The Nail Thread

[seela]

I don’t remember posting on mobile being as difficult as it sometimes these days. It’s definitely changed how I respond here.

1. I wore Essie not just a pretty face and unfortunately my picture was taken after a day of cleaning and washing dishes so they’re looking worn.

2. The color I’m wearing now is also Essie and it’s more sheer than I expected. I was hoping for a different look. It’s embarrassingly named Sugar Daddy which feels like the first time I’m ever feeling uneasy with a name.

1. https://m.imgur.com/a/JSqiZXX
2. https://m.imgur.com/a/oYlf5Xp

The 2nd color is a bright, sheer pink. The photo doesn’t really show off the color very well. Pink seems to be my go-to look lately. It’s just so easy to wear.

Pinks are easy, and those are some really nice pinks, Meeks.

 

[seela]

I... well, I tried, okay?

As long as I don’t let anyone look at my nails up close, they’re okay. Seems to be a recurring theme.

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

I... well, I tried, okay?

As long as I don’t let anyone look at my nails up close, they’re okay. Seems to be a recurring theme.

I like it. The concept of the shifted intersected block lines leans both geometricly minimalistic and constructively creative, a well balanced middle ground, if that makes any sense.

 

[seela]

I like it. The concept of the shifted intersected block lines leans both geometricly minimalistic and constructively creative, a well balanced middle ground, if that makes any sense.

Takes some practice though! I’ll have to try again some other time. It’s hard to keep the lines even remotely even. I didn’t succeed this time... It’d probably be easier if I used brushes that are the same size for all colors instead of three different sizes like now.

 

[HotBrand]

I... well, I tried, okay?

As long as I don’t let anyone look at my nails up close, they’re okay. Seems to be a recurring theme.

I like it. The concept of the shifted intersected block lines leans both geometricly minimalistic and constructively creative, a well balanced middle ground, if that makes any sense.

Totally agree. The geometric pattern is really, really fun! I think it's really pretty.

Waiting for the next beautiful attempt of someone marbling their nails ...

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

Takes some practice though! I’ll have to try again some other time. It’s hard to keep the lines even remotely even. I didn’t succeed this time... It’d probably be easier if I used brushes that are the same size for all colors instead of three different sizes like now.

yeah, I don't even try lines by hand lol. Though it does make sense to invest in several brush sets I guess. more to buy

Totally agree. The geometric pattern is really, really fun! I think it's really pretty.

Waiting for the next beautiful attempt of someone marbling their nails ...

marbling. my nail nemesis lol.

Decided to get a shellac uv light and do my own since we've basically been in lockdown for 10 months here. I'm not the greatest but I love doing them.

https://imgur.com/a/vU1WenG

I love the colors, especially the glitter one. I am a fan of the sparkly nails.

So I don't want to give unsolicited advice, as I am a walking life example of what not to do. I swear I don't walk around telling people to wear seat belts and shit. However, when I started shellac and gels, I didn't know the safety protocols, why they exist, and how my failure and desire for long lasting polish would have long term consequences. This came up recently with my shopoholic bored moms club, because kits were on sale, so I dropped a version of this message, just incase someone else didn't know either, and turns out no one knew, A few who were buying them so children could paint their nails changed their mind as they knew their children would be covering themselves in it. It might just be us Americans who never got the newsletter though. So, if you already know about the safety practices and why, excellent. However, If you have no idea what I am talking about, consider reading what I learned, so you can decide to do want to do it better than I did, if you choose. https://***************/document/d/1Y60TM2HqvulIHD4hp561RIEINHCP3YsNOrqOODFtyZU/edit?usp=sharing

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

today's nails. The challenges offered the past two weeks were color blocking and negative space. I do a lot of color blocking, but usually either straight or symmetrical curves, so I wanted to do something else. Exactly what that something is, still not sure, but I did something. I also wanted to show less of the white part of my nail, as while I am pretty good at not breaking my nails as I always have a significant amount of polish on, I still have stress lines in places I almost broke a nail. So clear wavy area with a tiny bit of glitter, yellow border on one side, and shifty pale holo on the other, then the glittery red and holo black.

I finally tried silicone marbling since I can't water marble. I'd rather not go the fluid art mat route, so I mixed some dimethicone in a pale, pixie glitter polish I had that generally annoys me. I put it on, added a drop of the 4 colors used above, another drop of the silicone mix, and pressed it with a silicone stamper. I think I need to try this with less metallics and glitters, and use creams, or at least mostly creams. I am good with how they turned out though, it is better than any of my prior marbling attempts in any other technique, I just think creams might do better.

