Busy Bee - Freehand Gel Nail Art for Cosmoprof 2014

As I started planning out the manicure I wanted to wear for Cosmoprof, I knew I wanted it to be three things: freehand, unique, and done in gel. I thought back to the bee manicure that I did in September 2013, and remembered how much I enjoyed wearing it. I chose to go with a similar theme, but tried to bump up the difficulty a bit.

For my thumb, I used Lexi Martone's glitter gel technique to create a sparkly black nail. I started with a black gel base and then applied a mix of black craft glitter and Wet N Wild Fantasy Makers holographic glitter. The black glitter didn't show up very well, but it did help to space out the holographic glitter more evenly. Then, I used nail glue to attach a bee charm from Hex Nail Jewelry and sealed it in with gel topcoat.

The honeycomb pattern, bee silhouettes, tribal-inspired pattern, and honey drips were all painted freehand. I was really pleased with the level of detail I was able to achieve in the gel, and it lasted the entire time I was at Cosmoprof! The nails definitely got a lot of attention!

As this was my first time doing gel nail art, I was unsure how it would go. I remembered that the talented ladies at Hey Nice Nails use Presto Gels for their gel art and gave the brand a try myself. I used the black and white art gels as well as Presto Gel in Gradevole for the yellow base color.

Though I don't have much to compare it to, my experience with Presto was great. One thing to note, if you are ordering, is that many of the shades come in gel pots. If you are only used to the regular polish bottles that many at-home gel systems use, getting pots delivered can be kind of jarring. Regardless, it worked out great for me and I'm sure I'll be ordering more in the near future.

Bee-lieve it or not, I was even able to get the same amount of detail on my other hand! I think the mani-gods must have been smiling down on me that day.

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Baptisia and Bones

Sometimes the simple combinations are the most delightful. This manicure combines a rich, moody Cirque polish with a large, flashy nail charm from Hex Nail Jewelry.

Cirque Baptisia is a deep, rich indigo shimmer with small flashes of silver sparkle. I used two coats for the coverage shown, and the formula was smooth. In the shade, you can really see the flecks of silver, while in the sunlight the deep shimmer of the base is more prominent.

I also added a fishbones charm from Hex Nail Jewelry. Nail charms seem to be used most often in complex nail art manicures, but I also like adding one to simple manicures on as a sort of "accent nail." It's sealed in with topcoat for additional protection.

These last two photos show Baptisia in direct light -- see how the shimmer of the base is more prominent?

Have you tried nail charms yet? Do you like to wear them simply or as an addition to a nail art manicure?

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Girly and Gilded Mix & Match

A few weeks ago, my sister Kelsey stopped by to get her nails done. You may remember her (and her nails!) from the last time we did a nail photoshoot featuring leopard print and a faux fur lined jacket. We were talking about manicure ideas and decided to do a girly mix and match featuring pinks, golds, and black. I did some sketching while we hammered out the details, and once the manicure was done, we did a mini photo shoot!

Polishes used:
Seche Dives In Head First
Seche Pretty Little Heartbreaker
American Apparel Hassid
Zoya Kerry
Cirque Colors Au - related here

Embellishments used:
Bundle Monster plate BM-008 (crown)
From the Heart 1 plate (Be Mine and I Love You) - similar here
Black, gold, and silver rhinestones - similar here
Hex Nail Jewelry Etched Hearts

It's no secret that stamping isn't my strong suit, and let me tell you... it was even harder for me to do on someone else! Thankfully, Kelsey was patient with me.

The 3D embellishments turned out just right -- not too much, not too little. My favorite nail might be the black rhinestone "K" on the gold base, though I do love a good polka dot, too.

I enjoy doing these combination manicure/photoshoots, though they do take a lot to get from start to finish! Thank you to my dahling sister for doing the modeling!

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Marsh Gradient and Butterfly Charm

Another gradient. Okay, maybe by now you're thinking, "That's quite enough of those." But I just love wearing them! They're an awesome way to turn up the volume on a simple manicure without requiring too much detail work or going too crazy.

The colors in this one reminded me of a marsh! I used three China Glaze shades.
China Glaze - Def Defying
China Glaze - Sunday Funday
China Glaze - Man Hunt

I also added a butterfly no. 1 charm from Hex Nail Jewelry. I love nail charms so darn much. The curve on this one fit my thumb nail perfectly.

Here's the naked gradient, sans charm!

I just loved the colors in this gradient so much. I don't think they've quite beaten out my 70's gradient in my heart, but they are definitely darn close.

