Review & mani: Clear Jelly Stamper

(Press sample; affiliate links)

Hello!

Remember that one time when I spent three years learning how to stamp well, line things up correctly, get my placement just right, and BAM! somebody came out with a product that made all that time I spent practically unnecessary?

Yep, that would be the Clear Jelly Stamper. It's a stamper that's clear, so you can see through the end all the way to the tip and see exactly where you're applying your stamp.

If you think you can't stamp, or think you can't stamp well, or can stamp okay but have a hard time placing things where you want them, this is the stamper for you. Even if you're an expert, you probably mess up your alignment more often that you'd like to admit, and this stamper will help you, too.

Of course I did a video review to show you the stamper and test out if it actually works the way it claims to work:

And here are some pictures of the little beauty:

Clear Jelly Stamper

Clear Jelly Stamper

You can see that the stamping head is completely clear. And, on the other end, it looks like something is missing, but it isn't--there's nothing there so you can see down the barrel to exactly where you're placing your image:

Clear Jelly Stamper

Clear Jelly Stamper

Yes, there is actually a head on the far end of the stamper, I swear! See how well you can see through it!

Each stamper comes with a replacement head, and scrapers:

He are the miracles this stamper makes possible:

1)) It allows you to place an image exactly where you want it.
2) It allows you to layer stamped images to get multi-colored effects (especially with the plates below).
3) Allows you to repair images that didn't transfer completely the first time
4) Allows you to check your reversed-stamping work for any bald patches or areas where your polish is to thin
5) You can apply your reversed-stamping directly without having to create a decal, 'cause you can see exactly where it's gonna go.
6) I'm sure tons more I'm gonna discover as I play.


Now, the head on this stamper is hard, and it's fragile. Don't get too freaked out about that warning, though, it doesn't mean the stamper's gonna self-destruct just because you had garlic for lunch. But it does mean you can't smoosh it and squoosh it and jab it and stretch it the way you can other stamping heads. So you aren't going to do any shrinking techniques with this stamper, you can't push your nail down into it hard like you would with a marshmallow stamper, nothing like that. For techniques where you need to do those things, use a different stamper. She has a video which explains how to care and feed your CJS, and make sure it lives a long and happy life:

But what it boils down to is this:

• No acetone, please; regular remover with a little acetone is okay. If you get polish on it that you don't want, you can swipe with a little polish remover, gently scrape with a nail (super gently) or gently use tape that isn't too sticky (scotch tape worked for me). 
• No priming, please; just swipe with alcohol or polish remover and you're good to go. 
• No pushing down hard, please; you barely need to apply pressure when you pick up your image, just gently roll with a flick of your wrist.
• And no man-handling, please; grasp and remove the head gently if/when needed. 

Basically, pretend it's like your relationship with your mother-in-law: think before you do something you'll regret. A little caution goes a long way.


That said, I was skeptical it would pick up images well. But I was wrong--you really do just need to roll over it with a quick flick, barely any pressure, and your image will come up no problem. You also don't have to worry nearly so much about how quickly your image dries as you do with a regular stamper. I'm sure there must be a limit to it, but I took forever on my first try in the video, and the second I touched the image to the nail (accidentally), it still transferred. So you have longer work time on your side.

There's also a line of plates designed to work with this stamper; the plates feature images designed to be layered over one another to create a multi-color designs. She sent me three of these for review:

CJS-02: Roses and water lillies!!

CJS-C-03: winter and penguins!

CJS-C-01: Merry Christmas!

I tested them out in the video, and yes--you really can see exactly where you're applying your image:

You really can see where you're stamping with the Clear Jelly Stamper

You really can see where you're stamping with the Clear Jelly Stamper

This is my second attempt at layering the stamps (I had premature touchage in the first attempt):

Second attempt to layer images

And this is my third attempt:

Third attempt to layer images

I call that pretty good results for my second and third try, and I promise you when you're looking at the images from a regular distance instead of in super close-up, you don't see the small errors.

I did find one thing tricky, though. When I was doing my first try with the rose, I forgot which side of the image was which once I put it on, because the shape isn't very distinctive, and wasn't sure exactly how to orient the second layer; so just keep that in mind when working with your shapes. For the penguin, the first shape was very distinctive, so I knew exactly where to place the next layer. And it's an easy problem to avoid if you keep it in mind when you apply the first image--which I did not, I just slapped it on there, and then went 'Huh. I wonder which side is which?' Yeah, not so smart.

So let's take a look at my very first every mani I did with this stampers, done right after the two tries above, with no other practice. The moment I saw the Christmas tree plate and the penguins plate, my mind instantly went to my favorite scene from my favorite Christmas movie: the penguins' skating party from Muppets' Christmas Carol. So I decided to create a tribute to it:

Penguins' Christmas skating party

 

Penguins' Christmas skating party

A few things to note here. These aren't perfect--I learned that when I roll from left to right, I end up with a little gap on the right side of my image, so I'm going to correct that on my next try; from a normal distance you can't see the gaps anyway.  Also, I tried to put my hats on at cute rakish angles, and didn't do too well with that--I need to master putting them on in the right position first before I get creative, sigh. But I still think they look cute.

