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the Rite of Aging…early

~ Navigating Rheumatoid Arthritis through Beauty and Nail Art

the Rite of Aging…early

Author Archives: MonicawithRA

Kitteh Full Nail Stamping and Water Decals Nail Art

09 Sunday Aug 2015

Posted by MonicawithRA in Community, Nail Art

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Barry M, born pretty stamping plate, Born Pretty Store, cats, Essie, Konad, Nail Art, Pueen Cosmetics, stamping decals, water decals

Every time I stamp I want to try the decal thing. As I ready myself to try it: set up my table, pool out the polishes, line up my dotting tools and grab my stampers; I shrug off the feeling and finish with a traditional stamp. 

Well…alright. Next time?

 

There are quite a few challenges taking place in the Instagram world right now and I am picking and choosing which to participate in.

Today’s/yesterday’s (by the time I snapped photos, uploaded and edited them I was too exhausted for words) look combines the #dreamnailschallenge (cats) and #glamnailschallenge (paws).

While it is not too surprising I own multiple paw print and feline stamps, which I accumulated randomly over the last few years, it is surprising how difficult it was to choose the final products.

In the end, I decided on a mix of easy water decals and my Born Pretty Store (BPS) kitty plate. I filled in they eyes with a teal as Sunsilk’s pupils are rimmed with that exact color. This is my first first attempt at full nail stamping decals and I have to say they came out pretty well! Execution could use a little work; I was so upset when I used too much acetone during cleanup and dissolved portions of the decal! No matter, I just need more practice!

 

kitteh decals inspiration

I hope you like it!

 

Kitteh Stamping and Water Decals Nail Art | The Rite of AgingBase: Barry M Chai

Stamping: BPS plate BP-59, Essie Naughty Nautical, Konad Special Polish Black

Water Decals (paws): Pueen Cosmetics

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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A Class Act from SinfulColors | Sugar-Spun Nail Art

07 Friday Aug 2015

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art

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Tags

A Class Act, Nail Art, press sample, SinfulColors

Press sample.

Here is the first of the SinfulColors nail art I am going to post this month. I only used polishes from the new A Class Act collection, out this month at Walgreens and Rite Aid.

I had to see how the demi-mattes sugar-spun and I have to say…they totally do! I had to be careful because the polishes dried a little gloopy but that only means I have to turn/mix the polish a little more frequently!

Hope you like it!

 

Sugar-Spun Nail Art with SinfulColors | The Rite of AgingBase: SinfulColors Fig

Sugar-Spin: SinfulColors Blackboard, Whiteboard

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

Don’t forget to check out SinfulColors’ social media pages below:

Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

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Neon Gradient Sugar-Spun Nail Art

05 Wednesday Aug 2015

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art

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Tags

blogging community, China Glaze, Color Club, gradient, Milani, Nail Art, neon, sugar-spun

I am so so so sorry for the quality of this picture. I took multiple photos, many times and I never got a decent one! Eventually I snapped one with flash and while my skin is freakish, I got a clear shot of the sugar-spin.

There are multiple Instagram challenges going on in August and while I am not sure I will take on each and every prompt, I will definitely do the ones that peak my interest. Gradient and rainbow did so the following manicure covers both the #clairestelle8august and #dreamnailschallenge challenges!

I was a little skeptical about using neons for the sugar-spin especially since Sun Worshiper dries down sort of matte. I was pleasantly surprised. All three polishes I used worked wonderfully and the gradient came out exactly how I wanted.

I am a little peeved my middle nail ended up a little stringier than usual but my nails are so short I had to make the threads a little thinner.

Check out the bottom of the post for some of my tricks for a great sugar-spin!

 

Neon Gradient Sugar-Spun Nail Art | The Rite of AgingBase: Milani Fast Fuchsia

Sugar-Spin (from cuticle to tip): Color Club Wham! Pow!, China Glaze Sun Worshiper, Daisy Know Me Name?

