Nail-art craving: I’ve been into the evil eye look (I had this evil eye manicure in the fall, remember?) and I thought it’d be appropriate for my “marathon manicure” for the Around the Bay 30k race I’m running this Sunday. The evil eye will ward off any ill will, and help me avoid that Grim Reaper dude who’s always near the end of this difficult, hilly race. I also like the graphic patterns designer Mara Hoffman is known for, and mentioned this to Leeanne Colley at Tips Nail Bar earlier this week.
How I satisfied that craving: Leeanne ran with the idea and created this flashy, graphic nail art for me using Shellac Cream Puff anbd Black Pool and Gelish You Glare I Glow (I forget the colour used for the blue eyes). It took two hours of painstaking work by Leeanne, she’s amazing–always makes sure each detail on the nail is perfect.
How this nail art makes me feel: Protected. Invincible.
Love it or hate it: LOVE. Bring it on, Around the Bay and your crazy hills. I’m ready.
March 28, 2014
Nail job craving: Something bright and sunny for my work-ish week in Mexico.
How I satisfied that craving: Inspired by a yellow and blue manicure I saw on Instagram, I went to see Melissa Forrest at Tips Nail Bar and she created this simple but striking and crazy hot striped manicure. Colours used?
Two coats of CND Shellac in Studio White.
Three coats of Gelish in Oomba Oomba Blue.
Two coats of Gelish in Coco Cabana Banana.
How this mani makes me feel: Like I should only wear my neon pink bikini (a score at Walmart at $12 btw) all week; the nails look bananas with that shade. And that every cocktail should become a photo opp of my gorgeous nails with a tropical bevvie in hand. In fact, does that mean I should be enjoying more margaritas?
Love it or hate it: True love.
February 21, 2013
Nail-job craving: After having my marathon manicure (the incredible chevron-dot nails) for two full weeks, I was thinking I’d return to something less out there — simple, maybe two tones (maybe even just one shade). For day to day, I tend to prefer something less busy. But then I went into Tips Nail Bar and I don’t know if I’ve ever seen Leeanne Colley more excited. “I’ve got something in mind!” she announced. And, as I’ve learned, when Leeanne has something she’s cooked up, you just go with it.
How I satisfied that craving: Leeanne showed me a tester nail she’d done the design on — a swirly pattern of neons, and black polish overtop in a graphic pattern — WHOA. It reminded me of “black magic” (remember doing that as a kid? Colouring on paper in colours and then putting black crayon overtop and then using something pointy to “draw” by scraping the black crayon, revealing the rainbow underneath??).
Yowzers. I wanted. My only request was that we do a different colour on top. So this is what Leeanne used:
Artistic Color Gloss in Spotlight on the base nail.
Swoops of neon gel polishes overtop: Amazon Flirt, Shake It til you Samba and Coco Cabana Banana, all Gelish, and Hype from Artistic Color Gloss.
Then Leeanne applied China Glaze Custom Kicks (a regular nail polish) over the entire nail, and using a brush dipped in acetone, swept away the nail colour in a graphic striped pattern — it’s almost like a reverse version of the colourblock manicure she did for me last year for a half-marathon race, only now the stripes reveal the nail art underneath.
On one pinky, we tested out China Glaze Bahamian Escape, and decided to keep it as an accent nail.
And three hours (yes, three hours!) later, voila!
How this nail colour make me feel: Energetic (which is good as I’ve slept very little this week!). The name — OP Magic — well, Magic from black magic craft-y thing, and OP because the blue pinky especially made us think of that clothing brand Ocean Pacific that was hot in the 80s (or was it early 90s?).
Love it or hate it: Love.
May 25, 2012
