Encircled Black and White Nail Art

Black and White day of the 31 Day Challenge is always my favorite, because everyone’s nail art always looks so striking. There’s something just so magnetic about black and white as a pair, isn’t there?

I didn’t have any particular inspiration for this nail art, but I did know that I wanted to do white patterning on a black base. I started out with two coats of Orly Liquid Vinyl, and then used my trimmed town super skinny striper brush to add on some arcs and circles with Formula X White Matter. Thin lines were a priority for me this time, so if my white lines got too fat in any areas, I went back in with black and thinned them down. 

I added a coat of quick dry glossy topcoat, let it set, and then finished the manicure with a layer of Nicole by OPI Matte Topcoat. If you’re ever doing a matte topcoat, I recommend going glossy first to seal in your nail art, flatten the profile, and provide durability.

More black and white nail art:

• Tuxedo nail art
• Black and white wiggles
• Midnight smoke nail art
• Black and white mesh framed half moons

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Something Blue...

Just a quick post from me today for the 31 Day Challenge "Blue" prompt because... I'M ENGAGED! My longtime boyfriend popped the question this morning, and I didn't want to spend a bunch of time on detailed nail art when we could be celebrating. So here's my quick engagement themed nail look, do you think this would qualify as my "something blue"? :)

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Wasabi and Caviar - An Exercise In Linework and Patience

Today is my birthday, and if you can believe it, my nails are actually naked right now! THE HORROR! I'm hoping to put something fun on them after I get home from work, but for now, I wanted to share a manicure I spent a lot of time on recently.

I am calling it wasabi and caviar for reasons that I hope are obvious! This entire design is handpainted with regular nail polish. It's some of my best linework to date, I think. Hooray for improvement there!

Nail polishes and products used:
LVX Midori
Formula X Dark Matter
Sally Hansen Stud Kit

If you want to attempt a design like this, I've got some tips!

1. Get a small brush. I can't tell you how long I used a thicker nail art brush, cursing my lack of talent rather than the tool I was using. Once I got a thinner brush, it helped me immensely. I still had to keep practicing, but my old brush was definitely part of the problem. Trim down an old brush with cuticle nippers if you don't have a super thin one.
2. Keep it clean. If you're using polish (instead of acrylic paint or gel), clean your brush frequently with 100% acetone and regularly put down more polish onto your palette. Polish dries quickly and can wreck your fine lines if it isn't the right consistency.
3. Small mistakes aren't the end of the world. You can use a clean nail art brush dipped in acetone to gently "erase" small mistakes from your work; just be careful not to go too crazy or it will eat through your base color. In this case, I put a layer of topcoat between the wasabi shade and my black linework for extra protection.
4. Be patient. This shit isn't fast. When you factor in my previous tips and the detail of the work, you just gotta know it's not going to be easy to bust it out in 45 minutes. I like to put on Netflix and take breaks every so often to stretch out.

I just love this kind of strange green color, and the thick blingy stud nail is just the right amount of "odd" to go with it.

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This One's For My Mom: Circus Animal Cookie Nail Art

My mom is unable to eat chocolate, so she's always had a few non-chocolatey sweet treats she favors. Peppermint ice cream, German raspberry candies, and Circus Animal cookies were some of her top picks when I was growing up. Personally, my pick out of those would be the Circus Animals! I've always loved the colors of the rainbow sprinkles against the pink or white frosting. Chocolate preferences aside, it's pretty hard to resist their sugary sweetness.

Mom, this one goes out to you!

Nail polishes used:
Salon Perfect Sugar Cube
Formula X Gemini
Formula X Pyrotechnic
China Glaze Sky High Top
OPI Do You Have This Color In Stock-holm?
OPI Suzi Has a Swede Tooth
OPI Good Grief!
Sally Hansen Sun Kissed
Sally Hansen Going Green

This look is simple and quick. All you need is a dotting tool and the right colors! Truthfully, choosing colors took the most time because I thought getting the right shades was imperative for recreating the Circus Animal sprinkles look.

This is also my manicure for The Lacquer Legion's Yummy prompt, because they are yummy in my tummy (duh).

