CND Shellac - You Rule

I finally got to try CND Shellac UV gel polish on Saturday.  It was a cinch to apply and it's wearing like a dream (day 3 and not a chip in sight).  I used the shade "Rose Bud."  How suiting is it that I overlaid a Konad pattern of black rosess?  I like baby pink...but c'mon I need some sort of edge.

What I am the MOST STOKED about is the fact that this genious polish will make my nail art last!  It's like unlocking some mythical secret - most of my labor intensive manicures with sweet designs go to shit in less than a week. This stuff is supposed to last up to 14 days - that rocks my socks and makes me one happy nail artist. 

Across The Universe...and on My Nails

I've never seen a polish quite like this one from Lippmann Collection.  It's called "Across the Universe."  The name suits it well because I had to damn near travel across the world to get a bottle.  I'm exegerrating as usual...but I did have to go to a Nordstrom's outside of S.F. because it was sold out here. 

A couple people asked me if this was a "gel" - HA!  Fooled them.  It dries like a regular polish. No UV lamp required.  Although I would not mind if it came in gel formula because it did start to chip on day 3.

Bless the Invention of Fingerless Gloves

Winter is a comin'!  Temperatures are dropping by the second.  Ok, fine...it never really gets that cold here -- but it sure feels like it to this warm-blooded California girl.  So what do I do when I've got a bangin' manicure to show off but need to keep warm?  Wear fingerless gloves, of course!  My nickname for this particular style of gloves is "hobo gloves" because they remind me of what bums wear in the movies. LOL. 

On Satruday I studied nail disorders and diseases...informative, but gross.  I also had a couple of hours to practice manicures.  I did not take pictures of all of my work (doh!)  but I did take a snapshot of my own nails.  This is done with a SpaRitual polish and a Konad plate.  I am calling it my "Bare Fishnets" look.

The Inspiration

You Have Been Warned Acrylics: I'm Going to Master YOU!

I had my first experience with acrylic nails in school last night.  Dipping, dabbing and dotting polymers and monomers was not as easy as I thought!  You have to have the perfect liquid to powder ratio to create a pliable ball of "goo" (for lack of a better word!) to apply on the nail.  Only once the chemical reaction between the liquid monomer and the powder polymer resembles the "skin of an orange," as my instructor describes it, on the tip of your brush, will it be ready to sculpt on to the nail and not give you a lumpy or drippy mess. 

Luckily, we are working with odorless acrylics so it was not the nauseating, head-spinning experience I had anticipated.  Pretty soon we'll be on to gel nails and I'm super stoked about those because they last forever and they look extremly natural.

My first set of acrylic nails was not very pretty.  But my second set wasn't so bad!  With practice, I'll be a champ. 

Beauty School...NOT a Drop Out!

It's official.  I've signed my paperwork, gone to orientation and attended my first day of manicurist school last week.  I'm going legit people.  It's quite a comittment, but I'm game.  I have night and weekend classes on top of my more than full-time work schedule.   Wowsers...when am I going to get a chance to eat and sleep? 

If I can stick to the school's schedule, I will graduate in 5 months.  Woo hoo.  It'll be nice to have another credential under my belt.  Check back to hear about my progress and adventures in BEAUTY SCHOOL!

Let's Go Giants, Let's Go!

Most people that know me would definitely NOT classify me as a sports fan.  In fact, I'm more along the lines of your stereotypical girly girl that whines when the TV is tuned into any type of sports for more than five minutes.  But  my hometown baseball team has taken it all the way to the World Series...so it's a different story for me now.  I have San Francisco pride...and the Giants are kicking ASS for my city!

What better way to rep my newly found Giants love and support them by doing a team color manicure?  Plus, it doubled as a Halloween manicure! 

Vegas Baby!

It's official:  my Vegas cherry has been popped!  I don't know why I waited so long to visit Sin City - I only live an hour flight away.  Hmmm...maybe I would have gotten in too much trouble had I went in my early 20's :) 

Anyhoo, October 15 was my birthday!  I got a Superfly suite at the Pallazo and shacked up with my boyfriend for a week of sun, fun and tons of rum.  (Ok, that didn't really rhyme, and it was Patron - but you get the point!) 

The nails had to be glam for such a glitzy town.  I went with Sally Hansen Chrome gold, heavily sprinked with gold micro glitter and stamped with black Konad stars.  I put two top coats of Seche Vite to act as my armor against the climate of harsh partying.  It lasted for a full seven days without chipping!

Hello Kitty Part Deux

Experimenting with my Hello Kitty designs again.  This time Miss Kitty took on a purple theme.  I added some lavender rhinestones...but they didn't turn out as "blingy" as I had hoped...I may have to invest in crystals instead of these cheapie fake gemstones.

After all is said and done, I think I prefer the last HK I did with the pink tip (scroll down a couple posts)  Let me know which one you like better.

Greige?

You may have already heard, but Sephora has a nail polish line by OPI.  It's quite quality.  I loved this shade called "Under my Trenchcoat."  It's a hybrid color that some have nick named "greige" (grey/beige...get it?)   I think it's THE must have color for this fall for everything: clothes, shoes, bags and NAILS! 

On Sunday I had my first foray offering my "handywork" to the public at Dun Up Boutique.  I did Sabina's nails with this polish.  Really, really tried hard to get the remnants of red off of her cuticules from her previous manicure (compliments of her 5 year old)...but it stuck like glue.  I used a couple of floral-lace patterns to make it sweet & feminine.

