Checkered Nail Art

One of the most common nail art that you can see are checkered nail arts. It could vary from simple or very basic to more sophisticated and complicated patterns that really looks good on your nails. This will be my version.

Since this is my first trial for this type of design, I stick to the basic black and white with some touch of gray. Here's how. First, you will need to apply one or two coats of a clear nail polish as a base coat. After a few minutes, you can apply your base color. As for what I've done, I used 2 coats of San San nail polish in French White. Let it dry first before proceeding to the next step. When the nail polish has dried properly, its time to make the patterns. Using an old liquid eyeliner brush from Nichido, I made the diagonal patterns using San San nail polish in Luxury Black. Next, using a toothpick, I fill-in the intersection of the diagonal lines with a gray nail polish, which is a combination of the two nail polishes I used earlier. 

Slow connection

I did this nail art while waiting for my emails to be sent. Our internet connection is quite slow this time. I could not open a new tab or wander to other sites, it might make it a lot slower.

To protect my nails, I  used Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Clear Nail Hardener for my base. Next I used San San Nail Polish in Amethyst. For the flowers, I used Nail Art Stamp, plate number M20 and Caronia Nail Polish in Sun Kissed. Lastly, Caronia Quick Dry Top Coat to protect my nail art. 

sunflower

One of the most common nail arts are flowers. This is usually done using a dotting tool or any tool that you could use to make dots. It is commonly composed of five to six dots and one in the middle. To change it a little bit. I made a sunflower nail art, which have more petals and they were elongated. I have tried different tools to make those petals. First, I tried using a thin brush. The problem for me is I had a difficult time making the petals look the same and it took me a long time to finish a flower. Next, I tried using a dotting tool. I drag the dotting tool to make an oval shape. The problem I encountered was the base color sticks to the dotting tool and nail polish as I drag it, producing stretch lines around the petals. And then, as I was cleaning my nails, pushing my cuticles, I thought, maybe I could use the flat side of the cuticle pusher. Since it is straight and flat, I thought that I could use it like a dotting tool and produce an oval shape. And I was right. It was easier to use and produces better looking petals.

I used San San Soleil Collection Nail Colour in Moss Green for base. Then, San San Nail Polish in Tropical Lemon for the petals and for the seeds, San San Nail Polish in Seal Brown

Bobbie's Glaze Bronzer Premium Nail Creme Review

It's a deep brown with gold shimmer nail creme

I saw this nail creme earlier this week and I am quite not sure if I would buy it or not. I am a little bit worried that it might be too shiny or the color will be old or boring. Well, at 35.50 pesos, I think it is not expensive to give it a  shot. 

This is after three coats. The color is not very shiny , as I thought it would be golden shiny, nor it is dull or boring. It is really nice. It does makes my hands look whiter.

Look-up

This nail art design was inspired by the blue sky.Since today is September 11, and the 10th anniversary of the devastating September 11, 2001 attack in the United States of America, I included the twin towers and an airplane.

First, I used Sansan Nail Polish in Warm Blue for my base color. Then I made the clouds using BNC Two-way Nail Art Point Pen and Brush. Lastly, using Nail Star Two-way Nail Art Pen and Brush, I draw the Twin Towers, the birds and the airplane.

Magnitude

Photo Credit : http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/332/cache/japan-earthquake-tsunami-nuclear-unforgettable-pictures-wave_33291_600x450.jpg

It is exactly six months, to the day after the devastating 9.0 magnitude eathquake and tsunami hit Japan. In addition to loss of life and destruction of infrastructure, it also shifted the Earth's axis by estimates of between 10cm and 25cm. It was the most powerful known earthquake to have hit Japan and one of the most powerful earthquakes in the world. 

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

This animated series is part my growing up because its the TV series me, my sister and cousins are watching every weekends. We even have toys and T-shirts. They had a movie and another TV series early from 2000-2009, so I think most of us are familiar with them. So let's identify these turtles.

Leonardo or Leo. 

He is the  courageous leader and devoted student of martial arts. Wears a blue mask and wields two katana. He is the oldest of the four and the most skilled fighter of the turtles. Leonardo was named after Leonardo da Vinci.

