52 Week Challenge: Week 24 - Kawaii

This really was a challenge! Inspired by Kawaii, firstly I had to research in to exactly what it was. I had a vague idea of cutesy Japanese cartoon type images which is what I attempted to do.

The cupcake and the kitty is most likely the most accurately Kawaii.

Swatch: Orly - Fowl Play

This polish is from the A/W Orly Birds of a Feather Collection, Orly polish it comes with its award winning gripper cap it's rubberised which is something I like because it gives you more grip to open and close the bottle as well as being easy to hold to apply to the nails.

Finish: Flakie

Opacity: Two to three

Lasting Power: I always seem to get bad tip wear from this polish

Brush Type: Average, with a fab cap

How Much: 18ml

Swatch: Max Factor - Meteorite 41

Finish: Shimmer
Opacity: This was two coats
Lasting Power: Quite good, 3 days without tip wear
Price: £3.99
Bottle Size: 4.5ml

Nails: Arr!

Nails: St. Patrick's Day

52 Week Challenge: Week 23 - Spring

You may have already spotted this set of nails I did, if not here is a dedicated post for week 23 of the challenge. SPRING!

Swatch: W7 - Metallic Venus

Finish: Metallic / Shimmer

Opacity: Three coats

Brush Type: Standard

This has a slight colour shift to it, sort of glows. Pink - blue - purple, I really struggled to capture all of these shades in my photos.

£1.95 - 15ml

Nail Polish Direct

52 Week Challenge: Week 22 - Flag

Inspired by a flag. I really should have thought to do an easier design but I thought with it being St. David's Day on the first I got the inspiration from that.

Swatch: ELF - Desert Haze

I got this in February as I wanted a nice light base for stamping on. It is very light and neutral.

Brush Type: Average, see photo

Opacity: Two or three, I used 3 above

Polish Finish: Cremé 

Staying Power: Average

£1.50 - 10ml

Swatch: Essence - Magic Wand

This is a light metallic pink magnetic polish

Lasting Power: 3 / 4 days

Magnetic Look: Quite subtle 

Opacity: One coat would do if you weren't using a magnet on it

Brush Type: Standard

Swatch: W7 - Metallic Saturn

Brush Type: Wide and flat

Polish Finish: Metallic / Shimmer

Opacity: Three coats

Lasting Power: Average

Quite a difficult polish to apply, brush strokes were quite obvious. Possibly a dupe for Chanel Peridot and Model's Own Golden Green. There is a slight colour shift in this, very subtle duochrome. From a deep golden yellow to a green, but this is quite slight.

15ml - £1.95

Nail Polish Direct

52 Week Challenge: Week 21 - Green

This challenge really seems to have a lot of different looks, is anyone else doing it?

This week's theme was 'green'

Base Polish: W7 - Fluorescent Green

Shatter: Barry M - Black Nail Effects

As you can tell I wasn't a fan of the brightness of the green on its own and I think it looks so much better with a crackle. Especially the black.

Stamping Sunday: Three Colours

I wasn't too sure if we were to stamp with three colours or just use three on the nails. They didn't come out quite how I envisioned, Kath Kidson-esq, but to the eye they are a lot less patchy and the roses shimmer.

Base Polish: Barry M - Berry Ice Cream

Stamping Polishes: Barry M - Racing Green, Miss Sporty - Cherry

Stamping Plate: M65

Swatch: Max Factor - Fantasy Fire

This is Max Factor's Fantasy Fire, allegedly a dupe for Clarins 230 more commonly known as 'Unicorn Pee'

Clarins no longer sells the 230 but in the bottle (12ml) it looks like a duochrome which shifts from a red copper to a blue / green / purple. The Max Factor (4.5ml) also look like that in the bottle, quite multi faceted. 

With Fantasy Fire the effect on the nail is less so, which is a little disappointing. In photos I have seen of the Clarins this is also the case. I think that the two are really compatible and seeing as 230 is discontinued Fantasy Fire is a perfect dupe.

Lasting Power: Average

Opacity: Very sheer, 4 coats. A layering polish

Brush Type: Little bottle comes with a little brush

Fantasy Fire is a very much hyped up, the polish itself is quite sheer and ideal for layering. In the bottle it looks purple to a red, green, and blue tone. However on the nail it is less impressive as it doesn't translate across well. Depending on what polish you layer this with would alter the colour shift in the overall duochrome look polish.

£3.99 - 4.5ml

Swatch: W7 - Fluorescent Green (12)

Lasting Power: Unsure, haven't worn it longer than two days

Opacity: Three coats was used in the swatch above

Brush Type: Round with blunt flat tip, standard

£1.95 - 14ml

Swatch: NYX - Robotic

Finish: Blackened, glass flecked, metallic 

Brush Type: Standard

Opacity: Good, one thick or two thin coats

Lasting Power: Standard 3-4 days

Nails: Nyan Cat

When I came to doing these I unfortunately seem to have lost my little tiny paint brush.

