Going for the Gold

I've seen metallics, especially metallic patterns around a lot lately - gold used instead of the classic white for the tip of a french manicure, stick-on metallic patterns not only advertised by Kim Kardashian but also now apparently being sold by the likes of Essie, and also those polishes that are actually made out of metal* and come with a magnet to help users create unique patterns in the pigments on their nails.

I saw Cathy try out the whole magnetic nail design thing and, honestly, it seemed too complicated to me. Wait 'til your nails are damp: not 100% dry, but not wet; hold the magnet close to the nails, but obviously don't touch the nails with the magnet; hold it there for (what seems like) a pretty long time, without moving, etc. I don't enjoy following so many rules when I'm being creative with my nails.

On the other hand, something that I do enjoy is coupons. I recently had one for a couple of bucks off a Covergirl nail polish and I picked up number 230, Golden Opportunity, and used it to create the two mainis below.

Golden moons on an opaque white background.

Thick golden stripes on a charcoal background. I was sort of going for a "picture frame" look, 
but I drew the frame first and then painted the picture on top. Also I like the "frame" much better when it's just on the sides, to use optical illusion to elongate the nail, not make it seem weird and square and stubby.

I love the way this polish layers, giving me a way to create different looks based on how many coats I use and how thick each coat is. Even though (or maybe because?) I can be a perfectionist about symmetry and making sure my hands match each other, I find it easier to freehand like this than to use a tool like the magnet polish to introduce patterns onto my nails.

I have not tried the stick-on patters yet (although I did buy some for Kendra because the USPS does not let you mail packages containing nail polish), mostly because I like to do things on the cheap and they seem pretty expensive to me. So even Essie adding a line probably won't change my mind on this issue.

Below is a picture of the polishes I used in these pictures, in case you are interested. Also I realize I am in need of a good top coat and also maybe a good base coat, because I do a lot of things like dishes (okay maybe not a lot, but enough) and showering that mess up my nailscapes. Any suggestions, friends?

Sinful Colors 101: Snow Me White - Covergirl 230: Golden Opportunity - Color Club 968: Status Update

Edit: Twins! Olga was doing golden cuticles over super-trendy cactus green at the same time I was doing my faux picture frames yesterday. Here's a shot of her nails:

Yay! Maybe I will try a green and gold mani sometime soon.

*I did not research this statement. Please correct me if I'm wrong about how magnets work.

Raison d'Ongles

Over the course of the past several years I've been on somewhat of a journey of self-discovery, striving to be more honest with myself about what I want and how I can get it. This has had me reading authors like Marshall Rosenberg, books like Radical Honesty, and studying practices like Inner Empathy. Next step: nail blogging!

One thing I realized has always been important to me but that I have just recently started to be honest with myself about (there are a lot of these) is that I love having my nails painted. I like how my nails look with polish on them. It's a (fairly) quick and easy way for me to show my creativity and pamper myself and to add just a little bit of luxury to my life. It turns out luxury is an important component of me being happy. I don't need much, though. Just a little bit.

I don't need to have someone else do my nails (although I do enjoy that, too). And you better believe I do not need to pay for a manicure every week. Plus, I like exercising the creativity and skill it takes to do my nails myself. So not all the manipics I post will be picture-perfect. But that's life.

I'll also try to post about the polishes and products I've used, in case you're interested in that. And I may branch out into other beauty products or other things I want to be radically honest about. Who knows! This could go anywhere.

And now, some recent(ish) manipics:

Unfortunately I broke one of my nails, like, two days after painting them like this. 

(While driving on the highway. It was terrible.) It's more extravagant than I usually get with nail art. 

My nails were super long at the time, which actually happens fairly often.

Red dress, charcoal nails, long hair.  (And a black iPhone case I don't use anymore.)

The polish in this picture is Status Update by Color Club, brought to me by BirchBox.

This is a pretty fuzzy picture of this season's hot nail color (as far as I know): emerald. I am not sure I can pull of wearing this all the time, except maybe as an accent color. It's just too Christmas-y for me. 

The polish in this picture is Wild Cactus by Color Club, also brought to me by BirchBox.

Okay, friends, that is the promising start to my nail blogging! Now it's time to be honest with myself about how much more work I have to do tonight. xo