This guest manicure features Zara. I was inspired by this Oriental patterned maxi skirt she was wearing at the time, and here's my interpretation of the pattern. Wished I took a photo of the skirt to show you.

Here is a closer look:

Lacquer Used:

Base Colour:		Revlon	040	Fushia Fever	2 coats
Flower Colour:		Nail Art Pen		Baby Pink	1 coat
Rose Highlight Colour:		Nail Art Pen		Electric Purple	1 coat
Flower Centres:		China Glaze	80832	Solar Power	1 coat
Leaves Colour:		Nail Art Pen		Bright Green	1 coat
White Flowers on Thumb:		Nail Art Pen		White	1 coat
Topcoats:		Seche Vite	83005	Dry Fast Top Coat	1 coat

Application for Revlon Fushia Fever is great, 2 coats leave even and good coverage. Perfect Spring/Summer colour! Colour is vibrant but not neon, if you're into pinks, this is a colour for you.

I added little flowers on inner corner of the nail near the cuticles. Ring finger I did a rose and thumb I freehanded a chrysanthemum flower with two little white flowers next to it. I also added a yellow rhinestone in the middle of the chrysanthemum flower.

This is a great manicure to brighten up the cold and dark Winter-like days we've been having over in the UK.

P.S. Also, I'm planning to have a giveaway in a couple weeks, so watch this space!

What do you think? What inspires you? How do you get inspired?

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Angela returns for another guest manicure appearance. She wanted something that is Autumn like, thought why not try one of the designs from my AW1011 Heritage Collection? From my sample wheel, she picked the little stag cameo. I also wanted to try out one of the new black green colour I recently purchased on a haul.

Lacquer Used:

Base Colour:		Queen		Green Black	3 coats
Ring Finger Base Colour:		L.A. Colours	NP438	Jungle Fever	2 coats
Cameo Colour:		China Glaze	77053	For Audrey	1 coat
Stag and Frame Colour:		Barry M	293	Grey	1 coat
White Polka Dots:		Nail Art Pen		White	1 coat
Topcoats:		Seche Vite	83005	Dry Fast Top Coat	1 coat

I love this Queen Green Black lacquer. It actually doesn't even have a colour name for it. I bought this unknown brand in a professional nails supplier store. It looks like a very close match to Nars Zulu from what I've seen online but I don't have it for comparison. It's stunning, it's almost black but green. What a find! Application is a little streaky, it was pretty okay with 2 coats but I put on a 3rd one for good luck.

L.A. Colors Jungle Fever is lovely, a very on-trend peacock colour for this Autumn/Winter. It applies smooth and even. The nail design was all done by freehand. The photo didn't capture all the colours nicely, it was quite late at night just under halogen lighting.

P.S. Oh yes, a very big congratulations to Magic Maid, who recently has 1000 followers, and she's having a ManGlaze Giveaway! I've been wanting to get my hands on ManGlaze for ages!

What do you think of the Heritage Collection? Have you any unknown brand nail lacquer that surprises you?

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Attending London Fashion Week has been very inspiring and I can't wait for Spring/Summer 2011! I've been toying with the idea of having my own nail design collection each season. I'm inspired by the military/heritage, animal print and lace trend for this AW10/11's catwalk. Will let you on a secret... Watch this space... Lacquer Boudoir mobile salon coming soon!

Nail wheel is a bit of a pain to Konad on! There are more designs but I couldn't stamp on the nail wheel because the next nail tips were blocking my stamp to roll. So I couldn't do those ones for now, however, I managed to try out some of the freehand designs to see if they work on my broken nail wheel. Here it is! Sorry about the huge watermark, this is working progress so far, until they're released later this year and to protect my designs the watermarks are staying. I'm sure you understand. :)


After the popularity of Chanel Week, there are two designs here which is dedicated to a certain fashion designer. Yes, so there's another theme week coming up later this year! Can you guess who it is?

What do you think of the first look of the collection so far?

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I'm having one of those week where I can't decide what nail colour I want to wear. I wanted something muted, nude, greige but with a twist. I settled on a smokey lilac colour from Beauty UK Glam Nails and decided to add a fauxnad later on.

