Glittery Rollin' in the Deep (Ocean) Nails

In tandem with my most recent nails, Hawaiian Nails, I also did a super easy mani that reminds me of the bottom of the ocean on my right hand.  Oh, that dreaded right hand ;-/  Anyway, it only took three polishes to accomplish and I am quite proud of the results!  I call these nails Rollin' in the Deep (Ocean) Nails:)

(above pic in natural sunlight)

After applying no less than two thin coats of Inkblot Blue to base-coated nails and letting the polish dry, I then added one coat of Sally Girl's Iridescent glitter.  Next, I sponged on Across the Universe onto the tips of my nails and half way up. Its ok that Across the Universe glitter is suspended in a black base because the black polish dries a sheer smoky color and barely tints the polish underneath.  The green and teal glitters really pop on Inkblot Blue.   Last I did a generous swish of Chunky Silver on a note card and used a toothpick to pick up large and small hex glitters and placed them in random arched lines of three to simulate bubbles. 

The only thing I would do differently is add more layers of topcoat so that the finish is smoother but I am very happy with these nails.  Striking!

Tropical Nails aka Hawaiian Nails for tonight's luau: Week 19 of the Year of Polish Challenge

I am looking forward to winding down tonight in celebration of the end of my first semester of library school!  I am going to a luau where I will barely know a soul, I don't have a Hawaiian shirt, and I'm arriving late but I am determined to live it up tonight:0)   In preparation for the festivities and because the Year of Polish Challenge demanded some floral nails, I did some Hawaiian nails that turned out very cute.  I used several different techniques to make a collage of nail art that screams vacation!

I think you'll see me using a lot of blues and purples this summer.  I am inundated with blue and purple polishes and I love every, single one equally so I am going to try to give each polish some wear time even if its just on my toes!

These nails were easier than they look.  I started out with two coats of Inkblot Blue on base-coated nails.  Next, I used White On and a small nail art brush to make hibiscus flower outlines on my thumb nail, a leaf design on my index nail, and the word "Aloha" and the Hawaiian Island outline on my middle nail.  Next using a chunk of cosmetic sponge, I sponged on a half circle of White On to my ring nail and then sponged on  White On onto two-thirds of my pinkie nail in preparation for a gradient.  The gradient was an afterthought.  Normally I would just paint the total nail white and then sponge on the colors but you work with what you have:)

After all the white dried, I filled in the flowers on my thumb nail in Boom Boom, Let's Meet, and Amethyst.  I then filled in the leaf design on my index nail with Happy Ending and accented with Last Chance.  On my middle nail, I filled in "Aloha" with Cloud 9 and the Hawaiian Islands with Happy Ending.  On my ring nail, I sponged on a tiny bit of Inkblot blue to simulate an ocean wave.  On my pinkie nail,  I sponged on a layer of Let's Meet and finished off with a lower layer of Happy Ending.

The next step was some very quick accents.  I used Ebony Loves Chris to make the middle part or pistil of the hibiscus and accent the flower creases.  I used White on to accent the edge of the flower petals and put on the stigma (white dots) on the pistil.   On my pinkie nail, I used Ebony Hates Chris to draw in a oval shape off center at the tip of my nail.  I then dragged out two arcs and added more smaller arcs to the top of the larger arcs to make palm leaf outlines.  I learned this technique from several different youtube and picture tutorials but the gradient palm tree technique by Cute Polish on youtube is a great place to start!  A whole set of nails with the gradient palm tree motif is so cool looking!

Last, I covered all nails with a generous coat of iridescent glitter and a top coat.  The nails look ok without the glitter but I think it adds something extra.

Visions of hula girls dance in my sunglasses' reflections when I look at these nails!