Monday, June 30, 2014

Serum No. 5 - What a Blast


Looking for a patriotic polish that will party with you this Fourth of July? From the afternoon BBQ to the nighttime fireworks, Serum No. 5's What a Blast is a glitter topper that keeps on going.
Share:

Visit Lumpy Space: Whatevers2009


This month's Lacquer Legion theme is "On Holiday." As it is summer and not December, this is obviously referring to the British (read: fancy) definition of holiday, commonly called vacation. Now, I could have done something a little more summery, but I decided to stretch the theme a bit and do a manicure I've wanted to do for a while now: a lumpy space landscape! Given the choice, this is where I would go on vacation if I could.
Share:

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Star Spangled Topcoats from Salon Perfect (with Bonus Swatches)


Salon Perfect has a really fun (and comprehensive) Fourth of July collection out now called Paint the Town Red, White and Blue, and it includes a bunch of glitter toppers plus base colors designed to match. Two of the glitters in the collection feature star shapes, and they're perfect for a patriotic mani in a flash. Keep reading for the details as well as a quick preview of some of the other shades in the collection!
Share:

Friday, June 27, 2014

Baptisia and Bones


Sometimes the simple combinations are the most delightful. This manicure combines a rich, moody Cirque polish with a large, flashy nail charm from Hex Nail Jewelry.
Share:

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Transformative Toppers: Nicole by OPI Sing You Like a Bee


I'm a bad bad blogger! I've had this beauty waiting to be shared with you for quite a while now... I'm sorry for keeping such a stunner of a secret. What you see here is a shimmery, textured topper over a purple creme base. Can you believe the combination? Keep reading for the details!
Share:

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

A-England Hurt No Living Thing and Excalibur Renaissance


A-England has released a couple of new shades recently: Hurt No Living Thing and Excalibur Renaissance. Read on for my swatches and review!
Share:

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Abstract Splattered Floral - OPI Neons Nail Art


I was recently playing around with the new Neons by OPI collection and thought they would be great in a handpainted splatter manicure. Very 80s, you know? As I built up the layers, the manicure started to look less like splatters and more like a loose floral, but I quite like it anyway!
Share:

Monday, June 23, 2014

Nailbox SS'14 Trendbox Curated by All Lacquered Up


Nailbox, an online polish retailer, is launching a new nail polish subscription box called TrendBox. The first TrendBox for spring/summer 2014 was curated by the lovely Michelle from All Lacquered Up, and her selections are positively delightful! This box is available on its own, or you can pick up a subscription which delivers boxes quarterly. Read on for swatches of the TrendBox polishes and additional details on the subscription service.
Share:

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Blurple Syrup Gradient with Polka Dots (and a Bonus Manicure)


This morning I had to bust out some nail art very quickly, but still wanted to do something cute and somewhat impressive looking. I turned to the syrup gradient technique, which provides a nice looking gradient in a short amount of time. It is even more convincing if you put something over the top of it, like a glitter or some polka dots.
Share:

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Converging Chevrons: A Holographic Tape Manicure


It's been a while since I did a manicure using striping tape. The thin pieces of tape can often be finicky to work with, so I usually just reach for my nail art brush instead. However, there's no denying that striping tape produces incredibly crisp and clean results, and sometimes there's no other way to achieve the look it provides!

This manicure features a striping tape design on two accent nails. It also pairs two holographic shades from the I Love Nail Polish Summer 2014 collection for a cheerful and summery combo!
Share:

Thursday, June 12, 2014

TUTORIAL: Molten Metal Drip Nail Art


This month's Sally Hansen I Heart Nail Art theme is "Liquid Mani-a," inspired by all things textured, metallic, shiny, and embellished! I've been in love with the new Color Foil metallic line (um, hello) and just had to use one of the shades in my newest tutorial. The finish of the polish combined with the drips had me thinking molten metal!

This drip tutorial can be used with any combination of polishes and finishes, but I do think it looks particularly glamorous with the purple metallic.
Share:

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

A Shortcut I'm Happy to Take: Water Marble Stamping


Water marbling: If you've tried it, you probably hate-love it (unless you're one of those girls with ridiculous natural marbling talent, in which case I hate-love you too). On one hand, it produces gorgeous results. Really unique, showstopping results. On the other hand, it's hard. Really hard. There are a million things that could go wrong at any step in the process. I've just never managed to do it without getting frustrated.

I was happy to take a shortcut for today's water marble effect. Enter: Vivid Lacquer's imitation water marble stamping image.
Share:

Monday, June 9, 2014

Fizzy French - OPI Coca-Cola Nail Art


When I first heard about the OPI and Coca Cola collaboration, I thought it was an unusual pairing. I mean, nail polish and soda? But now that I've had a chance to play with the polishes, I can say that as long as collections like this one keep coming out, I don't care if OPI partners with aliens from the moon. The lacquers are all wonderful and I can see the direct relation between the shades and the sodas they are meant to represent.

I created this simple Fizzy French tip look using two polishes from the Coca-Cola by OPI collection.
Share:

Friday, June 6, 2014

WIN IT: Sally Hansen Nail Art Party In a Box (CLOSED)


I get it. It can be hard to put together all the different components you need for your nail art look! Colors, textures, glitter, studs... There's a lot to consider. Sally Hansen gets it too, and they've put together this handy "Nail Art Party in a Box," which includes plenty of goodies for your next get together plus nail art designs to match.

TWENTY (20) lucky readers will win this fun nail art kit, which isn't sold in stores! Read on for details and your chance to win!
Share:

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Explore With Me: Downtown Phoenix Inspired Nail Art (with Tutorial)

I’ve lived in Phoenix my entire life. I used to be less than impressed by this city, but I think I just didn’t understand it in my youth. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve really come to appreciate the cultural scene and have even gained some appreciation for the dry heat.

As I walked around downtown, I was really struck by how much variation there was. A polished and imposing office building positioned not two minutes away from a vibrant and colorful street taco joint. An alleyway filled with lively graffiti right next to an auto repair place. I found myself looking around every corner, wondering what little treasures I’d find next!
Share:
© Chalkboard Nails | Phoenix, Arizona Nail Artist | All rights reserved.
Blog Design Handcrafted by pipdig