Step By Step: Swirls and Dotted Flowers

This is a Step By Step tutorial on the swirls and dotted flowers design I did the other day.

Things you'll need:

• Nail Polish - base colour - Nicole by OPI It Starts With You
• Nail Polish - pink colour - Nicole by OPI Play Fair
• Nail Polish - silver colour - Nicole by OPI Positive Energy
• Konad Nail Art Pen - White - alternately you can use a dotting tool and white polish
• Konad Nail Art Pen - Black - alternately you can use a dotting tool and black polish
• Nail Art Brush
• Top coat - Seche Vite Dry Fast top coat
• Pad of paper/ Paper towelling

  
Step 1: Apply your base coat and then however many coats of your chosen base colour. I used Nicole by OPI It Starts With Me as my base colour for this design.

Step 2: Then I freehanded an accent across the tips of my nails in pink. I used Nicole by OPI Play Fair. If your hands are very shaky you can use scotch tape to make the accent.

Step 3: Then using the nail art brush draw two swirls across the top of the nail downwards in the same pink. Again I used Nicole by OPI Play Fair.

Step 4: Then in the opposite direction heading up the nail draw two swirls in a your base colour in the opposite direction. I used Nicole by OPI It Starts With Me.

Step 5: Then using the nail art brush and a silver polish draw two swirls across the middle of the swirls of the previous two colours - the pink and silver. I used Nicole by OPI Positive Energy.

Step 6: Next using either a black nail art pen or a dotting tool and black nail polish apply a dot to the bottom corner opposite the accent and swirls. I used Konad Nail Art Pen in black.

Step 7: Then using either a white nail art pen or a dotting tool and white nail polish draw five dots around the black dot to form the flower. I used Konad Nail Art Pen in white.

Step 8: Again using the white nail art pen draw a swirl made up of five dots in one direction on one side of the flower and then the same design in the opposite direction on the other side.

 

Step 9: Finally clean up any mess you made and then add a top coat. I used Seche Vite Dry Fast top coat.

 There you have it!

Step By Step: Nude Accent with Flowers

This is my Step By Step tutorial on the nail design I showed the other day.

What you will need:

• Base colour - French pink - Maybelline Sheer Ballet Pink
• Accent colour - red - Revlon Revlon Red
• Top Coat - Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat
• Scotch Tape
• Konad Special Polish White
• Image Plate M31
• Stamper
• Scraper
• Cotton Pads
• Nail Polish Remover
• Pad of Paper/Paper towelling

 

Step 1: Apply a base coat and then a nude pink that you would use for a French manicure. Alternately, if you have unstained nails you can just buff your nails to a shine. I used Maybelline Sheer Ballet Pink.

Step 2: Ensure your base colour is completely dry. Cut ten pieces of scotch tape long enough to cover your nail.

Step 3: Stick the scotch tape to your palm repeatedly until you get rid of most of the stickiness. Then place the scotch tape at an angle across your nail.

 Step 4: Once taped down and the edge sealed, add a coat of your chosen nail polish for the accent. I am using Revlon Revlon Red.
***If you have very steady hands you can attempt to freehand

Step 5: Once you've painted the accent remove the scotch tape straight away.

Step 6:  Repeat Steps 3-5 for each of your remaining fingers.

Step 7: Next prepare the items you will need for your Konad stamping. I used Konad Special Polish White and Konad image plate M31. Apply the polish to the plate, scrape and stamp. Then align the image on the corner with the red accent down the nail. Repeat this for your other nails.

Highlighted is the design I used for this manicure

Image plate from ICNA

 
Step 8: Using plate M31 again pick one of the flowers from this design and stamp it along the bottom of your nail, below your previous stamp. Repeat this for your other nails.

Step 9: Clean up any mess then added a top coat. I used Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat.

And you're done!!!

Step By Step: Racing Stripes

This is a simple Step By Step guide on how I achieved the design I posted yesterday.

What you'll need:

• Nail polish - base colour - Maybelline Racy Red
• White nail polish - Revlon White On White
• Black nail polish - Rimmel Black Out
• Scotch tape
• Scissors
• Top coat - Seche Vite Dry Fast top coat
• Tweezers
• Pad of paper/ Paper towelling

 Step 1:  Apply your base coat and then however many coats of your chosen base colour. I used Maybelline Racy Red as my base colour for this design.

 I'm reusing an old image here hence the different watermark!

Step 2:  Ensure your base colour is completely dry. Cut two equal thin strips of scotch tape however ig you want the gap between the red and white stripes. Then cut two large strips that will cover the otther segment of the all to form the white stripe.

Step 3: I suggest you do this one nail at a time because otherwise it is a PITA. Apply one of your thin strips of scotch tape to the upper area to mark where you want your top white stripe to be. Then add your second thin piece of tape to outline where you want the black stripe to be. Finally place each of the two larger strips on the top and bottom of your nail to outline the size of the white stripes.

 

Step 4: Paint the centre section between the two smaller pieces of tape with your black nail polish. I used Rimmel Black Out.

Step 5: Then paint the two outer sections with your white nail polish. I used Revlon White On White. Now MAJOR SIDE NOTE: ensure that the white polish you use is opaque in one coat and isn't runny! My White On White is very runny and if I had any other whites I would have used it because it was impossible to get a neat line with the white running everywhere and being so lumpy.

Step 6: After you finish painting immeditely remove the pieces of tape. I found it easiest to use tweezers to grab the tape and pull it off.

Step 7: Repeat steps 2-6 for the remainder of your nails.

 

Step 8: Clean up any excess nail polish from around your nails and fingers.

Step 9: Finally add a top coat to seal the design and you're done. Here is the final result:

There we have it! Alternately you could use a nail art brush or striping brush for form the black and white stripes.

Step By Step: Glittery Blue Gradient with Geometic Design

This is my Step By Step for the glittery gradient with geometric design manicure I did yesterday.

What you will need:

• Nail Polish - dark blue - Maybelline Denim Dash
• Nail Polish - pastel blue - Maybelline Party Blue
• Nail Polish - glitter topcoat - BYS Starlette
• Nail Polish - White for stamping - Konad Special Polish White
• Top Coat - Seche Vite Dry Fast top coat
• Nail Polish Remover
• Stamper
• Scraper
• Konad Image Plate - M24
• Sponges
• Cotton Wipes

Step 1: Apply your base coat and then the pastel blue nail polish. I used two thin coats of Maybelline Party Blue.

Step 2: Once your base colour is completely dry sponge your dark blue onto the top half of each of your nails. I used Maybelline Denim Dash.

Step 3: Then when the sponged nail polish is dry stamp the geometric design up the middle of each of your nails. I used the geometric design on Konad image plate M24.

 

Unfortunately I only took photo's of my index finger and this happened to be the one where I stuffed up the design!

 

Step 4: Ensure the stamped design is dry and then apply a glitter top coat to the top 2/3 of each of your nails. I used BYS Starlette for my glitter coat.

 

Step 5: Clean up any mess you made and from the painting, sponging and stamping.

 

Step 6: Finally apply a thick top coat to your nails. I used Seche Vite Dry Fast top coat.

And there you have it, a glittery gradient with a geometric design. You can alternate the colours you choose as well as the design you stamp.