Party Owls and More

Party Owls for my Birthday

My birthday was on Friday, and I had this absolutely adorable Party Owl manicure to help celebrate.  These owl and cupcake water decals are just a few of the great designs that are part of this 10-Piece Water Decal Set from the Born Pretty Store.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, water decals are some of my favorite things.  I am not very good at nail art, but water decals make it so easy to have a really interesting and complicated-looking manicure whenever I want.  If you want to talk about a great deal, this is it.  There are ten sheets of water decals with owls, flowers, and more in this set now available for a sale price of $5.00.  That’s only 50 cents each.  Most of these sheets are available individually for $1-$2 each, so getting them in this set is a huge savings.

BPS 10 Piece Water Decal Set

There are some great designs in this set.  I really love the cartoonish owls and the birds with feathers.  There is a pretty good variety of floral decals.  Some are pop-art and modern, and some are more classic and feminine.  And of course, you know me, I can not wait to use that nautical themed sheet of decals.  There are so many possible manicures out of this set that go from fun and funky to classy and sophisticated.  Here is a closer look.

BPS 10 Piece Water Decal Set

BPS 10 Piece Water Decal Set

BPS 10 Piece Water Decal Set

I haven’t had time to use all 10 sheets of decals, but here is a shot of three different manicures that I have done.  The party owls are over Essie Find Me An Oasis.  The blue flower/butterfly design is over Sinful Colors Snow me White.  The black floral decals are all by themselves with no base color.

BPS 10 Piece Water Decal Set

I can not recommend this 10 Piece Water Decal Set enough.  I really think that it is a great deal.  I have several reviews for products that I have received from the Born Pretty Store, and you can see the other BPS reviews I have done by clicking on the Born Pretty Store link in the “Categories” section on the right hand side of the blog.  As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, the Born Pretty Store is located in China, so shipping will take a while.  It is normal for orders to take 2-4 weeks to ship to the US, and in my experience, I have gotten most of my orders within 2-3weeks.  You should definitely plan ahead if you are ordering something time sensitive like holiday items and order them early.  Orders ship within 24 hours.  Check out the BPS website bornprettstore.com, or their facebook page for more details.  For 10% off any regular priced items from the website, use coupon code BBBK31.

FTC Disclosure: The product reviewed in this post was provided to me for free by Born Pretty Store for consideration.  This does not guarantee a positive review, and my thoughts on these products are 100% honest.  No other type of compensation was accepted.  I do not get any kick backs or compensation from any orders placed.

Nautical Nails

Sailors & Sea Sailing Theme Nail Art Stamp

Today I am reviewing a wonderful stamping plate from the Born Pretty Store, and it is one that you are going to want to check out.  It’s no secret that I love nautical things, and I am so in love with this Sailors & Sea Sailing stamping plate from Born Pretty.  The designs are adorable and they look so sleek.  I have several reviews for products that I have received from the Born Pretty Store, and you can see the other BPS reviews I have done by clicking on the Born Pretty Store link in the “Categories” section on the right hand side of the blog.  But first, let’s look at the stamping plate.

Sailors & Sea Sailing Theme Nail Art Stamp

If you like nautical nails like I do, you definitely need this plate.  The designs are classic and lovely.  The designs pick up really easily.  I also like that you can use the starfish and shell designs to do a beachy theme instead of a nautical theme if you want to shake it up a bit.  The designs are on the larger side, so you may have some trouble if you have very short nails or very small nail beds, but otherwise I have no complaints.  The images stamp cleanly and evenly.  It’s a must-have if you are into this style.

Sailors & Sea Sailing Theme Nail Art Stamp

For my nautical nails look, I used e.l.f. Skinny Jeans for my base color.  Let me give e.l.f. a shout out because this polish did not chip for 5 days.  Great job e.l.f.!  I stamped with Sinful Colors Snow Me White.  I am so happy with the way my nails looked this week.  They made me so happy and I got several compliments.  I love the way the mani came out, and I will definitely be using this plate again.

