NOTD: Reciprocal Gradient

The look today is a new style I found out about called the Reciprocal Gradient. You first make a normal gradient, put striping tape on it, then do the same color gradients going the opposite way. It looks simple, and it is, but this took me forever to do. The dang striping tape had a mind of its own and the nail polish took a very long time to dry before the tapes could go on. You will see on my little finger that some of the bottom gradient came up. :( There was really no way for me to fix it so I had to leave it be. Some also came up on my thumb but I hid that in the picture.

This is worth trying again not only to make it look better but also there are so many color combos that would be amazing like this.

Nail Polish Used:

Wet n Wild "Poison Apple"
Sally Hansen "Lacey Lilac"
Sinful Colors "Snow Me White"

+ Striping tape 

Please excuse the messy cuticles. When I was trying to clean up I kept messing up the look so I also left that be. 

Striping tape, this one is in silver. I also have a red one.

Inspired by: My Simple Little Pleasures 

NOTD: Galaxy 2

I said I was going to do another galaxy look, here it is! To see my old one, click here.
I think I got a little carried away with my sponging, it doesn't look like the kind of galaxy nail art that I had envisioned. It is still pretty! I used my star shaped glitter and even made it glow in the dark again. I really enjoy this softer color combination.

Nail Polish Used:
Wet n Wild "Ebony Hates Chris"
Sinful Colors "Snow Me White"
Nicole "Miss Independent"
ELF "Royal Purple"
Wet n Wild "Teal of Fortune"
NYC "Starry Silver Glitter"
Nicole "She's Lily Something"
Claire's purple glow in the dark

NOTD: Peacock Feather

This is my first try at peacock feathers. I have starfish on one hand and felt like doing something else on the other. They are not exactly what I was hoping they would look like so I am going to call these 'left hand practice'. I worked on making lines and dots with my left hand. They aren't perfect but sure helped me practice! How do you like my peacock feather? It has so many different colors.

Nail Polish Used:
Nicole "Candid Cameron"
Diamond Cosmetics in black
Avon "Mystic"
Wet n Wild "I Need a Refresh-Mint"
Wet n Wild "Blue Moon"

Inspired by: SimpleNailArtDesigns

Collection: Sally Beauty Finds

I went to Sally's today and came home with some good stuff! My mission was to get a new glass nail file because mine broke and I can't fix it like I did last time. I found a new one that was at a good price and while I was in there I couldn't help but look around at other things. On the clearance table I found a Color Club set called Winter Affair. The red one is scented! I also got three magnets and I think I know why they were only $.49, there are three magnets but only two out of the three designs. Maybe I will give one to a friend that has magnetic nail polish.  

This smells wonderful! I have two other scented nail polishes but this is by far the best. It smells like yummy berries. The red (that smells like berries) is called Berry and Bright. The flaky is called Snow-Flakes. Snow-Flakes looks EXACTLY like Sally Hansen's Hidden Treasure. I am so very happy I found this because I have not been able to find Hidden Treasures!

 This sure is a strange shape but I tested it out and shape aside, it is wonderful! I was reading reviews about it and some people said you can use it on your feet because of the nice shape. I don't think I will do that though, haha.

Nail Care + How to Make Cuticle Oil

I stumbled across a video today that was all about how to make your own cuticle oil. When it got to the ingredients I was very happy that I had everything. The only thing I did not have was a bottle. I looked every where to find something that may work, then it hit me... I have a nearly empty bottle of base coat that I can clean and use!!
I emptied out what was left into the new bottle my new bottle of Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails base coat and started the cleaning. I put 100% pure acetone into it, shook it up, dumped it out, and rinsed it. I then took cotton balls and q-tips to clean the cap and the rim. I dipped the brush in acetone and rubbed it till there was no polish left. I rinsed it with soapy water, went back and got anything that still smelled like nail polish again, rinsed and soaked again, till I knew it was clean.
Now onto the oil inspired by YummyNails!

Ingredients:
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
Essential Scented Oil of your choice (I have lavender oil)
Lemon Juice

Step 1. Fill most of your container with the EVOO. (I didn't have olive oil much left, that's why my finished product isn't all the way full)
Step 2. Add your essential oil, about 10 drops, till you reach your desired scent.
Step 3. Add about 10 drops of lemon juice. This helps stimulate nail growth!
Step 4. Shake it all up.

