French manicure for shorter nails!

Firstly, apologies again for my absence, crazy couple of weeks moving out of my uni house amongst other things! 

I've wanted to try this nude and white ombre design for a while now but never found the right opportunity to. I decided it was a great mani for flying and work experience - goes with every outfit and looks almost like a french manicure. 

I used OPI - Natural base coat, Orly - Dare to bare, Sinful colors - Snow me white and Seche Vite - Fast dry top coat. 

If you'd like to try this mani, I'd suggest using your nude colour for the base, instead of the white you would normal use, before sponging on the ombre. Here i've used a top coat prior to sponging, making sure the mani comes out as neat as possible. 

Another tip in recreating this mani is to using a peel off base for your cuticles. For this design you want to have great clean up to make it look as 'sleek' as possible! 

I'm on a mission to get tutorials up and running over the next couple of months and an ombre design will be one of the first on the list... So keep an eye out for those! 

In the meantime you can follow me on Instagram for (almost) daily pictures. The link is in right side bar - alternatively my handle is @nailstori. 

Happy Monday everyone! 

xox 

Ocean Ombré

Firstly, I apologise for lack of blogging - it isn't by choice. I have Uni exams and assignments that are taking over! 

So, here is a simple blue gradient, I wanted something easy to do but really colourful.

Using: OPI - Nail envy, Essie - Mint Candy Apple, Sally Hansen - New Wave Blue, Wynie - 698 and Essie - Good To Go top coat. 

I didn't use a white base colour which I normally do for gradients not sure why I didn't here but turns out I don't need one. I sponged 2/3 times to get coverage, which lasted a good week with no chipage.

This technique is so simple and gives a great mani every time, and works with almost any colour combo - perfect for a quick mid-week mani. 

Keep updated for an exciting announcement this week! 

Much love for reading and sticking around.

xox

Lush inspired ombre

I recently got this models own neon green polish and didn't know how to use it in a design until I saw the lush logo. Then this happened and I love it. 

For this design I used: OPI - natural base, Sally Hansen - White on, Models own - Flip flop, Wynie - 969 (I have never heard of this brand, I got it in Lisbon because I loved the colour) and Sally Hansen - Big matte top coat.

At first the colours weren't showing up as bright as I had hoped so I had to sponge on more than I would normally to achieve this. However, I did do this in the evening so it was dark - when I turned a big light on I was almost blinded. It's safe to say it is a very neon ombre!  

I used the matte top coat for the first time on an ombre and I really like it. I was worried that it would separate the colours but it actuallu makes them look much more blended. 

So glad I bought the matte coat, it is so cool and works so well with these colours.

xox

Pastel tuesdays

Iphone camera pictures only. 

I keep seeing pastel ombre nails online and they are my favourite! I was hoping mine to be the same but unfortunately these aren't my favourite.

I used: Sally Hansen nail strengthener for the base (didn't have OPI with me) OPI - My boyfriend scales walls, Barry M - Berry ice cream, Essie - Mint Candy Apple, Essie - Fiji and Sally Hansen - UV top coat.

I really like the idea here but it just didn't turn out right for me. 

First, bubbles!! Why the bubbles?! My white OPI never does this, I'm thinking it's because I let them dry in the sun for about an hour, could this be why? 

I'm not sure on the colours used, I did set out to use a fourth colour but it didn't come out too good so I stuck to the three. 

I'm not usually a Barry M fan, I only have a few of their polishes but it works really well on the ombre, shows up well on white so I liked it for this.

The next time I try this - which will be in the next month I expect. I want to get a pastel yellow, test out the colours more and maybe add some studs to it.

I didn't have my Nikon with me today so these pictures will have to do, which isn't too upsetting because the bubbles aren't too much on show!

I won't be posting for a few days because I have an exam friday but will be back shortly!

xox

Ombre day

I still power through my inability to do ombre like all the nail guru's. 
I used: Essie - Fifth Avenue, Sally Hansen - Man-go Team, Sally Hansen top coat and striping tape. 

Not really sure where this mani came from. I was guna do a girly pink ombre but I've already done that so wanted to try something a little different. And then the tape just happened after a few hours of getting bored of just the plain ombre.
I didn't realise the colour missing on my thumb until I was editing :( 

I quite like these colours and I do always love the effect of the ombre, so I will keep soldiering on until perfect. 
Water marble practice this week!


My cat is making this photobombing thing regular. 

xox

Gradient practice

So, firstly my nail posting has been pretty shabby recently - got a lot going on!

Second, these are not the best gradients ever.

Thirdly, that's why I'm practicing!

Couldn't get these to look great in the pictures which is why the picture is a bit weird with flowers in the background, but hey, love a bit of flowers. 

I absolutely LOVE gradient/ombre nails. Every picture I see on Instagram of them I can't help but like. I have done so many ombre nails and never been really chuffed with them. So I'm just going to keep trying until I get it perfect.

For these nails I used:

17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish - Parma Violet

(which I got for 50p, such a bargain!)

Sally Hansen - 640 Plum Luck

I think the sally hansen may have been a bit too dark for this gradient to work, I couldn't find my other dark purple.

How does everyone get their gradients so perfect?! 

Acrylic or nail polish?

I'm also upset because I left my acrylic paints at home so will have to get them sent here or something - upsetting times.

Thanks for reading. More soon, promise.

xox