Tag Archives: Nail Art

St. Patty’s Day Green Waterfall | Nail Art

21 Monday Mar 2016

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Tools provided for review. All opinions are my own.

I am surprised I didn’t hop on the St. Patty’s green bandwagon this year. I own more green nail polishes than any other color but I felt like I had used them all too many times. Surprisingly, there are very few (if any) green polishes I never use!

However, I knew I had to dress up my digits for the “holiday” so I went with something simple and RA-friendly: a waterfall manicure.

For this look, I used some new Born Pretty Store nail art brushes. The one I bought from Sally’s Beauty frayed recently and I wanted smaller strokes than my other brushes could give. This trio of brushes is nice and I can sometimes get a rather thin line but each was a little thicker than I originally anticipated. They are cute, easy to control and sturdy so I really have nothing bad to say about them!

brushes

I hope you like the two looks I created!

 

greenwaterfallBase: American Apparel Parakeet, Deborah Lippmann Mermaid’s Dream

Waterfall: Zoya Yara, Giovanna, Goldie, Cult Nails Deal with It

Brushes: Pink handle nail art brushes ($4.60/3pcs set)

 

bluegradientI’ve also included another look I created with the brushes when I first recieved them last week! I hope you like this one too!

Base/Gradient: Milani Power Periwinkle, China Glaze UV Meant to Be

Details: Pipe Dream Polish Sonic Transducer, Serum No. 5 Sleepy Holo, SinfulColors Secret Admirer

Brushes: Pink handle nail art brushes ($4.60/3pcs set)

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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Red and Metallics Watermarble | Nail Art

08 Tuesday Mar 2016

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Hello everyone!

 

My latest infusion kicked in and I feel less tired than usual which means more nail art!

I recently got my paws on Pipe Dream Polish’s elusive “Clearwater” polish. This is a clear polish exclusive for water-marbling so you can still see a base color through a watermarble design!

Now all I want to do is watermarble! Unfortunately, it has been so long since I did a true marble I am more than a little rusty. That’s okay, I practiced a little and am getting back into the swing of things.

 

watermarble3Amy from the Instagram account McPolish is hosting a 31-week version of the September 31-Day Challenge. Instead of tackling daily prompts we are attempting one prompt a week. This challenge will take us well into this years #31DC2016 so I may cut out early or maybe I will overachieve and do both! ….Too bad I can’t predict or gauge how I will feel that far into the future…

#31DC2016weekly (the tag on social media accounts) started last Saturday but for the life of me I could not think of anything to do. I tried a red dotticure which looked nothing short of hideous. I attempted a skittle which fit less than five separate jigsaw puzzles. I took a step back and picked one red to base an entire look and I fell short. I realized early on that red is an uninspiring color for me! I’ve never liked how true reds look against my skin tone so in general I steer clear of the color.

 

watermarble2_edited-1I settled on a watermarble because well, why not and I am so pleased with the final result! I practiced creating the marble a few times because the gold and red (from separate brands) did nor want to play together and refused to spread properly. Eventually, I managed a few bullseyes I could get on board with. I hope you like it!

 

watermarble1Base: OPI “I Drive A SuperNova”

Marble: Pipe Dream Polish “Clearwater”, OPI “Ro-Man-ce on the Moon”, Zoya “Goldie”

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Chocolate Drizzle Nails | Nail Art + Tutorial

15 Monday Feb 2016

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Nothing to disclose.

Why does Valentine’s Day exist? Shouldn’t we show our love year-round? I do have to admit, I enjoy the discounted chocolates on February 15th.

I have a soft spot for truffles and chocolate-covered strawberries (hint hint, nudge nudge) so what better way to show that than with a fun white chocolate drizzle nail art?

Before you scroll down and see my latest sugar-spin don’t forget to…

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IMG_0754Base: Zoya Louise

Sugar-Spin: OPI So Many Clowns…So Little Time

 

Unlike most people, I like the thicker strands but they can be tricky to get right. If you’re interested in how I do this sugar-spin nail art, check out my tutorial below!

 

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Like what you see? Please consider supporting my content by donating through PayPal!

Summer Vibes Neon Gradient | #nailart #easynails

09 Tuesday Feb 2016

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Some affiliate links.*

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Eeek! I finally succeeded in photographing neon nail polish! My skin tone came out a bit wonky but you can’t win it all with these pesky neon colors. I am really very happy with the polish capture, though.

Initially, I wanted to stamp a design on top but this neon gradient just looked so lovely on its own. I finally left well enough alone and I was thrilled. I wore this easy gradient nail art for almost four days with minimal chipping.

Gradients are generally an easy, arthritis-friendly, and pain-friendly nail art technique because there is no perfect way of doing it. That being said, neons are finicky and require a little more time and effort but it is so worth it!

