You may have noticed the my nails got a little short there for a little while. That happened because I strayed from two of my tried-and-true tricks for keeping my nails healthy--a strengthening basecoat and glass nail files.
When I started blogging, I had a very difficult time getting the nails on my right hand to grow enough to have any length at all past the fingertip, or to file evenly. I also had at least 2-3 major breaks on my left (swatching!) hand each year. Since I started using Barielle Nail Rebuilding Protein, I have no problem growing out the right hand, and went nearly two years without a major break on my right.
Of course, maybe that was just coincidence, since I started taking better care of my nails overall when I started blogging. Well, I know now that's not it, because I stopped using the Barielle to test out another basecoat I received a while back, a non-rebuilding basecoat which worked fine for what it was--but it became clear within a few weeks that I need something stronger, because I was back to having weak, splitting nails on my left hand, and I had three breaks on my right hand. Not okay! So you know I instantly jumped back on the Barielle bandwagon, and my nails are growing out beautifully again.
I love that not only do they come in three sizes (regular and purse-sized), but they have a massive one to use on your feet! It has a rougher side for use on calluses, and I get *a lot* of calluses on my feet, so this really helps me to a good home pedicure. The nail files also have a slightly different grade on each side, so you can file down and then shape with first the one then the other side.
I went back to non-glass files briefly before testing these out, and the difference was massive. My nails split like crazy when I use non-glass files, but hardly split at all when I use these. And when I combine with the nail rebuilder, my nail health is improved leaps and bounds. :)
Barielle brocade: Barielle Sky's The Limit and Belly Dance + UberChic Beauty 7-03
Barielle brocade: Barielle Sky's The Limit and Belly Dance + UberChic Beauty 7-03
What do you think? I was really impressed with how well the beige stamped over such a dark color, and I love how these images work together to create such a lacy, elegant design.
I've been crazy busy the last few months, and time has flown by (how is it May already??!!). You might know one of has I wear is writer, and I've written a few novels. Well, a while back I got an offer from an indie publisher for my second novel, currently named Deadly Avatar, a suspense thriller about a serial killer that finds his victims in an online role-playing game. After I did some research and some soul-searching, I decided it wasn't the right offer for me, but it has been encouraging and energizing to know that my stuff is good enough that somebody wants to publish it. So I've been working hard to see if I can kick that manuscript up a notch and have also been working hard on another mystery.
So anyway, you didn't come here to hear about that, you came to see nail art! I have a quickie for you today, using the two Barielle polishes I got from their new ProSina line, and UberChic Beauty Plate 8-02:
I put Barielle Belly Dance on my index and middle finger, and Sky's The Limit on the rest of my nails. Then I stamped my image using Sky's The Limit (it stamped so well!):
UberChic Beauty has tried something new with their stamping plates--mini plates! These plates are designed to go in-depth on a single theme, and they're pretty darn awesome.
Of course I made a video to show them to you and give some ideas for using the images (with a live stamping test thrown in:
And in this post I'm going to do things a little differently. Usually I show all the plates, then all the size stills, then all the stamping tests. This time I'm going to go plate by plate, since these are all sold separately.
Let's start with my favorite, Coffee Addict, you know, because COFFEE!:
Uber Mini: Coffee Addict plate
Uber Mini: Coffee Addict plate
Uber Mini: Coffee Addict plate
There is so much awesome in this plate, I do't even know where to begin. All the different sizes and shapes of drinks are so adorable--you can use a single one on an accent nail, or make a collage with them, or represent your favorites strategically. I love the full nail images, especially the huge one--I plan to do a mani where I put the section that says 'I <3 Coffee' on one nail and other sections on the others. But I think my very favorite image is the one that looks like tiles with different mugs and espresso makers--how cool would that be stamped over a gorgeous brown holo?!
Here are the sizes we're looking at:
Uber Mini: Coffee Addict plate
Uber Mini: Coffee Addict plate
Even though these plates are minis, you can see the full-nail images will cover your nails unless they're pretty darn long, and the little images are small enough to fit on the nail no problem. :) And as for stamping quality, it's solid:
Next is the Little Bitty Icons plate. I apologize, this plate was difficult to photograph; since the images are so small, they competed with the reflection of my hands, and the tiny surface scratches you can't normally even see:
Uber Mini: Little Bitty Icons
Uber Mini: Little Bitty Icons
Uber Mini: Little Bitty Icons
UberChic originally designed these plates for nail addicts' kids--the images are meant for their little nails. I know a fair number of women who have pretty darn small nails, too, and this would be a great plate for them, too. But, even for the rest of us, this is a versatile plate. These are awesome for a simple decoration on a French design, great for a single small accent, and you can combine them to make your own collages.
