This is Barry M's latest Instant Nail Effect crackle varnish in Black Magic. It promises instant nail art with crackle effect on any nail varnish.

Here is a closer look:

Lacquer Used:

Thumb:		L.A. Colors	NP419	Shock	3 coats
Index Finger:		Misa	136	Too Much Gossip	2 coats
Middle Finger:		Revlon	093	Tropical Temptation	2 coats
Ring Finger:		Barry M	296	Coral	2 coats
Baby Finger:		Revlon	990	One Perfect Coral	2 coats
Crackle Colour:		Barry M	311	Black Magic	1 coat
Topcoat:		Seche Vite	83005	Dry Fast Top Coat	1 coat

For this manicure, I've selected a close range of analogous colours Orange-Yellow to Coral-Red sort of like a Gradation Manicure. Then paint each nail with selected colours. Somehow, my camera couldn't capture the colours well. I always find coral colours are always hard to photo to the true colour.

Application for L.A. Colors Shock was a bit disappointing despite its vibrant almost orange-yellow colour. It applied like a jelly and it dries semi-matte. It needed 3 coats to make opaque. Next time I would definitely build the colour with a yellow varnish first as a base colour.

For best result, let your nails dry first before you put on a thin layer of Barry M Black Magic Instant Nail Effect. If you put on too thick it might not crackle. The most fun of part of the manicure is watch the nails crackle before your eyes! It dries matte and apparently easily flake off if you don't put a topcoat on top.

Barry M Black Magic Instant Nail Effect available now for £3.95.

P.S. Beautyburg is having a first giveaway – Entire set of M.A.C. latest Venomous Villians! Click here to enter!

Do you own any crackle polish? What do you think of this come back? 

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My little sister, Ivy Lam (www.ivylammakeup.com), is a professional make-up artist from Toronto, Canada. She has just send me a photo of a nail set she is working on for an upcoming fashion photoshoot, the nails are just too brilliant not to share! I thought of just posting her photo, but wait, she has done some amazing manicures so I've decided to dedicate this blog post to her amazing and inspiring work.

Ivy is amazing at what she does, I'm not just saying this because she's my sister. Her client list includes Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Dior, up and coming Canadian designer Lucian Matis, celebrities like Ellen Page, Steve Coogan, Leighton Meester and Canada's Next Top Model, just to name a few.

I remember there was one time when Ivy and I were getting mini-makeovers at Cargo Cosmetics by co-founder Barbara Alexander at Eaton Centre. Think it was around 1996,  I remember Ivy saying to Barbara, "I want to be a make-up artist." Years later, she went on to study Image Arts/New Media at Ryerson University but was not aspired to stay in the new media industry. She decided to follow her dream and became a make-up and hair artist.

This was the photo she sent to me. She didn't give me a list of varnish she has used. Black matte based with shiny French tips, embellished with silver metal studs and chains.


Below are some of her make-up and manicure work:


The below manicure was inspired by Christian Louboutin's signature shoe design with the red sole shoes. The back side of the nail is painted red, top with a shiny black. It's a shame that you can't see clearly from the magazine photo.


Yes, I'm a very proud sister. Ivy, you are amazing! x

What do you think of her work? What do you think of this new feature? Who would you like to see feature on here? What did you want to be when you grow up?

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I was flipping through my October issue of ELLE (UK Edition) and was mesmerised by this amazing Giuseppe Zanotti AW1011 advert modelled by the gorgeous Anja Rubik. Strong, sexy and dangerous – this designer advert has inspired this week's manicure. I wanted the slick sinful high-shine red against the gold glittering leopard. I also used red glitter to add more glam.

Here is my left hand:


And here is my right hand:

Lacquer Used:

Red Base Colour:		FitFlop	RED	Pantone® 200	2 coats
Red Glitter Colour:		BarryM	NP105	Red Glitter	2 coats
Leopard Base Colour:		Inglot	303	(Gold Shimmer)	5 coat
Leopard Stamp Plate:		Konad	M57	Leopard
Leopard Pattern Colour:		Sinful Colors	103	Black on Black	1 coat
Leopard Spots Colour:		L.A. Colors	410	Force	1 coat
Topcoat:		Seche Vite	83005	Dry Fast Top Coat	1 coat

I was very excited to use the FitFlop Pantone Red on myself for the first time. It's the PERFECT red and very fitting on this occassion. I really wanted that sinful devil shiny red. I painted my left middle and ring fingers and right index, middle and baby fingers with this. Application is smooth, pigmented, 2 coats was perfect. I did accidentally painted on the wrong finger with this colour, removal was a bit of a pain as this polish is so pigmented. So, watch out.

I initially bought the Inglot 303 (Gold Shimmer) as a gradation colour, a sheer colour that you can build on. Oh boy, on this occassion is it ever sheer. I needed a good 5 coats to get it completely opaque but the result was beautiful shade of gold with perfect micro shimmer. I painted this gold shimmer on left thumb, index and baby finger; right thumb and ring finger.

Then I use BarryM Red Glitter to add to the FitFlop red base to highlight left thumb, ring finger and right pinky. I also use this colour to highlight all the hearts.

I used Sinful Colors Black on Black and the Leopard Stamp from Konad M57 on the gold fingers and highlight some spots with L.A. Colors Force. I had to freehand the leopard pattern on the left thumb.

P.S. I'm 10 followers away to host my first giveaway!


What do you think of this designer inspired manicure? What inspires you?

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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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