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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Hump Day HARE: For the Love of Lisa

Purchased By Shelby Lou

Work is kicking my butt this week (but to be fair I have been working since Sunday) and my intern's last day at work is today--which makes me super sad because he is awesome. So I'm short on words today. I'm literally going to just say, look at the pretty polish! Today's HDH is Hare Polish For the Love of Lisa. This is part of the Jackalope series Nikole, the Hare brains, came up with for the lovely pretties she mixes but do not belong in any specific collection.

Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish
For the Love of Lisa
 
Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish 
For the Love of Lisa


Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish 
For the Love of Lisa

Can you tell I'm ready for summer? I wish I could capture more of the shimmery iridescent glitters, they really make this neon pink jelly fantastical! I still wish I had added a stud of some kind... I just can't stand a "plain" mani anymore hehe.

Have you loved your cuticles today?

Saturday, April 25, 2015

Stamping Saturday: Henna-Mehndi Inspired

Purchased By Shelby Lou 
Press Sample--Zoya only 

Hey guys! I don't really have anything to say today. It's been a long week, my brain is done. Let's see just get to the nails, shall we?

I shared the base for this Henna/Mehndi-inspired mani on some social media earlier this week (see it on instagram or facebook) which is Picture Polish Cherish. One of my new favorite nudes! I love the holo particles that are somehow unique to the brand (and maybe Zoya, too?). WHERE DO THEY GET THE SPARKLES

Shelby Lou Nails - Stamping Saturday
Picture Polish Cherish
MoYou London Explorer 22
Zoya Emilia

I chose some random spots on a full image plate from MoYou London Explorer 22 and stamped them with Zoya Emilia. I have been eyeing this plate for a long time and it lived up to all my expectations.

Shelby Lou Nails - Stamping Saturday
Picture Polish Cherish
MoYou London Explorer 22
Zoya Emilia

I am not totally happy that the scale of the parts I chose are not all that similar, but that is just something to keep in mind next time I use this plate.

Shelby Lou Nails - Stamping Saturday
Picture Polish Cherish
MoYou London Explorer 22
Zoya Emilia

I have Henna/Mehndi-inspired tattoos I designed, but I get really unclear on what exactly I am supposed to call this Indian art. All I know is I absolutely love these kinds of designs. I think I need to do some more research! What do you think of this week's edition of stamping?

Have you loved your cuticles today?


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Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Hump Day HARE: The Sky Was Pink

Purchased By Shelby Lou 

I kind of failed at nails last week. Oh I wore polish, but I was so busy with Spring cleaning and rearranging my house. I love a good Spring refresh! If you check out my facebook page you can see the new shelves I assembled for my dining room that I am absolutely in love with. My poor husband--I'm always rearranging everything on him which must be so disorienting. I also enjoy recycling years of magazines he didn't even look at when they initially came without telling him. I love him. Anyway, nails!
Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish
The Sky Was Pink

I am wearing an oldie but goodie: Hare Polish The Sky Was Pink. This is such a bold polish! This was from a 2012 called Where's Summer, B? It is a bright pink jelly with tons of cobalt and periwinkle glitters along with fuchsia microglitter.

Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish
The Sky Was Pink

Despite being 3 years old and sinking glitter, just shake it up and the glitters spread effortlessly. I used three thin coats in my swatch. And since I can't not add things to my manis, I added some bright blue striping tape that matched the glitters.

Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish
The Sky Was Pink

I used to wear this kind of polish--bright and glittery--all the time. While I have become more sophisticated in my tastes and had to tone it down for work, I still cherish my first crush. Afterglow and Heat Plague are other classics from this collection that still have my heart! 

Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish
The Sky Was Pink

What are some of your first polish loves? I am slightly concerned about wearing this to work on Wednesday, I think I need to take off the striping tape at least, boo. I swear though the old ladies I end up talking to love the colors I wear on my nails, they always have to tell me haha!

Have you loved your cuticles today?

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Firecracker Lacquer: Titties & Dragons

Purchased By Shelby Lou

Hi guys! Last Wednesday was my birthday and I decided to take an impromptu break from blogging (but not nails, never nails!). I used to feel bad about doing that, but I need to in order to keep myself from burning out.

Today I have a mani featuring Firecracker Lacquer Titties & Dragons from the collection entitled Everyone I Love Is Dead. If you haven't guessed, it is inspired by Game of Thrones! While I haven't watched the show (too graphic) I am a fan of the books. This collection got me all excited so I'm re-reading the books again. Which is awesome and upsetting. Because I know what happens and I'm dreading it or trying to pretend it will be different when I read it again...

Anyway, here is my manicure inspired by Titties & Dragons. Can we just take a moment to revel in this name alone? I can't even haha! Titties & Dragons is a gray creme with gold, purple, and black glitters. I love how dainty and subtle they are. I got good coverage in two thick-ish coats.

Shelby Lou Nails
Firecracker Lacquer: Titties & Dragons

For the stamping accents I used images from Messy Mansion MM21 and stamped them in Rica Blackout. I made a decal by coloring in a few of the scales using OPI Tomorrow Never Dies and Oy, Another Polish Joke! I added some mini black rectangle studs to complete the look.

Shelby Lou Nails
Firecracker Lacquer: Titties & Dragons

I think Daenerys would rock this mani. Her character is so badass! Bravo, George RR Martin. Although if you kill her I might have to burn all your books...