Have you had these delicious cookies before? In working on this post, I just discovered a recipe for Circus Animal truffles, which I will have to make AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

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If Mermaids Were Real, They'd Have Holographic Scales

I remember when I was a kid, I had these My Pretty Mermaid dolls. I loved braiding their bright, plastic hair, and if memory serves me right, their tails even changed color when you put them in cold/warm water! My tastes have matured a bit since then, but I still appreciate that mermaid magic. That's why this nail art was perfect: it takes the cheapness out of my mermaid memories and supplements the look with a refined and elegant nude holographic.

Nail polishes used:
I Love Nail Polish - Iconic
Formula X - Dark Matter

More than anything, this manicure was built around ILNP Iconic, which is a gorgeous champagne gold holo with just a twinge of rose. I put it on first (two coats) and decided on the nail art second, though I can't say what possessed me to try the mermaid scales, which were painted freehand over the top.

I have to say, I was fully obsessed with this pattern when I was wearing it. I DEFINITELY think I'll be doing it more in the future!

P.S., if you're not one for freehanding, check out these mermaid scale nail vinyls or this mermaid scale stamping plate!

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Are You Afraid of the Dark? - Spooky Eyes Nail Art

There's still time to squeeze in a few more Halloween nail art looks! This look is reminiscent of my Simple Spooky Eyes design from 2011, but with a bit more complexity added and a few twists. Not to mention, quite an upgrade in quality! This is also serving as my entry into the JINsoon Halloween nail art contest.

Nail polishes used:
Formula X Dark Matter
Formula X Pyrotechnic
OPI My Paprika Is Hotter Than Yours
Zoya Arizona
China Glaze Happy Go Lucky
OPI My Vampire is Buff
Essie Matte About You

I started by painting my nails black. For the eye nails, I painted the eye shapes in various shades of red, orange, and yellow, and then added the black slits afterwards.

For the candle nails, I used the bubble technique for the glow on the candle, and then freehanded the rest. The gradient on the candle was created by mixing varying ratios of cream and black. I finished with a layer of quick dry topcoat and then a layer of matte topcoat.

I have to admit - though unintentional, this design does remind me quite a bit of the old Nickelodeon show Are You Afraid of the Dark?. I think it's the single flame in the darkness, though in the show opening it's a match. That show always scared the bejesus out of me. I have distinct memories of being terrified of the one where the kids try to use the silver spoon to ward off a spirit, but come to find out it's actually steel so the spirit keeps approaching.

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Giant Leopard Moth Inspired Nail Art

As a person with a desk job, I often find myself browsing Reddit on my breaks for sweet photos, interesting news and makeup inspiration. Recently this photo of a giant leopard moth from user /u/Toblerone44 made it to my front page, and I loved it so much I had to try to replicate it on my nails. It's such a crisp pattern, and looks so delicate and beautiful but graphic at the same time.

Nail polishes used:
OPI Angel With a Leadfoot
Formula X Extraordinary
Formula X Dark Matter

Not too much to explain here! I started with the white base, and used a small nail art brush to paint on the grey markings. I added the black outlines, making some of them thicker at the bottom (to mimic the photo), and then finished with topcoat.

I think I did pretty well at replicating the photo, but wish my black lines had come out just a bit thinner. The moth's markings are so delicate, I just wasn't quite able to capture it exactly. This is a design that I'd love to try in gel.

Here is the original photo from /u/Toblerone44, used with permission.

This isn't my first rodeo as far as unusual animal prints go! In the past, I've done goldfish scales, sea slug, poison dart frog, and manta ray nail art. Have you ventured outside of leopard/zebra print? How did you like it?

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Black Blooms Floral Nail Art

Though this design isn't explicitly Halloween, it is pretty morbid/somber and definitely seasonally appropriate. These black roses are a variation of my sweet rose floral nail art that I shared during the 31 Day Challenge, with a monochromatic twist. I paired the black blooms with ugly/pretty chartreuse leaves for a pop of color.

