Beauty, DIY, Fashion, Marc Jacobs, Nail Art, Nail Art Tutorial, Nail Polish Swatch, Nails, Nails How To

Ultraviolet by Marc Jacobs Nail Polish Swatch

Marc Jacobs 122 Ultraviolet ($18)  nail lacquer is the collection’s violet purple. The color is a super posh purple that is bright when it needs to be and is subtle in indoor lighting.  I truly feel royal in this manicure.

This is the third Marc Jacobs polish I try. After familiarizing myself with the creamy formula, I can’t emphasize enough that steady application, as well as waiting for each coat to completely dry are essential. Especially if you want to get the sleek and high shine finish the bottle promises. The great news is, the polish has a pretty quick dry time.

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I applied a very thin layer for the initial coat. At first swipe the polish gives off more of the red undertone and looks like a shade of magenta.

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After a second coat, the blue hue is prevalent which reflects the color you see on the bottle.

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I’ve tried two other Marc Jacobs nail polishes and this was the first color that needed three coats to get the desired opacity. Keep scrolling down to see the other two Marc Jacobs nail polish swatches.

Here is what a third coat of Ultraviolet looks like.

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The polish has an ultra shine formula that wouldn’t require a top coat. To smooth off the entire design though, I added a thin layer of it.

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This is the third installment of a ten-part series of Marc Jacobs nail lacquer swatches. Stay tuned for more.

What do you think of Ultraviolet? Let me know in the comments below!

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Beauty, DIY, Fashion, Nail Art, Nail Art Tutorial, Nails, Nails How To, Style

Negative Space Chevron Nails Tutorial

You’re four steps away from showy and posh nail art.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig.

Execute this design in a breeze by mapping out the placement of the striping before application.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig.

What do you think of this look? Let me know in the comments below!

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Beauty, DIY, Fashion, Katy Perry, Nail Art, Nail Art Tutorial, Nails, Nails How To, Style

Prismatic Nail Art

Lately, I’ve been relating to Katy Perry’s latest album, Prism. Her power anthems radiate positivity and I am letting the light in.

I celebrated my 24th birthday in November. I definitely wanted to shine. So I figured the occassion called for a prismatic mani.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

I was particularly proud of the execution on both hands. They looked equally solid.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

This manicure definitely got some attention. That day, I out-shined my own candles.

Here is a video of the entire manicure.

What do you think of this look? Let me know in the comments below! 

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Beauty, DIY, Fashion, Marc Jacobs, Nail Art, Nail Art Tutorial, Nail Polish Swatch, Nails, Nails How To, Style

Nirvana by Marc Jacobs Nail Polish Swatch

Marc Jacobs 128 Nirvana ($18) is described as a deep army green. While swatching this polish I found the green hue is more prevalent in the bottle than on the nails. But if you’re into a grunge-goth green with an underlying ebony shade, this is your match.

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Here is one coat of the polish. The formula is very creamy which leaves a bit of a streak. Steady application is a must!

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

The polish has a pretty fast dry time. I recommend waiting for the lacquer to completely dry and harden before applying a second coat. You can already see the high gloss finish the polish guarantees. This is two coats of Nirvana.

marc-jacobs-swatch-nirvana

Instagram, @nailartbysig

Nirvana was a hard color to capture on camera. The green shade shows up in natural light, while the dark undertones of the polish are present in almost all inside light. The polish leaves the nails looking totally plasticized with a high shine. While a top coat isn’t necessary, I used a thin layer to smooth out the entire look.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

What do you think of Nirvana? Let me know in the comments below! 

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Marc Jacobs Lux Nail Polish Swatch

Marc Jacobs 124 Lux ($18) is described as an opaque chartreuse yellow and it is truly as beautiful as the sun. The green undertone in the pigment makes the polish a subtle hue you can wear alone without being flamboyant, a unique quality for a yellow lacquer.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

The polish has a thick formula that calls for steady application in order to get a streak-free result. Here is what one coat of Lux looks like:

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

I definitely recommend for the first coat to completely dry and harden before applying a second one. The polish leaves a very leveled texture which can be hard to smooth out if the previous coat is still wet.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

The polish leaves a shiny finish which doesn’t need a top coat. However, to smooth out the polish, I added a very thin top coat to finish off the entire look.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

Here is a bonus video of the swatch:

What do you think of Lux? Tell me in the comments below! 

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Swatch of the Week: Butter London’s Union Black Jack

Every time I wear this polish, I swear I feel like a total badass. Butter London’s “Union Black Jack” is truly patent leather in a bottle!

After the initial few swipes of polish, I had a qualm about the formula’s opacity. Two coats later, I ended up with a deep ebony shade that I fell in love with. If you’re looking for a rich and dark black nail polish, this is it.

Wearing a completely black manicure, though very edgy, felt a little out of my personality. So naturally, I brought out the glitter.  After adding some sequins to the accent, I was totally rocking a gothic-mermaid look and loved it.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

What do you think of the Butter London beauty? Let me know in the comments below!

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Negative Space French Manicure

Last week, Harper’s Bazaar wrote about the evolution of the French manicure. After reading about the subtle, yet chic, gradual changes the design has gone through, I executed my own edgy and unique take on the look.

My latest obsession with the negative space effect led me to create this nail art.  Innovative or just plain crazy, I’m digging the concept.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

What do you think of this look? Show me your nail art by tagging me on Instagram @nailartbysig

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Sigourney in Latina Magazine, Winner of Latina Style Wars

It started with a comment. Latina Magazine informed me via Instagram on Friday that I had been selected as this week’s Latina Style Wars winner. The contest? Show off fall-inspired manicures. They really digged my negative space digits.

It got better from there. Moments after doing a crazy happy dance around my apartment, I realized the real prize was getting featured by the publication.

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They wrote a little blurb about what they thought of my manicure:

“This week’s winner is nail art enthusiast Sigourney (nailartbysig on Instagram) who flaunted some cutting edge nails. Sigourney chose to play around with the concept of negative space in this design and we love it! It’s a great example of unique and innovative nail art. She picked a fabulous, eye-catching color palette for this design. We’re thinking about trying to replicate this look ourselves!” 

If you too are digging this design, scroll down a little further and find out just how easy it is to execute this edgy negative space manicure.

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Dia De Los Muertos Manicure

!Feliz día de los muertos! Happy day of the dead! How are you celebrating life today?

In honor of the holiday and remembering those who we’ve lost, I’ve created this manicure.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig.

Here is a time lapse vide of the making of this design. Find more footage on my Vine.

What do you think of the look? Show me your nail art by tagging me on Instagram @nailartbysig

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Negative Space Nail Art

Intricate negative space manicures are in this holiday season. Inspiration for the designs can be found in fashionable cutouts and sheer panels from skin-baring ensembles right off the runway.

From Nail It! Magazine’s interview with nail artist, Naomi Yasuda, to Teen Vogue’s nail art tutorial by nail guru, Madeline Poole, it’s clear that the look is here to stay. But blending bare nails with colorful designs requires a little bit more patience than your typical nail art.

To kick off my adventure into a season of negative space manicures, I started with something simple. To quote Eden Univer, “You’re four lines away from too-cool nail art.”

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

What do you think of this look? Show me your negative space mani by tagging me on Instagram @nailartbysig!

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