Raphael or Raph 

The bad boy. Wears a red mask and wields a pair of sai. He is an intense fighter. His personality can be alternately fierce and sarcastic, and oftentimes delivers deadpan humor. Still, he is intensely loyal to his brothers and sensei. Raphael is good friends with Casey Jones. He is named after the Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance, Raphael.

Michelangelo or Mike or Mikey  

Easy-going and free-spirited. Wears an orange mask and wields a pair of nunchaku. Michelangelo provides much of the comic relief. He is youngest of the four Turtles. While he loves to relax and eat pizza, this Turtle also has an adventurous and creative side. He is named after the Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer Michelangelo Buonarroti.

Donatello or Don or Donn

The knowledgeable scientist, inventor, engineer, and technological genius. Wears a purple mask and wields the bo staff. Donatello is perhaps the least violent Turtle, preferring to use his knowledge to solve conflicts. He is named after the sculptor Donatello.

For my base color, I used BNC nail color number 630. To paint for their masks, I used an old liquid eyeliner brush. For Michelangelo, I used Caronia nail polish in Sun Kissed. For Donatello, Caronia nail polish in First Crush. I mixed Sansan nail polish in Warm Blue and BNC nail color number 611 for Leonard. Lastly, Sansan nail polish in Ruby Red for Raphael's mask. For their eyes, I used Caronia nail polish in White Satin and Sansan nail polish in Luxury Black.

Cracking Nail Polish

Cracking nail polishes are the easiest way to have a nail art. Why? because the nail polish itself automatically cracks when it dries.

Here’s how to use it:

First, apply a base color. You can use any nail polish in any color. Make sure that the base color is totally dry before you apply the cracking nail polish. When you are sure that it is already dry, you can now apply the cracking nail polish.

Tips:

• Use a lighter base color when using a darker cracking nail polish and vise versa, so that the cracks are very visible.
• The thinner the application of the cracking nail polish the more cracks it produce.
• Most cracking nail polishes chip off easily, so make sure to apply a top coat to protect your crackin nail art. 

nailart stamping kit

This is my first time using this nail art stamping kit. I was having a hard time using it at first, because as per instruction on the kit, stamp it quickly. But the design does not transfer from the disk to the stamper. So i tried to press it gently, then slowly and then hardly. But non of these works. So I search the net for techniques. Thanks to nailartstamp.com. I learned that I have to roll the stamper on the disc to transfer the design. I got it on the first attempt.  Hurray!  

I used Sansan Nail Polish in Amethyst for my base color and Caress Nail Polish in Pears for the design. I used Design Disc M20.

panda

I saw this image from New York Post. This was in China. They dyed their pet dogs to look like panda and other endangered animals like tigers. 

A Chow Chow dog, dyed to look like a panda, play at the Dahe Pet Civilization Park in Zhengzhou. The park bought four dyed Chow Chows and a Golden Retriever, dyed to resemble a tiger from a pet market in Sichuan as an attempt to attract visitors.

I find them very cute and funny. Well, the real pandas were really cute but you cannot just hug them like dogs, and  they are endangered animals. Although a lot find it cute, there were comments that these were animal cruelty, that these took the dog's dignity and the dyes may harm the animals etc. They do have rights, but  Dignity? really? 

The panda bear or the giant panda is native to China. Their diet is 99% bamboo. The giant panda is the rarest member of the bear family and among the world's most threatened animals.

I used Sansan Luxury Black as base for all nails. Sansan Sea Green for the bamboos and Caronia White Satin for the heads and eyes of the pandas.

I really enjoy doing this nail art and a lot of my family members and friends appreciates it. One of my male cousins (he's straight) asked me to put it on his nails. Look at those huge chubby hands! haha. But its cute though, just like the panda.

A Lady's Bug

According to The National Geographic, many people are fond of ladybugs because of their colorful, spotted appearance. But farmers love them for their appetite. Most ladybugs voraciously consume plant-eating insects, such as aphids, and in doing so they help to protect crops. Ladybugs lay hundreds of eggs in the colonies of aphids and other plant-eating pests. When they hatch, the ladybug larvae immediately begin to feed. By the end of its three-to-six-week life, a ladybug may eat some 5,000 aphids.