I purposefully put only half of a snowflake on one of my nails, and then tested to see if I could 'fix' the error by lining up a second stamp over it. It worked!! So you can use this to repair an image that doesn't go on completely--Can you tell which snowflake it was?

I was really annoyed that the polish I chose for my tree, Sally Hansen I-rush Luck, didn't show up very well against the background, and threw everything off. So I redid that nail with Zoya Honor. I think it came out much better the second time, even though I went a little nuts with the ornaments!:

Penguins' Christmas skating party, now with improved tree!

Penguins' Christmas skating party, now with improved tree!

Seriously, how cute it that!!!

Here are the polishes I used; For the background, I did a stamping sammich with Turtle Tootsie Polish Air Clearance, and used Barry M Cotton to stamp the snowflakes; for the snow, I sponged on Zoya Aspen; the penguins were stamped with Konad Black, Barry M Cotton, and Sally Hansen Rapid Red. The tree was stamped with Sally Hansen I-rush Luck (in the first attempt) or Zoya Honor (second attempt) along with Barry M Gold for the garland and star, Hit The Bottle Polishes Everyday I'm Truffling for the trunk, and Colors By Llarowe Pirates of Penzance for the ornaments.

So, after my tests and my mani, what do I think? I can't say enough good things about this stamper. My very first tries were good enough that from a normal viewing distance, my images looked flawless--I think with a little bit more practice, they actually will be flawless. And I tried out some of the hardest images--the penguins need to fit together perfectly with a lot of angles, while the flowers and such are a bit more flowing.

I would absolutely recommend this stamper for all skill levels, from beginning to expert. In a dream world the head would be less fragile, and maybe future versions will find a way to do that. But in the meantime, don't let that dissuade you. If you've ever had an issue placing a stamp where you want it, this stamper is for you. It's a game changer.

The stamper itself (including replacement head and scraper) sells for $13.00. There has been quite a demand, so she's taking pre-orders to make sure she can get it out to people who want it as soon as possible. The plates sell for $7.00 each. You can also follow the shop on Facebook.

Oh, and did I mention? She ships internationally!

Happy stamping!
M.

Review & NOTD: Christmas Tree Skittle Mani with Born Pretty Store nail tape dispenser

(Press sample)

Hello!

Born Pretty Store recently sent me this nail tape dispenser to review; I chose it actually because I tend to struggle a little with nail tape:

Born Pretty Store nail tape dispenser

Born Pretty Store nail tape dispenser

My issue with nail tape is two-fold. The main problem is that I lose the end and struggle to find it again, and in the meantime what I've already applied catches on something and pulls off. Of course, one solution to this is to cut off as many pieces as you need, and pull them off the corner of your table or some such as needed. That sounds good, but what happens is, when I pull one of those pieces off, it instantly flaps over and sticks to my hand or something else, and then I have to try to pull it back off while not destroying the tape on the artwork I'm trying to do. AND, I still can't find the end of the tape the next time I go to do another mani.

So, when I saw this, I figured it would be good for someone as nail-tape challenged as me--it will keep the end ever-ready, and maybe even help me keep the tape under control while I'm working.

I did a video review of the case here, just showing how easy it is to open and put the tape in:

I also did a second video, a tutorial using the dispenser to make the manicure you'll see below:

What I like about it:

• It keeps the end easily accessible
• It's easy to pull off what you need as you need it
• It's easier to grip than the rolls of tape, so I find it easier to use while I'm applying the teap
• It opens easily so you can change the color of your tape as often as you want

For my test mani, I did a little twist on a simple, traditional nail-tape manicure, the simple Christmas tree. Normally what you do is put on your base polish, and then when it's fully dry, you lay your tape, put the polish for your tree over it, then pull up your tape.

For my tree, I wanted the tree to be on a naked nail, and have two layers--and undercoat of glitter that would show through as the 'garland' on the tree, and the tree itself:

Christmas tree skittle mani

Christmas tree skittle mani

Christmas tree skittle mani

As you'll see in the video, I messed up my first attempt. See, what you have to do is:

1) Try not to overlap your glitter coat with your tape.
2) Let this coat dry completely.
3) Put your 'garland' tape on.
4) Put your green polish on, and give it a few seconds to set but not dry
5) Remove your tape in the reverse order you put each piece on.

So this look can be a little tricky, but I think it's worth it, because I love the spray of glitter showing through as the garland on the tree.

Here are the products I used:
Colors By Llarowe Pirates of Penzance (holo red!)
Colores de Carol (silver holo glitter!)
Colors By Llarowe Gemini Rising (Holo green!)
Color Club Marina (textured gold--I think this looks like Christmas garland!)
Bunny Nails HD-F to stamp the star pattern on the thumb and pinkie, and the star at the top of the tree
Barry M Silver and Gold Foil Effects.

