All I Want - Lacquistry Rediculous, Kleancolor Nail to Toe Gold Dipped

I hope everyone is having lovely Christmas! Here's a silly themed manicure... which isn't even from this year, oops!

[Bottle to nail: Lacquistry Rediculous (2 coats); Striping: Kleancolor Gold Dipped]

The base is the always gorgeous Lacquistry Rediculous - the shimmery red version of the totes amazing Lacquistry Amazeballs. Gorgeous formula and amazing pigment, I used two coats for a deep, even shade.

[Base: Lacquistry Rediculous (2 coats); Striping: Kleancolor Gold Dipped]

I did a simple stripe lengthwise and crosswise over each nail with Kleancolor Nail to Toe in Gold Dipped, before adding a matching bow sticker over the top.

[Base: Lacquistry Rediculous (2 coats); Striping: Kleancolor Gold Dipped]

Add a generous layer of topcoat, and you're all set for the silly season! =)

Armoured in Style - CrowsToes Dragon In Drag, Kleancolor Metallic Black

I rediscovered a nail polish that was given to me by Ev for my birthday this year. This is CrowsToes' Dragon In Drag.

[Base: Kleancolor Metallic Black
Topper: CrowsToes Dragon In Drag]

Isn't it pretty? The colour combination makes it really stand out.

[Base: Kleancolor Metallic Black
Topper: CrowsToes Dragon In Drag]

First, I think Dragon In Drag is a perfect name for the nail polish. It has green, teal, purple and iridescent hex glitters of all sizes. It looks like a flamboyant, scaley polish!

I have to admit that I think I overloaded it with glitter. I should have stuck with one or two coats instead of going for a third. There really was no reason for that third except for greed. My top coat bubbled as a result because I had to really lay it on.

Blood Splatter - Color Styles 36, Kleancolor Metallic Black

This is an interesting polish I picked up from Paddy's Market in Sydney.

[Base: Kleancolor Metallic Black
Top coat: Color Style 36]

The base is Kleancolor Metallic Black, but I can't tell you what's the exact name of the red flakey glitter polish. The brand and number is photographed below:

[Unknown 36 polish]

[Base: Kleancolor Metallic Black
Top coat: Color Style 36]

Number 36 has shiny red mylar-ish flakes in a clear base, and hey, it's actually pretty different to the multichrome flakies. This is pretty interesting too, and I like how punky it looks. I might have to go back to get the other colours!

RAWR!! A Smaug-inspired Manicure - Kleancolor Metallic Purple, Red, Yellow; China Glaze Orange Marmalade

The end (of the year) is nigh! As is my tradition, I go out to the movies with friends on new years eve, so it looks like that's what I'll be doing this year too!

[Testing out the concept...]

This is relevant because today's is a rather old manicure that I put together before watching The Hobbit LAST YEAR (even though Smaug was barely in it...). I was in such a rush but here's the excerpt I used for inspiration:

"There he lay, a vast red-golden dragon, fast asleep...  ...and his long pale belly crusted with gems and fragments of gold from his long lying on his costly bed."

[Draconic underbellies r' us]

So here's my Smaug-inspired manicure! I first created a sponge gradient using the same method used here. The shades used here are Kleancolor Metallic Purple, KC Metallic Red, China Glaze Orange Marmalade and KC Metallic Yellow.

[Glitz and sparkle!]

Using clear polish, I then stuck on various colours and sizes of rhinestones on the tips of my nails before filling in the tips with China Glaze Medallion and Milani Jewel FX Gems! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing Smaug in the second movie... I doubt he'll be quite as tackily glitzy as this mani though..... =p

I guess I'll catch y'all in the new year!! =)

Treasure Chest - Sinful Colors I Dream In Jewels

Here's another nail polish from Sinful Colors' Diamond Lust collection!

