HD Brows - tried and tested

Hi guys

As all my posts have been nail art recently I thought it was time I mixed it up a bit and told you about one of my latest beauty experiences - the world of HD Brows!

I have had this treatment done 3 times now and boy oh boy am I pleased that I discovered these.

If you are not aware of this eyebrow treatment, it is a new phase that all the celebs are going for which includes 7 steps to get the perfect eyebrows!

Click here to watch the YouTube video explaining the 7 steps to HD Brows

The 7 steps to HD Brows are as follows:-

• Shape / Design
• Tinting
• Waxing
• Trimming
• Threading
• Tweezing
• Finish & application of HD pallette

It is advisable that you leave your eyebrows alone for at least 2 weeks prior to having the treatment in order to benefit as much as possible from the HD Brow process.  That means no plucking, no waxing, no nothing! I would say if you can leave it closer to a month, you are going to see the shape and style appear even stronger.

I had mine done the first time having left them for 2 weeks to grow out and although a different shape was definiately there, when I returned a few months later having only really plucked the low strays and left the main body alone, that time the treatment was A LOT more successful and very obvious, there were great!

All in all I would definitely recommend this treatment to anyone, even if only as a one off to re-style your eyebrows into a shape that suits the shape of your face or to help you grow out over plucked brows.  They use a product called Grow Baby Grow to help speed up growth in over plucked areas - awesome!

Let me know if you have tried HD Brows or are thinking of doing so?

Thanks for reading.

Robin Sparkles :0)

Water Marbling Nail Art - practice makes perfect!

Nail Art Water Marbling

Hey girlies

 

On Saturday I spent half the afternoon water marbling my nails and I must say I am pleased that I did. Well, to be fair I spent longer on the clean up than I did on the marbling as I chose to do a couple of nails at a time without using tape or vaseline! As she said in Pretty Woman "big mistake, huge!" I shall never be lazy and not tape up my nails first again.

 

The only problem I had was getting water bubble marks on them which you can see in the photos, other than that it worked a dream. I used all Barry M nail polishes and I boiled some water and allowed it to cool to room temperature to make up for not using filtered water.

 

I would love to know what you think, I must say I am very pleased with them myself :-)

 

 

Robin Sparkles :0)

31 Day Challenge - Day 6 Violet Nails

Hey guys

Here is my entry for day 6 of the 31 day challenge for which the topic was violet nails.

I started off with a light pink to dark purple gradient and then used W7 Black to stamp Bundle Monster plate BM-320 over the top.

As my nails are quite small the effect of the stamp was kinda lost which is a shame but I was very very happy with the effect of the gradient underneath.

I hope you love them and thanks for reading.

Robin Sparkles

Pink & Purple Spotty Dotty's

Hey girlies

Here is a manicure that I did purely for fun, no challenge, no reason, just saw this plate and thought I would have a go!

I used my 2012 set of Bundle Monster nail stamping plates, the plate number was BM-322.

Anyway, here is what I created :0)



Unfortunately, I look back on it and wish that I had left the dots off of the stamped fingers, I am not really feeling that it works but hey ho, I am still fairly new to this stamping malarkey and learning all the time.

Robin Sparkles

How to: Blue leopard animal print nail art

Hey guys

This is how I did my blue leopard animal print nails the other day. I used:

Barry M blue nail polish
Barry M gold foil effects nail polish
W7 black nail polish
Dotting tool / end of a kirby grip

I started off by painting my nails all over with the blue Barry M base colour.

I then took the gold polish and using the brush of the nail polish dabbed a few dots onto each nail. The key is to keep these random and NOT tidy (leopard spots are not perfect circles).

Then take your dotting tool or end of a kirby grip (works just as well) starting dotting black around the gold spots. Again, keep this random and messy and dont make it the whole way round the spot, have unregulated spaces inbetween. I also did a couple of small black dots without the gold to add to the effect.

I hope this helps and feel free to post links to your leopard print nail art designs below so I can check them out?

