Neon Polka Dots

Hi Goddesses

Today I have some neon polka dots for you that are so bright, they make my eyes go in different directions! Lol.

In some ways, I really like this mani.  It's loud, it's bright,it's obnoxious, and then another part of me thinks it's just too damn much.

This features the stunning Sation Flirt - a super pigmented orange leaning towards all sorts of other colours - and Sally Hansen Limestone.

For this mani, I used white dots before I applied the colour, just to help it pop a bit more.

So - too much, or just right?

Enjoy xx :)

Neon Candy Stripes

Hi Goddesses

Today we have a mani that didn't quite go according to plan, but reminds me of boiled sweets lol.

This started as a neon splodgerama using -

China Glaze Papaya Punch

Sally Hansen Limestone

w7 Fuchsia

Sation Flirt

and a white NYC polish

I never quite got the base how I wanted it - I think I was aiming for something a little more defined, but in the end it all sort of smoooooshed together.

I then added the white stripes on top, and although it might annoy some people, I really like that some of the colours in this mani bleed into the white. It gives it a random quality that appeals to me.

I'll definitely do this mani again, as it lends itself to so many colours.

Boiled sweets anyone?  Enjoy xx :)

Digit-al Dozen DOES .... Tape Manis .... NEON

Hi Goddesses

This month, Digit-al Dozen is doing tape manis, a style that has fascinated me for 2 years.  They're not easy - a bit like stamping, they demand practice, practice, practice - but the pay off is immense, so much so that I think today's nail art is possibly THE BEST THING I HAVE EVER DONE!!

I first came across tape manis on Nailside's blog, with her famous laser manis.   Since then, I've seen others - mainly Nailasaurus and Manicurator - take them to new levels of patience and precision.  My week this week is quite mixed up - there are a couple of more complex manis, as well as 2 extremely simple ones.

So, remember last week how I said Neon Week wasn't really over?  Uh huh, Exhibit A, m'lud :)  I did this last weekend and didn't take it off for 4 days, somewhat of a record for me!  It's just so damned bright and cheerful.

It's also one of those manis that's a sum of more than its parts.  It works, spectacularly, but not because I've done anything special, just because the colours ROCK, especially that green, which I almost didn't use.

So what do we have going on?  Well, the base was Jacava Mont Blanc, which I reviewed yesterday, and then I laid my tape on top.  Using small nail art brushes I then used -

* Sally Hansen Limestone

* China Glaze Papaya Punch

* OPI A Roll In The Hague

* China Glaze Igniting Love 

* w7 Fuchsia

Enjoy - I'll be back tomorrow with a reciprocal gradient tape mani.  Yeh, dig that!  Lol xx :)

Neon Week - Tangled In My Saran Wrap

Hi Goddesses

I really don't understand why, but I have found Neon Week really inspiring and liberating.  Maybe it's that the colours are so "out there", that it makes you feel like anything goes, artwise.  Either way, I am a happy bunny this week.

Today's art is super simple, and is a great one for you to try if you want to dip your toe in the experimental pool. 

All the nails started with 2 coats of w7 White, and then got Saran Wrapped!  For those of you who don't know, this is when you apply your 2nd colour over your first, and then, whilst it's wet, attack it with a ball of saran wrap (or cling film, as we call it in the UK).

Now, I am lazy.  I am upstairs in the nail room, and the cling film is downstairs, so I always use what every polishaholic owns - bubble wrap!  I take a piece about 1 inch by 2, scrunch it up, and then dab at the wet polish.

The great thing about this mani, is you can keep going til you get the look you want.  Sometimes, too much white will creep through, but on the next dab, some of the colour (which is now on your saran wrap) will re-adhere to the nail.   If you need more help to rebalance, just add a line of polish to your nail, and maneovre it around.

I love the texture of a saran mani, but top coat does smooth it out.  Whilst it still looks great, it can lose a little something.

Finally, I added everybody's favourite black glitter, Wet N Wild Tangled In My Web, which was just perfect for this mani.

The colours used, thumb to pinkie were - China Glaze Orange You Hot, OPI Ogre The Top Blue, w7 Flourescent Pink, Sally Hansen Limestone and OPI A Roll In The Hague.

Enjoy xx :)