I'm Koo-Koo Cachoo over Summer Camp!

Hello dolls!

I have a a collaborative mani to share with you today.  I recently joined a group of beauty bloggers that focus on women of color.  I love polish on every person of every color, but it's been nice to connect with women who have the same questions/issues that I do as an ethnic blogger (especially color accuracy... can you say nightmare??).  Anywhosy, we are linking up today with a shared theme... the color orange!

 Colors Used: Color Club - Koo-Koo Cachoo, Colores de Carol - Summer Camp

When I found out the color we would use was orange, I knew exactly which polish I would be using.  Koo-Koo Cachoo is an amazingly obnoxiously bright orange that I am just crazy about haha.  I started with 2 coats and let it dry,

 I then pulled out a recent splurge of mine... Summer Camp!  As a first year director of my own camp, this was a must have for my collection.  It is very befitting of the constant chaos that is Summer Camp... I love it!  This is one easily applied coat :)

That's all I have to say about that...

Please be sure to check out the posts from my fellow Proud Beauty Bloggers of Color!

An InLinkz Link-up

Until next time!

Stef <3

Painting the Roses Red

Hello dolls!

I have a quick post for you this evening (I have to go start dinner for the hubs haha).  I bought a set of cheap acrylic paints at Wal-Mart last week in the hopes of advancing my nail art skills because I feel like it's time for me to challenge myself a little bit more.  I need to step out of my cutesy comfort zone ;)  So, I decided to try a floral design over french tips...

 Colors Used: Daisy Nail Lacquer - White Diamond, Orly - Beverly Hills Plum, Acrylic Paint

I started with a basic french tip (white tips, pink base).  I then took a thin nail art striper and painted black branches.  After the paint set I continued with that same thin striper and painted the green leaves; first with the darker green, then the light.

For the roses, I took out a detail brush and painted dark red blobs.  I tried my hand and definition with red orange and pink.  I top coated and was done.

Ta-da!

I think what I love most about acrylic paint is that it dries incredibly fast!  I can wait to continue my education in actual art hahaha :P  Oh and thank you all for the lovely comments on my bubble mani!  I haven't had a chance to reply but it seriously made my week.  Love to you all!!

Until next time!

Stef <3

A Bright Bunch of Bubbles!

Hello dolls!

Today's mani features a new nail art technique that I am seriously loving.  I'm not sure who came up with it but I'm so very glad she did haha.  It's bubble nail art and it's actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it...

 Colors Used: Daisy Nail Lacquer - Diamond White, Acrylic Paints

I started with my white base polish.  Once it dried, I watered down a dollup of teal acrylic paint and proceeded to dot blobs on my nails using the wand of my nail art brush.  I then went back over those blobs with a light touch of a Q-Tip and sucked up the excess liquid.

I repeated these steps with pink and orange paint and then top coated.

 

As a first attempt, I think these turned out pretty cute?  I definitely need some practice and I need to work out the paint to water ratior.  I do love how colorful it it tho :)  What do you ladies think?  Any color combo suggestions??

Until next time!

Stef <3

A Summery Gradient

Hello lovelies!

I hope your weekend is going well :)  Today I have a simple gradient to share with you.  I did this a few weeks ago and never got around to posting it... oops!

 Colors Used: Colors Club - Flamingo, China Glaze - Son of a Peach, OPI - I Just Can't Cope-Acabana, Spellbound Nails - Pishsalver (Drink Me)

I just love gradients!  I have to resist doing them all the time lol.  There are some really great tutorials on the interwebs for gradient nail art.  I find what works best for me is a good make-up sponge (I prefer the triangles from Target) and being sure to blend the colors; not only overlapping the polishes when applying on the sponge but slightly shifting the sponges position up or down the nail as I dab :)

I started with a white base and let it dry.  Sponging over polish that is still tacky is a nightmare, trust me haha.  I then layered my 3 colors on a sponge and went to work.  I usually go over each nail 3 times to reach full opacity.  After clean-up (the worst part of doing this nail art, even if I tape off my cuticles :\) I applies my oh so favorite white glitter polish from Spellbound Nails, "Drink Me"

Woohoo!

