Kell's DIY Nails

Once again I shall apologize for my absence; it is not the fault of the job this time... but family health issues. In fact I am typing this from the hospital. But enough of the downer stuff. This is a manicure I wore for the last week of January. The deep blue is Midnight ; from the Nerd Lacquer website: MIDNIGHT is what you shall wear when you've really made it -- and also maybe right now, because why not? Deep inky blue linear holo studded with royal holo sequins, little flecks of black (as is proper) and silver sparks. Mysterious, magical, and achingly gorgeous. (See what I did there, Discworld fans?) I don't have the words to describe how much I love this, but the formula was buttery and smooth; opaque in 2 coats. No issues with glitter placement. On my accent nail I applied a stunning silver called Phasma . Phasma is what they call CONVERTIBLE because it comes with a tiny packet of glitter; large and small silver holo, black micro, plus black holo textured glitter. You c...

Wet n Wild's Here's To The Wild Ones Collection got me; I picked up 3 of the nail colors , one eye shadow palette , and ALL of the lipsticks . Yep, all of them. I absolutely LOVE the Megalast Mattes; such great pigmentation, feel comfortable, and last forever. All around fantastic lipstick. However, my favorite out of everything is this nail polish. I'm addicted to these olive toned greens and the shimmer and glitter flakes in this polish are mesmerizing. I Moss Have It is a deep olive green with golden shimmer that glows from within a murky base. The formula is awesome, but use a different brush. When first applying the polish I noticed the brush was literally dragging the color off my nail. I pulled out my dusty Julep Plie Wand (I really should use this more because it actually does feel great in my hand) and all was right with the world. With the right brush this is a very opaque, smooth formula. But with the standard ManiCurve Pro Brush it applies it on the sh...

If you follow my blog you might know that I've been on a craft kick; see THIS post. Tie Dye projects are not usually my thang because they are messy and tend to stain various things that you didn't want stained. My aversion to tie dye changed when I stumbled upon Tumble Dye (that rhyme wasn't planned). This is/can be an easier way to do tie dye. Follow me as I take you through my experience. I found Tumble Dye when I was looking for Iron-On Letters for THIS project. My mind went crazy and came up with a ton of ideas on what colors and looks I wanted to do; one of which was a 'Patriotic' design. I knew I wanted to make a Red, White, and Blue tee or tank. I was notified via Cartwheel of a great deal Target had on their Mossimo Loose Racerback Tank so I picked up some tanks and tees. These tanks are lightweight (kind of feel like a slub knit) and fit great; not too tight, a little on the long side, and flattering. I gave my tank a wash before proceeding w...

Where have I been... I went crazy. Not like clinically insane but I kinda put a little too much on my plate. I think I'm having a bit of a 'What am I doing with my life?' crisis. Is that also known as a mid-life crisis? I don't know because I'm only 35. Could 35 be mid-life crisis time? Someone please let me know. I've slacked a bit on my nails because I either don't feel like doing them (Gasp!) or I just don't have time. I've been really pushing myself on some other projects of mine so some things had to fall by the way-side. Towards the end of June and through the beginning of July I did these really cool 'Mermaid' looking nails. Both of these glitters are by Barielle ; from the Bling-It-On Collection . The Teal with large gold hexagons is called Sea Urchin . It's a frost and the formula is a little thick but I didn't have any application issues. It also has a duo chrome shift to gold. The other hexagon glitters are teal ...

Here's a quickie for ya! I'm so happy Nerd Lacquer is back and has been having restocks! Got this lovely in the last one which occured in December... I Think You Call Me Sexy is a gorgeous glittery and shimmery complex blue polish. 2 very easy coats; my tips look a little sheer in the photo but in reality it wasn't noticeable. When using a Nerd I give them a real good shake and sit them upside down for at least 15 minutes before using (and some shaking in between to keep it well mixed). In all honesty this was a very easy glitter packed polish to apply; normally these can be difficlut but the combo of a perfected suspension base and the perfect brush really gave me great application. Dried a little bumpy but 2 coats of In A Hurry smoothed it right out.  Yes, this is a Dr. Who themed polish but No, I am not a fan... but it does not prevent me from loving it. If you are a fan then you just might have to have this right this very moment. If you love Nerd Lacquer and would li...

CORRECTION: The Giveaway is for the Me Couture Collection. See Tomorrows post for corrected photo and Giveaway Post; Sorry for the confusion! Barielle sent me their newest collection, Jetsetter , to review and a set for me to giveaway. They also sent some of their awesome nail treatments as well . I love the mix of colors in this collection; they are all right up my alley. All are shown with 2 coats and I didn't have an issue with formula on any of them.   Kiss Me Kate is 'A creamy beige/pink' but I see it as a peachy nude. It's very opaque and easy to apply. It is a thicker formula but not enough to be bothersome during application. This is a nice palette cleanser but on me it made my skin take on a red tinge.  Autumn In Seoul is what Barielle calls 'A deep, copper shimmer'. I find this to be more bronze. It's beautiful; it seems to glow from within. The formula is very thin and seems to be sheer but after 2 coats I found it to be plenty opaque.  I wore ...