If you are interested in the process I have linked a great tutorial from Ane Li below!

 

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2-IMG_0518Base: SinfulColors Whiteboard (no longer available)

Alternative polish: SinfulColors Snow Me White*

Gradient (cuticle to tip): Zoya Pippa, Color Club Wham! Pow!, Warhol

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Like what you see? Please consider supporting my content by donating through PayPal or Venmo: @Monica-Sengupta!

Transparent Liquid Container with Pump | Born Pretty Store In-Depth Review

07 Sunday Feb 2016

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Items provided for review.

I came across this cute pump container on the Born Pretty Store website one day and was keen to try it for my nail polish remover. Currently, I pour it into a little bowl but the liquid quickly evaporates and I waste a lot of expensive product (hello! Zoya Remover Plus). This bottle looked like it would solve my dilemma and keep a good amount of liquid for easy access without having to constantly refill it!

 

2-fullbottle_edited-1There are no size specifications on the website but I assume it holds at least two fluid ounces.  The flip lid securely fits over the push-down pump inside so even if the container falls, liquid does not spill. The one feature I appreciate the most is the straw attached to the pump. It reaches the bottom of the bottle so I do not waste product! The entire top screws on and off easily at refill time.

 

1-zoyabottle_edited-1A full pump releases enough liquid to saturate a cotton swap while four or five pumps wet a cotton ball. It is definitely quicker to soak the cotton ball directly from the remover bottle.

 

4-cottonbottle_edited-1

3-foodcoloring_edited-1This container costs $3.00 which makes it a steal. I sometimes notice cheap imitations come with broken springs and unmovable pumps. Even though this pump is a little stiff it is not unusable. I easily use it one-handed which is great while I paint my nails. It is also a lot more convinient to move than my 25 ounce bottle of remover.

Any liquid works so it is not exclusive to nail polish/art. I switch out the nail polish remover with rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or water to fit my needs.

 

You can check out the item here and don’t forget to use my 10% off code if you place an order!

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Shimmer and Shine Double Stamping | Nail Art

06 Saturday Feb 2016

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I never got the hang of double stamping. The images never came out quite right. I cannonballed right in without thinking, tried two different patterns and never nailed the landing.

Today, I took a step back and tried something simpler. It took a little practice but I finally decided on the best look. I used the same pattern but simply positioned the second stamp higher than the first. And, while this is nothing special I think it is a huge accomplishment for me!

I hope you like it!

Metallic Double Stamping Nail Art | The Rite of AgingBase: Pahlish La Royale

Stamping: Pueen Cosmetics plate PUEEN45 (Love Elements collection), Zoya Goldie, Severine

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

Orencia – Month Seven | Rheumatoid Arthritis & Nail Art

01 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by in Nail Art, Rheumatoid Arthritis

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I have been on Orencia Abatacept for seven months. This is around the time we see the effects plateau. I took Orencia three times previously, both in subcutaneous and interveneous forms and each time I saw a dip in its effectiveness.

Orencia always works better than the other biologic medications. I feel less fatigued, painful and swollen. I also do not have any reactions to it which is a huge bonus.

And, even though this medication works best, the effects only last a couple of weeks. When I feel well, I wake up early and only need a short nap during the day but as the Orencia wears off I sleep later in the mornings and pass out for hours at a time during the afternoons. Sleeping is the best. I love napping but if I look back on the past five years I realize I spent more than half of it not awake! That’s a lot of time wasted…

When I go in for my infusion I am down for the count for a couple of days. I am not necessarily lethargic or painful, just a little out of it. Once the following week rolls around I snap back to attention, I have a bounce in my step and I feel “better”.

As the Orencia builds up in my system I do not think I will feel “better” immediately after each infusion but I shouldn’t feel worse. I still crave sleep and feel a noticeable dip in energy toward 3 or 4 pm. I am not sure if this is normal for seven months into this medication.

I sometimes feel like climbing after work but more often than not I just feel tired. The farther I have to drive (for work) the less likely I can do anything afterwards. I am usually too exhausted to even do my nails!

 

Regardless of my grievances, I prefer Orencia more than the other biologics but I wish it worked even better. But, I guess, beggars can’t be choosers!

Below, is the nail art I made for this month’s Orencia post. I hope you like it!

1-orenciadotsBase: Milani Power Periwinkle (old formula)

Dots: Zoya Crystal (un-matte), China Glaze UV Meant to Be, Pop Beauty Pacific Hoot, Glitter Gal Australia Bluemerang, Milani Blue Print (new formula)

Matte Top Coat: Essie Matte About You

 

Hi, my name is Monica and I have RA.

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