Show Me Your Nails 2.0

[Tamara76]

Due to some technical glitches with the original Show Me Your Nails Thread, I am starting a new thread with @vegchililover78's blessing (She says "hello," by the way!).

Please share your nail looks, nail art and manicures!

...And don't forget to check out @Beadshopgirl's Nail Stamping Thread for stamping inspiration! ❤️  

https://community.sephora.com/t5/Nailed-It/The-Nail-Stamping-Thread/m-p/3328865

[RGbrown]

@JoSometimes 

Fabulous fairy pink, and I love the purple accent! 💖

You might also be interested in a blurring base coat, or even just using a white or nude cream under sheer polishes. Off the top of my head, most of the blurring base coats I can think of are indies and I don't know what Canadian shipping looks like, but Cupcake and Polished For Days both have a range of shades, and for non-indie (but perhaps not all that widespread in availability), Londontown has their Illuminating Nail Concealer and Perfecting Nail Veil lines. 

[JoSometimes]

Thank you for the tip @RGbrown. I’ll try a few local shops first and see what I can find. Also, it’s not sheer so much as it is uneven after 3 coats. Some parts were opaque while others weren’t. I’ll try to grab a photo next time it happens. 

[RGbrown]

@JoSometimes 

Gah, when you said something about the matte trick, my mind automatically went to sheer. I don't even know if that's a valid conclusion for me to draw, but I feel like I mostly hear about folks doing it with sheer polishes, so that's where my mind went. Ugh on a full coverage needing so many coats 😖 I generally expect needing 3 or even 4 coats with sheers because my nails are so stained, but I have much less tolerance for it with fussy creams. I have found it to be a fairly common thing with bubblegum pinks though, sadly. Perhaps due to the strong white base, as white is apparently a somewhat fussy pigment in polish.

(And I'm definitely not trying to imply the matte trick won't work with a cream; I've never tried it either way, and have only heard about it in passing. I mostly see it as a response when people ask about how to make shades like OPI Funny Bunny or Essie Marshmallow or other sheer shades more even, so that's always been my association with it)

[JoSometimes]

@RGbrown I always appreciate your insight and knowledge! I have a couple sheer-ish ones in my collection now so I’ll keep your tips in mind. 😊

It’s interesting that a change in pigment can affect how a polish applies. 

[RGbrown]

@JoSometimes 

It's crazy how some pigments can make a polish a pain to use. Yellow is the other most common grumpy bugger! 

[Titian06]

Very cute and princess-y, @JoSometimes ! 👑

[JoSometimes]

Thank you @Titian06! 

[RGbrown]

Beautometry has been running a series of flash sales all week; I've missed most of them (three hour sales are ridiculous 🙄), and most of them haven't been all that great to begin with, mostly small discounts on one brand or category, but this one is nice! 40% off EdK for the next two hours!

 

[Saradestin]

I am 3 minutes late and I am glad, just in case @RGbrown ! 😅

[CookieGirl1]

@Saradestin @RGbrown have either of you tried much from EDK?  I think that their swatch pics always look pretty but I've heard multiple people say that they never look quite that great in person.

[Saradestin]

I have not tried anything from EDK either @CookieGirl1 , so I can’t be of any help 😕

[RGbrown]

@CookieGirl1 

I've got one that I adore. It was a PPU or HHC selection several years ago now, but it's more of a topper...a mix of glitter and flakies in a clear base. It's mostly gold, but surprisingly one of my fave toppers ever considering how much I dislike gold. It's very well done, a pleasure to use and gorgeously executed. Not sure I have any full coverage polishes though (or if I do, I've forgotten about them, which doesn't bode well lol). I was pleased to see nothing caught my eye today when I looked through Beautometry, so I'm not adding any to my collection this time.

Oooooooooo, no, wait, I do have one more, picked up from another Beautometry sale, BF maybe? I haven't used it yet because I have too dang many backed up in line, so no thoughts on it either way yet 😬

[Titian06]

Orly has 40% off site wide.

Code:  NAILDAY

[Mellmars1185]

@Titian06 Oh i missed Nail Day . Great discount.

[Saradestin]

That’s a good one @Titian06 ! 😃

[JoSometimes]

Thanks for sharing @Titian06! My heart thanks you but I’m pretty sure I can hear my wallet grumbling…

[Titian06]

Color Club has their striper polishes ($4) buy one, get one.

Code:  BE-YOU-BOGO

[Saradestin]

Thank you for the heads-up @Titian06!! But I am on a NO BUY 🙈 until July sales! 🤑💸

[itsfi]

Turquoise skittle / ombre mani with my thumb and ring finger nails featuring a turquoise gradient using each of the turquoise polishes in the ombre mani, but with a different application method on each nail. 

Sephora Collection L200 Palm Leaf Aqua (pinky) is the deepest of the three turquoise shades and surprisingly, the most opaque with one coat.

Nails Inc. Endless Recycle (middle) is a soft minty green shade that requires 2 coats for a fully opaque and more even finish.

Gucci 713 Dorothy Turquoise (index) is a pretty turquoise. Two coats is ideal but I can achieve a slightly opaque and mildly glossy finish with one coat. 

Gradient Effect:

With makeup wedge / sponge & rolling method (thumb): This is how I first learned to create a gradient effect. I've heard of two different methods to do this (though I'm sure there may be more) - by applying color onto the end of the wedge sponge, and then (1) tapping the sponge onto the nail or (2) rolling the sponge onto the nail. In the past, I've used the first method of tapping the sponge, but this time, I tried the rolling method, which for me, gives me a cleaner, smoother look before using a top coat - I get less air bubbles with this rolling method. 

With nail gradient brush (ring): My first go with this brush didn't go as well as I had hoped but once I figured how to make it work for me, I find I like using it more than a makeup wedge for creating a gradient look, which I attribute primarily to not feeling like I have to use liquid latex around my nails. 

[Mellmars1185]

@itsfi Beautiful turquoise mani. I really app you sharing your techniques. I would like to start experimenting with different nail looks. This is very inspiring.

[CynthieLu]

Ooh lovely turquoise mix up!  It makes a beautiful skittles mani 🩵💚

Thank you for the information on the Ombre Effect @itsfi I enjoyed reading that 😃 sooo much!