Purple pond

Have you seen these pond manicures? All one needs is a good jelly polish, a contrasting polish in for example white, and dotting tools. Below is my attempt.

I used New York Summer Hot Purple, and a random white creme that could definitely have used some thinner beforehand. The idea is that one should add flowers between each coat of colored jelly, to create the effect of some flowers being more below the surface than others. It's actually a very neat idea, but my sloppy dotting leaves at least some to desire. However, this was fun enough to try again and again, whenever there's time for such detailed work.

Here's an instagram picture, just because I can.

As if jellies weren't already difficult enough to get accurate on photo, adding the color purple to that makes it pretty much impossible. But as this manicure was in total four coats of the purple, the color depth was definitely more grave than in the top photo. The instagram pic is just a tad too dark.

Have you tried this technique yet?

All products were purchased with own funds.

Swedish word of the day:
damm -noun I pond II dust
The latter being something completely different.

What?!

What is this? Huh? I don't know. Do they look like eyes? Perhaps. Or perhaps not. It's just that I can't keep off them dotting tools.

My rarely seen thumbnail - I think you understand why. It grows out wonky. And please don't mind the blobs of moisturizer in the middle of it.

This is three coats (I think) of New York Summer Hot Baby Blue - it's a lot brighter than it appears in these photos, and it certainly isn't what I'd refer to as baby blue - with sloppily dotted eyelike stuff on, made from Essie Marshmallow, H&M Kiss Goodnight and glitter highlights of China Glaze Nova. You can't really see it glittering very well in these photos, except for on the thumb. Fingers can be rearranged to create different weird eye compositions. Haha. Or not haha. Anyway, I think the dotticures with one sigle dot on each nail is rather fun, since I did one for Easter. No?

Swedish word of the day:
vindögd -adjective cross-eyed
Teehee.

Northern Lights

So, I have shown you INM Northern Lights before, but I gathered some more pictures of it in different combinations to post, just to get it over with - after all, I have used up about 1/3 of my bottle because it's just a feckin' awesome go-to sparkle top coat. I actually like the fast drying properties of it as well, not to mention the wear. If I put it over a color, with Nail Tek Citra as my base, it will last me through at least one work shift, and you know by now what I do for a living, right?

Regretfully, all these photos are shot at night. I have done most of my Northern Lights manicures before leaving for work, and ...you know by now what shift I do, right?

First, here's Northern Lights over OPI I Vant to Be a Lone Star.


First, the OPI here... I decided to use it with Northern Lights because the finish is so incredibly shitty. Frosty. I knew I'd never wear it with a regular clear topcoat. Secondly, the OPI again... Specifically, the name. I just don't get it. I. Don't. Get. It. What the hell is "Vant" a play on? Does it mean something? Suzi is just too American for us int'l peeps these days.

The next one is really fabulastic. I loved wearing it. Northern Lights over New York Summer Hot Atomic Red.

Hot Atomic Red is a jelly, and, of course, red, so the color appears quite differently in different lights. This photo is evidently shot with flash, but I took this manicure to work too, and I couldn't stop looking at it all the time because it changed so much, ranging from a pinkish hue to warm red. I love jellies, they are everything but boring!

Last, a bit of a shocker for you: the alizarine wearing a french!


Yep, it's true. I did a french manicure. Freehand. Honestly, my first successful freehand french. Not that I really did a lot of practising before... Originally, I just did a quick coating of Northern Lights, like I often do before going to work, but I just couldn't stand how stained my nails were, so I had to do something. I grabbed my bottle of Essie Marshmallow, and this is how it turned out. Not bad for someone who never does french manis. If I may say so myself. And I do. Unfortunately, you can still tell my nails were yellow.

Anyway, this is how much I love INM Northern Lights. I'll try not to post a gazillion more combinations, so I'm sorta hoping this is the last time you see it on this blog.

Oh, and the final vote is in. You're getting a China Glaze theme week soonish.

Swedish word of the day:
hallonsvamp -noun raspberry mushroom
Not as gross as it sounds - it's a popular type of Swedish candy, and it's in my mouth at this moment.

The best of the best in 2011

Where did she go, you ask? I got the flu, then I worked some (simultaneously, of course), stayed sick and worked yet some more. I don't like the feeling of neglecting the blog, but I'll try to be a better writer and photographer in 2012!

Here's the post that I intended to post on new year's eve, but I forgot before I ran off to tuck my old ladies in - the three manicures I think I did best in 2011!

Jelly sandwich with New York Summer Phsyo with Essence Edward beneath the final coat of Phsyo. Original post, with more photos, here.

Kill it with fire! Flakie gradient with Sally Hansen Hidden Treasure over OPI Vodka & Caviar. Very hard one to be separated from once it wasn't all that fresh anymore. Original post here.

Buckled. Foil sandwich! The oxidized silver foil Your Royal Shine-ness from OPI, and beneath the thin top layer, a good coating of the large silver hexagonal glitter in Milani's Jewel FX Silver. Original post here.