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To Bee or Not to Bee (ft. A-England and Hex Nail Jewelry)

Gradients: I can't stop doin' them. Today's edition features two gorgeous scattered holographic shades from A-England: Dragon (the green) and St. George (the deep teal). I've worn both alone before. St. George is one of my favorite polishes ever and, in my opinion, is a must have in every polish lover's collection. Dragon wasn't my favorite when I wore it alone but it paired absolutely perfectly with St. George in this manicure.

I also chose to spice things up a little with the addition of a Hex Nail Jewelry Bee no.2 charm! The golden bee adds the perfect amount of excess while still balancing focus with the gradient. To say I'm a fan is an understatement!

If you have been considering making purchases from either of these brands, I would urge you to go for it. The A-Englands are obviously gorgeous but they also have fantastic formulas, too, & Hex's nail charms are just FUN.

What do you think -- to bee, or not to bee? ;)

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Hex Nail Jewelry (+ Giveaway - CLOSED)

A little bit ago, I started seeing some chatter on Instagram about this new company called Hex Nail Jewelry. I was intrigued and went to go check out their shop. Immediately enamored with their reusable 3D gold plated nail charms, I got in touch with Brenda and Melissa, the two sisters behind Hex. I asked them if they would be interested in partnering up with Chalkboard Nails for a giveaway, and luckily they agreed! But we'll get to that at the end. Let's take a look at what I created with some of Hex's charms!

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This was the first look that I created. I had just received my bottle of Nails Inc Noho, a black leather polish, so I clearly had to incorporate it into the manicure too! The sexiness of the leather called for the addition of red, so I grabbed American Apparel Downtown LA. BUT I DIDN'T STOP THERE! I also added a coat of Wet N Wild Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night to the red nails, tying them in with the black.

The finishing touch was the Hex Nail Jewelry Bow Charm. They offer two sizes of bow charms -- this is the larger one. I attached it with nail glue and it added just the right amount of sweetness to the sexiness.

This magical manicure has only three components! The white base is Cult Nails Tempest, the awesome neon glitter topper is Lush Lacquer Clowning Around, and the star of the show is the prancing unicorn charm from Hex Nail Jewelry. I mean... cmon. It's a unicorn, and it's prancing. You can't not love that.

This third look made me feel RICH! I began with a base of OPI My Vampire is Buff and watercolored OPI Jade Is the New Black on top of it. I thought the linen shade and the money green would represent dollar bills well! Then, I added a coat of Cirque Au, my favorite gold leaf topcoat, because what's a manicure about money if you don't include a little gold? The Hex Nail Jewelry Money Charm was the final touch that tied it all together.

I'm sure you guys have questions, I know I did! Let's tackle some.

How do these sit on a nail?
Hex Nail Jewelry charms come curved. The curve allows them to stick to your nail better and minimizes the chances that they will snag on something. Of course, certain charms may work differently for different people depending on their specific nails and the size of the charm. Some of the charms I tried sat perfectly on my nail while some of the larger ones didn't sit completely flat along the edges. They were still wearable either way!

Are you supposed to topcoat them?
That's really up to you. As you can see, I didn't add topcoat to my looks so you could get a better look at the charms themselves. I tried applying topcoat to a few charms, and they still looked totally fine. Obviously adding a layer of topcoat will help the charms stay on longer, too!

How do you attach them?
I attached my charms to completely dry nails with nail glue. If you anchor them to the nail with just topcoat, they may detach faster. You can even include these in your gel manicures to enjoy them for weeks at a time!

Can you reuse them?
Yes! These are completely reusable. Hex recommends that you soak the charm in hot water to dissolve the glue and remove it. If you need to take off a top layer of topcoat, be aware that acetone will make the gold plating on the charms wear down more quickly.

How long do they stay attached?
It depends. There are a number of factors that can influence how long they last: nail curve, polish underneath, method of attachment, topcoat... Currently I'm wearing a charm that I attached with nail glue and finished with topcoat, and it seriously feels solid as a rock.

Where can I purchase them/get more info?
Hex Nail Jewelry charms are available at www.hexnailjewelry.com. From a teddy bear to a starfish to a charm that says 'foxy,' there is bound to be something for everyone. You can also keep up with the brand on Facebook and Instagram.

Products sent for review. Post contains affiliate links.

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Now -- on to the giveaway! The ladies over at Hex Nail Jewelry have generously provided me with a set of five of their Love Struck charms to give away to you guys.

Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Must be a follower of Chalkboard Nails to win. Must be 18 years of age or older, or you must have your parent's permission to enter. This giveaway is open internationally, and closes on 3/13/2013. The winner will have 48 hours after being contacted to claim their prize, after which a new winner will be chosen.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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