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40 Great Nail Art Ideas – Geek Week!

Oct16

Some Products May Have Been Provided for Earlier Review

Crumpet's Nail Tarts - Geek Week

Yes my dear readers.  This is by far and away one of the weeks I was looking forward to the most!  We all know where it’s going to go right?  I have a love for so many pop culture things but by far and away I like the geeky shows and books the most.  Sherlock, The Walking Dead, Firefly, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog, Lord of the Rings, Supernatural, The Hunger Games (books not movies), Harry Potter (books not movies), Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Arrow… Do I really need to continue?  I think you get the idea!  Anyway I did not mention the one that has the biggest piece of my heart and that’s Doctor Who of COURSE!  So today you’ll get to see a homage to the 11th Doctor (I’ve been wanting to do this one for awhile but never had a good time or reason to).

Now, the 11th Doctor (played by Matt Smith) was not necessarily my favorite Doctor.  But, I grew to love him despite a rocky beginning.  By the end I was just as sad and cried just as hard to see him regenerate as with earlier Doctors.  *sniffles* Ah the feels. Ok enough of that!  Onto the nail art!

Geek Week - Homage to the 11th Doctor

Geek Week – Homage to the 11th Doctor

Bow ties are cool!  I knew the minute I saw this stamp that it would become part of an 11th Doctor nail art look!  I’m sure that it’s not meant to be bow ties (it comes from a Christmas-themed plate) but it’s so very like the red bow ties that the 11th Doctor wore so well that I could not resist.

Geek Week - Homage to the 11th Doctor

Geek Week – Homage to the 11th Doctor

To get this look I started by painting my fore and middle fingernails in a plain white (I used Sinful Colors – Snow Me White, I know I know it’s not indie but I do use mainstream white and a few other plain colors for stamping and such right now).  I then painted my ring and pinkie fingernails with A Study in Polish – Not Our Division.  I let that dry a bit then I came back in and on the first two fingers I stamped the “bow tie” design from the Cici & Sisi – Christmas 2014 plate using Octopus Party Nail Lacquer – Universal Loner.  On the last two I stamped a star design from Bundle Monster – BM20 in silver (Sally Hansen – Silver Sweep, don’t judge!).  Of course I couldn’t stop there.  I needed to add an awesome 11th Doctor profile and a TARDIS vinyl from YouPolish!  Top coat the whole thing and voila, a fitting homage to the 11th if I do say so myself!

I was really happy with how this one turned out.  Don’t forget to check out the InLinkz below to see the rest of the amazing nail art that is turning up for Geek Week!

Until next time may your days be filled with Glitter and Flakies!

 

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I’m Back and Ready to Rock!

May22

Some Polishes May Have Been Provided for Previous Review

Hello my lovely readers.  I am so heartbroken that I’ve been away from you for so long!  I successfully finished the semester and I have just two more to go before I have my Bachelor’s Degree – I’m quite excited about that!  Then I will go on to grad school but it will be such a sense of accomplishment to have that degree!  I have also had a few health problems but I’m not letting them keep me down so let’s not dwell!  I’m here now and I want to rock some cute nails!

Actually let me reword that last sentence..I didn’t let life keep me from rocking some cute nails.  So I have some of my nail art looks that I was really happy with over the past several weeks that I wanted to share with you.  I’ve reviewed most of these polishes before and you know I’ll link you up in case you missed it!

First I’m going to show you a lovely Pipe Dream Polish with some nail art stamping  (Actually not stamping, it’s been a few weeks and I had a brain fart) – now this polish was actually on loan to me from a friend.  I had never tried Pipe Dream Polish before but wowzers what a blue marvel this one was!

Stamped with Butter London - Dodgy Barnett

Stamped with Butter London – Dodgy Barnett

Pipe Dream Polish – Rhythm and Blues is a deep blue jelly filled to the brim with holographic glitters.  They just sparkle like crazy!  I decided to pair it with Butter London – Dodgy Barnett.  I’m so sorry I reported that I stamped this mani.  I think I’ve gone completely crazy – I did TRY to stamp this one but Dodgy Barnett was too sheer for that.

