First attempt on water marble~

I saw this design on YouTube, and I just couldn't resist to try!

It is harder than it looks and requires a bit cleaning.  It does look quite nice and fun!

I will quickly summarize what needs to be done, assuming you have watched the video above!

 

Base Color:  OPI Alpine Snow
Yellow: OPI Fiercely Fiona
Purple: OPI Do you lilac it?
Green: OPI Gargantuan Green Grape

Tools 

1. A dollar store bowl 
2. Tooth pick 
3. Paper towels
4. Scissor
5. Scotch tape

Instructions and Tips

1.  Fill the bowl with room temperature water - no cold water, not warm either
2. Apply Base coat
3. Apply base color - OPI Alpine Snow and wait for it to try a little
1. Question:  Why do I need a base color?
1. The water marble makes the layer of the color really thin.  Without a base color, it does not look as good on the nails.
4. Start making scotch tape strips
1. Each nail will need 2 strips.
2. One strip is used to cover the top; the second strip is used to wrap circular around the area  from one side of the nail, bottom, and up to the other side and touch the other tape.
5. Loose up the cap for the other three colors (yellow, green, and purple).
6. Once the white coat is try, apply the tapes on the finger around the nail area
1. Apply the tape strips exactly on top of the line if possible.
2. If it's hard to decide, leave the strip a little away from the nail into the skin area.
3. In general, the tape should stick to the skin around the nails.
4. To stabilize the strips, you can make it completely stick to the skin as well.   
7.   Question:  How many nails should I do at a time?
1. After quite a few experiments, 2 is recommended, at most 3 for beginners.
2. Only tape 2-3 fingers at a time instead of all the fingers to make the marbles. 
8.  Time to make the marbles in the water!
1. Question:  Which color should I start first.
1. Recommend:  Lightest color to darkest: yellow -> green -> purple
2. I used green -> yellow -> purple.  Yellow ends up looking light green. 
2.  Drop colors in the water - *Very important tips*
1. Make sure the brush from nail polisher bottle has enough nail polisher to make a drop but not too much to make 2.  
2. Dropping color must be fast.
3. If the color is dropped to the water and it doesn't spread, tap the bowl to make it spread
4. Drop next color in the center ASAP ; tap the bowl a little if it doesn't spread
5. Alternate as fast as you can so the nail colors don't dry up.
6. Once getting a lot layers in the water, time to stop.
7. To make  the pattern interesting, use the very tip of *pointy* toothpick to tap-swirl the colors up - do not stick the toothpick all the way into the water.  It'll destroy the marble.
8. Separate the fingers with tapes, and aim for the patterns desired.
1. If the fingers are too close, it'll be different patterns
9. Slide the fingers in at 45 degree angle to 70 degree into the water
1. You can shake the finger a little if there's bubble on it.
10. Blow dry the top layer, and use the toothpick to remove the entire layer on top.
11. Stretch the fingers up and remove from the water. 
12. Blow dry the finger a little, and cut / remove the tapes off the finger. 
13. Use toothpick to clean up the rest of the nail polisher in the bowl for the next run
9.  Clean off the excessive from the finger with nail polisher remover/Q-tip.
10. Once the nail is dry, apply top coat and drip dry.

 

Trying beads and stickers for the first time!

I can't remember where I saw this design - I think it was from the advertisement for the stickers.  This design has satisfied my curiosity for both beads and sticker experiments.

Tip: OPI Alpine Snow
Top:  OPI Black Onyx
V shape Sticker 
beads (image from amazon.com)

Instructions and Tips 

1. Apply the base coat and wait for it to dry
1. I use OPI Start to Finish because it dries faster than OPI Base Coat and easier to work with for this design.
2. Apply the v shape sticker to the nails 
1. Caution:  The sticker is too sticky for base coat.  Directly apply to the nail will take off the base coat and leave some of the stickers on the nail.
2. After peeling sticker off the package, stick and take off skin a few times until it's less sticky before placing it on the nail.
3. Place the pointy part of V to center of nail
4. Make sure  the tip of V does not go over the nail part where it's not attached to the skin (just like the regular French manicure where it's not suppose to show the white visible part)
5. Lightly press the sticker on nail - only enough that it doesn't move.
3. Paint the bottom half of the nail with OPI Alphone Snow - try not to cover the sticker too much, only enough so the color won't mix with the other color on top.
4. Paint the upper half with OPI Black Onyx
5. Take off the V sticker on the nail has both colors applied with thin layer - Note both step 3 & 4 have to be completed rather quickly, so it's less likely to leave a solid line when it gets dry.
6. Apply the top coat
7. Quickly drop a bead to the desired position after applying the top coat - In this picture I drop it in-between two colors.
8. Apply additional top coat
1. Also dab around the bead with top coat.  After all top coat is the holder for the bead. 
9. Apply Drip dry on top coat to help the nails dry faster.