Nail polishes used:
Orly Highlight (base)
Formula X Dark Matter (black)
LVX Oyster (light grey)
LVX Anthracite (dark grey)
Deborah Lippmann Weird Science (chartreuse)

I began by applying Highlight as my base. I wasn't thrilled with the formula of this one, though I do love the color. It was fairly thin and sheer. I used three coats here.

The roses were simple. I put down a black blob shape, then used a small nail art brush to add the dark and light grey detailing. Chelsea Queen has a great rose tutorial you can check out for guidance. I then added the leaves, making sure they ended in points, and sealed everything in with HK Girl topcoat.

This is the second time I've been pleasantly surprised by the weirdness of a Deborah Lippmann shade; the first time was I Wanna Be Sedated. It's cool to see a brand that I usually associate with "pretty" shades do something odd, and the shimmer/foil in this one is showstopping.

I often do florals, but they are usually softer and more delicate. I am enjoying the contrast in this manicure, and still feel like I'm getting in the mood for Halloween!

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TUTORIAL: Midnight Smoke Nail Art Inspired by The Sorcerer Heir

I'm happy to be a participant in the World of Weir Blog Tour today, leading up to the release of Cinda Williams Chima's new book, The Sorcerer Heir. Not only do I get to do some inspired nail art, but you guys get a new video tutorial! This magical, eerie smoke effect is really much easier than you might guess.


The Sorcerers are masters of material - they can create magical talismans, potions, poisons, weapons, and more. They are also known for their healing ability, and have strong ties to the color green. In my tutorial, I've combined what I know about the guild with some inspiration from the book cover, which shows a potion with mysterious smoke swirling around it. Who knows, you might even feel like a Sorcerer yourself with these nails!

For this look, you'll need black nail polish, light green nail polish, topcoat, 100% acetone, and a nail art brush or two.

1. Begin by painting your nails with two coats of black polish.
2. Apply a generous coat of topcoat to protect the black polish before we move on to the next steps. Let dry.
3. Using your green polish, paint loose, wavy stripes across your nails, roughly where you want your smoke to end up.
4. Using a nail art brush to lightly dab 100% acetone over your green polish. Don't dab too much or too hard, otherwise the acetone may begin to eat through your black base.
5. Repeat on all of your nails. I like to make it look like the smoke is most concentrated on my pointer and trails off as it moves towards my pinky.
6. Clean up your cuticles if necessary using an angled brush and nail polish remover.
7. Finish with topcoat.

Surprisingly easy, right? Now if only I could create magical potions with just as much effort...

ABOUT “THE WORLD OF WEIR” BLOG TOUR
Those with magical powers in The Heir Chronicles series by Cinda Williams Chima are known as the Weir. The World of Weir blog tour leads up to the release of the can’t-miss series finale, The Sorcerer Heir (in-stores October 21st) by celebrating the magical fantasy world and the five types of magical guilds. Follow along for playlists, nail art, and more inspired by the series, plus exclusive excerpts from the upcoming finale.

WEEK 1: THE WARRIORS September 14 – September 20
WEEK 2: THE WIZARDS September 21 – September 27
WEEK 3: THE SEERS September 28 – October 4
WEEK 4: THE ENCHANTERS October 5 – October 11
WEEK 5: THE SORCERERS October 12 – October 18

For more information, visit Cinda Williams Chima’s Official Site, follow her on Twitter, and check out Disney-Hyperion on Twitter and Instagram. Hashtag #TheSorcererHeir to join the conversation.

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by representatives from Cinda Williams Chima's "The Heir Chronicles" series.

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Anna Inspired Frozen Nail Art

It's "inspired by a movie" day in the 31 Day Challenge and I've done some nail art inspired by a movie that is sure to be a popular choice among other participants this year: Frozen! These tips are inspired by Anna's dress, which itself drew inspiration from a traditional piece of Norwegian clothing called a bunad. Her look features a black bodice, gold lacings, and flower details.

