It might seem like I have too much spare time But I do this in front of the TV, during commercials, and let dry each layer while I watch the actual movie. It took me about two movies (four hours) to complete those tonight:
The picture doesn't show the glitter and rhinestone effects too well, but I assure you that my fingers sparkle like a christmas tree
I used self made french manicure stencils, then base coat on the tips, two layers of dark purple, one layer of lighter purple (the layering gives the colour more depth), top coat. Removed stencils, applied those:
Then another layer of top coat to seal in the stickers (and I'm likely to apply one more layer tomorrow just to make sure).
And because I have gel nails those designs last pretty much forever (2 - 4 weeks with minor repairs), otherwise I probably wouldn't bother.
Anyone else as crazy as myself and willing to share photos or techniques?
Cheers,
Madeleine
--
Pixie/BS/waist (if it wants to grow that far)
1cFi, dark ash blonde hennaed fiery red
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You are a gal I would love to hang out with
I love to mess with my nails.
Yours are beautiful and I love them
I had started Cosmetology school in 94' really just wanting to do nails but I hated doing hair and quit. Yoiu had to go though the whole program.
I was thinking of going back after I got my 4 year degree but there are not many schools in this are that just does nails.
Believe it or not it was easier to find a Grad program than a nail tech program LOLOL
Someday I will go, though.
Back to nails now
Unfortunatly due to the job I have I dont
have any nails anymore and cant wear fakes. I wash my hands a lot and work around food so fake really are not appropriate.
I began doing my own in 97'.
My fav brands are Kiss and Broadway. I really like the full nail. You would be surprized how many people thought my nails where real or professionaly done.
I had such long, strong, very pretty nails thanks
to my vit routine. My nails where the first thing I see results in when I began my version of Bargello's routine.
One reason I am glad I am going back to school soon because I can have my nails back
I thought of posting a pic of my nails last summer but thought you all would think I was crazy LOLOLOL
Once they grow long or I do my own I will post pics.
Give it a month or too, ok.
I'd love to see some pics once you get back into doing your nails
In the US you have to be a licenced cosmetician to do nails professionally, yes? Over here there aren't any regulations on that (which OTOH means that as a customer you have to do a lot of research to find someone who's really good at it). It's really unfortunate that you can't just learn the one thing if that's what you want to specialize in anyway.
I've never done my own gel - don't want to buy all the equipment and my nail tech does such a fabulous job that I'm happy leaving that to her. I never really envied her anyway, because due to messing with files and gel all day her own super long nails suffer quite a bit.
But I love painting and decorating nails! You can get so creative, it really is a bit of an art form.
Sadly I never had strong natural nails like you have ... would be interesting to know if the vits I took for the last six months helped, but I'd have to quit using the gel to find out and I don't think I want to.
Cheers,
Madeleine
--
Pixie/BS/waist (if it wants to grow that far)
1cFi, dark ash blonde hennaed fiery red
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all the time. Especially for the Holidays. Christmas was my favorite!
I worked in a Dialysis Unit, and the patients would get such a kick out of it! Even though I had to wear rubber gloves most of the time, and washed my hands constantly, they would hold up pretty well, and it was such fun.
When I went to work ont the "baby floor" I had to give up ALL nail polish! I assisted the Doc's during C-sections, and would have to "scrub in" , as they say, and NO polish or jewelry was allowed during surgery.
I just never got back into it, but, now after seeing your nails......
Pam
7/21/waist
Fine,straight,med.thickness,med.brown w/LOTS of silver!
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't
work."
- Thomas Edison
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It's a pity that you had to give up doing your nails, but the reasons are quite understandable of course.
When I was at Uni working in the laser lab all the time I had to keep my nails short to be able to fiddle around with those tiny screws and adjustment tools for lenses and mirrors. And you don't want watches, jewellery or polished nails either, because every shiny surface that accidentally gets into the laser beam can scatter potentially dangerous light into people's eyes (and I have yet to see a laser physicist who wears their protective glasses all the time like they should).