I really have nothing but love for the Sailors & Sea Sailing Theme Nail Art Stamp plate.  It is currently available from Born Pretty for $1.59.  As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, the Born Pretty Store is located in China, so shipping will take a while.  It is normal for orders to take 2-4 weeks to ship to the US, and in my experience, I have gotten most of my orders within 2-3weeks.  You should definitely plan ahead if you are ordering something time sensitive like holiday items and order them early.  Orders ship within 24 hours.  Check out the BPS website bornprettstore.com, or their facebook page for more details.  For 10% off any regular priced items from the website, use coupon code BBBK31.

FTC Disclosure: The product reviewed in this post was provided to me for free by Born Pretty Store for consideration.  This does not guarantee a positive review, and my thoughts on these products are 100% honest.  No other type of compensation was accepted.  I do not get any kick backs or compensation from any orders placed.

Bright Stripes Rainbow Nails

Bright Stripes Rainbow Nails

Check out this super fun and colorful manicure using these bright, stripey Water Decals from the Born Pretty Store.  I am so happy with how it came out.  Can I just say that water decals have become my nail art obsession.  They are so easy to use.  The Born Pretty Store has a huge selection of water decals and you can find unique designs like these ones.  I have several reviews for products that I have received from the Born Pretty Store, and you can see the other BPS reviews I have done by clicking on the Born Pretty Store link in the “Categories” section on the right hand side of the blog.  But first, let’s talk about these super bright rainbow decals.

Bright Stripes Water Decals

There are 11 sets of designs on this large sheet, so the possible design combinations are endless.  There are 5 colors, pink, orange, yellow, blue, and green in all 11 design sets, so it is very easy to mix and match elements to create your own unique looks.  The thinner stripes can be a little finicky, so I recommend using tweezers to remove the decal from the backing and place them on the nail.  Once you get the hang of it, they are easy as pie to work with and so much fun.  Here is a closer look.

Bright Stripes Water Decals

Bright Stripes Water Decals

For my manicure, I used Sinful Colors Snow Me White for the base color.  Then I kind of mixed and matched designs that looked interesting to me.  There are so many that I can’t wait to create another look using this sheet.  The only issue that I ran into is that the yellow designs are a little hard to see.  Perhaps with a different base color there would be enough of a contrast that the yellow would show up better, but it got lost into the white.  Even with that one caveat, I definitely recommend this sheet to you.  It’s a great deal to get all of these designs at once instead of having to buy them individually.  Two thumbs up.

Bright Stripes Rainbow Nails

The Bright Stripes Water Decals are on sale for only $3.88.  As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, the Born Pretty Store is located in China, so shipping will take a while.  It is normal for orders to take 2-4 weeks to ship to the US, and in my experience, I have gotten most of my orders within 2-3weeks.  You should definitely plan ahead if you are ordering something time sensitive (like for a vacation or holiday items) and order them early.  Orders ship within 24 hours.  Check out the BPS website bornprettstore.com, or their facebook page for more details.  For 10% off any regular priced items from the website, use coupon code BBBK31.

FTC Disclosure: The product reviewed in this post was provided to me for free by Born Pretty Store for consideration.  This does not guarantee a positive review, and my thoughts on these products are 100% honest.  No other type of compensation was accepted.  I do not get any kick backs or compensation from any orders placed.

Cat Nails and an Animal Theme Stamping Template

Animal Theme Nail Art Stamp Template

Today I am reviewing a large stamping plate from the Born Pretty Store, and if you are an animal lover, it is one that you are going to want to check out.  There are so many cute designs on this plate from bunnies to birds, cats to bats.  This would also be a great holiday plate for Easter or Halloween.  It’s an amazingly versatile plate.  This is the first long rectangle style stamping plate that I’ve ever used, and I think that they are a really good deal with the large number of designs that fit on the plate.  They don’t cost too much more than the regular size, but they hold 2-3 times the number of images.  I have to say that I kind of love this stamping plate.  The designs are adorable and you can get so many looks out of it.

