Tuesday, December 18, 2012

XMAS NAILS TUTORIAL

So christmas is coming in exactly a week, & believe me when I say your nails are dyinggg to look pretty again. Well now they can, with these five easy nail designs that I'm sure even an amateur can handle! They're actually mostly variations of designs I've done before, enjoy :)

(Since I'm terrible with videos, these picture tutorials shall have to suffice!!)
& all of them are easy, 3-step tutorials :-) 
(from top: Glitteratzi/ Geome-tree/ Xmas flowers/ Bow tips/ Snowdrops)

#1 Glitteratzi
If you're going for a classy, timeless look, this will definitely work :)
What you'll need: base, shimmer colour, fine glitter, thick/big glitter
I tried it out with both silver & gold, as shown in the picture above.
FYI shimmer means a glitter which isn't suspended in clear polish.
 1. First of all, paint your base colour. I used a nude here cause it goes well with both colours of glitter. After which, paint the tip of your nail with your shimmer colour. There's no need to be very neat with this because it just provides a guideline for your gradient to "darken" at.
 2. Next, use your fine glitter (make sure to use small amounts, i.e. control the amount on your brush at a go) and paint a few specks from the upper half of the nail. As you proceed towards the tip, apply more glitter to try to blend the shimmer and base colour.
3. Lastly, take your big/thick glitter polish & apply it mainly on the "line" that is still slightly visible between the base and shimmer. Make sure to blend it in, then complete your look by filling in the tip as well, & you're done! :)

Ridiculously easy, right?? Then again this is just how I do it, I'm not sure how the real peeps do it but this works for me everytime :-)

#2 Bow tips
Forget french tip, it's waaaay too boring & overdone. Go bow ;)
What you'll need: base coat/sheer colour, any colour, black striper)
 This one might be a liiiiittle tricky to do because of the striper.
Alternatively you could use a toothpick/brush with black polish :)
& the base coat is also optional as long as you use top coat!
For these I tried out candy cane bows & normal red ones too.
 1. Start by painting little petals at the side of each nail with your bow colour. Fill in the gap between the petals with a round dot to form the bow background.
Because I did candy cane, I used a nail art brush with white polish.
The thin side of toothpicks can also be used!
 2. (optional step) Stripe your bow with white & make sure the stripes on the petals are of a different direction from those on the centre of your bow.
 3. Using a black striper, first outline the petals, then outline the centre. make sure the centre forms a nice circle so that the shape of the bow is more obvious. Also add the small "v" shapes on each petal & tada, you're done again!! :)
Normal shimmery red used in the first one ^_^

#3 Xmas flowers
The number of compliments I've got for this is insane...
So I decided to make a christmas jolly version of it! Plus it's SO easy.
Seriously after this you won't even think nail art is hard anymore.
What you'll need: Toothpick, base colour, white, two other colours

I used red base with green & gold as my other two for the xmas effect!
 1. After painting your base, drop a small dot of white polish on a surface & using the blunt end of a toothpick, dip it in to get this spherical drop at the end.
 2. Very very lightly, to make sure your dots aren't too big, start dotting white dots. I start with the five outside & eventually fill in the middle one (as shown by the last incomplete flower above). Don't worry if it isn't crazy neat, as long as their outlines still look like flowers!
 3. To finish off, using the same dotting technique, fill in the centre of your flowers with your respective two other colours. & you'll get these adorable little nails under half an hour at most! :)

If it gets too cutesy or "much" for your taste, you could always just use it for your accent nail, I assure you this will garner 23971023 compliments like it did for me hahaha *shameless* ISN'T IT EASY?? All you need is TOOTHPICKS!!

#4 Geome-tree
^ Spent so long laughing at the name. I am a genius.
Basically a variation of my geometric mani to form an Xmas tree!
What you'll need: Green, sponge, toothpick, gold, white, ornament colours

An alternative for the sponge could be anything- even cotton buds.
& the alternative for the gold could be any colour over your green!
 1. After painting your base colour, use a tiny bit of your sponge & dab a bit of gold polish onto your nail. Start light for your outline, then slowly dab more to get a richer gold colour. I did mine to mimic the "garlands" on the trees.
 2. Use your toothpick to dot on different colours of your "ornaments", & you can get really creative here because you can literally do ANYTHING that looks remotely like an ornament on your nail. I did the boring dots plus a little gold glitter to give a rough idea :)
 3. The finishing touch- paint the sides of your nails white to form the signature christmas tree shape. Somehow has a minimalist effect, plus, ONCE AGAIN, it's so easy! :)

I'm really so happy with this it's such a pity I'm not planning on it for my official Christmas manicure, hahaha. Still can't get over how awesome the name of it is. Try this out for me okay!!!! Show it to me if you're not too shy HAHA I'm serious, formspring it to me or something!

#5 Snowdrops 
This was the only non-variation, brand-new design I tried out!
Another design allowing for a lot of personalisation too :) :)
What you'll need: Base colour(s), toothpick, white

For my base I used a shimmer colour with extra glitter!!!
Oh & FYI the glitter is from F21 :) 
 1. Paint your base! I'd advise going really glittery with this cause it'll look sooo good *_* This is a lot shinier in real life & the effect is amazeballs, really.
 2. Use the blunt end of your toothpick to make four, relatively large white dots. Switch to the thin end to make four smaller dots in between the larger four. Repeat this allll over your nail, just like the floral pattern earlier on.
 3. Connect these dots with anything- a striper, brush or toothpick.
& once again you are DONE!!!!

So yep, thus concludes my five 3-step tutorials :)
Really, really hope you enjoyed looking through these different methods & I hope you'll enjoy trying them out even more! Please let me know if the tutorials are not exactly comprehensive or if you still can't find any of these simple enough to try out, just tell me through my formspring on the right. If I'm free I might even do up some more because omg...... I had soooo much fun LOL. Felt like a legit professional....... felt is the keyword. HAHA.

I take requests too but if they're too complicated I don't think these photo tuts would be enough :( :( But I'll try my best!! LOVE ALL OF YOU THNKYOU FOR READING & SUPPORTING!!!! MUACKS MUACKS!!!!!!! ^_^ Merry christmas in advance heheh







Friday, December 14, 2012

Christmas nails this year!!! Just done a while ago.
The blur pic is to show the extent of the GLITTERY GOODNESS!
Heh, had so much fun doing this one.
Plus it took me hours to settle on a nice design....
Christmas nails are too much fun!!!!!!

Oh & P.S. I'm back!!! :D
 My lightning nails, which tbh were very much unsatisfactory..
& yes I know they look fine. BUT, check out what I was going for:

Omg I know right?!?! THIS GIRL IS A GENIUS.
& this CAN be done. I didn't have such a clear pic the first time.
So I guess this just means lightning nails...
WE WILL MEET AGAIN.
Reeeeally bad photo once again...
But gradient tribal I did for Sammy!!
Very sadly the white yellowed. Stupid Four Leaf Clover :'(
Its staining power is mad stuff. Anyhoo, this was quick & fun!!
First attempt at outline nails for my own prom get-up :D
Was quite happy with it! The left hand, at least heh.
Probably gonna try these with more variations next time!
Glitter gradient nails for a friend for prom :-)
I've gotten better at these, thnk god!

A more colourful take on the old-time galaxy~~