Nail Mail Monday

Hello!

Welcome back to another nail mail Monday. I've got hauls from Rainbow Connection UK and Bundle Monster to show you today.

These pretties were all from Rainbow Connection UK.

From Left to Right is Fun Lacquer 'Royal Chapel (H), Colors by Llarowe 'Blonde Ambition' (mmm that holo!) and 'Rare Orchid', Lacquer Lust ' Cherry Blossom' and Femme Fatale Cosmetics 'Crystals from clouds' and 'Sleighing through the Stars' 

I was really happy with all these polishes especially the Femme Fatales, Sophie is really knocking it out of the park with her polishes. I can't wait to see what 2016 brings!

I also got some more stamping plates this week. These are two of the blogger collaboration plates I purchased from Bundle Monster, 201 and 202. I'm really looking forward to using 201 for Valentines and I love that Star design. I think the Aztec Manis on 202 will be coming out for the Summer this year! I also got the Sugar Bubbles Plate SBS09 from Rainbow Connection UK.

Last but not least I got some new Stampers to play with from Rainbow Connection UK. The new Space Creative Shop Stamper and the new Fab Ur Nails Clear Jelly Stamper.

The new Creative Shop Stamper is much squishier than the original and also has an even larger surface area! It comes in light and dark side shades each with four different colours. I picked light and dark both with a blue shimmer. I'm hoping to have a full review of these up soon!

This is the new Fab Ur Nails Clear Jelly Stamper and is to help with lining up your stamping either for placement or straightness as you can see all the way down the holder onto your nail. It's less squishy than the other stampers I own but I used it today and it stamps perfectly and it really did help straighten my stamping which I've always had trouble with. I can't wait to use it some more and again hopefully I'll have a full review up soon!

You can find Rainbow Connection UK here. I already have my next order placed which will be revealed next Nail Mail Monday!

Thanks for visiting,

Have a lovely day,

Helen xx

Potion Polish 'Summer's Last Rose'

Hello!

Today I've got 'Summer's Last Rose' by Potion Polish to show you. This is my first Potion Polish and I'm very impressed! Potion Polish is based in the US but they ship internationally!

Indoor Lighting - With Flash

'Summer's Last Rose' is a pink holographic polish with holo flakies from the Fall 2015 collection. It's so sparkly! This was two easy coats. My accent nail is Cirque Colors 'Memento Mori'. My favourite one coat black creme.

Indoor Lighting - With Flash - No Top Coat

I added some stamping to my mani with Sugar Bubbles 018 stamping plate. I love this rose design. I used Konad black stamping polish and my creative shop stamper. I stamped my accent nail with 'Summer's Last Rose'. Yes, it stamps too!

Outdoor Lighting - Direct Sunlight

I topped it all off with HK Girl.

You can purchase Potion Polish from their website.

Sugar Bubbles, Cirque Colors and the Creative Shop stamper are all available from Rainbow Connection UK.

Thanks for visiting,

Have a lovely day,

Helen xx

Firework Nails

Hello!

Today I've got some Firework Nails to show you that I did to celebrate Bonfire night here in the UK. I really love this time of year. I went to a Firework display on Sunday and was inspired to create these nails. All the pictures were taken indoors with flash as the sun doesn't want to come out and play very much at the moment!

I used ILNP 'Missed Calls' for my base. This is a black Ultraholo and is so sparkly! I only needed two easy coats. 

For the stamping I used MoYou London Festive plate 05 and Hehe stamping plate 049. Both are really good quality and I didn't have any problems with them. I used various firework patterns from each plate to make the mani a bit more random and interesting.

For the stamping I used all of the Models Own Colour Chrome collection. These polishes are so great for stamping as they are super opaque. They dry fairly fast so that's the only thing to keep in mind. I didn't find I had to rush though.

I also used various Virtuous polish polishes from their Women of Valor and Paradise collection for the second layer of stamping. Again these are super opaque and really great for stamping. They are now discontinued but I think Rainbow Connection UK may still have a few left in the sale! I love the bright colours.

I used my Creative shop stamper as usual and added a coat of HK Girl top coat to add gloss.

I really like how these turned out. I was also very happy with how well all the polishes stamped as I really didn't have any problems with the whole process which is rare for me while doing a full stamping mani. Progress!

Here's a macro of my thumbs, I think these are my favourite out of the whole mani.