Hey Gang! Barielle sent me one of their newest collections for Fall to show you. Since I'm not one to do a swatch-a-thon (seriously tough on my nails) I did some nail art. I was inspired by Let Them Have Polish when she did this with a Zoya Collection recently. Index and Middle: 2 coats of Boho Chic as my base color; dotting done with Vintage Gown. Ring and Pinky: 2 coats of Moda Bleu as my base color; dotting done with Taupe Notch. For the dotting I used different sized dotting tools; you can pick up a set here . After it was completly dry I added one coat of In A Hurry Air Dry Top Coat. The Me Couture Collection consists of 6 colors; 5 cremes and 1 creme with slight shimmer. These all have a very consistent formula and are easy 2 coaters.  From Left to Right: Boho Chic : The bottle shot looks teal but on the nail its a forest green creme. Moda Bleu : A dark navy blue creme. Brighter than Milani's Enchanted Sapphire, deeper than China Glaze's One Track Mind. Taupe Notch...

Here's the next nail lacquer and lipstick I have to show you from Milani's Bedazzled Collection . Check out my first post HERE . I was under the impression these were Walgreen's exclusives but I did see some on Milani's website . Milani Color Statement Nail Lacquer in Enchanted Sapphire is a very dark blue creme. In the bottle it looks like a navy blue but on the nail this is a blue toned black. I'm not one to be crazy about basic black cremes but if you are a black polish feind you might want to grab this one. It's very very opaque. I used 2 coats but only because I am a perfectionist. If you are looking for a good navy blue stamping polish this would work well; used lightly it definitly looks navy blue. Formula was a little odd; it started out nice and easy to apply but it thickened up quickly so I added some thinner. With this polish I noticed the brush was a little coarse and left track marks in the finish as I was polishing. It also doesn't fan out on...

Do you ever finish a mani and realize you just weren't feeling it? That's what happened to me with my last summer mani. I thought I would really love to use these two Illamasqua's with a glitter I had lusted after for quite sometime. Illamasqua, Jo'mina & Cameo with Lumina Lacquer, Pinball Wizard on top. On my ring & pinky: Illamasqua, Cameo is a perfect periwinkle blue (that leans purple) creme. I used this for some nail art in this post and loved the color then too. The formula is great; a perfect 2 coater. For some reason I got horrible bubbling; I believe due to the heat & humidity. I will definitely give this another spin to see how it performs outside of 106 degree weather. On my index & middle: Illamasqua, Jo'mina is another great polish; this lilac purple creme has a little bit of shimmer in the bottle but it doesn't translate onto the nail. No worries though because a color this good stands alone. Another great formula and 2 coater. A...

I bought this after seeing The PolishAholics' Formula X Spam post . I've been looking at the gorgeous bottle for ages and since summer is quickly winding down I wanted to get this on my nails. One problem though; the formula stinks. Not smelly stinks either. It's probably one of the worst formulas I've ever worked with. Kapow! is a bright and bold electric blue with shimmer that changes from blue to pink and then to purple depending on the light and angle. It's seriously gorgeous. A lit from within glow with the intense blue is really special. The formula was very sheer and it actually cracked on top of my base coat as it dried; the weirdest thing ever. I even tried starting over with a different base coat but the same thing happened. Both were ridge filling base coats though so maybe that was it. It took 3 coats to get it to even out and to give me some opacity (though you can still see some light through my nails at certain angles). The good news is it dries very...

Hey Gang! If you follow my Facebook Page you know that I recently purchased a huge lot of stripping tape from Amazon . So, I decided to start with a negative space mani. I applied my base coat of ACI's Bridge The Ridge and let it dry thoroughly. On my Middle & Ring nails I applied stripping tape; I did a cross cross towards the cuticle on my Ring and double stripes on my middle. On my right hand I did the same patterns but switched nails. I then applied a coat of Maya Cosmetics, Bittersweet Symphony and promptly removed the stripping tape. Bittersweet Symphony is almost a one coater and a glitter bomb. Per Maya Cosmetics it consists of  gunmetal, periwinkle, and white glitter with flashes of fuchsia glitter and violet-blue-pink micro flakes in a sheer dark gray base. I don't see the white glitter but otherwise that description is accurate. It's very, very thick. I added some thinner but I really didn't see a difference.  After the first coat was completely dry I a...

I've been addicted to buying all of The Lady Varnishes polishes from a certain someone's stash sales. This is one of those indie polish makers who knows how to make combos that I have a hard time resisting. The fact that I get them at really great prices through the stash sale mentioned earlier makes them irresistible.  Among the Clouds is a pale periwinkle varnish, with indigo flecks and a subtle gold to green shimmer. I got that straight off the esty listing because I was having one heck of a time figuring out how to describe it. Can't I just say it's good? Like really good?? What you see here is 3 coats. I used thin coats and it dried super quick. The formula is on the thick side but a good thick; easy to apply and I didn't have to fuss to get good placement of the flakes. I absolutely love the shimmer in this and the complexity of the blend. It's also scented; this particular one I believe is Lilac Blossom and it smells really nice. Check out that bottle s...

