Wow steph! Some REALLY creative and detailed nail art! I would actually call it a "portfolio"! I hope someday I can be as good as you I'm definitely starting to practice, and its rrreeally fun!

I did my nails the other night- here is a pic I just took at work today. I am obsessed with French tips right now

I love French tips too if my nails aren't red or pink.

I've fallen in love with nail art.

The other week I did a ying yang pattern which didn't turn out too bad for a first go, and the week before a dice pattern.  Have tried a few other designs over the last few months too.

Am going to get some Gelish - a brand of gel polish with a LED curing light soon, and get into gels.

Brought a stamping set a few months back, but just can't get it to work 

I looooove OPI and Revlon.  Rimmel is great too.

Right now I have on OPI liquid sand.  Matte finish purple with shiny bits.  Soooo cool.  Almost like shiny sandpaper!

Steph - did you use striping tape in some of your designs?

Did a gradient drag this afternoon.

One layer at a time, using a fan brush. 




Taking a photo of  one hand with your other hand is no mean feat!  Especially with an SLR 

Quote from: AusBelle on March 29, 2013, 02:57:51 AM
Did a gradient drag this afternoon.

One layer at a time, using a fan brush. 




Taking a photo of  one hand with your other hand is no mean feat!  Especially with an SLR 

Very cute!!!

I had gels but they wrecked my nails. I've gone back to acrylics as my real nails were taking forever to recover.

Acrylics may not be good but at least my nails look reasonable, I hated the non-polished look.

I just have to be careful not to take my eyes out when putting contacts in and out.

Hints gratefully accepted.

Thanks

Never tried acrylics.  Well, pre transition I did.  Never since.  Hated the feel.

How did gels wreck your nails?  Were they real gels?

Gels are the ones that were cured on with UV? As they grew out the nail underneath was so weak that I could feel the nail bed underneath, I was frightened I would have no nails.

After a while I went to acrylics to cover the nail and give some support.

Yikes!!

Yes, they are cured with UV or LED lights.

Sounds like they weren't prepared properly.  No base coat??

My toenails were all white and weak when I took the polish off a few weeks back.  Had to leave polish off.   But I'm sure that's because the polish was on too long.  About 3 weeks.  Possibly I didn't let them dry enough before putting on a base coat.  They seem to be recovering now luckily.

No base they went in with a gel and then polish layers and then bake under UV..

It was my first time and I'm never going back there. The place I'm going now seem to have a totally different attitude.

I was really nervous that I'd damaged my nails - well I think I did!

In retrospect the place seemed to be a mass nail doing place with little care for the client. Just fast turn over.

yeah, they sound pretty dodgy.

A lot of those big nail places are.  Better to avoid them.  They are after volume.  It's all slave labor too.

It's more fun to do them yourself anyway 

Very true on all  comments. I felt very sorry for the girls, it seemed like slave labour and a male boss among just female staff, all of the same ethnic background.

But I'm a high maintenance woman, - and love it!!!!

Hugs Sis

C

I've laid off nail polish for a while,my nails are wrecked they split like wood in layers.One of my favourite colours is black cherry.

So.... I tried painting my nails for the first time yesterday.

Or, should I say, nail.

I got one done and realized that my nails have this... I don't know what to call it... wood bark texture to it that become very prominent after the polish went on. I was immediately disgusted and took the polish off. Other than getting a nail file to help sand it down, is there anything I can do to keep that from happening?

 Thanks for the compliments :-) 

I am so happy that people are into nails top and I like seeing your nails.  Nice french tips jenny!  :-)

And liking the gradients too Ausbelle!  This forum needs a like button!  Mods pretty please!  =^_^=

You shouldn't see the texture of the nail coming thru.  I would try a thicker coat or different brand?

Steph :-)
X

I agree, a like reply button would be nice. Enjoying everyone's pictures. I will try & take a few pics & post them if I can.

Francis

Quote from: Steph21 on March 29, 2013, 01:33:30 PM
Thanks for the compliments :-) 

I am so happy that people are into nails top and I like seeing your nails.  Nice french tips jenny!  :-)

And liking the gradients too Ausbelle!  This forum needs a like button!  Mods pretty please!  =^_^=

You shouldn't see the texture of the nail coming thru.  I would try a thicker coat or different brand?

Steph :-)
X

Sounds to me like her nails need some work buffing and polishing, my nails get a rough surface when I do outdoor projects, concrete was especially bad when i constructed some steps from my patio.Those tools are available in the nail polish section of any chain pharmacy.

Quote from: Steph21 on March 29, 2013, 01:33:30 PM

This forum needs a like button!  Mods pretty please!  =^_^=

I've been thinking the same thing for a while too!

Quote from: Shantel on March 29, 2013, 01:55:12 PM
Sounds to me like her nails need some work buffing and polishing, my nails get a rough surface when I do outdoor projects, concrete was especially bad when i constructed some steps from my patio.

That's just it. I lead a pretty sessile life. I don't own a house so I don't do any kind of yard work. It's just that my nails have these really deep, close set grooves to them that make them really rough. Now, I do admit, I'm a total  novice to painting my nails, and this was the first time I attempted it at all. I was just doing it on a whim to see how it would look.

Quote from: Shodan on March 29, 2013, 03:06:38 PM
That's just it. I lead a pretty sessile life. I don't own a house so I don't do any kind of yard work. It's just that my nails have these really deep, close set grooves to them that make them really rough. Now, I do admit, I'm a total  novice to painting my nails, and this was the first time I attempted it at all. I was just doing it on a whim to see how it would look.

Yep, Shantel is right.  As well as buffing you will want to get some moisturiser, cuticle oils and nutrients into your nails.

Quote from: Steph21 on March 29, 2013, 01:33:30 PM
Thanks for the compliments :-) 
I am so happy that people are into nails top and I like seeing your nails.  Nice french tips jenny!  :-)
And liking the gradients too Ausbelle!  This forum needs a like button!  Mods pretty please!  =^_^=
You shouldn't see the texture of the nail coming thru.  I would try a thicker coat or different brand?
Steph :-)
X

Thanks Steph.

Like your French nails too Jenny.  I've never tried them myself.  Yet.

This is one I did a few weeks ago.  Crappy mobile phone image.