Ladybugs are also called lady beetles or, in Europe, ladybird beetles. Ladybugs appear as half-spheres, tiny, spotted, round or oval-shaped domes. They have short legs and antennae. 

After applying Caronia Nail Hardener and Base Coat, I applied Sansan Nail Polish in Ruby Red as the base color. Next, with the use of an old Eye Liquid Eyeliner from Nichido and Sansan Nail Polish in Luxury Black, I made a straight line at the center, from the bottom to the tips of my nails. Then, I made straight tips and fill it up with the same black nail polish. This will be the lady bug’s heads. With my dotting tool, I made black dots on the body and white dots on its heads which serve as their eyes. Lastly, apply a top coat, and we’re done. 

Philippine Independence Nails

I made this in commemoration of  Philippines 113th Independence day on June 12, 2011. he theme for this year’s Independence Day celebration is “Kalayaan, Paninindigan ng Bayan” (Freedom, Stand for it) described as the Philippines call to action. 

Sorry, I wasn’t able to make a tutorial video for this. But this is how I've done this design. Before applying Caronia’s Nail Hardener and Base Coat, I first draw, using a pencil, the Philippine flag as a guide to where the colors will end. Then, I apply the Blue nail polish from BNC No. 611 and Sansan Nail polish in Ruby Red. Be careful in applying white nail polish because it is very obvious when you make a mistake. I used Sansan Nail polish in French White. I used Caress Nail polish in Pears for my sun and stars.

dots and ribbons

This is a Minnie mouse inspired nail art, I just changed the red to torquoise for a different look. But at the end of the video you could also see the red one which I made on my cousin’s nails. 

watermelon

No other fruit says summer like the subtly crunchy, thirst quenching watermelon. It is not only great on a hot summer day, but also looks great on your toes!

Nail Art

A lot of our interaction is dependent on out hands and fingers, which has contributed in popularizing manicuring and nail care accessories. Once your nails are manicured, its time to decorate your nails with style.

Nail art primarily refers to the design and color patterns of the nails decorated with. Nail artist use nails as a canvas to explore their creative ideas and enhance the appearance of the nails. Various elements such as gems, beads, glitter, crystals, and prints are used for decorating the nails. 

Nail art tools may be used by professionals or begginers. These tools may be used at the salon or at  home. Fingernails can be styled in a manner of wacky or basic fashions using a variety of nail utensils. The instruments may be highly mechanical or very simple to use, including brushes, pens, stencils, stickers, nail glue, tongs, and air-operated guns. Nail art tools such as stencils are often used to apply  outlines of shapes or characters onto nails. Butterfly, stars, and flowers are the most basic and traditional shapes painted onto nails. Many women choose to get a French manicure with white nail tips, complemented by a singular white shape in the middle of the nail. Adhesive accessories are another form of nail art tools. Nail stickers may be applied onto painted nails using  adhesive. Nail glue is recommended for any 3D nail art, as regular crafting glue can damage the nails. Such stickers can often be peeled off, or rubbed off with nail polish remover. Small jewels such as faux diamonds may also be applied to fingernails. Tiny tongs are used to place these accessories on the nail. Though adhesive is used, consumers should be cautious after applying any protruding object to the nail, for they can easily fall off into food or other unwanted areas. Nail polish pens are nail art tools that have become increasingly popular. These pens are available at department and drug stores. They are sold in a variety of colors by several cosmetics manufacturers. The lacquer pens are composed of the same ingredients found in a regular bottle of nail polish, though the application brush is thinner and pointier. Similar to a gel pen or liquid eyeliner tube, nail polish pens are used for freehand nail art. Patterns and prints can be achieved using these nail art tools. Actual pictures may be hard to paint unless the user is a talented  illustrator. Craft stores and beauty supply stores sell a variety of brushes that can also be used as nail art tools. Brushes of all sizes and angles may be found here, though art brushes should be used with acrylic paint. Nail lacquer causes most brush bristles to harden. Acrylic paints may also be found at craft and beauty stores, though department stores may carry them as well