 

[seela]

^^That’s really cool!

I got almost two weeks out of the striped nails, which is pretty good considering I didn’t even add extra top coat on them or anything. Today I had enough of them, removed the polish and cut my nails short, so I won’t be posting anything soon.

 

[MeekMe]

Well, sometimes we get pleasantly surprised by the unexpected, usually not, but at least good enough is good enough.



They are pretty, and sorry, I had to giggle at the name thing. I am going to assume you don't use any Sweet & Sour Lacquer products. I swear they just try to make up uncomfortable names, so I am immune at this point. Some of the current names are Pacifier Suck, #eyeroll, Aunt Flo, Bone Daddy, Hey Diddly Ho, I'll be in my room, Totally Groovy Leg Warmers. Main staples are things like Saucy Marbles and Smicky Sauce. Ok, I am still bothered by the name Smicky Sauce, no idea why, I just don't like the word smicky. Point is Sugar Daddy is better than Pacifier Suck. Though sometimes run a really awesome deal where all their different top and base coats are 5cents with any purchase polish, and all they are very nice is you like thick polish, so you can get a lifetime supply of top and base coats for like $15. Downside is them saying my favorite base coat is Smicky Sauce.

Yeah, those names are not for me. The colors are not really my speed either. Nail polish names are typically something I look forward to, but this one just bothers me.

 

[MeekMe]

https://i.imgur.com/41g4G7G.jpg

I decided to do something cute and fun for February. French manicure with pink to red dots. I haven’t done anything like this in so long, it was fun to focus on and I feel motivated to do more.

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

^^That’s really cool!

I got almost two weeks out of the striped nails, which is pretty good considering I didn’t even add extra top coat on them or anything. Today I had enough of them, removed the polish and cut my nails short, so I won’t be posting anything soon.

nice on the duration. Did you break one or something?

Yeah, those names are not for me. The colors are not really my speed either. Nail polish names are typically something I look forward to, but this one just bothers me.

haha. no blue pacifier suck polish for you. I guess indie polish companies do whatever they can to stand out.

https://i.imgur.com/41g4G7G.jpg


I decided to do something cute and fun for February. French manicure with pink to red dots. I haven’t done anything like this in so long, it was fun to focus on and I feel motivated to do more.

oh, Those are pretty. I understand. It is actually how I got sucked into a nail polish challenge group, as I'd get into a pattern of do what I usually do, and then not have an idea of what else to do. Thus, I found having a technique or theme presented to me every week encourages me to try new things, or things I haven't done in forever, and I find it fun.

 

[MeekMe]

My Valentine’s Day nails were simple but very cute.
https://imgur.com/a/YZ08ueC

My current look is also simple. I think they look “dipped.”
https://imgur.com/a/9ASH9dQ

 

[gracie920101]

I just found out that if you spill fingernail polish, dump sugar over the spill. It will absorb the spill and allow one to sweep it up, polish and all.

When I think of things I have ruined with nail polish that could have been saved by sugar.

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

Well, 2 weeks ago the challenges were dry brushing and smoosh. I did valentine's colors. I wasn't really feeling it, too pink I think. The thumb, middle, and pinkie were dry brush. The middle and pinkie were smoosh. I think the dry brush could be awesome in the right hands, which are not mine. Though it was my first. I added some silver filigree to the tips of the last two to try to make it less pink.



This week was nimbus. I went with purples, as well as a pink and a blue for more depth. I also decided to go more dagger shaped. I will likely break the tips, but both middle fingers are repaired right now with glue/coffee filter as the tips are cracked, so those will only hold so long. Both are fairly high up so I won't have to go short. I liked these. I might redo this at some point doing the color blocking I did on the ring finder on all nails.





and some random sales. colorclub has 40% off with code cozy40. free ship at $30. best deals are the kits which come out to about $3 a bottle https://colorclub.com/collections/all-kits

beyond polish has free shipping at $35. with code febship35 and has $1 cnd mystery bottles, $12 7 bottle opi & cnd mystey sets in holiday (reds, greens, golds, metallic, glitter) and warm (red, oranges, yellows. https://www.beyondpolish.com/collections/beyond-polish-mystery-box

 

[MissMandy86]

My share

 

[MeekMe]

Loving the pinks!

And of course, when everyone is going pink, I’m not.

https://m.imgur.com/a/XM6FVxm

This Sinful Colors polish is a fantastic color! It’s Eucalyptahhh and is scented like eucalyptus. It’s softer than Tiffany’s Blue (I checked, it made the box look jarringly bright) and is so pretty. I don’t care for the scented gimmick as the whole smell my finger visual is just too cringe.

