Ella's Nails

Rather than another colour variation on leopard print, I thought that it was time to introduce another animal print into my nail design repetoire!
So, here we go with Zebra print with a lick of my favourite-colour-this -summer, Model's Own Pink Punch. It's really easy to do, after applying two coats of Models' Own Snow White use their black nail pen/stripper brush to draw the Zebra Stripes.Leave to dry for a few minutes and then just brush the tips of your nails with Pink Punch. I used two coats to give the colour real intensity on top of the white base.

What I used

• Nailrock nail wraps
• OPI Elephantastic Pink
• Gosh Cosmetics Halo Hero
• Base coat and topcoat from Essie

Step One
You may think that nail wraps have to be really expensive and professionally applied but thats where these ingenious DIY kits come in handy;  they're neither expensive or tricky to apply. First of all you need to make sure that your nails have been cleaned throughly with acetone to remove any oil or execss nail polish. Then you need to buff your nails to makesure that any ridges are removed, this will make sure that the nail wrap goes on smoothly and you don't have any snags. Just think smooth and dry!
If you are going to do the same design as me mixing the wraps with nail polish you will need to put as base coat on.
 
Step Two 

Taking your sheet of nail wraps you need to match up the right sizes to your nails. You can see that I only applied a couple of nail wraps to each hand so it was important for me to do this if you are applying wraps to all your nails then you can work out the correct ones. Carefully peel off the nail wrap and stick onto the nail with the curved end at the cuticle. Then smooth the wrap over the nail.
 
Step Three
 
Taking a nail file, file the excess nail wrap off by filing the end of the wrap in a downward motion. The nail wrap will come away leaving you with a smooth edge along your nail. You wont need to use a top coat on the nail wrap.
 
Step Four

For this mixture of wraps and nail polish I just combined a holographic nail polish and a really nice pink from OPI. ( Holographic nail polish is often expensive but this one by GOSH is a real bargin from Superdrug! )

Ok, so you all know by now that I do love a little bit of an outlandish nail art; the more garish/fierce the better in my books. But sometimes the situation may call for a bit of how should we say a more toned down look. I remember a job where I was told off for wearing hot pink nail polish – it wasn’t in keeping with the yellow and navy staff uniform. Some people firms just have no taste.

So my tutorial for this week is for those situations where subtly is key but bland is never the answer and for that you need the statement nail.

As you may have guessed nail jewels are going to be making an appearance in this tutorial so here is a list of what you will need: Two complementary nail colours. I went for a bright red/orange and gold. For this you need to make sure that the colour on your statement nails should match/complement the colour of our gems.

Here’s what I used:

• Essie Nails Ole Calente Leighton Denny Goldfinger.
• Not included in the photo is some SV topcoat, a gem picker and some nail jewels.

Step One

First of all prep your nails with a good quality base coat to prevent any staining on your natural nail. Then, apply tow coats of your colour of choice. I used Essie’s Ole Caliente from their new spring range. Remember to paint all fingers apart from your statement nail! Then, apply two coats of your contrasting colour to your statement nails. As I was going for a be-jewelled look I went for Leighton Denny’s Goldfinger ( quite apt don’t cha think?)  Once you are done your fingers should look like this…

Step Two

Whilst the nail polish on your ring finger is still drying take your nail gems. After many attempts at this I find it easier to tip some out into the palm of my hand and using a gem picker (its amazing what you can find on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nail-Picker-Upper-Silver-small/dp/B002J7BR1I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332865242&sr=8-1) pick up the gems and stick them on to your nail. Because the nail polish is still tacky they should just stick on to the nail.  Don’t worry if the gems don’t go on super neat you just want to make sure that you have good coverage over the whole of the nail.

Step Three

Then once you have stuck all of your nails on apply a generous top coat to seal the gems onto the nail.

And you are done. Ready to rock the statement nail Art for every occasion.

In honour of our new Face of Clothes Show Daisy Lowe I decided to go with a Daisy design on my nails. – I know not exactly original but it’s pretty simple and oh-so-effective.

What you’ll need:

• Nail Polish of choice for your base colour
• White Nail polish for the daisy petals
• Yellow nail polish for the pollen
• two dotting tools for the petals and the eye of the daisy

Step One

After you’ve prepped your nails with a good base coat (OPI Nail Envy is the only one you need) apply a couple of coats of your chosen colour. I used Rimmel’s Aqua Cool.

Step Two

Once your base colour has more or less dried take your dotting tool/cocktail stick and dip into the white nail polish – be careful not to over load the stick with too much polish, and draw on your petals. Once you have drawn on all the petals – I managed about three on each nail – take the second dotting tool or cocktail stick and make a yellow dot in the centre of each daisy.

Step three

Finish off with a coat of Quick drying topcoat and your Daisy Nails are done!  Told ya it was simple!