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

Essie’s Steel the Way Nail Appliques Review

Essie’s “Steel the Way” sleek stick nail appliques ($10.25) come in a textured chrome honeycomb design meant to mimic a glam nail art look without picking up a brush. While the packaging says the manicure will last up to 10 days, mine came off while I was eating pizza.

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The packet comes with a sheet of 18 stickers (ranging in size), a nail file, a plastic application tool and easy-to-follow instructions.

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No base coat or top coat was recommended, so upon execution simply use your index finger and thumb to apply the suitable fitting nail sticker and even out any bubbles with the application tool.

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Once perfectly placed, fold over the leftover sticker and file it off in a downward motion to get the right fit.

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After completing the manicure I was extremely pleased with the beautiful design. The instructions did not recommend a top coat, so I left it as it.

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About six hours after applying the nail appliques, I found myself grubbing on some pizza and noticed the extra sauce caused the sticker to lift up. By the time I was done eating, I lost a nail. That was no fun. My one recommendation: don’t skip the top coat if you want these beauties to last.

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What do you think of nail stickers? Let me know in the comments below. 

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6 Christmas Nail Art Ideas

Happy Holidays! Tis the season to show off your nail art skills with a manicure even Mrs. Claus would wear.

Here are 6 Christmas manicure ideas:

1. A simple chevron french for the busy Christmas shopper.

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2. Edgy glitter nails for the mani maven on the naughty list.

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3.  A little something to unwrap.

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4. Kisses under the mistletoe to share your love for the season.

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5. Snowflake nails for a white Christmas.

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6. A holly jolly manicure to show your holiday spirit.

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What do you think of these manicures? Let me know in the comments below. 

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Marc Jacobs Evelyn Nail Polish Swatch

Marc Jacobs 144 Evelyn ($18) is the collection’s opaque smoky gray and it is a beautiful combination of black and white.

Every nail polish collection needs a perfect gray hue for a good tone. Evelyn is just that polish for me.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

After the initial coat there were barely any streaks. The creamy formula makes for easy application.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

The nail polish has a pretty quick dry time. By the second coat, I reached a desired opacity.

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Instgram, @nailartbysig

To smooth off the entire look, I added a very thin layer of top coat. The glossy finish is undeniable.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

This is the sixth installment of a ten-part series of Marc Jacobs nail lacquer swatches. Keep scrolling down for the rest and stay tuned for more.

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

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Spotted Christmas Nail Art

While decorating my home for the holidays, I came across this nifty ornament.

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I was intrigued by the unconventional pattern on it and I created a manicure inspired by it.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

Check out this time lapse Vine video I did while executing a design I called, “How Dalmatians Celebrate Christmas.”

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

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Blue Velvet by Marc Jacobs Nail Polish Swatch

Marc Jacobs 132 Blue Velvet ($18) is the collection’s iridescent deep ocean blue.

While wearing this color, I received compliments on the shine of this alluring and rich blue polish. Blue Velvet is particularly stunning in direct sunlight.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

Blue Velvet is very opaque and definitely delivers the high-shine formula it promises. This is what one coat of the polish looks like.

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

When I did some clean up around my nails after an application of a thin second coat, I noticed some staining on my skin and cuticles. I’m worried it might be an issue once I completely remove the manicure. Heed my warning, base coat is not optional!

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

To smooth off the entire look, I applied a very thin layer of top coat. Are you in love with this color yet?

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Instagram, @nailartbysig

This is the fifth installment of a ten-part series of Marc Jacobs nail lacquer swatches. Keep scrolling down for the rest and stay tuned for more.

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

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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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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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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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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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