Animal Theme Nail Art Stamp Template

The Animal Theme Nail Art Stamp Template from Born Pretty holds 25 images.  There are seven full nail designs, and the rest are single images.  There is no limit to the variety of manicures that you can get out of this plate.  Since I couldn’t possibly stamp all 25 images on my nails, I stamped them out on some paper so that you can see all of the images on this plate.  There are a couple rather finicky stamps, but most of them stamp easily and cleanly.  The thinly drawn cat with the big eyes and the birds on the swing gave me some difficulties, but you can still work with them.  In general, though, the images are evenly etched and this is a great plate.  Some of my favorite designs are the pandas, seahorses, paws and bones, and of course all of the cats.  Anyone who knows me can tell you that cats will get me every time.  I had to play with the kitty stamps first.  For my cat nails I used Sinful Colors Snow Me White for my base shade, and the Born Pretty Black Stamping Polish to stamp the designs.  I love them.  They are hilarious.

Animal Theme Nail Art Stamp Template

The Animal Theme Nail Art Stamp Template is $5.99 at the Born Pretty Store.  I have several reviews for products that I have received from the Born Pretty Store, and you can see the other BPS reviews I have done by clicking on the Born Pretty Store link in the “Categories” section on the right hand side of the blog.  As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, the Born Pretty Store is located in China, so shipping will take a while.  It is normal for orders to take 2-4 weeks to ship to the US, and in my experience, I have gotten most of my orders within 2-3weeks.  You should definitely plan ahead if you are ordering something time sensitive (like for a vacation or holiday items) and order them early.  Orders ship within 24 hours.  Check out the BPS website bornprettstore.com, or their facebook page for more details.  For 10% off any regular priced items from the website, use coupon code BBBK31.

FTC Disclosure: The product reviewed in this post was provided to me for free by Born Pretty Store for consideration.  This does not guarantee a positive review, and my thoughts on these products are 100% honest.  No other type of compensation was accepted.  I do not get any kick backs or compensation from any orders placed.

Mermaid Tail Nails

Mermaid Tail Nails

I have Mermaid Tail Nails y’all, and they are magical.  I have another Born Pretty review today, and you are going to love this one.  If you are new to the blog, (hello) I want to let you know that I have several reviews for other products that I have received from the Born Pretty Store, and you can see the other BPS reviews that I have done by clicking on the Born Pretty Store link in the “Categories” section on the right hand side of the blog.  I received a sheet of Fish Scale Nail Vinyls to play with, and they are so much fun!  I have always been a fan of fish scale patterns on nails.  I think the possible color combos are endless and they look so chic.  You may remember the blog post where I discovered Nail Vinyls and mentioned that I would absolutely be using them again because they are awesome.  When I saw the Fish Scale Nail Vinyls, I knew that I had to have them.

Fish Scale Nail Vinyls

These Fish Scale Nail Vinyls are a little different than the previous nail vinyls that I got from Born Pretty.  The Fish Scale Nail Vinyls can be used two different ways.  The first way to use them is as a stencil like I did here to create my Mermaid Tail nails.  Simply stick them onto your nail where you want to paint the pattern, and then brush the polish over them.  When you peel back the sticker, it will reveal a complicated looking pattern that was super easy to accomplish.  But, what makes these Fish Scale Nail Vinyls different is that the beautiful holographic surface makes them just as useful as a nail sticker.  The adhesive is quite strong, so they have a good stick to them even though the scales are thin.

Fish Scale Nail Vinyls

Here is a close up look at the pattern.  I was able to cut the vinyls in half and use one vinyl for two nails.  My nails are just barely short enough to do this.  If your nails are any longer than mine then you will have to use a full vinyl per nail.  And, of course, if you plan to use them as a sticker rather than a stencil, then you will want to plan on using a full vinyl per nail so that you can cut it to the right shape and size.  For my lovely Mermaid Tail nails, I used Sinful Colors Black on Black as my base color and then used the Green Stamping Polish from the Born Pretty Store for the scales.  I think that they look really beautiful.  I am very pleased with the result, and I will definitely be using these Fish Scale Nail Vinyls again.

