Author Archives: MonicawithRA

December Favorites

07 Wednesday Jan 2015

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Today I decided to take a break from the 31 day challenge and hard reboot my nails. This meant soak them in an oil concoction, shape my cuticles, moisturize, cut, file and shape them. I will double up on prompts some time by the weekend.

I still wanted to post today when I realized I had not yet done my December showcase! So, I picked a handful of manicures and got to work. Check out my Pinterest page (here) for my other favorites!

 

dec.favoritesRoselynn created this manicure for the Challenge Your Nail Art December series. I love everything about this manicure. The lights pop against the white base and the shading makes the bulbs glow. It is a cute holiday manicure.

 

dec.favesLet’s talk about how ridiculous this manicure is. Ali created sweaters for her nails; she actually made sweaters. She stamped sweater designs over flocking powder and embellished with rhinestones. This blows my mind because A) the flocking powder doesn’t look messy and B) the stamping is so crisp! I can’t even. Just wow.

 

dec.favesSammy’s short nail manicures are so accessible to me because I prefer to keep my own nails short. I have a soft spot for snowflakes, purple and simple festive designs. Sammy always reminds me simple can be even more gorgeous than busy designs.

 

383282ef484de5a49c50a9f384f28e57Gemma always stamps perfectly. It is no surprise I was blown away by her gradient stamping. The colors are so icy and the base color finishes the whole look. I was super jealous of this manicure because I had tried my first gradient stamp and while the stamping came out crisp the color came out marbled and muddy!

 

dec.faves

Sorry for the super large picture but it was hard to see any smaller!

 

I have been on a makeup slump the last few months. I did not try new makeup nor wear different looks. I was in a rut until I received an email from Sephora allowing VIBs early access to the new Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar palette. This email came at an opportune time when I realized the eyeshadows in the original palette leaned cooler purple and were unflattering on me in the paler winter months. Generally, at any time of the year, I opt for warmer more bronze-gold shades and this new semisweet palette offers them. The eyeshadows do not smell as chocolatey as the first ones do but otherwise the shadows blend well, there is not a lot of fallout, and there is a good mix of matte and glitter-y shadows.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

31DC2015 – Day 6: Half & Half

06 Tuesday Jan 2015

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I had a couple of ideas for today’s prompts but ended up going with something simple. Unfortunately, the gradient did not end up completely half and half…but the sentiment is still there.

I am so sorry for the state of my nails/hands. I didn’t a) realize how dry my skin was (even with application of lotion before starting the nail art) and b) how awful my nail shape was. I realize now it has been weeks since I last worked on my cuticles or shaped my nails properly. I need to get on my A-game for this as I am now on Biotin and my nails are legit growing like mad.

I tried to change my hand position for the photos but you can still see the fanning at the tips.

I hope you like the gradient though!

 

Half & Half Gradient | The Rite of AgingI started with 2 coats of Sinful Colors Snow Me White.

I used a makeup sponge, Milani Spotlight White and Wet n Wild Black Creme for the gradient.

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

Check out the other manicures below!

31DC2015 – Day 5: Dotting Tools

06 Tuesday Jan 2015

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I made this on Sunday because I planned on rock-climbing Monday night after work. Of course, I forgot to post it until today. Whoops. I think it still counts I stayed on track! Just forgot about the whole blog thing, is all!

I go through phases with dotting. Sometimes, it is all I want to do, other times, I could not care less about it. Unfortunately, I am going through the latter. Although, I figured this was the best time to use those textured polishes collecting dust on my shelf.

What do you think? Does this look work? I am kind of luke-warm to it.

 

Textured Dotting | The Rite of AgingI started with 3 coats of Emily de Molly Candy Coated. This polish applies like a dream. It self-levels, great opacity. Awesome polish.

I dotted with Julie G Gumdrops Gift of Gold, Sally Hansen Sugar Shimmer Taffy Tart, and Essie On a Silver Platter.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

Don’t forget to check out the other manicures below!

31DC2015 – Day 4: Happiness

04 Sunday Jan 2015

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What makes me happier than wearing neon nails? Not a whole lot. What’s more fun than splatter-painting? Not a whole lot.  I knew immediately I would gather my neon nail polishes and come up with an RA-friendly look for today’s prompt.