[Top: Two coats of Sinful Colors I Dream In Jewels
Base: Kleancolor Metallic Black]

This is Sinful Colors' I Dream In Jewels. It has gold and red  hex glitter and big silver holo diamond glitter in a clear base. I do like this glitter polish (not just because it has Iron Man colours ahahaha). The gold and red combo goes together nicely of course and the extra diamond glitter gives it an extra zest.

[Sinful Colors I Dream In Jewels with its bottle]

This mani has two coats of I Dream In Jewels over Kleancolor Metallic Black. The gold and red glitter is really dense, but the diamond glitter is definitely a little more sparse, as you can see from the glitter in the bottle. The diamond glitter aren't hard to get out though, you don't actually need to fish for them. You might have to dip the brush back in again if it doesn't have any diamond glitter, but it shouldn't be too hard to get some on the brush.

[Top: Two coats of Sinful Colors I Dream In Jewels
Base: Kleancolor Metallic Black]

Overall, I like this nail polish! It isn't a topcoat eater and it looks really pretty against black. It's not overly complicated and I don't have anything like it yet.

Check out swatches of Gemtastic and Crystal Clear from the same collection done by Ev!

Illusionary - Ozotic 532 & 504, Kleancolor Metallic Black

Yesterday I posted a mani of Kleancolor Metallic Black. Here's what I layered over that!

[Ozotic 532 over Ozotic 504 over black]

This is Ozotic 532 layered over Ozotic 504 with the whole thing over the black base. 504 has a deep purple to red duochrome flash. 532 has a lighter green to blue to purple multichrome with a holo shimmer. I love these two polishes, that's why I wanted to see the result of a combination.

The final product is a blue to purple colour-shift plus holo. If you add one more coat of 532, you see green at sharp angles too. All in all, it makes for an interesting combo!

[Ozotic 532 over Ozotic 504 over black]

The above three photos are just to show the obvious blue to purple shift depending on how the light hits the nail. Looks pretty good to me!

I do quite like my Ozotics but I note that they sometimes bubble. It's not obvious and you can't really see them in the photos but I find that bubbling is something that occurs more with shimmer/colour-shift type polishes.

Brushed Black - Kleancolor Metallic Black

Its been a pretty crazy week for us. Let me keep this short, but do check in tomorrow for what I used over this! :)

[Kleancolor Metallic Black]

I bought Kleancolor Metallic Black on a whim, because I love the other Kleancolor Metallics so much. This one does not disappoint!

As it's black, of course it doesn't have the bright vibrancy of the other metallics. But it does it's job rather well as a sort of foil. Application was smooth and I like the finish. This makes for a rather interesting black polish!

Seafoam - Kleancolor Metallic Aqua, Metallic Green

Sorta keeping with the green theme... And let's have another gradient!

[Kleancolor Metallic Aqua and Metallic Green]

This gradient combines two of my current favourite plishes! I'm totally obsessed with Kleancolor's metallic collection, and here are two lovely ones; Kleancolor Metallic Aqua and Metallic Green. Metallic Aqua is this bright blue, almost teal colour, while Metallic Green is this gorgeous apple green shade. The finish for Kleancolor's Metallic polishes are foil-like.

I used the gradient sponging method, and it's really so easy to do with foil polishes.

[Kleancolor Metallic Aqua and Metallic Green]

Here's another picture under different lighting. My camera kinda freaked out over this mani.

Oh My Glitter Gradient! - Essence Oh My Glitter!, Kleancolor Metallic Purple

Here's a mid-week mini-post featuring a purple gradient manicure! Apologies for the cheesy title! ;)

[Bottle to nail: Essence Oh My Glitter! (2 coats)]

This is Oh My Glitter!, a shade from Essence's relatively new line-up of Colour n Go polishes. Jme has previously swatched this shade as well. I'd consider this more a glass-fleck/shimmer rather than a glitter but hey~ OMG! is a purple jelly creme with pink flecks throughout. Nice consistency, opaque with one careful coat! Definitely one to pick up from the new range!