Mermaid Tail Nails

The Fish Scale Nail Vinyls are currently on sale for $1.59.  As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, the Born Pretty Store is located in China, so shipping will take a while.  It is normal for orders to take 2-4 weeks to ship to the US, and in my experience, I have gotten most of my orders within 2-3weeks.  You should definitely plan ahead if you are ordering something time sensitive (like for a vacation or holiday items) and order them early.  Orders ship within 24 hours.  Check out the BPS website bornprettstore.com, or their facebook page for more details.  For 10% off any regular priced items from the website, use coupon code BBBK31.

FTC Disclosure: The product reviewed in this post was provided to me for free by Born Pretty Store for consideration.  This does not guarantee a positive review, and my thoughts on these products are 100% honest.  No other type of compensation was accepted.  I do not get any kick backs or compensation from any orders placed.

Christmas Wonderland with BPS Chevron Striping Tape

Christmas Wonderland Manicure

Check out this adorable Christmas Wonderland Manicure I did using Chevron Striping Tape from the Born Pretty Store.  I love it!  I was really excited to bust out my holiday nail stickers.  I definitely want to do more manicures with them while I have the chance.  I was also really excited to use this new chevron striping tape.  I have used striping tape before, but I have never seen it in chevron pattern.  I knew that I had to try it immediately, and the Born Pretty Store was kind enough to send it to me for review.

BPS Chevron Striping Tape

BPS Chevron Striping Tape

The tape has a thin chevron line running through the center, so it separates into three parts.  I think that’s great because it make the tape even more versatile with the different designs that you can accomplish.  I chose the black shade because I thought that I would be most likely to use that shade as a decorative nail sticker as well as a striping tape.  Born Pretty also offers the tape in blue, white, red, silver, and gold.  The adhesive is really sticky, so I got a good seal on the nail and had no issues with polish leaking under the tape.  I’m not going to lie, using the tape can be time consuming, depending on how complicated your design is.  However, with practice, I am sure you can cut down on the time it takes just by familiarity with using the product.  Striping tapes are easier to use than they look, and even a beginner can accomplish some really complicated looking designs.

Christmas Wonderland Manicure

For my Christmas Wonderland Manicure I laid out the striping tape on my thumb, index finger, and little finger in the pattern that I pictured above on my naked nail.  I used Wet ‘n’ Wild Megalast in I Red a Good Book for the base color and SinfulColors Snow Me White for the stripes.  On my middle two fingers I used Snow Globe from China Glaze to make it look like it was snowing.  Then I flipped the larger edge of the striping tape upside down and used Snow Me White for the fallen snow.  I added a couple nail stickers that I bought last year and topped everything with Seche Vite.  I love how it came out.  The BPS Chevron Striping Tape is currently on sale for $1.47 a roll, and I highly recommend it.

You can see the other BPS reviews I have done by clicking on the Born Pretty Store link in the “Categories” section on the right hand side of the blog.  As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, the Born Pretty Store is located in China, so shipping will take a while.  It is normal for orders to take 2-4 weeks to ship to the US, and in my experience, I have gotten most of my orders within 2-3weeks.  You should still plan ahead if you are ordering something time sensitive like holiday items and order them early.  Orders ship within 24 hours.  Check out the BPS website bornprettstore.com, or their facebook page for more details.  For 10% off any regular priced items from the website, use coupon code BBBK31.

FTC Disclosure: The product reviewed in this post was provided to me for free by Born Pretty Store for consideration.  This does not guarantee a positive review, and my thoughts on these products are 100% honest.  No other type of compensation was accepted.  I do not get any kick backs or compensation from any orders placed.

Review: Flowers, Waves, and Stars Stamping Plate from BPS

Flowers, Waves, and Stars Stamping Plate from BPS

Today I have a really beautiful stamping plate from Born Pretty to review.  I received this plate for review from the Born Pretty Store, and you can see the other BPS reviews I have done by clicking on the Born Pretty Store link in the “Categories” section on the right hand side of the blog.  This plate is interesting and versatile with the variety of designs that it contains.  Take a look.