Nail polishes used:
Formula X Dark Matter (black)
Deborah Lippmann Autumn In New York (gold)
Essie Mojito Madness (green)
China Glaze Happy Go Lucky (yellow)
Misa Loveliest of Lilacs (purple)
Misa Lovely Lychee (pink)

I painted my nails black and then added the gold tips using the fishtail technique. The flowers and stems were painted freehand using my Edinburgh Realism #4 brush, and I used a pinpoint and small dotting tool to add the decorative dots. Everything is sealed in with two coats of Glisten and Glow HK Girl.

I have done quite a few movie manicures in the past! Check out what I've done previously for the challenge:

• Star Wars inspired nail art
• Eye of Sauron nail art from the Lord of the Rings trilogy
• Titan nail art from the movie Hercules

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Tattered Monochromatic Spray Marble

I never look forward to the water marble day of the 31 Day Challenge. This year, instead of putting myself through all of the pain, I went straight to a technique that I do have fun with: the spray marble! This technique is a sister to the water marble, and I actually prefer the edgy, tattered outcome.

Nail polishes used:
Polish My Life Birthday Suit
Polish My Life Storm Clouds
Jessica Cosmetics NY State of Mind
China Glaze Ghoulish Glow
Formula X Dark Matter

I started out by using a triangle makeup sponge to do a gradient of cream, grey, and dark grey. Then, I painted on a coat of glow in the dark topcoat, because why not?

The spray marble began with filling a plastic cup with room temperature filtered water and taping off the area surrounding my fingers to minimize mess. I gently dropped one drop of black polish on the surface of the water, and then used a spray bottle to mist a 50/50 mixture of water and apple cider vinegar on the polish. I've seen other people use hairspray, perfume, all sorts of other mixtures to break up the polish on the water, but @madamluck was the first one I saw that used the vinegar mix. It worked great!

I dipped one finger in at a time, removed excess polish from the surface of the water, and pulled my finger out. Remove the tape, clean up, and topcoat; you're done!

The glow was stronger where it was layered over light polish. Looks kinda like alien eggs, doesn't it?

Previous water marble work:

• Turquoise water marble
• Starburst candy water marble
• Soft flower marble

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Purple Galaxy Nails, Inspired by the Pelican Nebula

Galaxy nails day for the 31 Day Challenge! I don't do galaxy nails nearly enough. They create such a stunning effect for so little effort. For this year's nail art, I was inspired by a photo of the Pelican Nebula that I found on NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD). I didn't end up using enough pink in for the look to match exactly, but that's okay. I love the depth in these.

Nail polishes and supplies used:
OPI Who Are You Calling Bossy?!? (black)
Zoya Sailor (navy)
LVX Orchid (orchid)
Misa Loveliest of Lilacs (medium purple)
Nicole by OPI American As Apple Pie (red)
Nicole by OPI Yoga Then Yogurt (white)
China Glaze Lotus Begin (light purple)
Formula X Freaky Like Freud (holographic glitter)
Triangle makeup wedges
Edinburgh Realism #4 nail art brush

I started by painting my nails black. Then, I used a torn piece of the makeup sponge to apply a bit of navy on my nails -- admittedly, that part doesn't really show as well as I was hoping it did. Using new bits of sponge for each color, I sponged on streaks of red, then medium purple, medium orchid, and light purple.

I mixed a bit of white polish with acetone for a thinned out, watercolor effect, and used it to do a bit of freehanding inside of the light purple sponging (you can see it in the middle of the large purple nebula sections). A holographic glitter, used sparingly, gave the effect of distant stars, while white polish and a pinpoint dotting tool created some closer objects. The final step was to freehand a handful of stars with cross lensflare.

Go where one girl has gone before:

• Maroon and yellow galaxy nails
• Hyperspace jump nail art
• The Pleiades Star Cluster galaxy nails

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Spifster Inspired Delicate Line Nail Art

Today's 31 Day Challenge prompt is delicate print. This is one of the challenge prompts that inevitably makes people say "WTF is delicate print?", but really it's up for your interpretation! This year, I chose to pay homage to a very talented nail artist known for her incredibly delicate line detailing: Spifster.