[Gradient: Essence Oh My Glitter!, Kleancolor Metallic Purple]

I think I very lightly sponged on Kleancolor Metallic Purple over the tips to create this fast and easy gradient. One coat of topcoat smooths the whole thing right out. Easy peasy!

Dazzle Fox - Revlon Fire Fox, Australis Speck-tacular, Kleancolor Chunky Holo Purple

An old-ish mani, layering with flakies!

[Bottle to nail: Revlon Fire Fox (2 coats)]

I started out with Fire Fox, from Revlon's Matte Suede collection... This is a strange finish, it is matte, but in the more hmmm... rubbery/plasticky-looking way, quite interesting.

[2 coats: Revlon Fire Fox]

It's a bright red, quite festive, so I might pull it out again as Christmas approaches! Good formula and coverage, I think this was maybe two coats?

[Base: Revlon Fire Fox (2 coats); Topper: Australis Speck-tacular, Kleancolor Chunky Holo Purple]

Being incapable of leaving a mani alone, I topped this with Australis Speck-tacular, a multicoloured flakie (thumb/middle/pinky), and Kleancolor Chunky Holo Purple, a orange-to-green duochrome glitter (ring and index).

[Base: Revlon Fire Fox (2 coats); Topper: Australis Speck-tacular, Kleancolor Chunky Holo Purple]

And here's a darker picture which shows the shift better!

I have unfortunately been very very busy lately so apologies for the craptacular posts from me this month. =( I'm really looking forward to 2013 though, fingers crossed, my schedule should clear up heaps in the new year! Yay!!!

Double Holo - Kleancolor Holo Chrome, Layla Hologram Effect Flash Black

Happy Monday! I have a double holo french today using two very different but equally lovely holo polishes. =)

[Double holo... ALL THE WAY!]

I had these two on my desk and knew I wanted to use a holographic polish but couldn't decide, so I ended up using both!

[Bottle to nail: Kleancolor Holo Chrome (2 coats)]

This is Kleancolor Holo Chrome, which is... not chrome. =p It's a gorgeous blue jelly base with large holo particles giving a scattered effect.

[2 coats: Kleancolor Holo Chrome]

... I'm not sure why I took so many photos... but have a look at them anyway! Holo Chrome is a lovely polish on its own - great application, I think it takes between 2-3 coats depending on how opaque you want it.

[Bottle to nail: Layla Hologram Effect in Flash Black (tips); Base: Kleancolor Holo Chrome (2 coats)]

I then tipped my nails with one coat of Layla Hologram Effect in Flash Black, and absolutely insanely linear holographic polish. It's not exactly black though, because the holo particles give it more of a grey/silver look.

[Base: Kleancolor Holo Chrome (2 coats); Tips: Layla Hologram Effect in Flash Black (1 coat)]

You can definitely see the difference between a scattered and linear holo with this mani. I think both of them are great in their own right!

Purr-fect Sunset - Halloween Challenge #11: Recreate your favourite!

Haha, both Jme and I picked one of Cathy's Halloween manicures to try out for the last theme: Recreating your favourite from another blogger! At least we picked different ones! =p

[Meow meow...]

The one I picked was for the gradient theme! For two reasons: 1) I've terrible at gradients so I wanted to try out this sponge gradient. I've only done dabbing-style sponge gradients so I wanted to try this one out! You can check out Cathy's How-To here!... and 2) Cats! Who can say no to cats....

[Gradient (Top-bottom): LA Girl Alkaline Blue, Kleancolor Metallic Purple,
China Glaze Orange Marmalade, Kleancolor Metallic Yellow]

I was super impressed by the colour combo used so I followed it pretty closely. The shades I used were LA Girl Metal in Alkaline Blue, Kleancolor Metallic Purple, China Glaze Orange Marmalade and Kleancolor Metallic Yellow! Apologies for the shoddy cleanup... I was rushing this again because I didn't realise how close together the last few challenges were...