Challenges

1.    The beads don't stay on if you plan on doing housework
1. One thing I find helpful is to apply top coat around the beads every other day with drip dry.
2. However, if you do plan on doing housework, the chance of it staying on is pretty low after a few hours. 
3. An alternative is to use silver nail art polisher to dot it.  
2.  Different colors!
1. Personally I think this design is a little busy on short nails, but for dressing up in black/white, it worked well.  It can be more vibrant to mix with colors are friendly to pink - Pastel colors should look great, or you can look up internet some some resources on color scheme with pink.  

One minute random idea becomes an early holiday!

I ended up with this in one minute after not being able to come up with a Halloween/Fall designer for 20 minutes.

My friends said this is their favorite so far.

Base: OPI Pearl of Wisdom
Top:  OPI Serving up Sparkle
Tip:  OPI DS Radiance


OPI Pearl of Wisdom has a natural shinny light/pink aura that works really well with silver color.

OPI Serving up Sparkle so far makes my favorite glitter.  Unlike the pictures you might find on search engine, it gives you the perfect amount of sparkle, and you can always layer it for effects.  Plus, this sparkle looks really good on its own, and it goes on any color to enhance the look without overpowering.

The nails already look good with just OPI Wisdom and OPI Serving up Sparkle.  It was just a personal preference to add on tips.

Instruction

1. Apply base coat
2. Apply one coat of OPI Pearl of Wisdom over the whole nail.
3. Apply OPI Serving up Sparkle over the whole nail. (One coat is enough )
4. Apply OPI DS Radiance on the very tip of the nail 
1. Only apply a very very thin line.  The previous 2 coats hide the nail line well, and it won't be visible.
2. Only make sure the line is even.
5.  Apply the top coat
   
   and you are done!

Tested an idea from another blog

I came across the blog OPI Last Friday oops, I did it again.  It looked very tempting to me, so I went out and grabbed all the colors.

Unfortunately, it didn't come out as expected.  I will have attempt again sometimes in the future (most likely with different colors) to see how it can be improved.  In any case, this is what it looks like, how I did it, and some struggles/challenges.

Tip: OPI Ogre the Top Blue
Layer: OPI Last Friday Night
Glitter top: OPT Serving up Sparkles

Instructions & Tips

1.      Apply base coat

2.      Myth => The original instruction said to use a navy blue for tip base and then use OPI Ogre the Top Blue as another layer of tip base.
Challenge =>  OPI Ogre the Top Blue is a very solid color.
-- It's very hard to get it painted on very thin over navy blue and still maintain the oval shape
-- For short nails, there's not enough space to work the layers
Verdict =>
-- Skip the navy blue base. 
-- Paint OPI Ogre the Top Blue as French manicure (as light as possible, but still maintain the shape) on the tip

3.      Paint a natural color (OPI Passion is used here ) over the entire nail
Tip =>  If you want the blue to blend in more, put more natural color on it, but definitely no more than 2 coats.  The nail polish would be too thick.

4.      Myth => Put OPI Last Friday a little above last tip line, use 2 coats
Challenge =>
-- If instruction is taken literally, it’s not possible to blend the color in – it’s too light. 
-- If looking the picture carefully, two layers are one above another.
Verdict =>
-- Paint one coat OPI Last Friday up to ½ or 1/3 of the nail from end of the tip
-- Paint the second coat slightly below and to the end of the tip
-- Dab the third coat lightly on the French manicure line

5.      Apply OPI Serving up Sparkle over the whole nail

6.      Apply top coat and dri-drip – the coat is very thick, and the dri-drip will need to be applied the second time after 10 minutes.

Another classic color for french manicure

This was done on 09/27/2012.  

