topic Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023 in Nailed It

Monthly Manicure Challenge 2024

JoSometimes — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 02:53:54 GMT

Welcome to the Monthly Manicure Challenge! There’s a lot of great manicure ideas and inspiration here on BIC. I find challenges are a great way to channel that inspiration, push me out of my comfort zone, and try new styles or colours I wouldn’t normally go for. It’s a great way to grow in skill and artistry. I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

All are welcome, whether you’re a pro or a novice like me, or if you have a favourite manicurist that is the only one you trust with your hands. You’re welcome to post as often or as little as you like, post late, or skip challenges completely. And feel free to post them on too!

April 2024 - April Showers

I’m sure we all know how the idiom goes: “April showers bring May flowers.” So let’s see your water themed manicures this month!

And it doesn’t have to be typical blues for water either. Feel free to try techniques that involve water in some way! Hydrodipping, water marbling, droplet effects, etc… Feel free to try any of these and show us the results!

See My Original Post That Started This Challenge Here

I’ve been a part of BIC for a while now. I’ve seen makeup, skincare, and photography challenges, which have been great for giving me inspiration, but nothing for mani’s. I love because it’s given me lots of inspiration, pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow in my skills and artistry. I’d probably be stuck doing the same looks if it weren’t for that. I know we have which has been a great source of inspiration. I don’t want to take away from it but rather give myself and others a way to narrow down all the great ideas from it and get outside of my comfort zone (which has been bright colours and sparkly toppers lately)

Would there be any interest in starting a challenge for mani’s? We could have a different theme every month or even twice a month so that people can wear their mani’s out without worrying about missing one. People could always revisit themes if they miss them but still want to participate. I’m happy to organize it and if people have ideas for themes, I’m happy to work them in. What do you all think? Let me know if we should go one or twice a month and any themes you might want to see.

Tagging some people but feel free to tag others who I missed or who you think might be interested.

@RGbrown @Titian06 @itsfi @CynthieLu @ather @jaaayp @Saradestin @Mellmars1185 @WinglessOne @Samtian

Previous Challenges

May 2023 - May Flowers
June 2023 - Child At Heart
July 2023 - Fireworks/Canada Day/Fourth of July
August 2023 - A Day At The Beach
September 2023 - We Now Return You To Your Regularly Scheduled Program: TV/Movie Inspired Manicures
October 2023 - Trick or Treat! Halloween-Inspired Mani’s
November 2023 - Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice
December 2024 - Happy Holidays: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Years!
January 2024 - New Year Newness
February 2024 - Love and Fortune
March 2024 - Spring Cleaning

Upcoming Challenegs (*Spoiler Alert!* ⚠️ Click at your own risk!)

May 2024 - May Flowers

In Case You’re Interested In Other Challenges

Please let me know if I missed any!

Re: Manicure Challenge?

Saradestin — Sun, 14 May 2023 14:56:53 GMT

Thank you for the tag! This is such an awesome and fun idea @JoSometimes !!! I’m in! I think that we could start with a monthly challenge and depending on participation, increase it to twice per month. 😃

Re: Manicure Challenge?

ather — Sun, 14 May 2023 18:56:27 GMT

@JoSometimes I think this is an awesome idea! I would totally participate! Let’s get this party started!

Re: Manicure Challenge?

Titian06 — Sun, 14 May 2023 19:52:10 GMT

Great idea, @JoSometimes ! I'm in! I think once a month would be a good start.

Re: Manicure Challenge?

CynthieLu — Sun, 14 May 2023 19:57:41 GMT

Very fun idea @JoSometimes I love seeing fun nail creations 💅 I think once a month is a good starting point for anyone intetested to dip thier toes in and see how it goes from there 🙂

Re: Manicure Challenge?

JoSometimes — Mon, 15 May 2023 01:12:47 GMT

@CynthieLu @Titian06 @ather @Saradestin

Consider it done. I will get something sorted out soon. Please tag anyone else who might be interested!

Re: Manicure Challenge?

jaaayp — Mon, 15 May 2023 03:54:36 GMT

@JoSometimes I'm so late 😂 BUT YAAAASSSS. It'll be providing free ideas and inspirations LOL I need to check out the makeup challenge thread

Re: Manicure Challenge?

JoSometimes — Mon, 15 May 2023 04:18:25 GMT

No such thing as too late here @jaaayp! I just updated the original post. Let’s get this party started!

