Autumnal Gilded Half Moon Stamping

Today is half moon day for the 31 Day Challenge, and the nail art I did is not exactly my most inspired! I do like the outcome, it's just not a showpiece. Truth be told, I was just not having it last night. We are a little more than halfway through the challenge now, and it is starting to catch up with me. Sleep was on my mind!

Nail polishes and products used:
Enchanted Polish Vampires Suck
Priti NYC Chrysanthos
Nailz Craze NC03 stamping plate
Half moon Nail Vinyls

After painting my nails with Vampires Suck and letting it dry completely, I blocked off the half moon shapes with the vinyls. I stamped over the vinyls using Chrysanthos, and then removed them to reveal the un-stamped half moons!

Since Vampires Suck is a gorgeous holo, I had to include some direct lighting shots, despite the stamping being harder to make out.

Take a trip down memory lane with these half moon manicures from previous years:

• Sweet and girly leopard half moons
• Retro striped half moons
• Delicate lace half moons

Read More

Subtle Glam - Zoya Godiva with Stamping

Though I'm not usually much of a stamper, I often find myself eager to stamp over my textured manicures. The stamping seems to adhere better, it creates a really cool effect, and I get to continue to enjoy the texture that I love. In this manicure, I used stamping to add a subtle refresh to a nude textured polish.

I started with two coats of Zoya Godiva. After wearing it for a day or so (and ensuring it was completely dry), I added some full nail twinkle stamping using Nailz Craze plate NC02. I also tried out the MoYou US white stamping polish and stamper, which I received samples of at Cosmoprof. The stamper proved to be a vast improvement over the old Konad stamper that I had been using, so that made the experience a lot more pleasant.

This manicure feels like an Oscars red carpet dress to me. I'm thinkin' J.Lo, yeah?

Read More

Snuggly Pink Christmas Sweater Stamping

Hello my dears! I'm sorry I haven't had a nail post to share with you in a while -- I have been frantically Christmas shopping, running around, working... you know how the season can be! Today I have a stamping manicure that I have been wearing for the past two days or so. I started out thinking, "Oh, stamping! That will be quick and easy and fun!" but soon remembered that I am not good at stamping. Combine a lack of stamping skill with perfectionism and you are in for a long evening of re-dos!

I wanted to use this stamp and couldn't get a red-pink combo out of my head. I think Let Them Have Polish's Merry Pinkmas series is on my brain!

The base of this manicure is Seche Pretty Little Heartbreaker and I stamped the sweater pattern and matryoshka using Nailz Craze plate NC03 and American Apparel Downtown LA. Downtown LA is normally a red creme but it has a somewhat translucent consistency. When I stamped it, it turned a little pink-ish!

I also added some dots around the matryoshka to fill the empty space, but instantly regretted it. They look clunky next to the delicacy of the stamping. Oh well - can't win them all!

I have some great ideas for additional Christmas manicures that I am going to do my best to execute soon! Hope you are having a great and stress free holiday season so far!

Read More

Party Perfect: Black and Gold Nail Art Ideas

I have been wearing a lot of black and gold manicures lately, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to highlight one of my favorite party pairings. Black and gold make a stunning combination: chic and glam, strong and bright, deep and dimensional. They're the perfect pair for all of your holiday soirees, and, great news, you can stretch them out through New Years!

I've got five looks to share with you today, plus I'll give you some quick breakdowns on how to achieve them yourself. Some are harder than others, but even beginner nail artists will find something to try here! Don't be shy... get your glam on!

The Polka Dot
Polka dot nail art is easy to achieve and a great place to start if you are just getting into nail art. All you will need is a tool to dot with! I used a nail art dotting tool, but DIY options include a dull lead pencil or the rubber tip of a bent-open bobby pin. Dip the tool into black polish and dot it onto your nail in an alternating pattern. Finish with topcoat. Instantly adorable!

Polishes shown: China Glaze Mingle With Kringle, China Glaze Liquid Leather

The Distressed Effect
Maybe you're not a traditional "glam girl" but you still want to rock some awesome, easy nail art at your holiday parties! My distressed effect tutorial will show you how to achieve this punky, grungy look that has all the edge of crackle but with added control and a more refined finish.

Polishes shown: OPI Goldeneye, American Apparel Hassid

The Cuticle Glitter Gradient
There are two ways to do a glitter gradient: from your nail tip and from your cuticle. I personally prefer the look of the cuticle glitter gradient, but both of them are sure to give you a chic and on-trend manicure. I like to put a drop of glitter near my cuticle, wipe off the brush entirely, and then gently drag the glitter out towards the end of my nails. You can add more glitter at the base of the nail to boost the gradient effect, too. Beginners will have an easier time doing this effect if they use a denser glitter, like the one I've used here!

Polishes shown: Cirque Ica Valley, Color Club Where's the Soiree?

The "I'm Feeling Ambitious" Foil/Gel Combo
Nail foils let you achieve brilliant, mirror like effects, but most regular topcoats will crinkle the foil and ruin the effect. But did you know that sealing foil inside of gel can help keep the chrome finish intact? For this manicure, I started by applying and curing a black gel polish. Then, I painted a ruffian shape with nail foil glue, let the glue turn clear, and applied sheets of gold foil over the glue. After letting the glue and foil dry a bit longer, I finished the manicure with one final layer of gel topcoat. Instantly blinding!

Polishes shown: Sally Hansen Salon Gel Polish in Black Tie Optional, Sally Hansen Salon Gel Starter Kit
Foil used: Gold Spectrum from Dollar Nail Art, nail foil glue

The Stamped Manicure
Nail art stamping definitely has a learning curve, but it produces some amazing results. If you are unfamiliar with how to stamp, check out my stamping tutorial! It's an older post but the process hasn't changed since then. Layer gold swirls over black for an elegant effect!

Polishes shown: American Apparel Hassid, Essie Good As Gold
Stamped with: Nailz Craze plate NC02, Konad stamper

Which of these effects do you like best? Are you a fan of black and gold together?
Share your black and gold manicures with me on Instagram using the hashtag #hellochalkboardnails! 

Read More

Velvet Floral Stamping

The other day I was desperately in need of a mani change, but I was a little short on time. What to do? Grab a matte, of course! Mattes are great because they usually require very few coats and dry quickly. Plus, they look awesome, but that one is kind of a given.

I wore Zoya Posh for the evening, and then later decided to embellish it a little bit. I did something unexpected... I STAMPED! Can you believe it? I think I only have seven stamping posts since I started this blog.

I used an image from the Nailz Craze plate NC03. It was a gift from my dearest Michelle from Sonoma Nail Art, how sweet is she? There are some adorable designs on this plate; I definitely want to try out the matryoshka (nesting doll) image. I stamped the image using Sally Hansen Night Flight. Here is the entire look with the original matte finish.

Then, of course, I had to see what it looked like topcoated!

As much as I want to prefer the matte look, I think I like this best with topcoat. The shimmer in Zoya Posh becomes glowier, and the stamping becomes clearer and darker. Plus who can resist the high-gloss shine of Seche Vite? No one I say!!

Which way do you prefer this manicure? Matte or glossy?

Zoya Posh is an older shade that is unfortunately not on the Zoya website anymore. You may have some luck finding someone to swap for it or picking it up from a blog sale. Alternatively, you could get a pretty red and add a matte topcoat (like Essie - Matte About You).

Nailz Craze plates are sold in the Nailz Craze Etsy shop. You can also find the brand on Facebook.

Read More