Check out how truly bitty they are:
Uber Mini: Little Bitty Icons
Uber Mini: Little Bitty Icons
And while I had a hard time with taking a picture of them, they stamp beautifully:
The Parisian Love plate is another favorite of mine, almost tied with the Coffee Addict plate:
Uber Mini: Parisian Love
Uber Mini: Parisian Love
Uber Mini: Parisian Love
You can go cut with this--little cafe scenes or street scenes--or boho chic with the script and the flourishes and OMG that woman with her gorgeous face and hair! Going to a wine tasting party or on a romantic picnic? How perfect is that little wine glass and the little cheese wedge and the little croissant? Love.
Here's an idea of the relative sizes:
Uber Mini: Parisian Love
Uber Mini: Parisian Love
And here is how it stamps--pay no attention to the warping, that's because I stamped down on a piece of paper, and that's why I try to do all my demos on my fingers. You can see that despite the warping that was my error, the image came out very well:
And finally, we have the Succulents plate, which celebrates cacti and their relatives:
Uber Mini: Succulents
Uber Mini: Succulents
Uber Mini: Succulents
For a long time, cacti were the only plants I could keep alive...luckily my thumb has gotten greener since then, but I still have a special place in my heart for cacti and other succulents. But if you don't, take a look at how many of those image look like just plain flowers--so if you like them, there's no law that says you have to make them look like succulents. Go crazy!
And here's how big the images are:
And again, great stamping quality:
I'll do a manicure for the other three plates in separate posts, but for now, you know I had to do a mani with the Coffee Addict plate:
I started with a base skittle of Zoya Desiree and Barielle Belly Dance; I stamped with Sally Hansen Sand Storm, and Messy Mansion Carbon and Chalk:
Happy coffee time! With Zoya Desiree, Barielle Belly Dance, and UberChic Beauty Coffee Addict plate
These plates are an excellent way to get a small plate with a bunch of related images to play with. You can find them in UberChic Beauty's store, and don't forget to follow them on Facebook for updates and sales!
Barielle is introducing a new line of polishes that are infused with ProSina, a hydrolyzed keratin that penetrates your nails and skin to help keep your cuticles and nails healthier, and to repair damage. They've taken some of the colors from their regular collection and re-made them with this new technology to turn the polish into a nail treatment, too.
They sent me two of these polishes to try out, and I was interested to check them out because Barielle makes one of my favorite treatments, their protein-rebuilding basecoat; because I love it so much, I'm excited for polishes that treat my nails the same way.
Let's take a look at Barielle Belly Dance, a neutral taupe creme:
Barielle Belly Dance
Barielle Belly Dance
Barielle Belly Dance
Barielle Belly Dance
Application and formula on this were excellent; I didn't have any dragging or patchiness. This is two easy coats, but I was almost able to get away with one.
This is a near perfect neutral for just about any skin tone; this is a great look for work or any occasion where you want understated, but it also looks rich and classy at the same time, so it would be a great polish for a night out, as well.
The second polish they sent me is Barielle Sky's The Limit, a shimmery royal blue that stops just short of metallic:
Barielle Sky's The Limit
Barielle Sky's The Limit
Barielle Sky's The Limit
Barielle Sky's The Limit
This one also had excellent formula and application; again I was almost able to get away with a single coat, but this is two coats.
I love the deep pigmented blue of this; it's like looking down into a deep ocean or up into a starry night sky. This will be one of my go-to polishes, for sure.
So, how am I liking this new line? Based on these two polishes, I'm a fan. They apply well, and I got good wear; I was only able to keep them on for four days (ah, the life of a polish blogger), but they stayed on well during that time. I fight a continual battle with my Cinderella hand to grow out my nails, so I'm thinking I might wear the taupe as much as I can to see if the polish helps.
Also, I noticed these were well-pigmented, so I tried them out for stamping, and they work great! I'll show you a couple of manis using them shortly.
Finally, like all Barielle polishes, these are 5-free and safe for pregnant women. So while these are also treatments, they're still safe for everyday use.
Today's theme in the Crumpet Nail Tarts challenge is "Comics", and I recently had the theme "Funky French" in the Nail Challenge Collaborative, so I had to combine them both!
I started with Barielle Sheer Nonsense, which I thought had a bit of a newspaper feel:
Barielle Sheer Nonsense
Then I stamped with MoYou London Pro 16 and Frenchy 5:
MoYou London Frenchy 05
MoYou London Pro 16
I stamped with Eat Sleep Polish Endless Sheets of Canvas, and I used the reversed-stamping technique for all images, and colored them in with Sally Hansen Lightning and Rapid Red:
Frenchy comics
Frenchy comics
Frenchy comics
What do you think? I think it's sassy and bright and kitchsy and fun. I meant to make the girl's eyes blue, but totally spaced it out--I think that would have been an extra pop of color that would have worked well, but I still think it's fun as is. Hope you like it, too!