Robin Sparkles

31 Day Challenge - Day 5 Blue Nails - Leopard Animal Print Nail Art

Hey girlies

Tonight has been a busy night on the nail art front, 3 manicures later and I am finally happy with the outcome enough to post it. I started off trying a no water marble technique, failed! I then tried the monarch butterfly technique as demonstrated my the brilliant cutepolish on YouTube, failed!

As you can imagine I was starting to lose hope when I suddenly thought I know! Ill have my first attempt at leopard animal print nail art...and heres how it turned out!

Let me know what you think in the comments section below :-)

Robin Sparkles

 

Pink Ombre Gradient

Hey girlies

I would like to show you my latest attempt at ombre gradient nails.  For this I used a light pink, dark pink & red nail polish.  I applied these to a make-up sponge and dabbed onto my nails.

I do feel like I must say that the photos do not do this mani justice, I thought in real life these looked absolutely fabulous and the blend was a really good one!

I hope you like them anyway, let me know what you think :0)

Robin Sparkles

31 Day Challenge - Day 4 Green Nails - Tiffany & Co inspired

Hey guys

Here is my post for day 4 of the 31 day challenge, the task was to create green nails.

I did 2 coats of a Barry M green polish that I have (when I am back home I shall try to remember to add the colour shade) then applied a coat of Rimmel Matte finish to make a similar effect to the box. I then used my new striping brush I did the lines for the ribbon.  I also thought that the matte of the green against the shine of the white would make it look more like a silky ribbon.

I then took my new Konad white pearl special stamping polish and tried to add stamps of bows, however this was a complete fail (as you can see in the photos).  Did I do wrong getting white pearl rather than just the white?  Has anyone else used Konad white pearl and offer any advice or guidance?

Anywho, this is what I ended up with.  To be honest it was going so bad I kinda gave up on it and thought I better just take pictures to show.

Robin Sparkles

Vintage Victorian Rose Flower Nail Art

Hey guys

I tried a new technique last night that I have watched be done on YouTube, this is the video that I used as my guidance... YouTube Video Vintage Flowers There are a lot of videos that require paint or a brush, I used used some good ole' nail polish and my thinest dotting tool.

Vintage victorian rose flower nail art is definitely the way forward!  I am really looking forward to practicing this technique again in the future and trying out different colours, I think a baby blue pastel base coat would look lovely as used in the demo video on YouTube.

Here is my attempt at re-creating this fabulous design, what do you think? :0)

I know I have got a bit of a way to go with shading the leaves etc, I only had one green to hand!  I also think I should have used a toothpick like the demo video as I used a dotting tool but I dont think the tip was still thin enough.

I am going to leave you with a couple more pics of my design, I would love to read your feedback and thoughts below.  Have you tried this technique before? I would love to read your blogs and see your pics of this.

Robin Sparkles

 

Pink & purple swirl bundle monster nail stamping

Hi guys

I just wanted to share with you a nail stamping design i came up with whilst my man was watching Final Destination 3! I am not the scary movie type (although that film turned out to be lame even for me) so i decided i needed something pink and happy to distract myself with!

So, armed with my bundle monster 2011 nail stamping plates i came up with the following nail art design using plates BM201 and BM210.

I hope you love it as much as i do, let me know what you think below.

Robin Sparkles

31 Day Challenge - Day 3 Yellow Nails

Hey guys

Sorry for another fly-by post but here is the manicure I have done for day 3 of the 31 day challenge.

Unfortunately after I stamped the first nail using a Barry M nail polish, the polish / bundle monster nail stamping plate I was using didnt want to stamp anymore which completely threw my plan for this mani out of the window.  (For your info I used BM-304 bundle monster nail stamping plate).

Alas, I was left with a rather boring and uninspiring yellow to white nail gradient mani.  I promise to try and make the next one a bit more interesting! :0)

Robin Sparkles

31 Day Challenge - Day 2 Orange Nails

Hey girlies

Sorry it is a day late (crazy DIY happening) but here is my second post for the 31 day challenge.