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

JoSometimes — Mon, 15 May 2023 16:44:43 GMT

This was my idea, so I should probably start things off. My cheap little dotting tool broke but my Amazon order arrived just in time. I haven’t tried the brushes yet. I feel like I need to practice with them to figure out how mush pressure to apply.

Out with the old, in with the new. And yes, that’s a little playdoh cup to hold nail polish remover for cleaning up. I have SO MANY lying around.

I just finished my Pikachu/Mimikyu manicure a few days ago and didn’t want to remove them yet, so I decided to add a flower to my thumbs. It was a good chance to try out the tools and get a better feel for them. I like the added length. It gives a more balanced feeling. It’s like writing with a regular No. 2 pencil vs tiny golf pencil.

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

eshoe — Tue, 16 May 2023 13:55:38 GMT

What a fun idea, @JoSometimes! Once a month seems attainable to me, I hope to join in. Thank you for starting this.

And little playdoh cups everywhere? Sounds like you have a pretty full life 😁

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

RGbrown — Wed, 17 May 2023 00:31:33 GMT

May flowers, eh? I am all about the lazy, low effort mani most of the time, but I can rise to a challenge every now and again! My art skills atrophied around third grade and some mild tremors don't help, but hey, I tried, ok? 😅 Maybe one day I'll pull out some of my stamping stuff for neater results, but that's a whole different effort I wasn't up to yesterday lol.

Natural overcast light; mostly stormy today, but I managed to catch a break in the rain ☔

The polishes:

Cirque Marsala Jelly: somewhere between mauve and plum, a beautifully dusty pinky-purple shade. Sheer but goes down evenly, not streaky (It's worth noting that this is with my upgraded wide brush...not sure how it would go with the original skinny one)

Cirque Jade Jelly: true to the name, it's a soft jade green. Also sheer but not streaky (also wide brush)

Smith & Cult Glass Souls: an assortment of silver glitters in a clear base. Wonderfully sparkly, their glitter seems a little brighter somehow than many other brands, and the glitters are thin enough that they don't leave a ton of texture.

Morgan Taylor Arctic Freeze for the lines, and Revlon Vivacious, Tangerine, and Zealous for the flowers.

The method:

For the glitter nails, I laid down three coats of jelly, added one coat of glitter about three quarters of the way up the nail, added one more coat of jelly, and then just a smattering of glitter near the tip.

For the plaid + flower nails, I did one coat of jelly, then drew one horizontal and one vertical line with the white, and let dry for a bit. Topped with another coat of jelly, then added the other two lines and few sparse dots of glitter, let dry again. One more coat of jelly, dot on the flowers, and add a hint more glitter, then let dry before carefully adding topcoat.

I hated this when I first got done, mostly because I know my freehand skills are non-existent, but it has grown on me and I'm mostly happy with it now! I do wish I had used different colors for the flower over Marsala Jelly, it doesn't stand out as well as it does over Jade Jelly, but all in all, I'm pretty thrilled with my results 🌼

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

JoSometimes — Tue, 16 May 2023 21:51:58 GMT

@eshoeVERY full. I have twin girls who like to dictate my manicures. It makes life plenty interesting and doubly fun. 😊

And thank you for joining in on the fun. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

jaaayp — Tue, 16 May 2023 22:53:43 GMT

@RGbrown I'll say it again, I LOVES IT!!!

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

jaaayp — Tue, 16 May 2023 22:55:03 GMT

@JoSometimes repurposing at its finest 🥰

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

Titian06 — Tue, 16 May 2023 23:34:09 GMT

This is gorgeous, @RGbrown ! 🌸🌷🌻

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

Saradestin — Wed, 17 May 2023 00:28:33 GMT

This is awesome @JoSometimes !! I will find so much inspiration here!

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

Saradestin — Wed, 17 May 2023 00:24:08 GMT

You always create masterpieces @RGbrown , and this one is no exception! ❤️❤️❤️

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

Saradestin — Wed, 17 May 2023 00:27:08 GMT

Wow! Your flower is so perfect @JoSometimes ! ❤️And I love that it has two layers. I would have never thought about it. See?? You have already inspired me!!😊

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

JoSometimes — Wed, 17 May 2023 01:34:58 GMT

@jaaayp Now I need to find a use for the other 99! 😆

Re: Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

JoSometimes — Wed, 17 May 2023 01:40:18 GMT

Hooray @Saradestin! I can’t wait to see how that inspiration translates into your manicures!