Lulus.com Fashion Blog » Manicure monday

Manicure Monday: Chevron Nail Tutorial

LuLu*s — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:59:20 +0000

Chevron and mint are everywhere this spring and I love creating a mani that matches my outfits. This is a great nail DIY to try with any bright colors that you love. I was inspired by the Line by Line dress and chose mint and black for this version.
Here’s the look we’ll be creating:

Before you begin any nail art, make sure you have the necessary supplies and tools on hand. For this look, you’ll need the following:

Materials:
- 3 different colored polishes (white, black and mint for this look)
- Striping Tape

Helpful Items:
- Fast Dry top coat
- Detail brush
- Tweezers
-Angled brush for cleanup
- Dish for acetone (to clean your brushes)

Begin by painting your nails a solid base color. I chose OPI’s My Boyfriend Scales Walls. Wait for the polish to dry completely. **Important** If your nails are not completely dry, the tape will pull up your polish and you will have to start over! Go have dinner or catch up on a TV show before you begin your taping to ensure your polish is completely dry.

Next, cut short segments of your striping tape. Stick them to the edge of your workspace for easy access. Using tweezers or your fingers, create a ‘V’ at the end and middle of your nail with the striping tape. Repeat this process over your entire nail, stopping once you have created a triangle near your cuticle.

Before you begin the next step, make sure that the tape is pushed down completely to your nail, especially around your cuticles and the edge of your nail. This will minimize polish bleeding under the tape.

Using either the nail polish brush or a detail brush for more precision, paint all the ‘Vs’ with your black polish.

Then, carefully paint the triangle with your mint polish. You can use your detail brush or the polish brush. I used Sephora by OPI’s Read My Palm.
Slowly remove the striping tape with your tweezers or fingers. Use a q-tip or an angled brush dipped in acetone to clean up around your cuticles.

Finally, apply your favorite top coat to protect your hard work. Wait at least 10-15 minutes (or longer) before adding your top coat! You don’t want your hard work to smear.

**Pro tip** Use a fast dry top coat between your base color and your striping nail art. This will provide a protective layer between the two that allows you to fix minor errors that may occur during your taping. If the black polish bleeds under the tape, take a small brush dipped in acetone to carefully remove the polish that has bled. The top coat you previously added will protect your white base coat, but allow you to remove any errors.

For more nail art and tutorials, visit Wondrously Polished!

xoxo, Lindsey

The post Manicure Monday: Chevron Nail Tutorial appeared first on Lulus.com Fashion Blog.

Mani Monday: Angled French Nails by Katy of Nailed It

LuLu*s — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:50:52 +0000

This week’s gorgeous edition of Mani Monday is inspired by the ever-so-popular French manicure. This angled French manicure is an updated version of the classic that uses black and gold to give your nails a hint of sophistication and shine. The best part about this mani is that it goes with just about any outfit, and will leave your nails looking pretty and polished from day to date.

More tutorials and nail art are available on my blog, Nailed It. You can also follow my posts on Twitter and Facebook!

xoxo, Katy @ Nailed It

Want to try this look? Shop the nude and black Butter London polishes on Lulus.com!

The post Mani Monday: Angled French Nails by Katy of Nailed It appeared first on Lulus.com Fashion Blog.

Manicure Monday: Lace Nails with Katy of Nailed It

LuLu*s — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:42:01 +0000

What is it about lace that makes it so feminine, but also so sexy? Maybe it’s the colors that decide which interpretation to take on, but then what would we call this simple black and white lace design? Simply put, I think it’s just lovely…lovely Lulu*s lace!

There are so many pretty lace pieces right now at Lulus.com like these black lace trimmed matador pants. Whether you love your lace in peplums or pleats, lace looks gorgeous and simple on your nails!

More tutorials and nail art are available on my blog, Nailed It. You can also follow my posts on Twitter and Facebook!

xoxo, Katy @ Nailed It

The post Manicure Monday: Lace Nails with Katy of Nailed It appeared first on Lulus.com Fashion Blog.

Manicure Monday: Ikat Nails with Katy of Nailed It

LuLu*s — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:19:37 +0000

If you’re looking for a fashion-forward way to add some flair to your nails, but don’t feel confident drawing designs yet, then this Ikat mani may be perfect for you!