Enjoy your weekend dolls, I know I plan too ;)

Until next time!

Stef <3

Nailspiration with Operatic Makeup

Hello lovelies!

I have a special post to share with you today.  A couple of weeks ago I saw some photos of some gorgeous makeup my dear friend Danielle did on a client.  Danielle is an Orange County/ Los Angeles based MUA that I have had the pleasure of singing/being wild with for a few years and I always blown away by the work that she does.  This particular look she did definitely conjoured up some nailspiration!

 

 

Let's start with the make-up first...

Colors Used: Urban Decay - Electric Palette (Urban and Savage)

I just love that purple!  And the hot pink adds some sass ;)  The palette that she used is filled with brightly pigmented shadows that I just drool over!

Anywhosy, this look got me thinking about the polishes I had in my collection that might be similar in shade and fun to mash up...

 Color Used: B Squared Lacquer - Body Electric and Royals, Color Club - Endless and Jackie OH!

This first polish that jumped to mind what "Body Electric" by B Squared Lacquer.  It's a white crelly with purple and hot pink hex glitters mixed in.

I then pulled out my other favorite B Squared, "Royals".  It's a gorgeous blurple jelly with holo glitters mixed in.  Color Club "Endless" and "Jackie OH!" are the pale and hot pinks I used.  I did a mixed drip/melt mani using a dotting tool and striping brush.

 I love!

I'm hoping Danielle and I can do more mash-ups like this one.  I love the challenge!

If you're interested in seeing more of Danielle's work, you can check her out via Instagram (@operaticmakeup).  If would like to book her for an event, you can email her at operaticmakeup@gmail.com :)

Until next time!

Stef <3

SAFS: An Indie Trifecta!

Hello dolls!

I hope you all are having a very happy Sunday :)  Today's post is another installment of my "Sunday's are for Swatching" segment. 

It's not something I do every Sunday (altho I probably should haha), but it's a great way for me to share some of the polishes in my collection with you without the stress of worrying about what nail art I should do along with it ;)  I have 3 indie polishes to show you for 3 different brands, so let's get started...

 Anonymous Lacquer - Purple Rainbows

Anonymous Lacquer is a new indie brand that I discovered via Instagram.  "Purple Rainbows" is a lovely purple holo that I instantly loved when I saw photos of it.  This polish has been reformulated because  the make felt her original base was too thick.  I purchased the first bottle (original formula) because I ain't no scaredy cat and I really like it.  Even tho the base leans on the thicker side, it's not difficult to apply. Shown is 2 coats with topcoat.  All in all a really lovely holo :)

 Lime Crime - Peaches & Cream

This polish... Oh, this polish!  This has been on my "I've gots to have it" list for a very very long time.  Every time I have visited Lime Crime in the hopes of purchasing a bottle, it's been sold out.  To be honest, I just stopped searching.  Then I saw that Lexi of Painted Polish was having a destash sale and she had a brand new, unused bottle!  It now has a happy home with me hahaha.  As with a lot of nude/peach polishes, it is slightly streaky.  I built up 3 coats and applied topcoat.  It reminds me of Crayola's Mac-n-Cheese crayon; I love it!

 Jolie Polish - Choji

Choji is a white crelly base with a mixture of bright colored hex glitters in multiple sizes.  While I was out shopping last weekend, a sales clerk commented on my nails saying they looked like they were covered in frosting and sprinkles.  I couldn't agree more! Shown is 2 coats with topcoat.  The base is a little stickier/thicker that I would prefer and I definitely had to do the "dab and drag" method with the glittery pieces.  But the result was well worth the effort.  This is a new fave in my collection :)  Jolie Polish also sells the most amazing clean-up brush I have ever owned.  I love them so much that I purchased 3 haha.  Definitely worth checking out!

I have some more indie swatches to share with you, hopefully next Sunday.  Question... do you like seeing a mix of indie swatches in a post or would you prefer seeing one brand at a time?  I personally like the variety but I'm curious to hear your thoughts :)

Until next time!

Stef <3