Monthly Manicure Challenge 2023

[JoSometimes]

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 Show Me Your Nails 2.0 too!

June 2023 - Child At Heart: Stickers, Stamps, and Glitter

 

I remember, when I was in elementary school, June was this magical month where we did all kinds of arts and crafts involving glitter or sparkles and special guests were invited to the school and gave out stickers. Now that I sit on the other side of the desk as a teacher myself, I realize the glitter was saved for June because glitter is a pain to clean up on a normal day but the rooms would be deep cleaned during July and August. And all the special guests were there because teachers had already finished grading us and needed to kill time until the end of the year! And stickers make for quick and easy prizes and going away presents. So I thought we could relive those fun childhood memories. Feel free to use glitters, sparkles, shimmer, stickers, or anything else that makes you feel like a kid again! ✨💖🦋👧👦

And bonus challenge! June is also pride month for many, so feel free to showcase your support through rainbows. Kids love rainbows too, so it’s two-in-one! Or if you feel more inclined, you can go with the colours of a particular pride flag instead. And if the Pride celebrations happen at a different time of year for you, feel free to come back to the bonus challenge later. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

See My Original Post That Started This Challenge Here

Spoiler

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 Makeup Challenge of the Week 2021/2022/2023 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 Show Me Your Nails 2.0 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

Spoiler

May 2023 - May Flowers

Mother Nature has always been an amazing source of inspiration. For this month, show off your floral-inspired manicures. It could be as simple as a colour that reminds you of your favourite flowers or break out your dotting tools to paint some pretty petals.

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

Spoiler

July 2023 - Fireworks!
August 2023 - Day at the Beach
September 2023 - On the Next Season: TV/Movie Insprired Manicures
October 2023 - Spooky or Silly Halloween
November 2023 - Pumpkin Spice
December 2023 - Happy Holidays: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, New Years!

I’m open to changing things up or adding bonus challenges. If you have suggestions, please let me know!)

In Case You’re Interested In Other Challenges

Spoiler

Makeup Challenge of the Week 2021/2022/2023 
100 Days of Lipstick Challenge 
100 Shades of Eyeshadow Challenge 
A Year of Beauty- Photography Challenge- Year 2 
💕😌 2023 Mask of the Week Challenge 😌💖 
Please let me know if I missed any!

[itsfi]

Cross-post from the Nails 2.0 thread. The nail art on my ring finger nail fits the month's flower nail art theme. 

Tools Used: 

• Dotting Tool 
• Striping Brush 
• Both from the Sally Hansen Salon Pro Tool Kit - I picked this kit up at my local Target

@RGbrown does a lovely job with her lines and I gave some geat tips for a smooth line. On a couple of these, I lifted my brush too soon or paused instead of making a clean lift, and it shows. The stripes on this hand (non-dominant hand) turned out much better than the ones on my other hand. 🤣

Polishes Used: 

💅 Red: Sephora Collection It Girl

💅 White: Nails Inc. Free Time is Me Time

💅Blue: Nails Inc. Need Some Vitamin Sea from the Nails Inc Mykonos Set

💅 Silver: Dare to Wear Stellar Stars 

[Saradestin]

This manicure is so fun, bright and cute @itsfi ! I love it! ❤️🤍💙

[itsfi]

Thank you @Saradestin! It was a fun one. I was happily surprised with how vibrant the red and blue polishes were.

[Saradestin]

Yes, they are gorgeous @itsfi! I need a bright red cream polish in my collection

[jaaayp]

@itsfi I understand the struggle with the straight lines.. I don't even attempt LOL I think we should have @RGbrown give us zoom lessons 🤣

[RGbrown]

@jaaayp @itsfi 

Ha  😂 Honestly though, I'm not sure Fi's lines look any different than ones I've done! If I want perfectly perfect, I pull out vinyls (or striping tape or whatever sticky straight edge you have) so I can just fill them in, but when I freehand them, they look just like this. Sometimes I try and "square up" the little pointy end caused by the tip of the brush, but I frequently screw that up, so I mostly just leave them be (that can also be avoided by placing the tip off the nail, aka on the skin, but I'm never willing to make that mess lol, nor do I think about having a barrier down until after the fact). 

The best advice I can give for straight (ish) stripes is to get a long brush (really long!), coat it evenly, lay the whole thing flat across your nail where you want the stripe to be, then gently drag it straight down that line to evenly distribute the polish. If your brush had any uneven blobs on it, your line may have some fat spots, but overall, it's gonna be fairly even. Going at it with just the tip of a brush makes it way more difficult, but plop and drag is pretty easy!

^my striper, from a Red Carpet Manicure brush set I picked up on sale at some point.

[Saradestin]

Thank you for the detailed explanation @RGbrown! I don’t have such long brush but have a stamping plate that has three different thickness straight lines and that’s what I will be using until I get the right brush

[jaaayp]

SUPER HELPFUL @RGbrown My June challenge will have some of these "straight lines" which I'll pass off as squigglies 😂😂😂😂

[JoSometimes]

Thank you for the demonstration @RGbrown! That is super helpful!

[itsfi]

Woohoo! We got our tutorial @jaaayp! 😊 Thank you @RGbrown; I’m bookmarking the post for future use. 👍🏼

[JoSometimes]

@itsfi That’s awesome that you found that kit at Target. Target left Canada years ago, but I couldn’t find anything at other stores like Walmart or Shopper Drug Mart. I ended up ordering from Amazon.

I actually like that the lines aren’t perfect. It adds a human element to it that I find charming. 

[Samtian]

@itsfi Whoa cool!!

[Samtian]

For the May flowers challenge I went with some of my rose colors. LÓreal Smell the roses on the index and middle. Two different Ellen Tracy colors on pinky/thumb and ring. 3 coats each. 

[Titian06]

Great rose-like colors, @Samtian ! 🌹  These colors are very pretty on you!

[Samtian]

@Titian06 Thank you so much!!

[Saradestin]

Beautiful color choices @Samtian ! 😍 They really remind me of roses 🌹 and L’Oréal polish name is so appropriate!

[Samtian]

@Saradestin Thank you! I agree about the name!

[itsfi]

Love the colors you choice for this gradient mani @Samtian! The different shades and tones of rose look beautiful. I forgot Ellen Tracy made nail polish. Did you find them to be long wearing?

[Samtian]

@itsfi Thank you! They did pretty good. I don't think they chipped the 3 days I wore them. 

[JoSometimes]

I love these colours @Samtian! They give off rose petal vibes. 🌹

[Samtian]

@JoSometimes Thank you!! That was what I was hoping for.