The technology has improved since I was a kid wearing chocolate scented polish. The scent was spot on and lasted two days. I wanted the scent gone sooner as it was strong and mildly annoying. Putting up with the scent is worth it for the color so I’m happy with it. I also bought the milky bath scented color and will post when I give it a try.

 

[seela]

Living my cerulean fantasy

https://imgur.com/a/nawd5Pp

That's a really lovely blue! For some reason I shy away from blues like this although I always like them on others. I usually go for more petroleum or navy rather than a lovely bright blue. Maybe I'll have to give it a chance on myself, too.

I've been keeping my nails short and mostly naked, because my hands and skin in general got awfully dry and it really did a number on my cuticles as well. Nothing seemed to help, hooray stress and stress-eating crap. Adding and removing nail polish didn't seem like a good idea with bleeding cuticles... It's slowly getting better.

Green. I realized St Pat's was this week too, so that was thematic of me. By accident. And St Pat's isn't a thing here anyway, so. Anyway. OPI, Rated Pea-G.

 

[EdEc]

My share

Those would feel so good on my back.

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

Loving the pinks!

And of course, when everyone is going pink, I’m not.

https://m.imgur.com/a/XM6FVxm

This Sinful Colors polish is a fantastic color! It’s Eucalyptahhh and is scented like eucalyptus. It’s softer than Tiffany’s Blue (I checked, it made the box look jarringly bright) and is so pretty. I don’t care for the scented gimmick as the whole smell my finger visual is just too cringe.

The technology has improved since I was a kid wearing chocolate scented polish. The scent was spot on and lasted two days. I wanted the scent gone sooner as it was strong and mildly annoying. Putting up with the scent is worth it for the color so I’m happy with it. I also bought the milky bath scented color and will post when I give it a try.

That is soft and quite pretty. Yes, that scented thing is weird. Maybe it is for the men, my husband used to complain about the smell when I did my nails. Turns out it was scented acetone though, but I could see some people hating the smell of polish.

Living my cerulean fantasy

https://imgur.com/a/nawd5Pp

very fun.

That's a really lovely blue! For some reason I shy away from blues like this although I always like them on others. I usually go for more petroleum or navy rather than a lovely bright blue. Maybe I'll have to give it a chance on myself, too.

I've been keeping my nails short and mostly naked, because my hands and skin in general got awfully dry and it really did a number on my cuticles as well. Nothing seemed to help, hooray stress and stress-eating crap. Adding and removing nail polish didn't seem like a good idea with bleeding cuticles... It's slowly getting better.

Green. I realized St Pat's was this week too, so that was thematic of me. By accident. And St Pat's isn't a thing here anyway, so. Anyway. OPI, Rated Pea-G.

It is interesting that you shy away from the brighter bolder blues as green is also a color that many find bold as well. I like them all but tend to shy away from the barbie pinks, to traditional I guess.

hopefully your hands are doing better now.

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

current mani. Theme was actually waterfall, but I only did the accent nail as the waterfall technique is one I really struggle with when using my left hand, so I didn't want to be stuck doing 5 nails on my right. I used color block and nimbus marble on the other four as those are things I an do with either hand. Finally broke the middle finger nail, guess I should trim the rest to match, but eh, it is close enough to the others for now.

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

Easter nails. Inspired by dyeing eggs with the kid. Marbled in pinks, greens, purples, black/grey/whites, and blues. Added gold so they all had a common thread. I knew the pink would be my least favorite, and the black would be my most favorite, but I was surprised how much I like the green. Yes, my eggs are all different sizes, I have a variety of birds. The large bottom left is actually a duck egg.

 

[seela]

Those are pretty!

What do you use for the marbling?

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

Those are pretty!

What do you use for the marbling?

Thanks. Nimbus technique. Cotton swab soaked in acetone, mixed with polish drops and dotted. There are several colors per nail.

 

[seela]

Thanks. Nimbus technique. Cotton swab soaked in acetone, mixed with polish drops and dotted. There are several colors per nail.

Thanks, I’ll have to look it up. Maybe I’ll get my nail mojo back one day and start doing my nails again, good to have ideas for when that day comes.

 

[seela]

It’s a twofer. Kinda.

Does the constant hand sanitizing make everybody else’s cuticles dry into dust as well? No matter how much I moisturize, my hands just can’t deal. I was hoping it’s get better once the weather warms up, but there hasn’t been any significant change. I hate this.