Day 10 - Gradient Nails

Hello everyone! :)

  I'm finally back from my challenge time out, actually a bit earlier from what I've expected. As I have no need to wear my University suit again, I can paint my nails as I want now! Ain't that great? And we are back to the challenge! Well, my last post about this challenge was Day 9 - Rainbow Nails, and today's post is all about gradient, my DAY 10 - GRADIENT NAILS! I could've made some simple gradient nails, but you already know me, I like to complicate things. So these gradient nails are inspired by the end of the summer, and a beautiful sunset. They're like a "GOODBYE SUMMER" nails, unfortunately. 

  I've already explained how to make gradient nails on previous post: Gradient Nails. So in this tutorial I won't be explaining how I've made the gradient.

  To make this design you will need:

a) Base coat;

b) Yellow nail polish;

c) Orange Nail polish;

d) Dark pink/Red nail polish;

e) Blue nail polish;

f) Black nail polish;

g) Makeup sponge;

h) Striping brush/Tiny brush for details.

  All you must do is: 

1) Take a good care of your nails and cuticles and apply a base coat. Paint your nails one coat of white nail polish, to make your base color for your gradient.

2) Cover your skin and cuticles with scotch tape so it'll be easier to clean your skin after you've made the gradient.

3) Make a cute gradient using yellow, orange, red and blue nail polish, using the colors on this order (Again, here's the Gradient Nails tutorial).

4) After removing the scotch tape, clean out your skin and cuticles. Now, with a striping brush or a tiny brush for details, draw a banana shape on your nail.

5) To make the dolphin you just need to add some details like a nose, a flipper, a dorsal fin and the flukes. After it all dried, apply a top coat to protect your design. On my thumb nail, I've made a little island with a palm tree, but as they're even easier to make than the dolphin, I decided that there was no need to make a tutorial.

  Super easy, and super cute. Thanks for watching!

  Kisses, 

  Patrícia :)

Daily tip - Why do my nails turn YELLOW?

Hello everyone! :)

  I just can't avoid it, it's a must for me to upload some stuff to my blog, and I bet you appreciate it as well. Well, even though I can't paint my nails, I've decided to update you with some information that I consider to be useful for those who keep coloring nails. On my previous post (Challenge Updates), I've told you that I wasn't liking the looks of my nails, and that they need a time to breathe and get healthier. Well, that has an explanation that most of people doesn't know. And I'll explain it to you right now. So:

Why do my nails turn YELLOW?

  First of all, you must know what are your nails made of... Your nails are planes of hard, tightly packed epidermis cells, the same cells that make up your skin. That's right, these particular cells of your nails are considered dead, and they're filled with a protein called keratin. Only three-fourths of your nail bed (the part where your skin is still attached) is actually exposed above your skin. And it takes about six months for a nail to grow completely, and men's nails grow faster than women's nails.

  All right, so, like skin, nails need exposure to oxygen to stay healthy. The keratin in nails also allows the water to pass through your nails. And when your nails present irregular ridges, peeling, breaking and discoloration, for no reason, it could be a sign of possible health issues. But, in many cases, yellow nails are just a result of staining due to contact with certain chemicals, such as acetone, nail polish and nail polish remover, or even due to smoking. 

  That's why it's necessary to give your nails a polish-free week, every once in a while, and it's extremely important to use a protective base coat. 

  But then you ask yourselves: 

I already have my nails yellow, what can I do? 

  Most of dermatologists say that to eliminate yellow stains, you must lightly buff your natural nails and soak them in lemon juice for about five to ten minutes. Soaking must be done every single day, when you're having your polish-free week. But... Why lemon juice? Lemons have some oxidative properties that are able to remove deeply ingrained impurities and discoloration from nails. It will also strengthen your nails. It is also important to keep your nails and cuticles hydrated.

  And this is what I do every day.

  I hope this was helpful to you. Thanks.

  Kisses,

  Patrícia :)

Challenge Updates

Hello everyone! :)

  I'm here to talk with you about my challenge situation. I'm not happy to announce that until the end of the month I won't be able to come here and post my nails, nor even paint my nails. And it's all due to a reason: I'm starting my University times again and until the end of the month I'll have to use my University suit. I don't know if where you are from have this custom, but here in Portugal we do it a lot! Well, having to use my University suit forbids me of walking around with my nails colored, it's against the rules. So... We all have to wait until the end of the month to begin again my challenge.

  I'm sad to give you these news, but I really can't avoid it, and believe me I would if I could. I will also use this break time from my challenge to "clean" my nails and to let them breathe, 'cause I think it's not healthy to my nails having them in contact with acetone, or nail polish remover, every single day. 

  P.S.: If you have no idea what a portuguese University suit looks like, take a look! 

  

  I have to wear something looked like the left one, and boys wear one like the right one. It's a really amazing thing, 'cause when we dress our university suits we all look the same, there's no racism, no discrimination, anything. It's an incredible feeling. 

  

  Once again, I'm extremely sorry about this issue. Thanks everyone, I love you.

  Kisses, 

  Patrícia. :)

  

Day 9 - Rainbow Nails

Hello everyone! :)

  First of all, I'm extremely sorry that I couldn't make this post earlier today, but this is the only time I've got to come here. Well, today is Day 9 - Rainbow Nails! I've already made a design inspired by rainbows (Rainbow Nails), so I thought I could make something really different and cool today. So, I've made a fully hand-made gradient rainbow nails. Check it out below:

  Usually, I make gradient nail using a makeup sponge, but, as this rainbow effect is so detailed, I decided to make it only with brushes. And in the end, it was not hard at all. 