I'll possibly be back with more yearly summaries soon.

Swedish word of the day:
bäst -adjective best
Yet another simple word with that weird umlaut.

In denial

No, it's not fall, not fall, not just yet... Or is it? *holds hands over ears, singing loudly* Sha-la-la-laaa... Okay, it's fall. Late fall, even. Sweden sucks right now. It's dark and gloomy all day. If I'm lucky, I see one single beam of sun every now and then, but not likely, as I often sleep during all the light hours - I wake up after dark and go to work, then walk home at dawn and go to sleep.

I however still paint my nails regularly. I just don't have any decent light to photograph them. But some days, I have time off! Like today. And here's what I had to do: put on something really bright and... Well, spring like.




Ta-daa! This is first two coats of New York Summer Phsyo, a highlighter yellow neon jelly (second and third photos show the color less inaccurate), then one thin coat of Essence Edward, which was gifted to me by my dear friend Saša, then another thin coat of Phsyo. There is some holo glitter in Edward, and using it for a jelly sandwich of course kills some of it - but not all!

This combination may not be for the faint of heart, but I love crazy manicures like this one. And shockingly, it actually did dry after some time, despite the massive layering and yellow pigments - meanwhile, I watched an episode of the new Swedish criminal drama Anno 1790, that I missed out on while working last Monday. (I could write some about this series, but let's just say it's a tiny bit ridiculous, but I like that it shows the real dirt and disease of the era - no larger cities were clean or fluffy back then.)

Oh well. You'll be surprised to know I do have a few posts piled up, and the week off, so last week's silence won't repeat itself!

Swedish word of the day:
smuts -noun dirt
It's all over.

Spring greens comparison

Hell yes you're getting some!

First up: the crowd:


Second, the lineup, after much trouble sorting:


The finished result, in overcast:


...and in indirect sun!


1. OPI Sit Under the Apple Tree
2. H&M Garden Green
3. Misa Secrets
4. OPI Bikini Envy
5. OPI Electric Eel
6. Guppy 50
7. NYX Girls Sour Lime
8. L'Oréal Shocking Green
9. Nfu Oh 97
10. Zoya Tangy
11. Misa Let's Go Green
12. China Glaze Tree Hugger
13. New York Summer Greenish
14. Maybelline Go Go Green
15. IsaDora Magic Green
16. Franken by Amanda Frankenpolish
17. Sally Hansen Glow
18. NYX Girls Luscious Green

All are at three coats. I admit the neon Misa is a bit odd in this group, but it is still zesty enough for me. Some are quite sheer colors, like Electric Eel, Tangy and Go Go Green, but they still make a statement! Unfortunately, the lightest part in this wheel, the greenish yellowish colors, have that typical drying problem these colors tend to have. Garden Green and Sit Under the Apple Tree are very much so. And it is so sad, because I love those colors.

Overall this is one of my favourite color groups- of course, they are greens -and they are just what I want for spring. I like the slight acidity to them, the brightness and the little twist I feel like I'm getting with them. They just stand out, and that is perfect for me. If black is tuxedo, vampies are goth and gunmetal is metal, zesty greens are punk! And before you ask, no, I don't listen very much to punk, but my personality and style are more punk or laidback metal than uptight goth. ;)

Swedish word of the evening:
otålig -adjective impatient
Because my daughter is- she want's to watch Japanese anime clips on youtube before bedtime!

My little collection of medium blue shimmers...

Oh yes, another comparison! You did not see that one coming, now admit it! Haha. Seriously, I will stop posting all these wheels soon, but I still have a few left I would like to show you. At first, I was going to post a wheel of green cremes that I happen to treasure more than any other, but when I had already written most of the post I decided to redo the whole thing at a later date... Instead, here is my posse of medium, sea, turquoise blue shimmers!


This is a color I think of as very summer, you know, like that glass of water you so desperately need when you've been too long in the sun, or, even more accurately, that quick cooling swim in the lake (yep, I am a lake person, not an ocean person!) that will restore your brain activity somewhat. Still a few months left until we get there, but I guess now is the time to start stocking up on these, although... Well... I don't need more of 'em. Just look further down...

All sorted by bottle color, and ready!


Tadaa!

L-R:
14. Nfu Oh 95
15. OPI Sonic Bloom
16. NYX South Sea
17. Misa Ben-Her
18. New York Summer Class Act
1. Color Club Emerald Dephts
2. Creative Hotski to Tchotchke
3. Orly It's Up to Blue
4. China Glaze Sexy in the City
5. OPI Sea? I Told You
6. OPI Teal the Cows Come Home

Out of these, my favourite is Sea? I Told You. It has the most interesting shimmer. But my very first big love within this color range was Sonic Bloom. Even the name is cool!

Buuut... I really don't need any more of these. Really.

Swedish word of the day:
kvällste -noun evening cup of tea
Because I just had one.