Digit-al Dozen: January Birthday Mani

Hi all!

This month's birthday mani was inspired by cacti! Being one of the two January birthday girls, the other one being Courtney from Polishes Lifting, I helped choose the inspiration image. And obviously, I love it! I did use acrylic paints this time, something I rarely do, but getting a watercolour like effect is just so much easier with paint instead of polish.

Polishes:

• Polish My Life - Unparalleled
• Polish My Life - Stripped
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward
• Amsterdam acrylic paint - 618 Permanent Green Light
• Amsterdam acrylic paint - 617 Yellowish Green
• Barry M - Matte Top Coat (not pictured)

Base: 3 coats of Unparalleled. I used acrylic paint, a brush and water to create the cactus shapes. Then a dotting tool and Stripped to add the white dots. Topped it off with Elemental Ward first. Decided it should be matte later on and added the matte top coat.

Thumb nail photo is of my cinderella hand, because I liked how it turned out better.

I absolutely adored wearing this mani, wore it for 5 days, until it chipped on one nail. Would you wear cacti on your nails?

Love, Brethil

Check out the other January Birthday Mani's down here!

Nail Challenge Collaborative presents: Blue - Snowflake

Hi all!

My third blue mani is mostly white... with blue snowflakes!

Polishes:

• Polish My Life - Fashionista
• Kaleidoscope - Stamping 22 silver
• Kaleidoscope - Stamping 79 gray-blue 
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward

I also used stamping plate BPX-L008.

Base: 2 coats of Fashionista. I stamped with silver first (3rd images from the left, top and bottom row) and then with the blue-gray polish second using the single snowflake image on the right of the plate. Top coat is Elemental Ward as always.

You can't really see it, but Fashionista has silver microflakes.

Are you sick of snowflakes yet? I'm not...

Love, Brethil

More blue nails down here!

26 Great Nail Art Ideas - Embellished / 3D

Hi all!

Today's theme is Embellished / 3D, but I kept it very simple. Why? Because I really don't like anything more 3D than nail studs. And I wanted to keep it real and show you something I would wear instead of sticking odd things to my nails just for a blog post.

Polishes:

• Polish My Life - Grey Slay
• Polish My Life - Perfect Nightcap
• Kaleidoscope - Stamping 22 silver
• Kaleidoscope - Stamping 01 black
• Maybelline - Bleached Neons - 244 Chic Chartreuse
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward

And I also used Hēhē plate 108.

Base: 2 coats of Grey Slay. I stamped all nails with silver and the paint splotches first. On my thumb and ring finger I then stamped using black and the chinese writing. On the other nails I stamped more paint splotches with Perfect Nightcap and Chic Chartreuse. I top coated with Elemental Ward and then stuck some black and neon yellowish tiny round studs to my nails. I did seal those in with two coats of Elemental Ward to make sure they'd stay on for more than one day.

I did enjoy wearing these, but during the second day of wearing I did manage to scrape one of the black studs leaving it partly silver. Do you enjoy wearing embellishments on your nails? Let me know?

Love, Brethil

More 3D nails down here!

Nail Challenge Collaborative presents: Blue - Distressed

Hi all!

For my second blue mani this month, I've got something I love wearing, distressed nails. Paired with some textured nail studs.

Polishes:

• Boulevard - silver
• Boulevard - blue 1
• Boulevard - blue 2
• Boulevard - blue 3
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward

Base: 2 coats of the silver or the darkest blue. Using all the blue polishes I added distressed swipes across the silver nails. Added studs on the plain blue nails and topped everything with Elemental Ward.

Do you ever use the distressed technique? I might have several distressed mani's waiting to go on the blog....

Love, Brethil

More blue nails down here!

The Digit-al Dozen does All That Glitters - Rainbow

Hi all!

I'm ending this week with a rainbow! Definitely one of my favourite mani's ever!