I really like my pointer on this hand as well.

These are a couple of pictures from the display I went to at the weekend!

Do you enjoy this time of year or are you already missing the sunshine?

Thanks for visiting,

Have a lovely day and a safe Bonfire night!

Helen xx

Halloween Nails

Hello!

Today I've got my Halloween Nails to show you.

I used Picture Polish 'Autumn' and Illamasqua 'Omen' and 'Seance' as my base colours.

Indoor Lighting - With Flash

Illamasqua is a mainstream UK brand. 'Omen' is a bright green and 'Seance' is a gorgeous orchid purple. Both are from their UV Collection. Both were two easy coats and they dry matte. They both have a beautiful shimmer. I added HK Girl top coat to add gloss. Both glow under UV Light! Perfect for Halloween.

Indoor Lighting - With Flash

I went for Orange, Purple and Green as they are typical Halloween colours.

Outdoor Lighting - Shade

Outdoor Lighting - Shade

My Halloween themed stamping is a mix of designs from Sugar Bubbles 001 and Mo You London Festive plate 16. I used Konad black stamping polish and my creative shop stamper.

Close up of Thumb and Pointer Stamping

Close up of Gradient and Stamping on middle finger

For my middle finger I used 'Omen' and 'Seance' for a gradient. I did one coat of 'Omen' and then used the gradient method of painting your chosen polish onto a sponge and then applying to the nail. I find this blends the colours well and gives you a much neater gradient than other methods as you can control the colour crossover a bit more as on the sponge the colours are next to each other and the gradient is created as you sponge up and down the nail.

Outdoor Lighting - With Flash

For my pinkie finger I free handed a stitch design.

Outdoor Lighting - With Flash

Have you got any plans for Halloween? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for visiting,

Have a Happy Halloween,

Helen xx

'The Walking Dead' Nails

Hello!

I have my 'The Walking Dead' nails to show you today that I did to celebrate the Season 6 premiere. I loved the first episode and cannot wait for more zombie goodness!

Onto the nails!

Natural Light - Daryl

I used three coats of OPI 'My boyfriend scales walls'; which is a white with a hint of grey, for my base.

Natural Light - Rick

I then dry brushed Models Own Hypergel 'Red Lustre' onto my thumb, middle and pinkie finger. This gave the blood effect.

Natural Light - Rick

For my pointer and ring finger I dry brushed on OPI 'My Vampire is Buff' to add some more texture and  'dirt'.

Natural Light - Daryl

I used my UberChic 'Zombie Love' plate for all the stamping. This is my dream plate for Walking Dead nails and know I'll get lots of use out of it. I used Konad black stamping polish and my Creative Shop stamper. I topped it all off with HK Girl topcoat.

UberChic 'Zombie Love' Plate - Isn't it perfect!

Natural Light -  Thumb Close Up

I adore these nails! I may be biased because it's 'The Walking Dead' but still. The plate and stamper worked perfectly and I love all the designs. I stamped on my 'Don't open, Dead inside' stamp and my nail looked a bit empty so I used the zombie hand design to stamp around the sides. This took a bit of time but I think it was worth it!

You can find the Zombie plate at UberChic.

You can find the Creative Shop Stamper at the lovely Rainbow Connection UK.

Are you a 'The Walking Dead' fan? What did you think of the premiere? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for visiting,

Have a lovely day,

Helen xx

'Arrow' & 'The Flash' Nails using 'Picture Polish' & 'Models Own'

Hello!

Today I'm back with some themed nails for the return of DC's 'Arrow' & 'The Flash' to our TV Screens. I binged on these this summer and am now all caught up and ready for the next seasons! I do love a superhero TV Show / Film / Anything!

I used a mixture of Models Own and Picture Polish polishes for these and some stamping plates. More info below!

We have had no sun these past couple of days so all these pictures are indoor lighting with 'Flash'......!

'The Flash'.

This is Picture Polish 'O'hara' with Models Own Hypergel 'Red Lustre' on the stamped nails. Both three easy coats. Both were lovely formulas and I love the scatter holo in 'O'hara'.

I stamped with my Creative shop stamper and used 'BK Matte White' polish from the born pretty store. I used MoYou London stamping plate 'Sci Fi 08' for the atoms and free handed the Flash symbol with 'BK Matte White' and Avon Metallics 'Gold Leaf'. I also filled in the atom middles with the same gold. 