This simple tutorial was inspired by these Laundry Room Aztec Cutoffs. I matched these cheeky colors with the colors on the shorts, but any variation on bright colors would work well too. Dig through your collection to find some complimentary colors, then go nuts! This is one of the easiest designs to recreate yourself.

More tutorials and nail art are available on my blog, Nailed It. You can also follow my posts on Twitter and Facebook!

xoxo, Katy @ Nailed It

The post Manicure Monday: Ikat Nails with Katy of Nailed It appeared first on Lulus.com Fashion Blog.

Manicure Monday: Tribal Nails with Katy of Nailed It

LuLu*s — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:12:29 +0000

Tribal print is traditionally dyed with the most beautiful and rich dyes derived from natural, juicy fruits. While this LuLu*s inspired look may not have the most natural colors in it, it’s certainly keeping with the bright colors I’ve grown to associate tribal prints with!

This manicure was inspired by this bright Billabong Tribal Print Purse! I chose a more coral/hot pink for my mani, but the yellow, teal and indigo stitching was pulled almost directly from the look of the bag.

While this tribal nail tutorial may be a bit more advanced and requires more patience, tools, and clean-up, the end result is so striking that everyone needs to give it a try!

More tutorials and nail art are available on my blog, Nailed It. You can also follow my posts on Twitter and Facebook!

xoxo, Katy @ Nailed It

The post Manicure Monday: Tribal Nails with Katy of Nailed It appeared first on Lulus.com Fashion Blog.

Manicure Monday: Bow Nails with Katy of Nailed It

LuLu*s — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:02:52 +0000

My feminine bow tutorial was inspired by the colors of spring and the fashionable outfits on Lulus.com! One of my favorite dresses is the Because You Bow Better Ivory Dress. The open back is transformed from dangerously sexy to ultra-cute with a simple bow accent.

I used some soft pastels for my nails’ bows, but you can make this mani sexy with red, or sultry with navy. Experiment with different color combinations to find the right fit for you!

More tutorials and nail art are available on my blog, Nailed It. You can also follow my posts on Twitter and Facebook!
xoxo, Katy @ Nailed It

The post Manicure Monday: Bow Nails with Katy of Nailed It appeared first on Lulus.com Fashion Blog.

Manicure Monday: Mermaid Nails with Syl and Sam

LuLu*s — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:38:18 +0000

Hey ladies,

We’ve noticed plenty of scalloped hems popping up on the LuLu*s shop with the spring collection slowly releasing, so we were inspired to do something with a scalloped inspiration. We decided to take a bit of a cue from one of our favorite mythical creatures and do a dreamy mermaid look! So check out our full tutorial and make this scaly look a part of your world.

Here’s the look we’re going for:

What you’ll need:
- a minty green nail polish
- a darker teal nail polish
- a makeup sponge
- a black striper brush nail polish
- fast dry top coat

Start with a few coats of your base color. Make sure each coat is dry before applying the next and let these dry completely.

Now take your makeup sponge and apply a dab of the darker nail polish directly onto a corner of the sponge. I use the same sponge for multiple manicures, so usually I rip of the end where old nail polish has dried onto the sponge. Then just take the sponge and dab the polish onto the tip of your nail. This might take a few coats to achieve a darker look, but be patient and let each coat dry in between, or your sponge will end up lifting away your polish instead of putting it on!

Continue dabbing at the tip of each nail until you have a subtle ombre effect on every finger.

Then take your black nail polish and use a striper brush to draw a scalloped design.

Draw single rows of scalloped lines on top of each other until you reach the tip of your nail. Do the same to all of your nails and then simply top coat and you’re done!

This “under the sea” look is an amazing bold look that will surely get you in the mood for warmer weather!

The post Manicure Monday: Mermaid Nails with Syl and Sam appeared first on Lulus.com Fashion Blog.

Manicure Monday: Floral Nails with Syl and Sam

LuLu*s — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:02:18 +0000

Hey ladies,
Winter is hardly half way through, but with the appearance of beautiful spring clothing in stores and on the LuLu*s site, we’re ready for warmer seasons to come. The pretty mints and floral prints had us excited so we decided to do a floral manicure this week. A reader of ours taught us the simple steps to making easy rose-like flowers, so follow along below!