Polishes:

• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Ride Eternal, Shiny and Chrome
• Kaleidoscope - Aquarelle tints - 11
• Kaleidoscope - Aquarelle tints - 10
• Kaleidoscope - Aquarelle tints - 03
• Kaleidoscope - Aquarelle tints - 04
• Kaleidoscope - Aquarelle tints - 05
• Kaleidoscope - Aquarelle tints - 08
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward

Base: 2 coats of Ride Eternal. I added Elemental Ward to even it out. Then I added the Aquarelle Tints to create the rainbow. More Elemental Ward on top.

And my favourite colours on my thumb, blue and purple.

What do you think of this rainbow gradient?

Love, Brethil

The final glittery mani of the DD ladies down here!

The Digit-al Dozen does All That Glitters - Feathers

Hi all!

Today my glitter is in two glitter polishes. The first is a crelly glitter and the second is a holo perfection glitter polish. I combined them with some dainty feather stamping.

Polishes:

• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Gratuitous Cameo
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Ride Eternal, Shiny and Chrome
• Mundo de Unas - 6
• Mundo de Unas - 34
• Mundo de Unas - 18
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward

I also used Hēhē plate 086.

Base: 2 coats of Gratuitous Cameo or Ride Eternal, Shiny and Chrome. I added Elemental Ward to smooth it out, stamped with silver on top of Cameo. I mixed the blue and grey stamping polishes to create a custom colour to stamp on my silver nails. Ended with more top coat.

And another bonus image with direct light to show off the holo glitter polish. I absolutely adore this holo glitter polish. I even own a back up *winks*.

Are there any polishes you have back ups of (aside from your favourite black, white and top coat)?

Love, Brethil

Check out the other ladies down here!

The Digit-al Dozen does All that Glitters - Neon tips

Hi all!

Today I've got the cutest neon glitter topper to show you. I just love micro glitters. I paired it with a silver holographic polish and a simple glitter gradient.

Polishes:

• Foxy Paws - Gimme gimme gimme
• Krucial Cosmetics - Kandii
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward

Base: 2 coats of Gimme. I sponged on Kandii and topped it with Elemental Ward.

Of course there's glitter everywhere, even on my skin...

Ah, the holo... so gorgeous!

Love, Brethil

Even more glitter down here!

The Digit-al Dozen does All that Glitters - Dark Minter

Hi all!

Today I've got some holo glitter for you! Just a simple glitter gradient with stamping on top, but the holo just makes it look amazing.

Polishes:

• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Dark Matter
• Essence - Holo Rainbow - 02 Holo Maniac
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward

I also used stamping plate BPL-026.

Base: 1 coat of Dark Matter. I added the mint green holo with the brush. I tried sponging it on, but the holo glitter is actually silver, the mint green colour comes from the base the glitter is suspended in. I added a coat of Elemental Ward before stamping the leaves on using Dark Matter. Ended with more Elemental Ward.

You can't go wrong with holo glitter, right?

Love, Brethil

Curious what the other ladies are up to today? Check down here!

The Digit-al Dozen does All That Glitters - 40

Hi all!

Welcome to my first full Digit-al Dozen week! The theme is All That Glitters. I'm starting this week off on my 40th birthday... although I don't feel any older than 30 *winks*. So, happy birthday to me. I have this entire week off work to relax and get used to this new age.

Polishes:

• Polish My Life - My Violet
• Essence - 183 be my lucky star
• Lucky 13 Lacquer - Elemental Ward 

I also used MoYou London's Festive 57.

Base: My Violet nails 2 coats, the other nails 3 coats of be my lucky star (a textured polish). Using thin rectangular glitter I created the number 40 on my nails. I stamped my thumb and little finger using My Violet. I sealed the 40 with Elemental Ward.

Of course I had to add a snowflake, because I just love them...

I had a lovely lunch with my mum today, what do you do to celebrate your birthday?

Love, Brethil

More glittery nails down here!