Twist on the Traditional Leopard Print Look

I say "The Traditional" leopard print like animal print nails are the most common thing in the world, but here in the UK at least, you still don't see them that often! I love a leopard print manicure, it's so eye-catching, and there's so many different colour combinations to try out. Today is a grey and silver combo, and my first time doing leopard print with the Konad M57, as opposed to my usual freehand technique - which do you think is better?

moley moley moley moley

All photos are in natural light, no flash. I started out with 2 coats of Urban Oufitter's Sparkle and Fade in Light Grey, and then stamped the leopard print image from Konad M57 using Konad Black Special Polish. Does anyone else find this relly messy to work with?! I find it gets eeeeverywhere and my hands always end up covered in it haha! Maybe I just need to improve my technique! I added silver dots to the centre of the circular designs using Claire's Silver Nail Art Pen. I finished off with 2 coats of Seche Vite Topcoat.
What do you think?  What other colour combos would you try? I'm dying try a neon one!

x

Nails Inc Lucky Dip Haul

Evening All! Sorry for the lack of post yesterday, I moved back to Nottingham from my my Uni house in Birmingham. Our postman in Birmingham must be some kind of crazy person, shoving all kinds of mail into our letterbox, just for funsies, as we very rarely receive the mail we are after in Brum. Because of this, I always get internet shopping sent to my Nottingham home - this means that I had a pretty good stash built up for me to open today! Yay! It was like my freaking birthday! Plus, you always get loads of bubble-wrap, which is half the reason I was excited - pop, pop, popppopopppp
My Nails Inc Lucky Dip Package was one of them, here are the polishes I received:-

From left to right we have:

• UV Topcoat and Basecoat - This was the only 'guaranteed' polish you received in the offer, and claims to lighten and brighten the nails, and protect from staining - can't wait to try out and review this one, as it's a bold claim!
• "Shoreditch High Street" - This is a deep raspberry colour, and I'm actually curious to see how it compares, colour-wise, with Barry M Raspberry, as they look very similar in the bottle.
• "Augustus Street" - This is a medium grey with a lovely, pearly silver shimmer and really shocked me when I tried it and it was Suede!  I don't mind the matte finish, but I wasn't expecting it. It was the first one I tried, and although a fan of matte polishes, I added a topcoat to restore the shimmer.
• "Upper Street" - a muted Turquoise cream, excited to try this one, especially as a base for some nail art - under the sea, anyone?!
• "Hans Road" - I really can't decide if its Red, Orange or Pink. It's got a fierce shimmer to it - not really my favourite type of polish, but it's definitely the most interesting one I received.
• I also had an eBay-purchased bottle of Seche Vite waiting for me - there really isn't enough good things to be said about the Holy Grail of all topcoats, it's haaamazing. SV dries so incredibly fast, protects against chipping like an absolute trooper, and has the most perfect glass-like, high-shine finish. GET YOURSELF ONE (if you don't already!)
• Sally Hansen "No More Breaks" - in an attempt to strengthen my weak, peely nails :( Anyone tried this? Is it any good?
• Came across a cheap Konad Special Polish on eBay and, as it's a staple polish for anyone into stamping, snapped it up - I've been struggling to find a regular high street white polish that is opaque enough to stamp with, for my liking.

So there we go! I have only tried Augustus Street and Seche Vite so far, but I'll be swatching them for you over the course of the week. All in all, I was pleased with the polishes I got in the lucky dip, would've been nice to see some paler colours, nudes or pastels, but I suppose that's why they call it a Lucky Dip! You can't choose! For the bargain that they were (£10 for the lot), I am not turning my nose up at them.
I also got a pack of 15 Nail Art brushes from eBay, they look great, ranging from fan brushes right down to the tiniest paintbrush and dotting tool you've ever seen! So long, toothpick, I'm a profesh now!

 As I previously mentioned, I tried Augustus street - sorry I didn't swatch it while it was still suede, I was too eager to get stamping and try out Seche Vite!

Sorry for the rubbish photography, I've not worked out the best place, with the light, is in my Notts house!

I stamped from BM21 using Claire's Black Nail Art Pen (Striper) and free-handed in the black tips with the same. Topped off with Seche Vite, the effect is smooth, hard and SO shiny! Love!

I got some Fimo Canes too, I'm a bit skeptical, but will definitely give them a try: -

Just a selection of the 100 I ordered - like the look of the fruities!

Which of the Nails Inc would you like to see next? Will you be partaking in the Lucky Dip offer next time it rolls around? 

The Wind will Blow the Clouds Away

Two posts in one day, you lucky buggers.
The sun is shining in Birmingham today - which is rare - and it's made me happy!! I've wanted to do this Manicure ever since I received Konad M79, and I was waiting for the right occasion!!

On four out of five nails is a sunny day, but there's a thunderstorm on the accent nail! I was so twitchy drawing that lightning bolt hahaha!
the polishes I used are:

• Blue base - Barry M Turquoise
• Claire's White Nail Art Pen  for stamping the Clouds off Konad M79, and to draw a base for the lightning bolt
• accent nail base - Sparkle and Fade (Urban Outfitters) in Grey.
• Lightening bolt - Drawn over white base with a toothpick in Miss Sporty Taxi!.
• Dark Clouds stamped with Barry M Charcoal Grey. 
• Barry M topcoat.

It was so nice to photograph in the sun aswell, I neeeed a tan, mate!
I've also just had a brain wave - if I were to do it again, I'd add some sparse silver glitter under the clouds and lightening on the accent nail to look like rain. I WISH I'd thought of this before!!!! Damn!