 

I am not sure I can do a proper video tutorial until I get a new camera. I am still using my phone and I just don’t know how to take a video while doing a sugar-spin! So, for now, I will just write down so tips below! If you have any questions please ask!!

 

  • I use a clean white piece of paper for my polish puddles. This way I do not mistakenly blend pigments.
  • I pour out the polishes before I apply my base color. That way, I am not waiting around for ages for them become tacky.
  • I use separate toothpicks for each color.
  • While I wait for each layer of my base coat and base color to dry I turn the polish over so it dries evenly.
  • After I am done with the sugar-spin, I use the clean side of the toothpick to gently push the edges of the threads underneath the nail. Then, I pull the excess straight back for easier clean-up. Otherwise, the cleanup brush will move the polish around and ruin the design.
  • If parts of the threads are too gloopy use the clean side of the toothpick to gently pull from the center of the thread to the edges of the nail.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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Infinite Ombre Dry Brush Nail Art

03 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art

≈ 2 Comments

I only used the Infinite Ombre kit a couple of times since I won it a few weeks ago. I still keep the polishes in the case they came in and they call to me every day. I finally fished them out and went with my typical dry brush! I have to say, the actual polishes are not that great but if I sheer them out with acetone I get the consistency and effect I want.

I hope you like my creation!

 

#InfiniteOmbre Dry Brush Nail Art | The Rite of AgingAll done with the Formula X for Sephora Infinite Ombre kit.

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SinfulColors – A Class Act Collection (Partial Review): Part Two

03 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by MonicawithRA in Reviews

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Tags

nails, press sample, review, SinfulColors, swatches

Press sample: items were provided for honest review.

Here is the second part of the new SinfulColors A Class Act collection review.

A Class Act hits the shelves of Walgreens and Rite Aid in August. The collection consists of 27 polishes whose formulas range from cremes to glitters and demi-mattes. I chose polishes in every formula to get a good idea of the collection as a whole.

There are three Walgreens exclusive shades I will mark with an asterisk. Are they worth tracking down? Let’s find out!

 

V.I.Peach – 3 or 4 coats, no top coat

SinfulColors Swatch - V.I.Peach | The Rite of AgingV.I.Peach is a pastel canary yellow demi-matte creme. The consistency is thin and streaky and can take up to three or four coats to reach full opacity. The streaks dry down well but they are still visible if I look closely enough. The formula is closer to Whiteboard than to Hazed (two demi-mattes I reviewed in the first post) which makes it more favorable to me. For a yellow, this one is awesome!

 

Fig – 3 coats, top coat

SinfulColors Swatch - Fig | The Rite of AgingFig is a dark violet with red shimmer that does not transfer to the actual nail. It is very similar to Zoya’s Haven which I prefer. Fig has a decent formula, a little on the thicker side which pools quickly into the cuticles. The polish dries to a dull finish, not matte, just dull.

 

Rebel Rose – 3 coats, top coat

SinfulColors Swatch - Rebel Rose | The Rite of Aging

When I first saw Fig and Rebel Rose in the bottles I thought they mistakenly sent me two of the same color. It was a welcome surprise to see they are completely different on the nail. Rebel Rose is a cool-leaning dusty bright purple with an almost duochrome shimmer. The color is very similar to China Glaze’s Caribbean Temptation. The duochrome fades with top coat but the shimmer remains. The formula is good and does not pool into the cuticles. The polish self-levels nicely so if I want to wear it without top coat I definitely can!

 

Energetic Red – 3 coats, top coat

SinfulColors Swatch - Energetic Red | The Rite of Aging

Energetic Red is a bright, borderline neon coral creme. The color is IDENTICAL to Sephora by OPI Cover Me in Petals and a more pastel version of my favorite OPI Red Lights Ahead…Where? It has a decent formula which is comparable to the OPI polish. I definitely recommend wearing three coats as I still saw minor bald spots after two. Energetic Red does not self-level well so top coat is a must and it does stain a little which is typical for any coral polish. If you are looking for a replacement to the now discontinued SOPI polish or a less expensive version of the OPI one, this SinfulColors is the way to go!