Me...putting in mad work.



What's Black, White and Pink All Over?

These hot nails, of course!  The name of this new pink Orly polish is escaping me right now.  In person it's like a neon fuschia.  Lovely.  I went to town with different patterns in black & white.  My favorite is the white tiger stripes with the black tip on her ring finger.  I'll be back with crisper images...and the name of that Orly polish!

Clean up those edges, girl!

Miss Kitty, How do I love thee?

Hello Kitty.  I love you.  You've made me smile since I was 5 years old.  This is my ode to you.

The Inspiration

White. Yelllow. Blue. How do you do?

This reminds me of  "tacky then, but cool now" 80's art.  Don Johnson would have totally dug this pattern painted on the walls of his Miami penthouse circa 1984.  Tubbs would have been jealous.

After several bottles of wine and a belly full of ricotta stuffed pasta, this was the result on Miss Shakira's hands (no, not the yodeling bellydancer).  But she is a badass wardrobe stylist.  For booking information, check her website out here.

The inspiration...vintage 80's art

24 Karat Tiger

A chrome gold nail polish is one of those things I almost gave up on.  I wanted something like bling bling pow - like Mister T's gold chains.  Like an Indian princesses' gold charms.  Sally Hansen Chrome Gold quick dry polish pen saved the day.  Sally stopped me from believing that Minx was the only way to achieve true metallic. 

This was day one so the polish was still a little messy around the edges.  Please excuse that!

The Inspiration...

Watch Out! These Houndsteeth are Sharp!

The houndstooth pattern on Keri Hilson's nails last year was what really inspired me to start doing creative "superfly" nails.  I was immediately enamored with the black & white pattern Ms. Keri was wearing.  I had to have it.  But how??  How does something so intricate come to be on one's nails?  This wasn't your normal nail shop flower art.  After some web-sleuthing I figured it out.  Two weeks later I was sporting the houndstooth look on my own hands.

Last weekend Annie JJ went to The Big Easy and my first thought was "Mardi Gras" nails!  After I realized how cheesy that might turn out, I went with the Sally Hansen "Blue Me Away" and my favorire Konad houndstooth pattern. Hot for the end of summer.

The Inspiration...

Mad for Plaid

Miss Lopez of Dun Up Boutique requested the Essie Turqoise & Caico's polish I wore in my earlier "Psycho Tiffany" post.  I topped it with a pattern that isn't quite plaid...but I suppose more of a fishnet?  What would you call it?  In any case, I think it looks rad.

Visit Dun Up Boutique at 3420 22nd Street San Francisco CA 94110
DunUpboutique@yahoo.com
Hours:
Mon - Thurs 12pm - 7PM
Fri- Sun 11AM - 7PM

Cheetah Girl

I'm naming this one "Shida's Cheetah."  If you knew Rashida, you'd agree that she's wild...like a cheetah.  When she asked to get her nails "did", I already knew she'd be the perfect subject for this punky animalistic creation I had in mind. 

The Inspiration...

Sapphires and Denim, Dude!

"True blue...baby I love you."  Remember that Madonna song from the '80s?  I feel that way about this OPI color gifted to me by a lovely coworker.  The actual shade is called "Blue My Mind."  It's a smooth metallic electric blue.  It's also reminds me of the best material ever invented to clothe the world in:  denim dude!

The Inspiration....

Levi's(R) Curve ID Jeans in Slight Curve Blue Bell

Cartier Panthere Sapphire Brooch

My Favorite "Femme Cee" Kid Sister Always Keeps Her Nails Fly

Kid Sister has been flying under the radar for some time now.  She blew up on the Chicago club circuit a few years back and caught the eye of none other of Mr. Arrogance himself, Kanye West.  But hey, that doesn't mean we don't love Kanye and what he's done for her.  Her debut album Ultra Violet was released back in November 2009 to critical acclaim, but it still hasn't taken off in the mainstream.  I don't understand why.  Please people, don't sleep on Kid Sis'.  Her music is jammin'...and her nails?  Sick.

Queen of the Dance Hall...

Who doesn't love reggae?  This is my ode to reggae dance hall. Tiger stripes and red, gold and green.  Ooh...I think I need a trip to Jamaica now!  I guess the closest I'll get is seeing Steel Pulse at the Fillmore next week...

Konad plate M57, OPI "Comet Loves Cupid", Kleancolor "Neon Yellow", Savina "Power Up."

The Inspiration...

Psycho Tiffany

Essie's Turquoise and Caico's polish is stunning.  Perfect summertime shade for hands and feet.  The color is very, very similar to Tiffany & Co.'s signature cool aqua shade.  I have a hunch that Miss Tiffany is alittle wound up....she's always expected to be so prim and proper... so I sent her on mental a trip, and made that girl see "spots."

Konad plate M60, Essie Polish Turquoise & Caicos.

The Inspiration...

Geometric Funkadelic

I was feeling rather artsy on this day. Inspiration is from Dutch artist Piet Mondrian.  This one really tested my hand painting skills.  I need to practice!

Konad plate M64, Polish: Savina "French White," Konad blue "special polish" and Kleancolor "Neon Yellow." 

The Inspiration...

Composition No. 10. 1939-42. Piet Mondrian. Oil on canvas. 80 x 73 cm. Private collection.