Week 7 of the Polish Swap Society's Nail Art Challenge is Pattern!   Find a dress, pattern, painting to inspire you to create a mani to match. Please also post a photo of the inspiration. I had made a previous attempt that was a FAIL . I thought I would try a different pattern but after some thought (& time on YouTube) I wanted to try the same pattern. I've been hearing about the Led Lighting Technique for about a month. This video helped me to better understand what exactly it is. It's a stained glass effect. Why they call it Led Lighting makes no sense to me but whatevs. In case you didn't see my FAIL post my inspiration is my new Victoria's Secret Forever Sexy Convertible Halter Bikini in the Blue Paisley print. Not the easiest print to replicate but I love the colors.  I applied 2 coats of China Glaze, White On White to all my nails and let it dry completely. I stamped on the Paisley Print Image from Bundle Monster Plate BM-315 using Barielle's Tres C...

I recently made a HUGE Bear Pawlish haul; 10 polishes . I just couldn't resist the colorful holos and of course the name won me over (My pet name for my husband is Bear). It's been awhile since an indie really peaked my interest but I was stalking the website & Facebook group relentlessly. Luckily, I didn't have to battle any re-stock madness. Happy, Happy, Happy. This beautiful cobalt blue holo is called Maleficent . Have you seen the movie? I have not. I will probably wait to rent it. I heard it was excellent but I'm not a fan of Angelina Jolie so I'll wait.  But this polish is excellent. Coverage was great in 2 easy coats and dried pretty quickly. I didn't need to use an Aqua Base or anything special. I did get a brush that had a few strange strands sticking out but I simply turned the brush to avoid those. This is a little on the thick side but application was still nice & easy. The holo is not a super strong holo but is still noticeable and very pre...

I'm back with Week 6 of the Polish Swap Society Nail Art Challenge! This weeks theme is:  I AM SO SPACED OUT! Pastel Galaxy nails sound fun for spring/summer right? Using this tutorial, create a set of galaxy nails! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZGHOIsMmxA I just got Spellbound Nails , Visions of Sugar Plums in a swap with a fellow member of the Polish Swap Society and I thought it would make for a great base color for this challenge. It's a very pretty dusty purple jelly with what looks to be small and medium matte white hexagons. It also has either matte white or silver stars; I'm not 100% sure because the base actually covers them and makes them look light purple. The formula was pretty thick so I applied each coat nice and slow to get even coverage. I used 2 medium coats but luckily it didn't take too long to dry and it was pretty opaque after 2 coats. I did have to fish to get the stars out but it wasn't too difficult. Lots of shaking and turning the bottle...

I no longer say 'Happy Memorial Day' because I had a vet tell me he hatred it when people said that. He didn't know why anyone would be happy on a day that honors those who perished in battle to protect our freedoms. That makes since. It really shouldn't be a 'Happy' day but a day of rememberance and respect. It's a Memorial, not a BBQ or pool party. But that's how most people view it; it's an excuse to get an extra day off and to have fun. To be honest I too used to see it that way. You don't know until someone educates you. So, now, I simply have a moment of silence and prayer for our fallen. I think hard about the ultimate sacrifice they (and their families) made. So, yeah, no Happy Memorial Day over here; instead I give thanks to those who have served and put my life above their own. It's tradition for my hubby and I to go out camping with our Uncle Jimmy (Special Forces, Navy) and his military brothers. We drive out to Death Valley in a ...

This is a great collection from Barielle; they're almost all your typical pastels but with a little something different. For example Sour Apple isn't just a typical grass green or mint green, its a bright lime green. Lilac Jelly Bean isn't just a pale lilac, it's a murky lilac that also does double duty as an edgy neutral. Then there is Blue Cotton Candy ; a blue green packed with irridescent micro glitter. I even like Orange Parfait (which is an orangey coral) and Banana Drop (a pale yellow). You can see swatches of these here . One lucky winner will get the Sweet Treats Collection , Nail Rebuilding Protein , and No-Chip Speed Dry Top Coat . A $55.00 Value! Giveaway is open to residents of the United States and must be 18 years of age or older. Due to shipping restrictions I cannot ship Internationally. However, I do have something in the works for my international ladies so don't give up hope just yet! Fill out the Rafflecopter Widget below to enter. ...

Pardon me as I whip this out... I'm tired and I have a Sweet Red Wine chilling in the fridge that's calling my name. Illamasqua's Nudge was originally released in Spring of 2010; it was called a mint green but it leans more aqua than mint. I don't have anything that leans this far blue. It's also got more white in its base than anything else I own. It's bright and cheeky. Wet n Wild's I Need a Refresh-Mint , Barielle's Money Talks , and China Glaze's For Audrey are all greener and significantly darker. The formula wasn't my favorite sadly. The consistency was a bit thick, streaky, and drying time was quite long. I managed to get away with 2 coats but some may find they need 3. You can see in my photos I experienced some bubbling as well. I think the color is unique but with the formula not up to par I won't be reaching for this again. (Nudge is no longer available through Illamasqua but you could probably find it on eBay or a Stash Sale) For...