WATER DECAL NAIL ART //

Water decals are the simplest and easiest thing to use if you haven't got the time or skills to create a design using your polish and brush. There are many different patterns and designs available out there that you can easily get. I mostly get mine online from bornprettystore as they have the widest and cheapest range of decals compared to local stores, not to mention they have free worldwide shipping.

So here's how to use water decals:

*You will definitely need a bowl of water (duh) tap water is fine.

STEP 1: If you are using your decal to fully cover your whole nails then prepare by cutting them into the size of your nail bed first. If you are using it for the particular image then just cut out the image. Be careful not to remove the plastic film covering the pattern when cutting. They are now ready to be used. 

STEP 2: Trim and clean your fingers first. Then paint the base colour you want and let it dry.

STEP 3: Remove the plastic film and plunge the cut out decals into the bowl of water for about 10 - 20 seconds using tweezers for a better hold.

STEP 4: Remove the decal from the bowl and stick the pattern in position on your nail. Moisten your nail with a bit of water so you can adjust the decal on your nail.

STEP 5: Dab with paper towel to absorb the remaining water on your nails and let it dry.

Lastly seal your decal onto your nails with a top coat and you're done!

Have fun trying! :D

ABSTRACT FOIL NAIL ART - PART 1 //

I just received my order from bornprettystore and this time round I decided to try nail foils! I've heard alot about these foils and they do have a pretty finish when done right. I purchased #18 and #23. #18 is a multi colored rainbow foil. #23 is a silver metallic holographic foil. However I didn't get the foil glue when I purchased this hence the different parts. So I'll update the post when I receive my foil glue around 2 weeks time and I'll try to do another set using the foil glue. 

In the meantime, here's my take on the nail foils without glue. (:

So here I've already prepared the foils by cutting them in small rectangles so it would be easier to place on the fingers and stick them on. You can measure accordingly to the size of your nails to get a good fit. At first I thought the foil was just a small square, but was surprised when I opened it and it was pretty long, 30cm x 10cm.

I don't have any photos of the process but I think it's pretty straightforward. 

Step 1: first paint one coat of the base color that you want and let it dry.

Step 2: paint the second coat and leave it until it is tacky. Because we aren't using any foil glue, we need the polish to still be tacky to stick the foils. If you wait till it dries the foils won't stick. (you can also try using a top coat to stick the foils, tho you still have to wait till it is tacky too.)

Step 3: once it is tacky, you can start to stick the foils. (Remember, it's dull side down, shiny side up.) I find that without using glue, no matter how you try, the foils won't fully stick to the whole nails. You can try to cover the whole nail if you want to but i doubt it'll work.

Step 4: So instead I made abstract nail art using the foils by dabbing the foils on the still tacky nails. I let the foils randomly stick on the tacky nails to create an abstract random pattern.

This is the result: 

 This was my first try:

This was after many many MANY tries:

I tried several times to get it right and fit the whole nail but no matter what I do it won't happen. So in part 2, I am gonna try to cover the whole nail and this time using the foil glue. I guess the only way to find out is to do trial and error. Lastly, using a top coat at the end after sticking the foils will make the foil a bit crinkly but it will seal the design in place.

With that said, enjoy trying out your abstract foil nail art! :D

COOKIE MONSTER NAILS //

My little one has arrived hence the hiatus. Been too tired and busy to even switch the laptop on! Well here's what I did on my break, Cookie monster nails!! I've been meaning to do these nails for a while now but never did have the time or confidence to do some so here is my take on the many other tutorials available out there. Enjoy my Cookie monster nails.

Here's how:

((YOU WILL ALSO NEED BLACK POLISH))

((go to bornprettystore.com for more awesome // free shipping worldwide // affordable nail stuffs!))

STEP 1: Paint the base colour white on your index, middle and pinky finger. Then paint the base colour light brown on your thumb and ring finger and let dry. I only did one coat each as I do not like too thick nails but you can do two coats if there's not enough coverage. like so,

STEP 2: Let's start with the cookies first. For the index and pinky fingers, dab the tip of a cotton bud into the light brown polish and paint small dots on the white nails. This will be the cookie shape. It doesn't matter if the dots are uneven size as cookies normally vary in sizes. Now leave it to dry.

STEP 3: Next, using a toothpick, dip in the dark brown polish and make smaller dots in the cookies, this will be the chocolate chips. Again, the size of the chips doesn't matter, it can be big or small. Leave it to dry.

STEP 4: Now move on to the thumb and ring finger for the cookie monster's face. Paint half of your nails with navy blue polish for cookie monster's head. To create the hairy monster effect, I used a toothpick and make small strokes outwards on the still wet navy polish. Then let it dry. 

STEP 5: Then using the same cotton bud technique that you made for the cookie dots, do the same for the monster's white eyes, right in between the middle of your nails. like so,

STEP 6: Finish cookie monster's head by adding a small black dot on the white eyes for the pupils using the toothpick. Then finish with the mouth, I made a black dotted outline for the mouth first by using the toothpicks and then used the black nail polish brush to fill it in. 

As you can see I first left the middle finger empty as I wanted to do something different for it but I had no idea what to do. So I finished the rest of the nails first and then decided to make a letter C, to make it more interesting I added caviar beads!

STEP 7: So for the caviar letter C, I painted white for the base colour and let it dry. Then, using the navy polish I created the letter C free hand and while the polish is still wet, I dipped my finger in the royal blue caviar beads. (or sprinkle the beads instead but make sure you do it over a tray or plate so you can easily collect the unused beads and reuse it.) Then let the beads dry so they stick well. 

STEP 8: Now once all your nails are dry, finish with a top coat, I like to use matte top coats for almost everything I do but you can go ahead and use a normal top coat. 

(it is optional to put a top coat on the caviar beads nail as the top coat makes the colour of the beads bleed and you may end up with runny colours on your nails like I did. lol)

GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!

:D

NEWSPAPER NAILS //

So I have recently started doing nail art to keep myself occupied while waiting for the little one to arrive. I'm not a professional or an expert on this but here's some ideas to try. 

The first one I tried to do is the newspaper nails. 

Here's how:

Step 1: paint your nails with the white nail polish (white will make the newspaper image pop out better.) Do two coats and let it dry.

example:

Step 2: Pour some rubbing alcohol in a small bowl (big enough to dip the newspaper clippings in with tweezers.)

Step 3: When your nails are dry, choose the newspaper clippings you want to use on your nails and dip it in the bowl of rubbing alcohol with your tweezers for 10-15 seconds. 

Step 4: Place the soaked newspaper clipping on your nail and press for 5 seconds covering the whole nail, remove the newspaper when the image has transferred to the nail.

(*important* do not leave the newspaper too long on your nails as it dries fast and the newspaper will stick to your nails. If it happens, dip a q-tip in rubbing alcohol and rub on the dried newspaper then remove it from the nails.)

example: 

Step 5: Proceed to do the same for the rest of the nails. Clean up by removing any excess newspaper or nail polish spilt on the side of your fingers with a q-tip dipped in nail polish remover. 

Step 6: Lastly, add a layer of top coat to seal the image to your nails and you're done! 

example:

Have fun! (*however the image from the newspaper transferred to your nails will not be as vibrant and clear as the image on the newspaper itself.)

:D