Here’s the look we’re going for:

What you’ll need:
- mint nail polish
- hot pink nail polish
- white nail polish
- green nail polish
- fast dry top coat
- a toothpick

Start with a few coats of your base color. Allow the coats to dry completely before continuing.

Now take your pink nail polish and dab a small dot on your nail. Then grab the white polish and dab a small dot directly next to the pink one.

Then take your toothpick (quickly before the polishes dry) and “stir” the dots together to make a swirled together spot of polish.

The take the other end of your toothpick and pick up some green polish. Dab the toothpick sideways to create a small leaf shape on the sides of your flower. Repeat the above steps multiple times on each nail to make a repeated flower pattern.

and then top coat and you’re done– your nails will be ready or the spring in no time!

The post Manicure Monday: Floral Nails with Syl and Sam appeared first on Lulus.com Fashion Blog.

Manicure Monday: Quilted Nails with Syl and Sam

LuLu*s — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 16:31:16 +0000

Hey ladies,
This week we’ll be showing you another tutorial with a simple dotting technique. We’ve been noticing a lot of quilted style fabrics in fashion lately. The classic Chanel quilted leather purse is iconic as ever and we’ve been seeing plenty of jackets, skirts and shorts in a similar luxurious style! We’ve tried to capture the textured look in this week’s manicure with a simple black and white palette.

Here’s the look we’re going for:

What you’ll need:
- black nail polish
- white nail polish
- fast dry top coat
- a dull pencil
- a toothpick

Start with a few coats of your base color. Allow the coats to dry completely before continuing.

Then take your white nail polish (any contrasting color will work!) and put a few drops onto a scrap piece of paper or on some foil.

Then use your “dotting tool” and dip it into the paint.

Simply touch the tip of the pencil to your nail and you’ll have a perfect dot! Continue in an alternating pattern with the dots evenly spaced out.

Then take your toothpick and dip into the paint.

The smaller tip will make tiny dots, so use this tool to “connect the dots”. Just adjoin the larger dots with a dotted line. Form little diamond shapes to get a quilted look!

Do the same to each of your nails.

and then top coat and you’re done– your nails will look luxe and textured like a certain expensive designer bag

The post Manicure Monday: Quilted Nails with Syl and Sam appeared first on Lulus.com Fashion Blog.

Manicure Monday: Plaid Nails with Syl and Sam

LuLu*s — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 17:36:31 +0000

Happy Monday Ladies!

We’re back with another nail stamping tutorial. These manicures require a couple of extra tools (a nail stamping kit), but it’s a worthy investment if you’re a big nail art enthusiast! We decided to go with a festive red and white plaid to match your Christmas morning pajamas or that sparkling holiday dress.

Here’s the look we’re going for today:

What you’ll need:
- A base color (we used red!)
- Konad Special Nail Polish (white)
- A top coat
- Konad Image Plate, Stamp and Scraper
- Nail Polish Remover & Makeup Remover Pads (not shown)

Start with a few coats of your base color & allow it to dry completely before moving on to the next steps.

Now gather your Konad Stamping items together. These special tools can be purchased online & getting a starter kit costs under $25. The metal image plates are available with hundreds of different designs on them. You also need a “stamper” and a “scraper” and their special nail polish… the first step is to grab your special polish & apply it over the entire etched design that you want to apply to your nail.

Then take your scraper and using one swift movement, scrape off all the excess nail polish off of the design. It helps to have a piece of scrap paper sitting under your plate so that you don’t end up scraping the nail polish onto your table.

Moving VERY quickly, take your stamper tool and pick up the design from the plate. It’s important to move quickly or the thin coat of polish will dry onto the plate. Usually, the thinner the image (these stripes are tiny!) the more quickly the paint will dry up!

Now that you’ve transferred a detailed design onto your stamper, you can carefully stamp it onto your nail in a rolling motion.

Once you have done one nail, grab the nail polish remover pads and clean up the excess polish from your plate and stamp. You can repeat the step for each nail and then clean the excess off your cuticles with a cotton swab.

After finishing all nails, top coat them to seal in the design & be sure to take quick swipes so that you don’t smear the design. And there you go! The stripes on mine came out slightly wavy because of some unsteady hands, but practice makes perfect & sometimes you just have to embrace those little mistakes on a DIY manicure.

The post Manicure Monday: Plaid Nails with Syl and Sam appeared first on Lulus.com Fashion Blog.