Flowers, Waves, and Stars Stamping Plate from BPS

I managed to get most of the designs stamped on my nails so that you could see how they transfer.  I  obviously wouldn’t wear them all like this under normal circumstances.  I think that you could create some fun and funky manicures with these designs.  You could do a Captain America theme with the star designs, or a romantic look with the floral design.  The wave patterns are very modern and sophisticated and I think will look quite posh.  Most of the designs stamped pretty evenly, though I did struggle with the floral design.  I used Sinful Colors Black on Black over Color Club Polish in Put a Pin in It.  I think I may have had better luck with a proper stamping polish and will try that in the future.  Otherwise, I have no complaints.  This is a fun and versatile plate.  The Star, Wave, Flower Pattern stamping plate is currently on sale for $1.94 on the BPS website.

Flowers, Waves, and Stars Stamping Plate from BPS

As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, the Born Pretty Store is located in China, so shipping will take a while.  It is normal for orders to take 2-4 weeks to ship to the US, and in my experience, I have gotten most of my orders within 2-3weeks.  You should still plan ahead if you are ordering something time sensitive like holiday items and order them early.  Orders ship within 24 hours.  Check out the BPS website bornprettstore.com, or their facebook page for more details.  For 10% off any regular priced items from the website, use coupon code BBBK31.

FTC Disclosure: The product reviewed in this post was provided to me for free by Born Pretty Store for consideration.  This does not guarantee a positive review, and my thoughts on these products are 100% honest.  No other type of compensation was accepted.  I do not get any kick backs or compensation from any orders placed.

NOTD: Matte Tips

Matte Tips

Here is a quick nail of the day post featuring Essie Matte About You topcoat.  I also used Sinful Colors Black on Black polish and Fing’rs Heart 2 Art Nail Art Striping Tape.  This is a great idea for a night out.  I think that this is a very sleek look with the glossy black nails and the matte black tips.  This is a great special occasion look for those who aren’t fans of nude or light shades, but still want elegant nails with a little bit of a harder edge to them.  The gold striping tape is a great touch for a bit of bling that is still very classy.  You can definitely do matte tips with any shade of polish, but I really love the way it looks with black polish.  It has a “black tie” vibe to me that I like very much.  I hope that you do too.

Matte Tips

Matte Tips

I am hoping to get some Holiday nail looks up soon so that you can start planning ahead.  Though, I have to admit that my nails are thrashed from packing.  Things are progressing steadily with the move.  We found a new place that we are very excited about and signed the paperwork today.  Technology is a wonderful thing.  We were able to take care of everything from the opposite coast, with no trouble.  All that’s left is to notify our billing agencies and utilities about our move and to finish packing.  We have about two and a half weeks, and then we leave North Carolina for California.  Thanks for your patience during this process.  I am posting as often as I can with everything going on.  I will keep you updated on what you can expect as we get closer to go-time.  🙂

NOTD: Happy Halloween Mani

Halloween Mani

Hey everyone, today I have a quick Nail of the Day post to share with you.  This is my Happy Halloween manicure.  I think it looks adorable, and am really happy with it.  The best part is that it took no time at all to do, which is great because, as you know, right now no time is exactly what I have.  My nails are pretty short right now because of packing and whatnot, (I also apologize for the sad state of my nails and cuticles, but you know how it is) and I think this works really well for short nails.  I used Sinful Colors Citrine and Black on Black for the polish, and topped them with water decals from Born Pretty.

 

Halloween Mani Water Decals

Here are close ups of the water decals.  You can find them here at bornprettstore.com (For 10% off on regular priced items, use coupon code BBBK31.) They are super cute, and they took minutes to apply.  I’m really getting the hang of water decals now, and I love how easy they are.  Obviously, it’s too late to order for this year, but keep them in mind for next year.  If you want to achieve a similar look, I believe I saw that Kiss has some Halloween themed nail stickers at Walgreens for $2.99.

