Easy Brushed Gold Tipped Nail Tutorial

So I thought I would do a nail tutorial for you all since I haven't done anything diy / tutorial like in a while. Here is an easy up-and-coming look that anyone can do. I am seriously seeing this everywhere, but it's very easy so you won't need to take any notes.

Nail Polish/ Varnish Needed:

clear base and top coat (I used Sally Hansen's Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear)

a dark solid base color (I used ORLY's Liquid Vinyl)

a dense glittery top coat (I used Revlon's Gold Coin)

To start, paint a base coat on all of your nails and let dry and follow that up with your dark base color.

You can either clean up the edges now or wait until the completed look. Once your base coat is dry, take your glittery top coat and blot as much as you can OFF of the bush. This is used to get the 'messy' effect of the brushed-tip look.

Roll, dab and blot at the tip of your nails with the little bit of polish left on the bush at that point and do this to every nail.

To finish, bush on a clear top coat to protect your look. Now you have a really cool, edgy nail look that your friends will want to copy.

What I Love Wednesday 8.21.13

I can't believe it's been a full week already. Ok, here goes:

ANTHONY & KALEL AND THEIR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Most of you may recognize Anthony from SMOSH (now the second most subscribed to channel on YouTube.) About 2 years ago his girlfriend Kalel started making fashion and diy videos and I was hooked. I didn't even know she was Anthony's girlfriend until they were getting dinner one night in one of their videos and I said 'I think that guy's from SMOSH.' When Kalel figured that she wouldn't have enough time to maintain her own channel, I was a little crushed honestly, but she and Anthony made this new channel (Watch Us Live and Stuff) where they post daily vlogs, challenges and mail hauls nearly every day which makes the end of my day worth it.

MODCLOTH

I have a rapidly growing 'love it' list and rekindled love for ModCloth. They're clothes are for the most part really retro looking and they have plus sizes (I'm not plus sized, but I think that this is awesome of them, because a lot of clothing places don't offer plus sizes and I don't think that's right.) It began while I was looking for a dress to buy for this big birthday vacation Josh and I are planning next month and possibly for a wedding. Things here are a little on the expensive side, but I think most of it would be worth having

ORLY ROYAL VELVET

To be honest, this was an impulse buy at Sally's Beauty Supply. I have loved the ORLY brand of nail lacquer for a long time and have a large hoard filling a silver train case to prove it. I have applied this color twice already (instead of doing the nail tutorial I was going to do...) and I am so in love with it. It's a duo-chormatic shade of blue and purple and I love how it has the chameleon effect. I've gotten many compliments on it and this photo really does it no justice.

UNOFFICIAL HARRY POTTER KNITS MAGAZINE

Oh my gosh, can someone please buy me this magazine? I saw it at work yesterday and have been flipping through it both today and yesterday. There are so many brilliant patterns in here. There are even patterns that are Harry Potter character inspired, not just what is included in the movies. I just want to add it to my hoard, even if I'm not the best knitter yet.

SUCCAPLOKKI OWL KNITTER'S GAUGE

Is another knitting item ok, because I love this owl needle gauge. It's another Etsy find and I can honestly say that I have NEVER seen another gauge like this. This is awesome and matches everything I already own... that is owl-related. I might have a small problem. This shop also sells the needle gauges in European sizes as well as US. I may treat myself to one of these for my birthday.

...That was fast. I can't believe that's five things already! I'm off to make dinner now.

Product Review: Avon Nail Art Design Strips

Today I want to do something different for this blog. I want to do a product review. I see makeup and nail art to be somewhat of an artistic and creative outlet that allows individuals to wear their personalities in a somewhat subtle way when clothing and other outlets have been stifled.

You may be familiar with Avon products as the name has been around since 1886, providing all sorts of things for women and their families. Popular products included perfumes, ANEW brand products and Skin So Soft. Recently, a friend of mine has started to sell Avon products and I am thrilled (my dwindling paycheck is the proof there).

I bought the two nail strip sets you see above and thought tonight that I wanted to spruce up my nails, but didn't like the hassle of being in 'Wet Nail Jail' as I like to call it. I got out my strips, a pair of scissors, and a nail file. I also had pushed back my cuticles prior to application.

These are super simple to use and are essentially stickers but with a super adhesive that makes them last for weeks. There are easy to follow instructions on the back, but having tried Sally Hansen's version of these strips I was familiar with the method. I stuck the sticker that best fit my nail to the base of my nail and rubbed it out towards the top of my nail so not to get wrinkles or bubbles. I then rubbed it down with one of those wooden sticks that are flat-angled  on one end and pushed the sticker down again in all angles. I folded over the excess of strip that was not on my nail then cut it off. Finally, I filed down the small sharp pieces. It was as easy as that. I find that I can get nail strips to last one more week (they are said to last around 2) by coating my nails in a clear top coat of Sally Hansen's Tough as Nails.

My only complaint is not about the product itself but about my nails! My nails are oddly shaped and sometimes the sticker is not wide enough. Stinking genetics...