Galaxy Sin.. A Gradient.

I surely did call this mani "Galaxy Sin" LOL

Well, mainly because I'm Sin, and my nails have that starry night gradient which is surprisingly easy to do. I cannot post photos of the actually process because I never intended on doing tutorials but I got so many compliments and requests to do a tutorial, that I must oblige when I do this mani again. (which will be VERY SOON because this design had me staring at my nails all the time!

Quite obviously a gradient is when a darker color fades into a lighter one, and vice versa.

I wanted to go with a purple galaxy and the idea was AMAZING in my mind. However, I've been so determined on collecting polishes, I neglected the fact that I barely have any cremes -__- (you don't NEED cremes but how odd would it look to go from a creme to a shimmer? I guess the way I'm explaining it doesn't sound entirely too bad, but trust me I think you guys understand a little. If not, show me I'm wrong! I'd love to see photos of some awesome gradient manicures ).

I used quite a few colors and before you think it weighed the nail down, it totally didn't!

I should list everything but I assume a photo would be best to go with it LOL

All photos are linkable to enlarge it. By all means, enlarge the photos for details.

Left to Right:

Sally Hansen Salon Manicure in Delphinium

Sally Hansen Hard As Nails in No Hard Feelings

FingerPaints' Hue Rang?

Orly's in Charged Up

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear in Black Out
and a Cosmetic wedge, yes, a cosmetic wedge.

I painted my nails with the lightest color first; Delphinium.
I then cut the wedge to apply my polish, and brush the polish straight onto the wedge. Starting from the tips of my nails, I patted on No Hard Feelings (not all the way to the end of my nail of course, You have to be able to see the lighter color.)
The harder you press, the darker the color, so press lightly.
I then followed the same methods I used with No Hard Feelings using Hue Rang? and Charged up.
And the tips I used Black Out and you gotta be careful with the black, you don't want to put too much so just pat it onto a paper towel after you brush it on your wedge, THEN pat it onto your tips.

Go over the darkers with a little of the lighters and blend it in by patting only of course.

I didn't take a photo but I forgot the glitter I used for my tips to mimic a shimmery galaxy was Sinful Colors - I Miss You, a very pretty magenta/purple chunky glitter. I'll add the photos of the other polishes I missed later, I promise.

After all the colors have been patted on I applied Out The Door's Northern Lights (a clear top coat with very, very, very fine holographic glitter, it's lovely and reminds me of stars!) You can find it at Sally's for around $5. Lastly, Seche Vite, because I COULD NOT sit and wait for it to dry. Which it actually dried a lotttttt faster than I thought!! I was literally out the door within 10 minutes. Granted they weren't fully dry but they weren't dentable.
On to the picture hoaring! **WARNING** tons of photos of both my left and right hand. I couldn't decide which to use. Which is usually always the case with me.

I saved the super duper close up for last.. I mean seriously.. THIS is a closeup, click on it, I dare you LOL

Song Currently Playing On This Post:
Backstreet Boys - All I Have To Give

Cupcake Sprinkles

I surely did jump on the glitter sandwich bandwagon.

Now, I don't know who came up with this first but I've seen it floating around a few blogs and decided to try it for myself! It reminds me so much of sprinkles on a cupcake or ice cream. A lot of people compare it to Deborah Lippmann's Glitter In The Air and I honestly don't own that polish yet so I wouldn't know, but I HAVE seen photos and I'd have to slightly agree.

Sandwiching glitters between sheer layers of polish creates that same murky, or should I say, muted glitter in a jelly base(?) without having to pay $18 for a bottle of nail polish.

It helps to use sheer polish because more opaque colors would just cover up the glitter rather than letting it show through.

I ALMOST made a mjor mistake. I wanted pink nails to wear to my son's Kindergarten graduation and I didn't want it to be a baby pink. I wanted a darker pink and I found that in a bottle of Sinful Color's Soulmate.

It would have been a truly awesome color if I had known ahead of time before painting my nails that it was basically opaque in ONE coat.

I literally sat there staring at my nails for a good ten minutes wondering what I should do now.

If I started the glitter sandwich process using Soulmate, it would not look the way it should.

That's when I grabbed Fingerpaints Rose Patina, which is a sheer rose with gold shimmer.

It was the closest I could get to Soulmate. Still not the same shade whatsoever but good enough!
For the glitter, I used Wet N Wild's Party of Five Glitters. I heard it's comparable to DL's Happy Birthday, but I don't have that one either LOL soon I will dish for that polish. SOON!

I know, a bottle of Ibuprofen? LOL it was the only thing I had closest to hold at that time to take a photo hahaha.

I finally got off my lazy butt to grab the bottle! You will notice that the lighting in my apartment varies. So the photos aren't exactly fair. This photo shows the gold shimmer in the Rose Patina. But the pink is actually much more pink than these photos. Not so "orangey".

Don't forget to enlarge these photos for details. All my photos are clickable!

I enjoyed this manicure immensely. I will definitely do this again but with a more pastel color.

Here's that orangey tone I spoke of previously. It drives me nuts.

Just a closeup of the "sprinkles" I'm getting a little better with the steady hand! I had practically NO cleanup here!! I think that's triumph. Hopefully I can get this technique down on the vampy colors hehe

Thanks for reading!

Song Currently Playing On This Post:
Afrojack Feat. Eva Simons - Take Over Control