Apologies on my skin tone in this picture. The neons spooked my camera!

I hope you like this look as much as I do!

 

Happy Neon Splatter | The Rite of AgingI started with 2 coats of American Apparel Neon Yellow as my base.

I splattered with China Glaze Sun Worshipper, In the Limelight and Color Club Wham! Pow!

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

Don’t forget to check out the other happy manicures below! Seriously, they are some of the cutest looks I’ve ever seen!

31DC2015 – Day 3: Water Spotting

03 Saturday Jan 2015

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While I love to water-marble, I have not attempted water-spotting too often. This is mostly due to not having the right materials. I used an old (probably like 3 years old) hairspray which, not surprisingly, did not work, I tried old perfume samples and got a massive headache, I even tried acetone which was way to strong. I heard rubbing alcohol works as well but had yet to try it.

I finally went and purchased another cheap generic hairspray from the drugstore and attempted the water-spot technique. Instead of breaking apart the polish the hairspray shrunk it into the center! Not exactly what I was going for, right? Time to clean up. I blew on the surface so the polish dried faster and instead the extra air pushed it apart! Too cool! I guess the hairspray had to be forced down to the surface of the water to work properly.

I hope you like it! I am kind of digging it myself!

 

Waterspotting | The Rite of AgingI started with 2 coats of Zoya Dream as my base.

I water-spotted with hairspray, Anise Make Waves and Emily de Molly Candy Coated.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

Don’t forget to check out the other manicures below!

31DC2015 – Day 2: Tape Manicure

02 Friday Jan 2015

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I bought a 12-pack of striping tapes, from Amazon.com, for something like 5 dollars…maybe even less. They are not the best quality…but they work well enough for the typical tape manicure. Honestly, this is not my favorite technique. The tape is thin and small, cutting the pieces and applying them are tedious and very difficult for RA-ridden fingers.

This aside, if I do a nice base, I do like how it looks (it reminds me of the SkratchArt I did as a kid)…

I just had an “A-HA!” moment. The harsh lines! I don’t like the harsh lines. I prefer the abstract, fuzzy, undefined looks better than the straight, sharp, highlight every mistake looks. Of course, this is my personal preference. Maybe if I practiced the technique more I would like it better. Maybe not, after all, it would still be hard for my fingers to “grasp”. Teehee, see what I did there?

Anyways, I hope you like my creation. I just played around with different angles and I love how the ring finger turned out; not to mention, the cleanest.

Day 2: Tape Manicure | The Rite of Aging

I “water-marbled” my base with Barry M Key Lime, Cancun and Milani Power Periwinkle.

I applied the striping tape to two fingers at a time and applied a thick coat of Milani Black Swift before peeling off the strands. Does anyone else have trouble remembering in what order they appled the tapes??

I finished with a generous coat of Seche Vite.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

Don’t forget to check out the other Day Two manicures below!

31DC2015 (The Crumpet’s Nail Tarts) Day 1: Follow a Tutorial

01 Thursday Jan 2015

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I am such a sucker for 31-day challenges. I do not know what it is but I cannot resist them! Debbie from The Crumpet is guiding her Nail Tarts through a beginning of the new year monthly challenge and I definitely wanted to hop in. I cannot make any promises about finishing this one on time but I will certainly try!

Fittingly, on Day One, we must follow a tutorial. I choose to follow the Nailasaurus’ Nimbus technique. I often use this technique as it is very RA-friendly. The technique itself does not require a lot of precision and the final look can be as defined or abstract as I want. The first time I did the nimbus technique I used a different tutorial (I now do not remember which) and since then I have always had trouble with the Q-tips coming apart after every two or three dabs.

After following Sammy’s steps I no longer have this problem. Sammy’s technique works nicely, and I have to say, I really love my design.

I hope you like it too!

 

Day 1: Follow a Tutorial | The Rite of Aging I started with 2 coats of Sinful Colors Snow Me White as my base.

I “nimbus-ed” starting with Julie G Peep Toe Pumps, Barry M Gelly Grapefruit, Milani Fast Fuchsia, and Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Petal Pusher.

I sealed the design with Seche Vite top coat.

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

 

Check out the other nails below!