Halloween Mani

Here is a look at both hands.  It’s not the most complicated manicure I’ll ever do, (or frankly, the neatest, lol) but I like it.  It’s perfect for something last minute before Friday gets here.  Speaking of, I am happy to say that my costume is all set with a couple days to spare.  Yay!  No last-minute running around this year.  It’s our last year here in NC with my niece, so the Hubs and I are going over to my sister’s house.  We are all dressing up and taking the kids Trick-or Treating.  I’m going to be a Fall Fairy with a gigantic tu-tu, ’cause that’s how I roll. 😉  How about you?  What are you doing for Halloween?  Are you dressing up?  Let me know in the comments below.

Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals fom BPS

Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals

I am loving these Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals that I received from the Born Pretty Store.  I have several reviews of their products up now, so be sure to click on the Born Pretty Store link under “Categories” on the right hand side of the blog to see all the items that I have received from Born Pretty and how they worked for me.  The cool zipper pattern set is an item that I have been eying since BPS first contacted me in June, so I am glad that I am finally getting a chance to review it.  Read on to see my thoughts.

Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals

This item is the Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals, but there are similar zipper patterned water decals that Born Pretty sells.  The Fashion Zip Fastener Zipper Water Decals are also available.  They are a little different than these ones.  I chose the Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals because they have both the gold and black zippers on one sheet, so they are a little more versatile.  The black ones really inspired my playful side.  I love zipper patterns, and the subtle punk vibe they offer.  I had to give these decals a try.

Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals

This is my third attempts at using water decals, and this time around it could not have been easier.  If you have been reading along, you know that the previous two attempts have been a little tricky, but that was not the case here at all.  If you aren’t sure what water decals are, they are basically temporary tattoos for your nails.  They arrive with a clear plastic sheet over the designs that you remove.  Then cut out the design you want, soak the designs in water, peel away the paper backing, and stick them on your nails.  You need to take your time because the paper backing needs to be soaked through.  You will know when the decals are ready to be applied when they slide off the paper backing with ease.  You do need to be careful placing them on the nail because, although they don’t easily tear, they can get wrinkled up and fold onto themselves.  It is nearly impossible to unfold them once they are stuck to themselves that way, so use some tweezers to help yourself out.  Once on your nails they can slip around a little while they are still wet, so press them down once they are placed, and then don’t touch them until they are completely dry.  I had absolutely no issues whatsoever.  These decals were a snap to use and took no time.  These smaller designs are so much easier to use than the full nail decals that I have used in the past.  I highly recommend that beginners start with smaller patterns like these.

Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals

Since I’m not a young whippersnapper anymore, I didn’t want to go too wild and crazy with the punk zippers.  I actually love the subtlety of the zippers against the staid bluish background.  The base color here is Zoya Bevin from the 2012 True Spring Collection, and the contrast accent color is Sinful Colors Athens from the 2012 Castaway Collection.  The combination is a little bit more sophisticated, but still fun.  I love the look.  I really, really love it.  I am definitely getting more of these Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals and will probably get the Fashion Zipper Decals as well, which I think are more of a metallic finish.  If you like zipper accents, then these are the bomb dot com.  The only negative thing I have to say, and it’s a nit-picky thing, is that I don’t love how some of the zipper pulls cut off.  It’s fine for the longer designs that end at your nail’s edge, but that’s not possible with all of the designs.  I would have preferred full zipper pulls on more of the designs, but again, that’s being really nit-picky.  These decals are great.

Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals

The Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals are priced at $1.68 on the BPS website.  Their prices are usually pretty good.  As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, the Born Pretty Store is located in China, so shipping will take two to three weeks.  On the upside, shipping is free worldwide with no minimum purchase amount, and orders ship within 24 hours.  Check out their website bornprettstore.com, or facebook page for more details.  For 10% off any regular priced items from the website, use coupon code BBBK31.  I have been pleased with all of the items Born Pretty has sent me for review, but these Mini Zipper Patterned Water Decals may be my favorite.  They were just so easy to use, and they look great.  I am sold, and definitely recommend them.

FTC Disclosure: The product reviewed in this post was provided to me for free by Born Pretty Store for consideration.  This does not guarantee a positive review, and my thoughts on these products are 100% honest.  No other type of compensation was accepted.