This isn't as good as I would have hoped but it was done with my non-dominant hand. Disappointed with the cat as well, I really could have done with my paint brush!

Base Polish: Models Own - True Blue

52 Week Challenge: 19 - Polka Dot and 20 - Valentines

Week 19 and the challenge was to do something polka dot

Base Polish: Stargazer - Navy (105)

Stamping Polish: Barry M - Blueberry Icecream

Stamping Plate: M79

Silver striping tape

Seeing as already posted my Valentines Day one I thought I wouldn't bother doing another post

Polish One: ELF - Gum Pink

Polish Two: ELF - Florescent Pink

Polish Three: Barry M - Raspberry

Stamping Polish: Sally Hansen Hard as Nails - White

Thumb Stamp: BM09

Ring Finger Stamp: BM212

Other Fingers: M07

Swatch: ELF - Punk Purple

Lasting Power: 3 - 4 days

Opacity: Two

Brush Type: Round with blunt flat tip, standard

£1.50 - 10ml

Swatch: ELF - Fire Coral

Lasting Power: 2 - 3 days

Opacity: Two to three

Brush Type: Round with blunt flat tip, standard

£1.50 - 10ml

Swatch: ELF - Hot Pink

Lasting Power: Average 

Opacity: One thick coater 

Brush Type: Average 

£1.50 - 10ml

52 Week Challenge: Week 18 - Inspired by TV / Movie

Challenge of the week was to do some nail art inspired by TV or Movie, I actually painted these on to acrylics.

Swatch: ELF - Gum Pink

Opacity: 2-3 Coats

Lasting Power: Average

Brush Type: Average

Swatch: W7 - Sheer Lemon

Lasting Power: Only wore for two days before removing, no chips up to that point though

Opacity: Three coats needed

Brush Type: Standard

£1.95 - 15ml

I got this from nailpolishdirect.co.uk but there are plenty of places which sell W7 polishes in the UK

52 Week Challenge: Week 17 - Red

Week 17 and the challenge was to come up with something 'red'. I think this is something nice for Christmas but in general a little glittery for me everyday!

Swatch: Essence - Let's Get Lost (55)

It is smaller than a typical polish, 5ml, but the brush and lid are fine to work with. I usually struggle a little with mini bottles, such as OPI.

Lasting Power: 3 - 4 days 

Opacity: Two coats  

Brush Type: Standard

Swatch: Miss Sporty - Cherry (160)

Finish: Shimmer, medium red

Brush Type: Standard

Opacity: Two coats needed

Lasting Power: Standard 3-4 days

Nails: Blue Filigree

Base Polish: OPI - Road House Blues

Stamping Polish: Stargazer - 233 Blue Chrome

Stamping Plate: BM04

Swatch: Essence - Steel Me 03

Nails: Purple Flowers

Base Polish: ELF - Purple Dream

Stamping Polish: ELF - Black

Stamping Plate: BM 203

52 Week Challenge: Week 16 - Silver

Base Polish: 17 - Blue Magnetic

Stamping Polish: Stargazer - Silver Chrome

Stamping Plate: BM 21

Nails: Golden Globes 2012

At the Golden Globes Zooey Deschanel was wearing a stunning green gown, with tuxedo nail art. This is my version of the nail design, for me her nails had too much white so I added a suit jacket to my version;

52 Week Challenge: Colour Opposites

I had to check a colour wheel for reference but with the challenge;

Base Polish: Miss Sporty - Orange Crush
French Tip: Essence - Let's Get Lost

Swatch: Model's Own - Emerald Black

This polish is part of Model's Own Beetle Juice collection, this is one of the more subtle duo chrome in the collection shifting from almost black to a deep emerald colour. 

Lasting Power: 3 - 4 days

Opacity: One thick coat works 

Brush Type: Round with blunt flat tip

£5 - 14ml

Models Own | Asos | Boots

52 Week Challenge: Week 15 - Inspired by Song

Challenge for this week was to do some nail art inspired by a song. 

I couldn't think of anything so flicked on the music channels and first song was 

Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rouge

This is what I ended up with...

52 Week Challenge: Fabric

Leather is a fabric, right?

OPI - Obscurity

Nails: Frosty Circles

I think this goes well with this cold, frosty time of year

Nails: 'Wedding' Nails

Base Polish: ELF - Lilac 

Stamping Polish: Beauty UK - Lilac Girl

Stamping Plate: BM21

52 Week Challenge: Week 14 - Zebra

Base: ELF - Black

Tips: Sally Hansen - White Hard as Nails

Stamping Polish: ELF - Black

Stamping Plate: BM 223

Swatch: China Glaze - Snow Globe

Nails: Golden Cranberry