frankenstein's monster nails

Halloween is officially here, I have been waiting to post some halloween themed nail art since I started my blog in Januray. I waited till the exact day before because this is the prime time to actually do your nails for Halloween itself! Not a week before, or a month, don't do them so early they have chipped before your trick or treating session or big gruesome night on the town. I decided to go for Frankenstein's monster as a theme/inspiration - I love the story and find him utterly terrifying!

I gathered the appropriate tools and colours once I decided exactly how I would portray this creepy character onto my nails... I used GOSH Cosmetics Frosted Look in Silver for the bolts, GOSH special edition in Splish Splash for my base coat, GOSH special edition in Kind of Pink for the cut in his head, then I used my Mirror Mirror Nail Effects Pen in Black for the hair, some stitches and his brow and eyes topped with a dab of Color Show by Maybelline in Winter Baby. I also used two dotting tools and a long thin brush to create the look.. see below:

I decided his eyes were the scariest part of him so I used two nails to create the top of his head, adding in the famous stitches and bolts to complete the look!

Are these scary enough? What will you do with your nails this year?!

the positive in seeing the negative

You, my lovely followers and friends have been missing out. Yes indeed, I speak the truth. you have been missing out on some of my nail art lately - unless you follow my instagram/twitter - as I little miss naughty nail blogger haven't been uploading all my nail art to my blog.

In this case I have decided to show you not one, but TWO lots of nail art I have done (one you have seen in technique before, but not in colour) and the other is fresh as a daisy just for you.

Firstly I wanted to show you the nail art I entered into the @glittr Instagram competition with a black and white theme... I obviously didn't win (sniffles) or you would have heard my excitement from miles away (wherever you may be). Here I showed you one of my favourite techniques in a a design I hadn't tried before and ended up LOVING so much I want to do it in different colours everyday, however I am too much of an experimenter to do that. I used my Blackout and Winter Baby Color Show polishes by Maybelline for this design and if you look at my previous post there is a quick how to that explains how EASY it is to achieve this design.

The next is a design inspired by designs by @naildecor on instagram. I love the negative space trend that has been circulating lately, it's so funky and fresh (yes I can say fresh). I have tried it a couple of times here  for Valentine's day and here for my denim inspired design. I think I am getting the hang of it and my new brushes definitley help, so if you are going to try negative space here are my tips:

1. Use brushes! - To paint and to clean up and to neaten up

2. Try cotton buds/pads to create your negative space - Using cotton buds to rub out the area you want is tricky so try wrapping a varnish remover soaked cotton pad around the end of a dotting tool/brush (or anything long and thin).

3. Experiment where possible - whether you own a nail wheel or just use one clean nail to try different designs over and over as this is the best way to get used to being patient and steady handed (this rule applies to most if not all detailed designs!)

I used a random blue polish with no label that I got on a knock off market on Brick Lane (haha!) and my Andrea Fulerton White Polish that came in a glitter kit of hers, I topped it off with my new Rimmel Matte Finish Top Coat.

Let me know what you think lovelies xx

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