I ended up using for THIS mani Love, Angeline Nail Shields in the mermaid scale pattern.  They work like a charm and are super easy!  You can either just stick them on and trim to your nail OR you can use them as a mask (as I did here) and place them on your nail, paint over with the opposite color than the base, then while the polish is STILL WET remove carefully.  It’s important to do this when the base color is completely dry and the color you paint over the nail shield is wet to assure best results.

Polishes used:  Sally Hansen – Complete Care 4-in-1 Treatment; Pipe Dream Polish – Rhythm and Blues; Butter London – Dodgy Barnett; Carpe Noctem – Glitter Slayer; Glisten & Glow – HK Girl Topcoat

Next up I have a mani that I really adored!  One of my favorites of the Alchemy Lacquer’s Spring Shimmer Crellies was the most unlikely since I’m usually a blue/teal/green girl and that was Nasturtium which I reviewed here.  Some of the glitters in Nasturtium EXACTLY matched Aly’s Dream Polish – Spicy Sriracha which I reviewed here.

Alchemy Lacquers - Nasturtium with Aly's Dream Lacquer - Spicy Sriracha

I first painted my middle, ring, and pinky fingers with Alchemy Lacquers – Nasturtium and then I painted the fore finger with Aly’s Dream Polish – Spicy Sriracha.  I then stamped my “communication” finger with Spicy Sriracha using MoYou London plate Sailor – 04.  I topped off the ring and pinky fingers with some cute little golden hex studs from Winstonia.

A word about MoYou London plates…AWESOMESAUCE.  Is that word enough for you?  I could go on and on.  I’m hoping I’ll be able to acquire some more plates and really experiment with them and I assure you I’ll be sharing those results with you!

Polishes Used:  Sally Hansen – Complete Care 4-in-1 Treatment; Alchemy Lacquers – Nasturtium; Aly’s Dream Polish – Spicy Sriracha; Digital Nails – Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That

Last but not least I have another nail art stamping look to show you!  I know I’ve mentioned before that this polish is the most TARDIS blue polish I have even though it’s based on the Sherlock fandom.  That’s ok I’m an equal opportunity fangirl so it works for me.

Stamped with Sally Hansen - Silver Sweep

Stamped with Sally Hansen – Silver Sweep

This is A Study in Polish – Not Our Division which is just so great and I have reviewed it right here!  I stamped with Sally Hansen – Silver Sweep using MoYou London plate Pro – 01.  I got a little excited with the pressure on the stamping that’s why it looks more like an outline in places but I’m still trying to get really good at stamping and sometimes it’s not a total win.  I still ADORED this mani and got so many compliments on it!  I added a cute little Winstonia star stud (because, STARS) on my ring finger to finish off the whole look.

Polishes used:  Sally Hansen – Complete Care 4-in-1 Treatment; A Study in Polish – Not Our Division; Digital Nails – Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That

There you have it some of the nail art I’ve been doing.  I’ve done some plain manis too of course, I don’t keep anything on too long but I was really pleased with these.  I do have some new swatches and reviews coming up and I have heard some whispers about the new Alchemy Lacquers summer line.

I’m going to include some stalker links for the brands I mentioned here:

A Study in Polish – Facebook, Store

Alchemy Lacquers – Facebook, Store, Instagram

Aly’s Dream Polish – Facebook, Store, Instagram

Love, Angeline – Facebook, Store, Instagram

MoYou London – Facebook, Store, Instagram

Pipe Dream Polish – Facebook, Store, Instagram

 

Fangirl Freakout – Featuring A Study in Polish

Mar2

Provided for Honest Review

Readers hold onto your deerstalkers, crowns, and your trenchcoats…or sheets, whichever might be your attire of choice when visiting Buckingham Palace!  I have a post filled with Sherlock goodness!  I fully embrace my fangirl status and think that us Sherlock fangirls are the hardiest and the most patient of all the fangirls!  We have to wait a heinous amount of time for three episode series!  Oh how they taunt us.  Whilst I’m a card carrying member of many fandoms (Ok so they aren’t actual cards…unless you consider the ones I drew up myself official… I know I do), Sherlock has a special place in my heart.  There’s just something about this show that ticks all the right boxes if you know what I mean!