I decided to make my own orange by mixing my red and yellow Barry M polishes together and sponging it onto my nails on top of a white base coat. The  colour came out as a beautiful coral orange, i really loved it. I then used Barry M gold foil effects and Bundle Monster 2011 plate BM223 to stamp a lovely tiger print.

Let me know what you guys think! :-)

Robin Sparkles

31 Day Challenge - Day 1 Red Nails

Hey guys

 

As you have probably gathered from my previous post I was looking for people to take part in the 31 day challenge with me, doing each day of the challenge every three days (to make it a bit more managable).

 

The first day of the challenge is "Red nails" and here is the design I have created. I haven't been stamping very long so please forgive me they are far from perfect! I used a red Barry M nail polish as the base, then stamped using Barry M silver foil effects and bundle monster plate BM220 using the nautical star french tip design.

I hope you love them, I absolutely love nautical stars.

I have already done a lot of planning for what my following post designs will be and I hope you like what is to come.

Thanks for stopping by and reading.

Robin Sparkles

 

31 Day Challenge - Participants Wanted!

Hey girlies

I am looking for fellow nail enthusiasts who would like to take part in the "31 Day Challenge" with me.

If this is something you would like to try, please comment below with details of your blog / twitter and I shall get in contact with you and arrange what date we should start :0)

I would suggest that we maybe set ourselves a target of doing each Day Task every 3 days otherwise it might start to take a toll on our nails and I am sure we all have busy lives.

Robin Sparkles

Nail Stamping Special Polish HELP!

Hey guys

This post is actually to ask for help from my very knowledgable blog followers regarding special polishes to use for nail stamping. I want to get myself a black and a white polish.

Obviously the main contender would be Konad but I was just wondering if there are any cheaper or better contenders that do the job just as well?

I would really appreciate your comments below of any advice you can offer. As ever, thank you so much. :-)

Robin Sparkles

Drip drop blue nail art

Hey girlies

Quick post from me to show a quick mani I had a go at last night using my new dotting tools! Up close, it isnt as neat as I would have hoped for but I love tryinb different nail art styles and this was one that had been on my list for a while!

I got the inspiration from several blogs and YouTube videos and thought I would give it a go with my new Barry M nail polishes.

Please let me know what you think :-)

Robin Sparkles



Dripping nail art

Red & Gold Hounds Tooth Nail Stamping

Hi guys

Sorry its been a little while, been busy the last few days with a new addition to the family!

Here is a little mani I did recently using Bundle Monster 2012 nail stamping plate set, plate number BM322. I used Barry M 262 Bright Red and Barry M Gold Foil Effects. I am not blown away by the red, I would probably have preferred something a bit deeper and darker but still, here is the mani I ended up with!

I would love to read your comments below, have you used this plate?

Robin Sparkles



Hounds tooth nail stamping

My first attempt at water marbling nail art

Hey guys

Last night I did my first try at water marble nails...it is sooo difficult.

Apart from the fact that most of my nail varnishes wouldnt spread in the water, I allowed the water to get to room temperature (although it wasnt filtered) and spent ages taping up my finger around my nails. The actual dipping wasnt difficult, it was just the lack of nail varnish cooperation! It also takes a lot of nail polish to do this design.

Still, I managed to get a design that has a very faint nail water marble effect to it so I am pleased. I also added dots to the design as a) I like it when i have seen it done by others and b) it helps to hide some of the rubbish its on mine!

I would love to read your comments below.

Robin Sparkles

The Liebster Award - my first ever award!!

Hey girlies

Something very exciting happened yesterday, I was tagged by the wonderful The Nail Art Hobby for The Liebster Award and I feel very happy and honoured to have done so.

I am hoping that this will help me and others not only to start getting more well known in the fabulous blogging community but also to help people find brilliant blogs that might have gone undiscovered.