The atoms were to symbolise 'Star Labs' who help the Flash to ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM! 

MoYou London make really great stamping plates; and sooooo many designs, if you haven't already, check them out.

'Arrow'.

This is Picture Polish 'Kryptonite' with Models Own Hypergel 'Ebony Green' on the stamped nails. Both two easy coats. Again with the scatter holo. So pretty!

I stamped with my Creative shop stamper and used 'BK Matte White' polish from the born pretty store. I used MoYou London stamping plate 'Sci Fi 06' for the binary code and Hehe stamping plate 'Superhero 006' for the arrows, I dry brushed some Avon Metallics 'Platinum Petal' under the binary and used it to add silver heads to the arrows as well. 

The Binary was to symbolise the lovely Felicity who is the Arrow's computer whizz! 

Hehe stamping plates are also really good plates and they have a lovely Superhero collection as well as some Studio Ghibli plates and recently a Fairytale collection. They have plus size and normal round plates so there's something for everyone!

I used HK Girl topcoat and Zap from Rainbow Connection UK for easy clean up after stamping.

Are there any TV shows your looking forward to this Autumn? I have so many to watch!! My next mani I expect will be The Walking Dead themed! (Be still my beating heart !!!!)

Thanks for visiting,

Have a lovely day,

Helen xx

Dance Legend - Anna Gorelova - 'Morocco' with Reverse Stamping

Hello!

Today I've got 'Morocco' by Anna Gorelova for Dance Legend to show you. Dance Legend is a Russian brand and Anna Gorelova is a Russian Blogger who collaborates with Dance legend to create beautiful polishes every summer and winter. This polish is from her Summer 2015 Collection. Anna also has some of the most beautiful photography in the nail blogosphere so have a look at her blog if you get a chance.

Natural daylight

'Morocco' is a deep but bright raspberry pink polish with holographic sparkles. It is so pretty and when the sun catches it, it really sparkles. It kind of has a metal-like finish which I really love. The formula was so smooth, this was three easy coats.

Lacquer Lust Cottontail - Natural Light

My accent nail is Lacquer Lust 'Cottontail'. I love this polish, especially when I'm looking for a shimmery white base for some nail art. Again three easy coats.

Indoor Lighting

This was my first reverse stamping technique attempt. Reverse stamping is where you pick up your stamping plate image, leave it to dry on the stamper and then 'colour it in' before peeling it off and laying it on your nails. It's like creating your own nail decals. The method I used was to stamp the image onto my Uber mat and then colour it in. The full technique I followed was from the lovely Helen at Cinderhellie nails. Check out her blog if your looking for a full tutorial on the method. I'm hoping to do a full post on the Uber mat once I've used it a bit more, but so far I'm loving it!

Indoor Lighting

I used the butterfly design on my Uber Chic Stamping plate 1-02 and my Creative shop stamper. I used Konad special black stamping polish and used HK Girl top coat for my decal and top coat.

Indoor Lighting close up

Natural Daylight - Shade

All the Anna Gorelova Dance legend polishes come in this beautiful bottle. The owl is such a cute touch!

Natural Daylight - Direct Sunlight

You can purchase the Uber Mat and Uber Chic stamping plates from Uberchic. They have such a great range of stamping plates and tools.

'Morocco' was from the wonderful Rainbow Connection UK who stock lots of Dance Legend polishes and everything else a nail addict needs!

Natural Daylight

I'm so pleased with how these turned out! Hopefully soon I can do a full mani of reverse stamping!

Have you tried reverse stamping? Any tricks and tips? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for visiting,

Have a lovely day,

Helen xx

Creative Shop Stamper Bling

Hello!

Just a quick post today about a little project I did this morning. I love my Creative Shop Stamper but sometimes I was finding it a bit slippy to hold due to the metal holder. An idea from the nail blogosphere has been to use textured polish to create a bit more grip on the stamper.

I used my Avon stardust textured polish in Jewel Blue and I love how it turned out.

Natural Light

It was so easy and took no time at all. I just did two coats of the polish and touched up any bits that looked like I'd missed them and job done! I'll do some stamping on my next mani to try it out properly :) It's so sparkly now!

Indoor lighting

I got my Creative Stamper from the wonderful Rainbow Connection UK!

Have you tried this? What colour/effect did you go for? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for visiting,

Have a lovely day,

Helen xx