One of the first things I did when I finished school was growing my nails
Cheers,
Madeleine
--
Pixie/BS/waist (if it wants to grow that far)
1cFi, dark ash blonde hennaed fiery red
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Totally cool!!! I have a major nail fetish or thing. I loooooove them. always have. Unfortuatly I can't have them at work, it inhibits my ten key ability. I love yours. Very inventive!! very beautiful!
Melanie
2aFii 35/27/49
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Yes, proper typing is a major pain with long nails. I prefer notebooks because you don't have to push the keys as hard or deep into the keyboard. And I'm slow with typing either way, long or short nails ... but then I don't do it for a living.
But on the bright side I think classic french nails look best when they're rather short. That's why I never do pink and whites on myself although I love the look.
Cheers,
Madeleine
--
Pixie/BS/waist (if it wants to grow that far)
1cFi, dark ash blonde hennaed fiery red
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So, what kind of techniques does/did everyone use? (r/o)
No score for this post
February 15 2003, 7:32 PM
Besides classic plain polish in metallic white, deep ruby, purple or pink I like two coloured designs - either french style, but in different colours than pink/white: purple with silver or glitter tips, two purple shades, or natural with fancy coloured tips (like the design in that photo). Two shades seperated by a diagonal line are cool too.
Or I put one or two dots of contrasting polish on a wet regular layer and blur the two shades with a darning needle (takes ages to dry though because the resulting layer is so thick).
I also use rhinestones occasionally or draw silver symbols and ornaments with acrylic craft paint. Crackle laquer looks nice as well (you paint it on wet polish and it shrinks while drying, creating an irrgeular pattern of cracks that show the colour that was applied underneath), but it doesn't last long and is a major pain to get off again.
I even have a polish that changes its colour with temperature, so that long nails will be light blue with purple tips (unless my fingers are quite cold, then it's all purple, or all blue if I just washed my hands with warm water).
And my toe nails have to match, LOL Either they're plain in one of the colours I used on my finger nails, or the big toes are decorated and the other toes plain (but I go that far only during sandal season).
My favourite colour polishes are Astor One Coat Quick Dry (although I always need two coats and they don't dry that much faster than other polish), Alessandro (they have over 90 standard colours plus seasonal stuff, so I find matching shades for any outfit) and the Nivea pastels.
For base and top coat I swear by Misslyn - their 60 Sec Top Dry makes any cheap colour polish look fabulous and really helps with faster drying.
Cheers,
Madeleine
--
Pixie/BS/waist (if it wants to grow that far)
1cFi, dark ash blonde hennaed fiery red
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
...I've not done much with my nails for the last five months, but summer's coming and I'm still the owner of over 50 bottles of polish .
First of all I'd like to say that your nails look amazing, and if I could keep long nails I'd have been out buying silver decals the minute I saw them.
But since they're out of the question at the moment, my current favourite look is using a different shade of polish on each finger. I start with matte hot pink on the pinkie and apply a lighter and lighter shade on each subsequent nail, finishing with soft rose on my thumb. I then coat all of them with iridescent "Pink Spicing" by Revlon. I also do this with shades of brown and beige.
I also like french polish, but I prefer the chevignon shape for the tip guideline. Again, that just looks plain silly on my nonexistent nails, but if I'm going out for the night I'll sometimes do this on stick-on fakes and just wear them for the night. Another thing I like to use with this look is little decals. The very best are the ones sold in wedding kits, with little bands of pink, green and white flowers for use with French tips. If I use these, I simply must put a little rose on my big toes too, just in case I get run over .
My favourite brands of polish are Orly for colours, Trind for base/ topcoats and cuticle removers, and Elegance for French kits.
Meri
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But I do this in front of the TV, during commercials, and let dry each layer while I watch the actual movie. It took me about two movies (four hours) to complete those tonight: 
betty 