For this tag, you need to do the following:

1. Each person tagged must post 11 things about themselves.
2. They must also answer the 11 questions the 'tagger' has set for them.
3. They must create 11 more questions to ask bloggers they have decided to tag.

4. They must then choose 11 bloggers with less than 200 followers and tag them in their post.

5. These lucky bloggers must then be told.
6. There's no tag backs.

11 Things About Myself

1. I am the middle sibling of three.

2. I like reading through nail blogs, watching YouTube DIY tutorials for nails, hair, clothes customisation etc.

3. I am a very lucky fiance to the bestest man in the whole world.

4. I am a very lucky mum to the bestest pooch in the whole world. I do training and agility with her and she is awesome!

5. I am *shamed face* a bit of a Twilight geek! I read the books and loved them, then the films came out and I loved them equally.

6. I have got a university degree.

7. I love travelling to far away places and exploring to see as much of the world as possible.  I have a list of 50 places to see before I die and am trying to complete it.

8. I have always wished that I had done horse riding as a child.

9. My favourite TV programme is Sex & the City closely followed by How I Met Your Mother.  I curse the day I ever decided to watch every single episode of Lost, what a waste of life that was!

10. I am a huge fan of the authors Belinda Jones and Cecelia Ahern.  I like to read chick-flick books, no John Grisham for me!

11. I am a bit of a speed demon, I like fast cars, roller coasters, motorbikes etc.

Questions Set By The Tagger

1. What/Who got you started with nail art and how long have you been doing it?

 I have been doing nail art a relatively short time now, only as long as I have been doing my blog so I would say about 3 1/2 months. From a young age I used to cut pieces of masking tape and do my french manicures myself but had never really discovered the world of nail "art" or stamping etc.  I would say that being shown cute A.S nails blog with all their fabulous designs sparked an interest in nail art and adding that as a big feature to my blog.

2. How long have you been blogging for?

Oops, I accidentally answered that in my last answer! Approximately 3 1/2 months.

3. What is your favourite colour to wear on your nails?

My favourite colour at the moment is OPI Pink Friday from the Nicki Minaj collection.  It is a cute baby doll candy floss kinda pink and I love it!  Especially on my toes, makes my feet look tanned! :0)

4. Favourite nail art technique? (Water marbling, stamping, gradient, etc)

My favourite nail art technique is nail flocking.  If you haven't done so already, google it! It is incredible and I LOVE the look.

5. How many different polishes do you own?

My nail polish collection is still pretty modest/small at the moment.  I would say I have about 15 colours.  My next investment needs to be into a blue and a green.

6. Do you have a favourite polish that you keep buying when you run out?

I haven't really found myself in that situation before but I would say that will probably be the case with my OPI Pink Friday polish.

7. Any tips/tricks you've learnt whilst doing your nails?

I have learnt to clean around the edge of the nail with a cotton bud and nail varnish remover at the end, rather than keep wiping off bits here and there and risk ruining the nail art design.

8. Most you've ever spent on nail polish?

Haha, I am sure this answer is getting boring now but my OPI Pink Friday was £9.00, I thought that was extortionate in comparison to my Barry M's. (Well worth it though).

9. How often do you paint your nails?

Every 2-3 days although I am trying to start using glass stones to try out designs rather than my nails as I am noticing the effects it is having on my nails :0(

10. Where do you get your inspiration for nail art?

I would say a lot of my inspiration comes from tutorials on Youtube, namely the fabulous Cute Polish and also some lovely bloggers such as The Nailasaurus, Spellbinding Nails, Sincerely Stephanie, Northern Nails to list but a few!

11. Favourite design you've blogged?

I would say my favourite nail art design that I have created and blogged about at present would be my Salt Nail Art.