Products:
Firecracker Lacquer

Have you loved your cuticles today?

Monday, April 6, 2015

Rainbow Tie-Dye Nails

Purchased By Shelby Lou 

I hope everyone who celebrates had a lovely Easter yesterday! I spent it at my grandma's with a bunch of my crazy family. We enjoyed another edition of Old Home-Movies featuring my confirmation party when I was 13 (ugh) and my brother shoving my cousin off of a water fountain because she wouldn't let him get his own drink of water (circa age 10 for him?). I missed my brother since he lives out-of-state now but you know I will be bringing up this little long-lost gem the next time we talk teehee.

I did some extra-fun nails for Easter that I am calling Rainbow Tie-Dye Nails. I believe I first saw something like this from IG@madamluck some time ago, and then I saw a version done by my other nail buddy IG@joyrserio not too long ago which finally motivated me to try it! They remind me of multicolored Easter eggs and were a big hit!

Shelby Lou Nails
Rainbow Tie-Dye Nails
Featuring OPI Sheer Tints

I realized that I somehow do not own a full-coverage silver glitter (how is that possible?!) so I kind of made my own silver base. I started with two coats of OPI This Gown Needs A Crown, topped with a thin coat of China Glaze Glistening Snow. For the chunky glitters I used one coat each of KBShimmer Ice Queen and I Love Nail Polish Silver Spoons.

Shelby Lou Nails
Rainbow Tie-Dye Nails
Featuring OPI Sheer Tints

For the tie dye I used my OPI Sheer Tints mini set which includes I'm Never Amberrassed, Be Magentale with Me, Don't Violet Me Down, and I Can Teal You Like Me. I blobbed on the colors one by one and overlapped them randomly.

Shelby Lou Nails
Rainbow Tie-Dye Nails
Featuring OPI Sheer Tints

I think I do need to get myself a full-coverage glitter because this is very thick on my nails with all the layers. I used Pretty & Polished's Swift Sparkle Topcoat and I am really impressed with how well it dried all those polishes. I went right to bed after my TC and I woke up with absolutely no dents or smooshes!

Shelby Lou Nails
Rainbow Tie-Dye Nails
Featuring OPI Sheer Tints

I highly recommend this type of mani to everyone. I think you really can't go wrong and it was so easy to do with a really big payoff. My birthday is Wednesday and I was hoping to do some cupcake nail art... I don't know if I can bear to take this off though!

Shelby Lou Nails
Rainbow Tie-Dye Nails
Featuring OPI Sheer Tints

Have you loved your cuticles today?

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Stamping Saturday: DIY Vera Bradley Inspired Decals

Purchased By Shelby Lou--Rica, MoYou London
Purchased with 20% Blogger Discount--Polish My Life

I am so excited about this look today--I made Vera Bradley inspired decals!! Since I did my Jindie Nails Batman look I've been "Decal ALL the things!" I was inspired by Vera Bradley's Heather pattern, full of paisley and purple goodness.

Shelby Lou Nails
Vera Bradley Inspired
DIY Nail Decals
Polish My LifeMoYou London Fashionista 11
Rica Blackout

For this look I started with a base of Polish My Life Soho Shoppes. Soho Shoppes is a very jelly crelly blue-toned purple. I did three coats. I was rushing so I had some problems with patchiness, if you are working normally though just give yourself enough dry-time between coats.

Shelby Lou Nails
Vera Bradley Inspired
DIY Nail Decals
Polish My LifeMoYou London Fashionista 11
Rica Blackout

Luckily I have four stampers so I picked out four different spots on my MoYou London Fashionista 11 plate and stamped them all with Rica Blackout. I top-coated the stamped image on my stampers, then I went in with a teeny detail brush and filled in with some color. The accent colors are Polish My Life Breakfast On Fifth (blue-green), Greenwich Street (green), and Good Morningside (yellow). I love this little set of four cremes so much together! I top-coated everything once more so my decal was sturdy.

Shelby Lou Nails
Vera Bradley Inspired
DIY Nail Decals
Polish My LifeMoYou London Fashionista 11
Rica Blackout

Putting the actual decal on took longer than painting them in I think. I just kind of slapped on some topcoat and stuck it on, trimmed with scissors, did another coat of topcoat, cursed a lot.... anyways they got on. I have some bubbling and patchiness in my detail... but seriously, they did not take too long and they look fabulous! I am pleased. Plan on seeing more decals from this girl!

Products:
Polish My Life

Have you loved your cuticles today?


Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Hump Day HARE: Name Unavailable: Trademarked

Purchased By Shelby Lou

It's that time again, my friends, to celebrate the glory of Hare Polish. This is one of the newest Jackalopes called Name Unavailable: Trademarked. It is a perfectly dusty periwinkle blue crelly with metallic silver flakes. My photos are not picking up the dustiness and are making it brighter than it is in real life. But it is all kinds of amazing. So simple but I can't stop staring at my nails! I couldn't not add some studs though...

Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish--Name Unavailable: Trademarked

Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish--Name Unavailable: Trademarked

Shelby Lou Nails
Hare Polish--Name Unavailable: Trademarked

A new Spring collection was just released by Hare, too! I keep telling myself I need to stop buying ALL of them but I end up grabbing them all at the last second... maybe I'll end up destahing eventually. Or, you know, some future polish addict will hit the mother-load when they see the melmers at my estate sale.

Have you loved your cuticles today?