 

*Blackboard – 3 coats, no top coat

SinfulColors Swatch - Blackboard | The Rite of Aging

Blackboard is a demi-matte black. It is not a true black but more of a dark charcoal. The formula is consistent with the other demi-mattes I tried (V.I.Peach, Whiteboard and Hazed). It is streaky at first but builds up nicely after three or four coats. After the polish dries brushstrokes are barely visible and the finish really resembles a blackboard! This is definitely the most interesting polish of the lot.

 

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really like the polishes I tried (with the exception of Hazed and Fig). I especially like the demi-mattes and cremes. The cremes all have great formulas and while the demi-mattes are streaky, they build up nicely. The shimmers are alright if not a little thick and if I had to choose only one polish from this roundup it would most certainly be Whiteboard (which so happens to be a Walgreens exclusive)!

I think there are a good range of polishes for the back to school season. Some hang on to the days of summers while other gladly welcome the fall. Some I would prefer on my toes for the last of the sandal season while others I would definitely save for the fingertips. And, for $1.99 it is definitely worth picking up more than one!

 

I will be feature a few nail art looks with the Class Act collection over the next month so definitely look out for those!

And, don’t forget to check out SinfulColors’ social media pages:

Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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“Do Your Circus Act!” Neon Watermarble Nail Art

02 Sunday Aug 2015

Posted by MonicawithRA in Nail Art

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Born Pretty Store, China Glaze, Nail Art, neon, stars, watermarble

My little girl’s back legs have been hurting for a few weeks because every time she climbs the stairs she whacks her already bad knees. Because of this, she hasn’t done her circus act trick which is one of my favorites.

When I say “do your circus act” Affie stands on her back legs and grabs her pill (or treat) from my hand. She is so freaking cute!

affie circus act

Okay, so she is totally cheating in this photo but look at that little smile!!

 

I was inspired by my dog’s antics and did a neon watermarble! I don’t even remember the last time I did a watermarble…What is my nail art life right now??

 

Circus-Inspired Neon Watermarble Nail Art | The Rite of AgingBase: SinfulColors Snow Me White

Watermarble: China Glaze UV Meant to Be, Daisy Know My Name? and Pop the Trunk (which is not part of the Electric Nights collection)

Studs: Born Pretty Store

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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OMD3 – Floral Freehand Nail Art for #mynailsandmyperfume

31 Friday Jul 2015

Posted by MonicawithRA in Community, Nail Art

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Tags

acrylic paint, blogging community, flowers, freehand, Nail Art, OMD3NAILS, Pahlish

Check the sidebar for link to challenge information.

We’re at the end of the OMD3 challenge! What a month. I am so proud of myself I managed to keep up. There were a couple of days here and there when I fell behind (and yes, one of them was yesterday) but I caught up and finished on time!

 

I am a perfume girl. I wear it every day even inside the house. I love scents. And, according to my friends, I have a signature one. The perfume mixes well with my body chemistry and they smell as one. When I wear other perfumes everyone knows I am wearing a scent but when I wear my signature it’s like I’m not wearing anything. Ah, I have reached perfume wearing perfection!

Now…what is this holy grail perfume??? Prada Infusion d’Iris.

 

Storytime: I actually first smelled this from an magazine insert. I fell in love and bought it without testing it in-store. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen, doesn’t it? Well, it turned out to be the ONE. What a stroke of luck!

 

I decided to push myself for the last day and freehand some flowers. I practiced painting irises but they did not turn out too well so I opted for regular flowers in iris colors. I hope you like it!

 

#OMD3NAILS - Freehand Irises Nail Art | The Rite of Aging

 

#OMD3NAILS - Freehand Irises Nail Art | The Rite of AgingBase: Pahlish Sunless Sea

Details: acrylic paints

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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