The Smokey Lilac colour is actually more purple in person than in the photo. Here's another look:

Lacquer Used:

Base Colour:		Beauty UK	51	Smokey Lilac	3 coats
Ring Finger Colour:		GOSH	554	Gold	2 coats
Stamp Plate:		Bundle Monster	BM20	Botanical Swirl
Stamp Colour:		Sally Hansen Salon	4120-57	Pat on the Back	1 coat
Topcoats:		Seche Vite	83005	Dry Fast Top Coat	1 coat

Instructions:

I am very surprised how great Beauty UK Smokey Lilac applies! It was smooth and even, 2 coats were enough but I put on 3. Best thing about it is that it only cost £1.99 at Superdrug! On the ring finger, I painted 2 coats of GOSH Gold. 1 coat was a little sheer, so I did two. Great chrome-like varnish, I wonder if it Konad well? (Anyone?)

Then I used Sally Hansen Salon Pat on the Back to stamp the ring fingers with the botanical swirl pattern from BM20 plate. Then 1 coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat and voilà!

What do you think of this? What was your favourite cheap varnish that you were completely surprised by the quality?

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I remember back in the 90s, matte nail varnish was quite popular at one point. I used to love the matte topcoat turning everything to matte. Lots of brands came out with matte version of varnishes over the last couple seasons, and the matte trend will for sure leap into this AW10/11. Rimmel and Boots 17 have both recently released a matte topcoat for their AW collection.

At a recent mini haul, I purchased a few matte varnish, one from OPI and two from ORLY. I've read lots of about ORLY (any mention of this brand always make me giggle because of O Rly Owls) but never could get hold of some until now. The first feature swatch is Matte Vinyl which is a very black colour.

Application, Pros & Cons

I first thought it was a bit sheer application, it looked okay once it dried but it sure needs 2 coats. I put on 3 coats. It dries faster than regular varnish and dries flat and even. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that my nails look like charcoal!

Down side of this is that it does chip more easily than regular polish. I've got a matte topcoat from TopShop but unfortunately, it doesn't dry as matte in comparison, more a satin-matte finished. I also find that after you've put on hand lotion as well, it takes away the matte look. It doesn't look as matte after a few days but one can simply refresh the matte manicure by applying a thin coat of matte polish.

Final Thoughts

I love the look of this matte varnish but it's a bit high maintenance. I would love to get hold of ManGlaze matte polish! Watch this space for comparison post later in the year.


What do you think of matte polishes? Have you own some? What's your favourite matte brand?

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This guest manicure features Laura Luck, who wanted this manicure specially for her upcoming Illumini's Secret Subterranean London exhibition.

Lacquer Used:

Base Colour:		FitFlop	RED	Pantone® 200	3 coats
Gradation & Ring Finger Colour:		Sinful Colors	103	Black on Black	2 coats
Stamp Plate:		Bundle Monster	BM13	Spider & Web
Spider Stamp Colour:		Sinful Colors	103	Black on Black	1 coat
Web Stamp Colour:		Beauty UK	47	Snow White	1 coat
Topcoats:		Seche Vite	83005	Dry Fast Top Coat	1 coat

Instructions:

I am very excited to try out the new FitFlop Pantone® 200 Red Varnish (as mentioned in my last post). I used this as a base colour except for the thumbs where I used Sinful Colors Black on Black. The application of the FitFlop Red was even, and loved the vibrant red but unfortunately was a little sheer, it needed 2-3 coats. Then I cut out a piece of small sponge and sponged gradation (my first time using sponge technique!) colour only on index, middle and baby fingers with Sinful Colors Black on Black. 2 coats. 2nd coat concentrating on the base to deepen the colour.

Then I used Sinful Colors Black on Black to stamp the ring fingers with the spider pattern from BM13 plate. From the same plate, I used Beauty UK Snow White to stamp the thumbs with the web pattern. Used good coat of Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat and voilà!

This was my first time using sponge technique, what do you think? Where do you learn your techniques? What's your favourite new trick?

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