’t be cute!

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Strengthner
  • Top Coat: Sinful Colors Power Paint Top Coat + Essie Speed Setter
  • Essie Bare With Me
  • Essie Home After 8
  • Essie Frilly Lillies
  • Essie Cliffhanger
  • Essie Willow in the Wind
  • NailStuff 11mm Mermaid Tail Liner Brush

I love this colour combination together too. I picked out my colours before I knew what kind of design I was going to do, but it came together so fun! The colours work together so beautifully, & it is giving both 70s wallpaper vibes, & early Autumn.

My only gripe is a I wish I had mixed up my swirls & my flowers better so they alternated, but it’s such a small thing it doesn’t take away from how fun these look.

What do you think of this Autumn inspired look, featuring my brand new super shorties? Personally I’m really happy with how these turned out — & especially the colour combination. It’s giving just enough Fall vibes to keep this girl going until she gets her hands on her very first PSL.

Happy Tuesday!

♥︎

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Lavender & Gold Romantic Celestial Nails ✨🌙

Hello lovelies & happy Friday! The weekend is upon us… unless of course, you’re like me, & working the entire weekend.

Today though, I’m excited because I feel like I created one of the prettiest nail designs I’ve done in absolute ages. Soft, & romantic… I’m kind of (very) in love. I also feel like this is kind of a different look for me, but the vibe reminds me a bit of a pair of press on nails I tried out a few years ago that I loved.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Strengthner
  • Top Coat: Sinful Colors Power Paint Top Coat + Essie Speed Setter
  • Joe Fresh Gel Look Mauve-ulous
  • Revlon Daydreamer
  • Joe Fresh Gold Rush
  • Essie Get Your Groove On
  • Icing store nail stickers — the stars
  • NailStuff Mermaid Tail Brush — 7mm liner brush

I feel like I perfectly colour matched these nail stickers from Icing I’ve had in my stash for a good… 7 years, to the freehand lines & crescent moon I pained. They look so good together! I was also going to try & add some rhinestones to this look, but it was getting late, & I was so scared of messing up what I had already painted, so I kept them as it.

But aren’t they giving a fun celestial vibe? I was inspired by a few manicures I saw on Pinterest, & these stickers as well. So much so, that when I was at Dollarama, & saw a nail sticker kit with similar stickers, I had to buy it. I’m already planning on a similar vibe, with a mix of dark & light purples, closer to Halloween.

So what do you think of this celestial nail design? Do you just love the pattern & colour combo. I’m kind of obsessed with the shift on Revlon Daydreamer. It is absolutely dreamy.

Let me know what you think about this look, & let me know what kind of nail vibe you’d like to see in the future.

☼ ☽

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Nude & Gold Herringbone Nails

Hello lovelies & happy Tuesday! I hope everyone is having the best start to their week.

The weather has made a serious shift, from hot humid & sunny to rainy & wet. But the temperatures are coming down, & I can feel the pumpkin spice lattes calling. Seriously, I may just have to start my shift off at work tomorrow with one!

But I’m trying my hardest not to go full Autumn vibes on my nails, & I think this look is another good transitional design. We’re not dark & moody, but the nude & gold combo is definitely giving end of the Summer feelings. I feel like it’s been literal years since I last created a herringbone design like this, so I definitely felt rusty, but the final result turned out beautifully.

The polishes I used for this manicure are: 

  • Base Coat: Essie Hard To Resist Strengthner
  • Top Coat: Sinful Colors Power Paint Top Coat + Essie Speed Setter
  • Essie Gel Couture Princess Charming
  • Essie Leggy Legend
  • Art Club Striper in Black
  • Small dotting tool

Were my lines the easiest to draw? Absolutely not. Am I super proud of how they look? Absolutely. These felt so chic to wear, & I truly forgot how much I adore a herringbone pattern nail art look.

What do you think of this nail art look? Do you enjoy simple but striking nail art designs like this? Let me know all your thoughts in the comments below, & any other nail art designs you’d like to see me create!

Happy Tuesday!

♥︎