Nail polishes used:
Formula X Enticing (camel)
Formula X Extraordinary (grey)
Formula X Memorable (blue)
Formula X Dark Matter (black)
Edinburgh Realism #4 nail art brush

I did my best to channel my inner Spifster on this nail design, incorporating super skinny lines and solid blocks of black. I'll tell you what, doing freehand linework this fine is exhausting. I was constantly correcting my lines, cleaning them up, and holding my breath to keep my hand steady. I think I watched three episodes of Ink Master on Netflix during the time it took me to finish these nails.

Still, I'm very proud of the outcome, especially since I've never been able to achieve such fine linework with nail polish before. Now to keep practicing so I can speed it up!

Check out my previous delicate print manicures:

• Henna style nail art
• Dragonfly patterned nail art
• Delicate glistening spiderwebs

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Surface of the Moon Nail Art

It's once again Lacquer Legion day, and I'm cutting it a bit close! The theme is "Weird Science," which is so broad that I was almost paralyzed with indecision. In the end, I chose to try to depict the surface of the moon. Sean just got a really legit telescope and we have been doing a bit of sky-watching lately, and of course one of the first things we looked at was the moon. It's amazing to see the craters in such detail, especially where the moon transitions from the light to the dark side.

In this nail art, I used:
Formula X - Extraordinary
American Apparel - Hassid
Essie - Blanc
Nicole by OPI - Matte Topcoat

I used Extraordinary as the base, but then proceeded to basically cover it up entirely. The other grey shades in this nail art are just mixes of the black and white polishes listed above. I painted them freehand with a small nail art brush, in what I'm going to call a "painterly" style...

I'm on the fence about these nails. I don't know how moon-esque they actually look. My first thought was barnacles, while Sean saw carbon. I guess either of those would apply to the theme as well!

Follow The Lacquer Legion on Facebook or Instagram for once monthly nail art prompts aimed at bringing together the nail polish community!

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Speckled Stripes with LVX and Formula X

Here's a manicure that I would normally be hesitant to try: glitter over nail art. Usually, I'll spend so much time on nail art that I can't even imagine putting something over it. However, I gave it a shot this time and think it was a success! The key is to choose matching color palettes between your glitter and your art.

The stripes were painted in four LVX shades.
LVX Laguna (blue)
LVX Aster (purple)
LVX Lemondrop (yellow)
LVX Lolli (pink)

Using a small nail art brush, I painted vertical stripes beginning in the middle of my nails and working outward towards the edges. Lolli photographed a bit pale here -- it's really a nice soft bubblegum shade. The other colors look accurate to my eye.

After snapping photos of just the stripes alone, I added a coat of Formula X Thunder over the top. It has a great mix of pastel glitters that really complemented the palette of the stripes. I love the way it came out.

Which way do you prefer it: with the glitter or without?

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Formula X for Sephora Cobalt Blue Glitter Gradient

Sephora recently launched a new line of nail polish and I was very eager to try them out. The new line is called Formula X for Sephora, and the entire range consists of over 200 new colors. I ended up picking out two during a recent order, Formula X Hyped and Formula X TNT, and used them together in this cobalt glitter gradient. Read on for my thoughts and more photos of this manicure!

Hyped is the polish I used as my base in this manicure. It is described as an electric magenta though it did read a little more purple to me, probably due to the heavy blue shimmer in the base. The shimmer really makes this polish special. It's gorgeous on the nail and only needed two coats for opacity.

TNT is a matte cobalt blue glitter polish with hexes in various sizes. The density was good. It wasn't super dense, which can sometimes make glitter gradients a little tricky, but it would definitely be perfect and nicely balanced if you were just using it as an overcoat. It wasn't thick or clumpy at all, and the color of the glitter is intensely vibrant.

Each polish comes in a hefty rounded rectangle bottle. They have removable overcaps with rounded, manageable brush handles underneath.

Overall I loved my first experience with this brand. Both of these polishes were great quality, vibrant and interesting, and wore well. I especially like how they came together; it seems like they were almost made to be worn this way! What do you think? I know I am going to be picking up a few more in the near future!

Hyped retails for $10.50 and TNT retails for $12.50. You can shop the entire range via Sephora.

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