My Questions For The Tagged

1. What/who inspired you to start blogging about nail art and where do you get your inspiration for nail art from?

2. Do you blog about anything other than nail art and how long have you been blogging for?

3. What is the top thing on your "wish list" you would want if you could be given one thing for free today?

4. Favourite nail art technique? (Water  marbling, stamping, gradient etc.)

5. What are your favourite 3 nail polish colours & brands at the moment?

6. What are your hobbies other than nail art blogging?

7. What software do you use to edit your pictures before uploading them to your blog?

8. What software do you use to watermark your photos before uploading them to your blog?

9. How often do you paint your nails and how do you keep them in tip-top condition?

10. What is your favourite design you've blogged?

11.  What is your favourite film and favourite book of all time?

And finally, I tag:

1. Trying to be Beautiful

2. Northern Nails

3. Cute A.S Nails

4. Cristina Nails

5. Elanor's Nails

6. Nails by Mellissa

7. The Clockwise Nail Polish

8. Polkadot Sophie

9. Just Talk Nails

10.

11.

As you will notice, there are two empty spaces for tags. That's because the people I've tagged are the only people that I follow with under 200 followers and haven't (to my knowledge) done this tag. If you have a blog with less than 200 followers and want to be tagged, just comment below this post and I'll add you onto it! :0)

*** If the people that I have tagged for this award do take part and write their own posts, could you please comment below with the links to your blog posts, I would really love to read them all :0) ***

Giraffe Animal Print Stamping Nail Art

Hey girlies

Just a quick post to show the current nail art design I am busting!  The inspiration behind this design, I hope, is obvious...one of the coolest animals at the zoo...Giraffes!!

I used:

• Barry M 307 Lemon Ice Cream (x2 coats)
• Rimmel London Lycra Pro 393 Desire  (to stamp with)
• Bundle Monster nail stamping plate 215 from the 2011 set

Giraffe animal stamping nail art

I would love to read any comments below. Hope you love it. :0)

Robin Sparkles

Adventures in Stamping - Sunday Challenge - Metallics

Hey girlies

Those of you that are members of the Adventures in Stamping group on Facebook will know that yesterdays 'We stamp on sunday's' challenge was metallics namely gold, silver & bronze in honour of the London Olympics 2012 that are currently going on (GO Team GB!!)

Here is the nail stamping manicure that I did yesterday, please bear in mind this is only my third attempt at nail stamping and also the first challenge that I had taken part in so with that in mind I am quite happy with myself.

I did a base coat on Rimmel I <3 Lasting Finish 080 Black Cab, then used Barry M Silver & Gold foil effects for the nail stamping.  I used gold on my thumb nail and silver on the rest of my finger nails.

Let me know what you think, I would love to read any comments below.

Thanks for reading guys.

Robin Sparkles

Candy floss pink salt nail art

Hey girlies

On friday I did a mani which I have seen described as Salt Nail Art. 

Its really simple and easy to do, and I adore the final result.  Only problem with this mani is it really only lasts properly the day you did it, wear and tear definitely starts to show pretty quickly.

Candy Floss Pink Friday OPI Salt Nail Art Design

I hope you love the finished effect as much as I do and please feel free to leave any comments below, I would love to read them :0)

Robin Sparkles

Bundle Monster Nail Stamping Plates 2011 Set 25 Pcs - PHOTOS!

Hey girlies

As I am sure you are all aware I have been very excited about the arrival of my new Bundle Monster nail stamping plates and I am very pleased to report that they have arrived!!

So here it is, a snap shot of each one of the 25 beautiful Bundle Monster nail stamping plates in all their glory! (WARNING:: Lots of photos!)

BM-201

BM-202

BM-203

BM-204

BM-205

BM-206

BM-207

BM-208

BM-209

BM-210

BM-211

BM-212

BM-213

BM-214

BM-215

BM-216

BM-217

BM-218

BM-219

BM-220

BM-221

BM-222

BM-223

BM-224

BM-225

PHEW! There you have it, the Bundle Monster Nail Stamping set 2011!!

Let me know what you think of the images and designs in the comments below.  Do you own this set? If so, what is your favourite plate number and design? I would love to hear all your thoughts on these fantastic plates.

Robin Sparkles