the. mani. diaries. // v-day. edition.

Happy Valentine’s Day! In honor of this lovey dovey holiday that everyone either loves or loves to hate, I’m sharing a special V-Day themed mani. In place of the traditional sparkly accent nail or pink ombre mani that I’m normally accustomed to, I decided to switch things up. I spotted this super cute upside down heart with eyes manicure (I’m assuming it was inspired by the Comme des Garçons logo) while scrolling through Olive & June’s Instagram feed and decided to replicate it. The fact that I’m sharing the end result means that it didn’t turn out half bad — surprisingly.

  

While this nail design just so happens to be *perfect* for Valentine’s Day, it need not be restricted to February 13, 14 or 15. A few tips if you’re looking to replicate the design: Practice first! As a rule of thumb, be sure to allow ample drying time for your base coat (#glossierpink) to avoid any messy slip-ups. My next tip would be to utilize an extra fine-tipped paint brush (or nail art brush if you happen to have one handy) to achieve any minuscule details such as the eyes and heart outline. Finish off with a fast-drying top coat (I applied a coat once the pink base layer was dry and then another once the heart eyes design was complete). Voilà!

What are your favorite Valentine’s Day traditions? (Mine’s obvs indulging in candy hearts!) Let me know in the comments below!

xo,
A

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glossier. pink.

#GlossierPink is officially my go-to color for 2017. While I'm excited to incorporate this lovely blush hue into all aspects of my life, I'm especially looking forward to flaunting perfectly manicured pink tips in the months to come. To kick things off, I opted for an extra sparkly accent nail and Glossier's limited edition #GlossierPink polish (part of their holiday-themed black tie set). I sealed my manicure with a fast-drying top coat by China Glaza, which worked like a charm. I was able to flaunt this mani for almost two weeks with minimal chips. #Winning
 
Since #GlossierPink is no longer in stock, I've rounded up comparable millennial pink hues (all perfect for Valentine's Day!) to snag for your next mani below:

What's your go-to nail color? Let me know in the comments below!

xo,

A

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the. mani. dairies. // may.

I don't know about you, but minimalist manis have currently been my jam.  I follow Paintbox Nails, a modern nail salon in NYC, on Instagram and their nails are always on point.  Whether it's just the tips, barely there half-moons or a negative space design, I seriously cannot get enough. The best part about minimalist nail art is that it's not terribly difficult to pull off.  (In other words, you need not be an artist to achieve stellar results.)  Not to mention that cool girls everywhere are sporting them...

American Apparel "African Violet" (similar)  |  The New Black clear crystal rhinestone studs

A few weeks ago, I attempted a negative space mani embellished with tiny rhinestones and the result surprisingly wasn't half bad.  (Just as reference, see here for the Paintbox manicure that served as inspiration.)  Although it took some patience and a little trial and error, the entire process was pretty seamless.  I used tape to mark a line three-fourths the way down my nails and applied two coats of purple polish to the top half. Once the polish dried, I brushed on Essie's Good to Go topcoat (which I swear by) and carefully placed a rhinestone in the middle of each nail.  The toughest part of this manicure was undoubtedly getting the rhinestones in the correct position, right-side up. 

As for durability and wear, these nails definitely erred on the long-lasting side.  After one week, the majority of the rhinestones were still intact — when one fell off, I simply applied a new one.

What is your current go-to mani or favorite nail color?  Tell me in the comments below!

xo,

A

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mani. of. the. moment.

Fact:  I'm a sucker for an extra sparkly accent nail and am guilty of piling on the glitter more often than I'd like to admit.  This manicure that I did last week (inspired by a pin on Pinterest) not only delivers on the pizazz factor, but it's a game-changer.  The best part is that this is a mani that everyone can pull off — it's simple to create and the result is kind of ah-mazing.  I mean... look at those SPARKLES! 

"Give a girl the right sparkly accent nail and she will conquer the world..."

Maybe it's just me, but finding a good white, opaque polish has proved to be nearly impossible.  (Any recommendations?!)  The white lacquer that I used by Kate Spade Saturday is as close as I have come. Granted, it takes about three coats to achieve full coverage... And, it wasn't until I finished off with my tried-and-true "Good to Go" topcoat by Essie that I was truly pleased.

Urban Outfitters ("Spicy")  |  Kate Spade Saturday ("White") |  Zoya ("Mira")  

From one nail polish addict to another — what's your go-to mani?  Leave a comment below!

xo,
A 

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the. mani. diaries. // october.

Well, it appears that October is dunzo/finished/over/out of here!  November has officially arrived and I’m not so sure how I feel about it… #timeslowdownplease

On another note, today I’m introducing a new blog series documenting my manicures of the month. Yay!  To say that I’m a tad obsessed with painting my nails would be an understatement.  I’m a true believer that the perfect mani can turn any bad day upside down.  And truth be told, it’s downright impossible for me to go on a Target/Ulta run without coming home with a new nail color.  

Because I already post about my nails on Instagram anyway (#manimonday anyone?!), it seemed like a no-brainer to begin incorporating my obsession with all things nails here on the blog.  Without further ado, behold my first installment of “the mani diaries” – enjoy!

go sparkly or go home // Fact:  I’m partial to one extra-sparkly accent nail...but who isn’t?!  If you’re in the market for a budget-friendly nail lacquer, then I would recommend trying Maybelline Color Show.  I own several colors from this collection and have been exceptionally pleased each time.  Just FYI, to complete this mani, I used “Lust for Lilac” and “Pedal to the Metal.”  For my accent nail, I layered a glittery polish by Julep (I’m a first-time Julep user and actually snatched this one up from T.J. Maxx for only $1!).  As the holiday season approaches, I have a feeling that I’ll be layering this shimmery polish over e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.

think pink // If you’re a fan of pink polish, then this this shade called “delancey” from the tenoverten for J.Crew collection is as vibrant and girly as it gets.  When combined with my go-to Essie top coat, the finish was long-lasting and super glossy.   

all hallows' eve // It was the night before Halloween and all I had were chipped nails from the previous week’s mani.  Rather than go down the traditional black and orange route, I opted for a last-minute “cute cat ear tips” mani that I stumbled across on Brit + Co. Combining shades of lavender, purple and orange, my Halloween-inspired mani is subtle enough that I can wear it well into next week.  Thanks to a steady hand (I’m left-handed!), the black cat turned out better than I had imagined.  Once again, I sealed my nails with a top coat and voilà!    

What fall nail polish colors are you currently loving?  If you’ve done a recent post on your fave nail lacquers and colors, then share a link to it in the comments section below.  I’d love to check it out! :)

xo,

A

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