[Gradient (Top-bottom): LA Girl Alkaline Blue, Kleancolor Metallic Purple,
China Glaze Orange Marmalade, Kleancolor Metallic Yellow]

This method of sponge gradient is really quick and easy, I was really happy except for the mess I made around my nails. I never EVER do cleanup with my usual manis because I just colour "in the lines", so I didn't have anything handy to do proper cleanup with. =(

[Halloween Challenge #10: Inspired by... Gradient with cats!]

Then I added some cats with Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen in Black, and did a fine crescent tip with LA Girl Blackout. =) It's definitely a bit more cartoon-y then Cathy's version, but it was fun to try out this technique!

PHEW! With this, we've made it through all the Halloween themes! =D YAY!

Froggy Ferny Cabbage - Halloween Challenge #8: Witches

Halloween Challenge #8 is witches! Well, mine is witch, singular. I love love love the iconic image from Wicked with Elphaba and Glinda.... but trying to do positive/negative space with nail polish was a bit beyond my patience and I was in a rush... =(

[... the mani is unnaturally.... GREEN!]

I'd somehow skipped over witches and prepared my mani for the graveyard challenge instead, ending up a bit short on time for this... so Elphaba is all I've got!

[Bottle to nail: China Glaze Starboard (2 coats)]

I started with a base of China Glaze Starboard from the Anchors Away collection. This one is a bit of an odd one! It photographs beautifully vibrant as a rich grassy green, but in actual life, it's a fairly dusty shade.

[2 coats: China Glaze Starboard]

Despite that, it's rich and buttery and is fully opaque in two coats. If you do one careful thick coat, you can get it opaque in one too!

[Base: China Glaze Starboard; Glitter: Femme Fatale Ghoulish Glee;
Nail art: Sally Hansen Black, LA Girl Blackout, Kleancolor Passion Flame]

Sorry, I was rushing it, so no process pics! Briefly, for the ring finger, I blocked in the black with a Sally Hansen nail art pen in Black before colouring in the large black spaces with LA Girl Blackout, a plain black creme. The other fingers, I layered with the gorgeously sparkly Ghoulish Glee from Femme Fatale cosmetics (so gorgeous, it definitely needs a post of its own soon!) before blocking in the black for her hair/hat/cape after. The red was done with Kleancolor Nail to Toe nail art polish in Passion Flame.

Hope you like my Wicked-inspired witchy manicure!

Pumpkin Parade - Halloween Challenge #4: Jack-O-Lanterns

Day 4 of the 'This is Halloween' nail art challenge! The theme today is Jack-O-Lanterns!

Here's how the final product looks like:

[Nail art: Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen Black/Noir
Revlon Orange Fizz over Kleancolor Metallic Mango]

True to the theme, I hope! Now let's take it from the top!

[Kleancolor Metallic Mango]

I started with two coats of Kleancolor Metallic Mango. It's a gorgeous burnished bright bronze colour, wavering between chrome and foil.

[Top coat: Revlon Orange Fizz
Base coat: Kleancolor Metallic Mango]

Then I added one coat of Revlon Orange Fizz, which is an orange jelly with orange flakes. It didn't change the colour of Metallic Mango, but the flakes added some texture - which is what I wanted for a pumpkin-y look!

[Nail art: Sally Hansen Nail Art Pen Black/Noir
Revlon Orange Fizz over Kleancolor Metallic Mango]

Then with Sally Hansen's Nail Art Pen in Black/Noir, I drew on the pumpkin faces. A coat of glossy quick dry over the lot gave it a shiny look. You can see a little of Orange Fizz's flakes here.

I wanted to try to give each nail a slightly different face, but the middle and ring finger look pretty similar in the end.

Pretty straightforward and simple to do. Do they look like Jack-O-Lanterns or just scary, grinning faces on my nails? :O