Tip:  OPI Purple with a purpose
Base:  OPI passion (optional but it was applied in this picture)
Glitter:  OPI Serving up Sparkle

Instruction and tips

1. If you don't know how to apply french manicure,  you may reference to my other entry on Classic Color with a twist.
2. Apply base coat
3. Apply OPI purple with a purpose at the tip.  This purple is very shiny and beautiful.  When looking at it alone, it takes away all the attention of the nail and gives a very clean look.
4. (Optional) Now,  you may apply OPI passion over area above the tip.  Once you apply it, it would make purple less shiny and looks slightly warmer.
5. (Optional) Apply OPI Serving up Sparkle over area above the tip.  I like it to slightly even out the attention on the nails, and it doesn't take away the clean look like OPI passion does.
6. Apply the top coat and it's done.

Basic tools and how to get the nails ready

There are some essential tools to do nails.  You don't need all of them, but without them, to do nails on your own will be unpleasantly inconvenient or simply, take a long long time.

The list I have is:

• Nail polish remover (Pure acetone or OPI expert touch lacquer remover) - OPI nail polish is so good that most cheap nail polish remover can not remove it at all.  I have OPI expert touch.  It works perfect, but from time to time it has a smell that can be annoying.
• Nail filer
• Nail buffer block - it doesn't need to have different type of sanding, a generic one will do.
• Cuticle Pusher - Get a stainless steel one. It's used to clean the surface too. The other end is often used to clean under the nail.
• Cuticle Remover (lotion) - It makes removing cuticle a lot less uncomfortable and time consuming.
• Cuticle Nipper
• Spray bottle of alcohol - It's used to disinfect.  

How to get the nails ready:

• Remove old nail polisher using nail remover
• Sometimes if the polish is hard to remove, nail filer can help or a strong nail buffer block.
• Wash nails with soap after - if using something as strong as OPI lacquer remover, it actually corrodes.  You definitely do not want it to stay on your nails!
• Soak the fingers/toes in warm water.  - I usually do nails right after a bath or shower to skip this step.
• Put Cuticle remover lotion around the cuticles and wait a minute.
• Use Cuticle pusher to  - push cuticle up and use cuticle nipper to cut off the edges.
• Wash hand with mild soap to clean out the cuticle remover.  Dry fingers and nails with a towel.
• Use nail filer to shape the nails to your like (round, square round, etc. - any shape you like) and use nail buffer to clean the surface of nails - Don't do it much or it might damage the nail.  Just lightly and run it a few times over.
• Use water to rinse the surface of the nails and dry with a towel.
•  Spray alcohol to disinfect the fingers/nail area.

Introduction - My story of why OPI, DIY and short?

Why do I love OPI?

• OPI has such great quality.   If applied properly with refresh of top coat every 3 to 4 days, the nail polish does stay on for two to three weeks.   Other brands nail polish fades or color cracks within a week.
• It is better for your natural nails (OPI vs acrylic powder vs gel) - I started with acrylic powder gel nails.  It looked great and beautiful, even though it was inconvenience with nails that long.  In a few months, my natural nails became paper thin and very fragile.  I made the salon to take it off, no matter what they've told me, and it took another month or two to grow back.  I started doing gel for next year or year and half.  Gel is more expensive to do, and it stays on longer without reapplying the top coat.  My natural nails were slightly better.  However, even with the best job done in gel polish, the nail grows out, and you have to go back to salon at most 3 weeks later.  Once I switched back to OPI, the nail quality has moved one step up.  (Also, if no one has ever told you, those UV lamps drying the nails make the skin looks older.  I could tell the skin damage visually. There are even gloves invented for the lamps that no salon ever uses.  If you do want to be pampered once a while, get those before hitting a nail salon.)
• Beautiful, breath-taking colors

There are many reasons to DIY nails:

• Minimum $20 USD for manicure or pedicure - That's at least 2 bottles OPI for you!
• 95% of the nail salons do not properly disinfect their tools nor use clean towels.
• Believe it or not, some workers in nail salon can be more sloppy than us!
• It does get quicker and better each time we practice how to do it.
• Even nail salon has OPI nail polish, it never ever uses OPI top and base coat.  I had to bring my own, or the salon ones will cause my nail coat goes off within a week.
• It's fun and feels sexy to have nice nails, especially when other people notice too.  It makes great conversation topic.
• .....................................<fill in the blanks here =) >

Why do I like my nails short?

•  Nails can be hard to maintain.  Once they grow past certain length, they chip very easily.
• CONTACTS!! I couldn't take out contacts when salon insisted having my nails long.
• Work - I am a working professional.  I need to be able to work and do chores.