I love how it came out, and have already gotten compliments on my sweet little tree.

If you get frustrated with nail tape like I do, a little dispenser like this might be just the trick for you; for $1.59, it's hard to go wrong. You can also use my Born Pretty Code for 10% off  you full-priced order:

Happy taping!
M.

Before & After: Poisoned Apple

(Affiliate links)

Hello!

Halloween is about spooky scares, and one of the things that used to scare me the most when I was a little girl was...the witch from Snow White. So, for my contribution to the Crumpet's Nail Tarts Halloween collection, I decided to make a tribute to the Disney villain that terrified me the most.

To get an awesome night sky, I used Colors By Llarowe Rest In Pieces, an awesomely holographic blurple:

Colors By Llarowe Rest In Pieces

Colors By Llarowe Rest In Pieces

Colors By Llarowe Rest In Pieces

Colors By Llarowe Rest In Pieces

Love love love this holo, especially for a deep night-sky look...swoon.

Here's how the manicure came out (details afterward):

Come have an apple, little girl...

Poisoned Apple Snow White Manicure

Poisoned Apple Snow White Manicure

This manicure was a conglomeration of a bunch of different plates:
Tree: LeaLac LLC-B, stamped with Barry M Silver Foil
Apples: Bunny Nails old-school HD 06 (the octagonal ones), Winstonia W118, stamped with Barry M Silver Foil, Sally Hansen Rapid Red, and Sally Hansen Red-io Active
Witch: Decal made from My Online Shop JR-22, with Eat Sleep Polish Sheets of Empty Canvas, China Glaze Cha Cha Cha, and Sally Hansen Lively Lilac.

I used a double-stamping technique to make the apples stand out, and then to highlight the poisoned apple, I stamped it in silver with red accents. When I stamped the tree onto my nail, I messed up--the base of the tree should be solid--but I think the mistake makes the tree look creepier, like it has a creepy smile on it, so I decided to keep it (Halloween manicures are so flexible, lol!!). An even though I created it, that witch's face continues to creep me out...::shudders::

What do you think, good Halloween mani? Especially if you're dressing up like Snow White or your daughter is, I think this would be a fun mani.

If this one isn't your cup of tea, or even if it is, check out the other Crumpet Halloween manis below!!

Happy stamping,

M.

An InLinkz Link-up

Before & After: Fast Fierce Frankenstein

(Press sample; affiliate link)

Hello!

Today I have a Halloween quickie for you; you've seen this sort of Frankenstein's monster mani about 100 different ways, but what I love about this one is the expression on his face, and how nearly error-proof it is.

I started with Colors By Llarowe Gemini Rising, the most luminous green apple holo you'll ever see:

Colors By Llarowe Gemini Rising

Colors By Llarowe Gemini Rising

This is one of the most amazing holos I've every laid eyes on--it's so holo sparkly, it truly looks 3D. Amazing. Only one problem--it stained worse than any other polish I've ever worn. So wear two coats of base polish with this one, my friends.


To stamp, I used UberChic Beauty's Halloween 01 plate with Konad Black:

Here's how it came out:

Colors By Llarowe Gemini Rising + UberChic Beauty Halloween 01

Colors By Llarowe Gemini Rising + UberChic Beauty Halloween 01

So here's why this is an awesome 5-minute-art manicure: It's almost impossible to mess this up. The stitching image is big enough that as long as you hit your nail inside of it, it's gonna look good. As for the face, it doesn't matter if accidentally put it on at an angle, because his googly eyes and crooked smile work any way you stick it on. In fact, I put mine on too low, and there wasn't enough hair at the top of the image--so I just painted some extra on, and he's perfect. Even if you've never stamped before, you're gonna find it easy to be successful with this mani.

Happy Frankensteining!!
M.

NOTD: Painting my nails

(Nothing to disclose)

Hello!

I'm starting a new challenge with the lovely artists in Crumpet's Nail Tarts, and today's theme is 'Hobbies'. I have several hobbies, but the one that seemed the most appropriate for nail art was, well...nail art.

I started with Colors By Llarowe Pirates of Penzance, and put it on all of my nails except for one, which I left nekkid (well, other than basecoat). Then, I did some freehand nail art of a polish bottle brush painting that last nail. My first attempt looked like this:

It came out looking pretty good, but something about it bothered me, and I couldn't put my finger on exactly what it was at first (pun not intended)...And then it hit me--nobody paints their nails from tip to cuticle!! You always brush from cuticle to tip! So, I redid it:

Yes, that's MUCH better, haha! Okay, so maybe I'm being a little picky here, but it does make me happy to have the brush painting in the proper direction. :)

Oh, and can I say how much I'm in love with Pirates of Penzance? It's the absolute true red holo I've been wanting my whole life, and it applies like a perfect dream, easy, smooth, wonderful. I'm sad that Llarowe is downsizing their shop, but extremely happy that they're still making CBL, and can only hope for more amazing beauties like this.

Happy polishing!
M.

An InLinkz Link-up