Regardless of your affection (or lack thereof) of Sherlock please allow me to show you three polishes that you will love!  Let’s start with Detective Inspector Greg Lestrade.  He loathes to rely on Sherlock but without Sherlock he wouldn’t solve nearly as many cases and can’t help but admire Sherlocks AMAZING brain…because you know that’s the sexiest part about Sherlock (it’s true, I’m convinced that Sherlock would not be half as sexy if he wasn’t so damned smart!)  Anyway I do have a point here…this first polish is based on him and is called Not Our Division!

Not Our Division

Not Our Division

Not Our Division has a beautiful TARDIS blue creme base worthy of the Doctor himself.  Yes I mentioned the Doctor, no I’m not sorry, I frequently combine fandoms in my imagination…Oh, Yes!  This lusciously TARDISy blue creme is packed with silver hexes and microglitter and some holographic microglitter as well (that was a shocker I wasn’t expecting that!)

Not Our Division

Not Our Division

Not Our Division has a divine formula.  This is two easy breezy coats.  I didn’t fish or dab or otherwise manipulate the polish and was able to get a nice sprinkling of glitter on my nails!  Another fabulous thing about this polish (and the other two) is that they are not particularly topcoat hungry glitters and they did not require any kind of helper topcoat before the final shiny topcoat.

Polishes Used:  Glisten & Glow – Stuck on Blu; A Study in Polish – Not Our Division; Glisten & Glow – HK Girl Topcoat

Next up is the polish inspired by easily the best TV villain ever.  If you passed him on the street he would look nothing but normal, you might not even turn your head.  But Series 2 Episode 3 changed all that for me.  Moriarty became the villain of my fantasies he’s just so serpentine and crazy and brilliant all at the same time and when he speaks I get chills up and down my spine.

Consulting Criminal

Consulting Criminal

This is Consulting Criminal.  Moriarty declares that is what he is in direct opposition of Sherlock (the first and only Consulting Detective).  And, Honey you should SEE him in a crown! *ahem* Sorry, I got a little excited.  Anyway this is a deliciously dark black jelly base filled with metallic red hexes and metallic silver and red microglitter.  Reminds me of Mr. Sex himself…sorry off track again!  I may or may not have watched that scene a hundred times…I may or may not go watch it again right now before I finish watching this post.  Ok I admit it, I will.  Are you happy?  You’ve gotten me to admit that I cannot help myself!

photo 3 (19)

Formula was perfection!  Execution of this mani was as flawless as Moriarty’s break-in to the Tower of London, The Prison, and The Bank of England all at the same time!  Picture shows three very thin coats with topcoat!  I didn’t have to do any dabbing or dancing with this one either!  You will not be disappointed!

Polishes Used:  Glisten & Glow – Stuck on Blu; A Study in Polish – Consulting Criminal; Glisten & Glow – HK Girl Topcoat

Last but certainly not least is my favorite of the three and while I harbor deep dark fantasies about Moriarty *ahem*, my one true love (for this show) is Sherlock so naturally HIS polish should be my favorite and let me tell you I love everything about this one.  Coming right up…Consulting Detective:

Consulting Detective

Consulting Detective

Why yes that is a rich purple crelly base filled to the brim with gold and copper hexes, teensie aqua squares, and a gold microglitter.  It’s not a combo I would have imagined but it is as layered and amazing as Sherlock’s wondrous brain!

Consulting Detective

Consulting Detective

Yes oh yes this polish went on just as brilliantly as the other two.  This one only required two coats like Not Our Division, I think that this is because Consulting Criminal has more of a jelly base while the other two in this post lean more toward a creme than a crelly/jelly.  Glitter spread and application were magnificent!

Polishes Used:  Glisten & Glow – Stuck on Blu; A Study in Polish – Consulting Detective; Glisten & Glow – HK Girl Topcoat

So I was blown away by this trio of amazing polishes.  Seriously excellent formulas and wonderful interpretations of the characters from one of my favorite television programs.  As per usual I’m going to strongly suggest that you connect with A Study in Polish by liking them on Facebook and point you in the direction of their Site so that you can pick up your own bottles of awesomeness!