  All you need is:

a) Base coat;

b) Rainbows colors nail polishes (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple);

c) Top coat;

d) Striping brush;

e) Something where you can mix up your color without making a mess, like a plastic plate.

  And everything you need to do is: 

1) Take a good care of your nails, and apply a base coat to protect your natural nail. I haven't used a base color before painting these colors, because I had no need to that. Paint a single stripe of each rainbow color, I've used a light green and a light blue to help me mixing up my colors.

2) After letting it all dry, you'll:

  1 - Mix up your red and your orange and paint it between the red and the orange stripes;

  2 - Mix up your orange and your yellow and paint it between the orange and the yellow stripes;

  3 - Mix up your yellow and green (light green in my case) and paint it between the yellow and the green stripes;

  4 - Mix up your green and your blue (light blue in my case) and paint it between the green and the blue stripes;

  5 - Mix up your blue and purple and paint it between the blue and the purple stripes. 

Make it look like a great gradient effect. After drying, apply top coat. 

  It's not hard at all, all you need to do is to mix up some polishes and that's it. Thanks everyone.

  Kisses, 

  Patrícia :)

Day 8 - Metallic Nails

Hello everyone! :)

  As I promised here I am, a couple of days later from my last post, posting you my DAY 8 - METALLIC NAILS! Well, there ain't much things to do about metallic nails. The first thing I've made was a very complicated snake scales nails, and I didn't enjoyed them 'cause they didn't resemble to something metallic, only the base nail polish that I've used. So perhaps I will be using that design, later on, for my "Day 13 - Animal Print Nails". So, the only thing I've done for these nails was to paint them with a "Mirror Effect" nail polish. They have no designs at all, so I had no need to make a tutorial for you. 

  Here's how they look like: 

  It's a really beautiful metallic green, actually one my recent purchases. I've bought that nail polish to try it out and decide if I loved it or not... And I really fell in love with this green and with this shiny effect. Perfect for my skin tone and for summer. I wouldn't recommend using on Winter, but... You do what you want. I'll probably be using this nail polish as a base color of my "Day 13 - Animal Print Nails", because it really resembles me of a green snake scales. Amazing, right? 

  Thanks everyone!

  Kisses,

  Patrícia :)

Day 7 - Black and White Nails

Hello everyone! :)

 Well, as you can tell it's impossible for me to come here everyday, so I've decided that's I'll be posting my nails once each couple of days... So, today's challenge is: DAY 7 - Black and White Nails! And I've loved doing them. Black and white are the colors that have so much to draw about... So many choices, so many design that you can choose, it's amazing. Well, for these nails I've inspired myself in a checkers board, but still, I wanted to make my nails look like a bit different from checkers... This is how they look like: 

  Why not a black and white gradient similar to a checkers pattern? Awesome right?

  To do these nails you will need:

a) Base coat;

b) White nail polish and/or acrylic paint;

c) Black nail polish or acrylic paint;

d) Top coat;

e) Makeup sponge;

f) Striping brush.

  And all you need to do is:

1) Take care of your nail and apply a base coat. Paint your nail with white, as your base color.

2) With your makeup sponge, make a white to black gradient on your nail. Start with painting the bottom half of your nail black, and then the top half white. For these nails I've used acrylic paint 'cause it's easier to work with. But, if you don't want to use acrylic paint, you can add a few drops of nail polish remover or acetone to your nail polish, and it will also become a little thinner.

3) After removing all the polish around your cuticles, get your striping brush and make a few vertical stripes, all evenly spaced.

4) Now, make some horizontal stripes to make some small squares. Apply a top coat to seal your design.

  Impossible to be easier. Thanks everyone! 

  Kisses, 

  Patrícia :)

Day 6 - Violet Nails

Hello everyone! :)

  Yesterday I had no time at all neither to come to my computer, neither to make my Day 6 - Violet Nails... So today, is Day 6 - Violet Nails from our challenge! If you don't remember each day category, check it out on my previous post "I'm BACK!", from August 24th. 

  Well, these nails have nothing compared to what I've made before, it's actually the first time I use this technic, and I'm not really sure if I love it or if I don't. It's all up to you. I've inspired myself in the olympics games symbol, making circles all around my nails, with some different colors. Here's how my Day 6 - Violet Nails look like:

  To make these nails you will need:

a) Base coat;

b) White nail polish;

c) Violet nail polish;

d) Purple nail polish;

e) Pink nail polish;

f) Top coat;

g) 1 straw and a scissor.

  About the straw: 

  You will need to cut three little pieces of your straw, using a scissor. Then, put some nail polish on your paper or anything like it, dip in a side of your little straw piece and then, very gently, apply it on your nail. 

  After cutting all the little pieces, you will need to do: 

1) Take care of your nail and apply a base coat. Paint your nail with two coats of white.

2) After letting your white polish completly dry, you will dip in one piece of your straw on your violet nail polish, and make a few circles on your nail.

3) With another straw piece, dip it in on your purple nail polish, and again, make a few circles.

4) Again, dip in a piece of your straw on your pink polish and make a few more circles. After it all dryed out, apply your top coat. 

  Extremly easy to do. But far from being my favorites. 

  Kisses, 

  Patrícia :)