That's all! Simple, quick, and it works great!
I added butterflies to the bottle as decoration. I have this book of sample wallpaper so I cut out some tiny butterflies. I have also made a little vase using this idea. This technique is inspired by KlairedeLysdotcom.
If you would like other recipes that target different things, I found this great website called Natural Nail Care Recipes.

Next up, what I use for nail and hand care.

Cuticle oils. From the left: Sally Hansen Vitamin E Nail & Cuticle Oil, my homemade oil, and Sally Hansen Dry Kwik. The Dry Kwik is put on after you paint your nails, it helps the dry time and is made with mineral oil that you can rub into your cuticles after the polish dries.

My go to base coat, Sally Hansen Hard as Nails. I also use the Palladio Green Tea Nail Fortifier to fill in ridges and strengthen my nails. I put it on under my base coat.

I haven't used this in a while, it smells kinda weird. When I do use it for a week, it works!

These are my two favorite hand/body lotions right now. They absorb quickly and smell so good! The tall one is In Bloom by Reese Witherspoon. I have the body wash and perfume that go with it. I got them in a silent auction basket! The second one is Bath and Body Works White Tea and Ginger. I also have the matching body wash and fragrance. 

NOTD: Beach in the Snow Starfish

Today is a snow day and I just found out tomorrow is as well!! With nothing much to do, I spent today looking at nail art and found a beachy themed design. From that I turned it into a snowy, beach with starfish. I tried out my half pearls, the are supposed to look like bubbles!

Nail Polish Used:
Wet n Wild "Hallucination"
Nicole "Stand by Your Manny"
Revlon "Blue Mosaic"
Diamond Cosmetics in white
Wet n Wild "Teal or No Teal"

+ white half pearls and loose light blue glitter

look at all that snow! It started snowing again not that long ago!

Inspired by: YummyNails

Random: Nail It! Magazine

A couple weeks ago, thanks to a blogger I follow called My Simple Little Pleasures, I discovered the first ever nail art and nail polish magazine for the public!! I found out about it almost two weeks ago and excitedly waited till its release date on the 19th! I went over to Walmart, and BAM! the first thing I saw was the magazine! It is called Nail It! and the whole thing is about everything nail polish. From tips and tricks, to salon myths busted. It even came with a sample of Kiss Nail Dress! I totally recommend this for the nail polish lover. It is a bi-monthly magazine and is only $6!

Here are some pictures of the magazine from their website... I thought about taking pictures of mine but I don't think I will. 

NOTD: FFA nails for National FFA Week!

It is National FFA Week and that means it's time for an FFA design!! What I did was take different emblems in FFA, shrunk them, printed them off, cut them out, put some topcoat over the blue, and stuck down the emblem. Some parts of them ripped off today but because it was so small I didn't feel like repairing it. I think you get the idea what is should look like.

Here are my links to my other FFA nail art ideas:
                                                                                 FFA and 4-H
                                                                                 FFA
                                                                                 Blue and Gold Elegant
                                                                                 Kansas FFA Convention, Cows
                                                                                 My FFA Officer Team
Nail Polish Used:
Nicole "A Lit-Teal Bit of Love"

FFA emblem, little finger

Old FFA emblem, ring finger

FFA, middle finger

NFA (New Farmers of America)  for African -American students . Merged with FFA in 1965. Index finger

FFA Alumni emblem, thumb

Collection: Caviar Beads

This is awesome!!!! My mom gave these to me for Valentine's Day, I am super excited! All colors of the rainbow, caviar beads! They come in a little box that is just perfect and the lid can be used to catch them when I use them. The first idea that popped into my head to use these for is St. Patrick's Day! Wouldn't that look neat?

Swatches: E.L.F Polish

I found these wonderful polishes at Tj Maxx yesterday! I love the quality and the affordability of ELF products. I have purchased other collections from Tj Maxx but it don't usually find them that often. These four polishes were $4.99, not too bad!! 

They only needed one coat, I think I used two on the nude color though. They all were smooth and the color is very rich. The weirdest thing about them is the smell. I don't really know how to describe it, it doesn't smell like normal nail polish. It is very strong and the best word I can think of is 'new'. It is not a bad smell, it's just unlike any other nail polish smell.... strange.. 

I am wearing the "Party Purple" right now! It's very lovely.

Those flaky things you see on "Smoky Brown" are from flocking powder. I didn't notice till I posted this picture.

"Party Purple", "Dark Navy", "Smoky Brown", "Nude"