Monday 23 June 2014

Manic.Monday: A brush with water decals

For being a self confessed polishaholic, I have experimented surprisingly little with nail art and the furthest I've gone into the realm of different nail art techniques is to apply gemstones (surprise, surprise...) or using self adhesive nail stickers so when I got a selection of gorgeous water decals* from Born Pretty the time had come for me to go forth and explore the wonderful world of nail art. I wanted to do something summery with fresh contrasts so as a base for the look I used Barry M nail paint (£2.99) in Matte White. Barry M is one of my go to brands and I have to say that I've got more of their nail polishes than I can count. The consistency of this particular shade is ever so slightly different than the others in that it's a tiny bit more runny which means that you only need the smallest of drops of product for it to cover your nail, which would also help to minimise any mess of excess polish on cuticles etc. Even though the formula is a bit more difficult to work with, the pigmentation is fairly strong for a light shade and far from sheer, although I would definitely recommend that you apply two coats for a nice opaque solid color, which isn't really an effort since each coat will dry quite quickly. Matte White is a lovely crisp, clean and fresh look for summer, perfect for enhancing a tan and despite being a matte finish you still get a lovely and natural shine that lasts for about 3-4 days on its own before it starts to chip.
Having let the white base dry properly I moved on to try my luck with the beautiful water decals*. I absolutely loved the abstract brushstrokes in azure blue with gold specks and I was very excited to see how they actually turned out on the nail, and if they were easy to work with. When it comes to water decals, the clue is in the name and you basically need to plunge them into water to get them pliable enough for sticking them onto the nail. According to the instructions, you should peel the film off the decal before you dip it into water, but I found it impossible to take the film off while dry, so I would recommend that you simply cut out the shape of the decal then put it in the water for up to a minute and when you take it out, it'll already have started to come away from the paper making it very easy to transfer onto the nail using a pair of tweezers. After you've placed the decal on your nail, you soak up any excess water with a cotton pad or some tissue - blast the nail under a blow dryer for about 20 secs so that the decal is completely soft and dry, and then finish off by sealing it in on the nail with a top coat. Once the decal has set on the nail, it'll last for about 4-5 days and it's also surprisingly easy to remove with a good dip and twist nail polish remover, taking no more than a few seconds to remove.
I do like the effect and having got the hang of the technique now, I think that with more practice and experimenting with different colors and also other accents, you can create some really wonderful look, however I also have to say that it is quite fiddly and a fair amount of work just to get a decal on your nail - approximately 5-6 mins for each nail that you decide to decorate. As much as I love different nail looks, personally I prefer a simple self adhesive sticker to the effort you have to put in with a water decal, but if you have some time to spare you should definitely give it a go and see how you get on with it and Born Pretty has a great selection of all kinds of nail art for next to nothing and they always have great offers on, including free worldwide delivery. To make it even more difficult to resist, you get an additional 10% off on whatever you treat yourself to when you enter the discount code CANW10, so head over to Born Pretty and embrace your creative side for some unique, eye catching nails.

68 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I like the contrast between the white and the blue and at least now I know how to work with water decals :o) Xx

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  2. This sounds so good! Although, I'm the most impatient person when it comes to doing my nails so I think I'd have to stick with the stickers haha. :)

    The Sunday Chapter x

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    1. HI Angela - I agree with you, it's much quicker and easier to use :o) Xx

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  3. A lovely design for a decal! I use to hand paint designs which did take a long time so maybe this might be a good alternative (I also want to try stamping).
    xxx Kat @ Katness

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    1. Wow that sounds very ambitious, I don't think I could ever get hand painted designs to turn out well :o) Xx

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  4. The decals are gorgeous! I bet they'd look awesome on a blue base! <3

    Tara x

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    1. I wish I had thought through the design more and next time I think I'll use both blue and gold as well as base shades :o) Xx

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  5. This is such a cool effect. I haven't seen these around before. I love them! x

    Mapped Out | Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle

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    1. Thank you so much :o), I'm glad you like them! Xx

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  6. Wow what a great idea Charlotte!
    I love the contrast in colours and the uniqueness the decals give.
    xo Holly xo

    HollyDolly.

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    1. Thank you so much, next time I think I'll introduce some more contrasting colors though :o) Xx

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    1. :o) - ah, you're so sweet, thank you!!! :o) Xx

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  8. This does look super pretty! Especially love the little bit of gold!!

    Laura xx

    maquillagemagic.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Thank you very much, I did like that touch of sparkle and I thought the white background would off set that really nicely :o). Xx

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  9. Love the blue and white....so fresh xx

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    1. Oh thank you, I'm so glad you said that, it's exactly what I was going for :o) Xx

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  10. Beautiful nail art!
    www.alessandrastyle.com

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    1. That's so lovely of you, thank you very much :O) Xx

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  11. These are really beautiful for summer, pretty but not over the top. Some of the techniques you can use now are superb Lucy x

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    1. Anything that makes nail art easy is welcome - I just need to get used to the water transfer bit which I still find a bit fiddly.... :o) Xx

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  12. Oh, I really like the look of these; they look like paint swatches!
    ChicAndAlluring.com

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    1. LOL, that's true actually... with some glamorous gold specks :o) Xx

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  13. I love the polish, but I'm just not patient enough for decals hehe... Yours look cute! Xx

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    1. Hiya Gemma, I do agree with you - its a little bit too fiddly, and I much prefer easy self stick transfers, and there are loads of gorgeous designs in that format too :o) Xx

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  14. These are lovely, the brush strokes look so unusual and work really well with the white base! :)

    Jess xo

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    1. That's so lovely of you Jess - thank you very much :o) Xx

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  15. Great post,love it!

    xx
    Antonella!

    beautylove7694.blogspot.com

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  16. this is so cute! loving how you did your nails!

    styleandchocolates.blogspot.com

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  17. So cute! Well done :)
    xo
    Anastasia
    http://natbeesfashion.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Thank you, I think I'll get better at the technique the more I try it - I just need to get some more patience too LOL. Xx

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  18. That's just too pretty! I'm loving it :))
    Do you want to follow each other on Bloglovin?

    Lu, www.balgarka.co.uk

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  19. Ok I love water decals but I gotta say, this design seems too messy/artistic, not my cup of tea :S

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    1. There are so many lovely designs to choose from, definitely something for everyone :o) Xx

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  20. aww i like that it's really pretty!
    www.samanthadawn.co.uk

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    1. Thank you so much, that's so lovely of you :o) Xx

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  21. Hey Charlotte! I just brought my blog back from break and my first post is a tag that I tagged you in. It's the THIS or THAT tag. If you decide to do it be sure to let me know :)
    ~Evi<3

    http://evithefashionista.blogspot.ca/2014/07/back-with-bam.html

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    1. Hiya Evi, thanks a million. I'll add it to my list of things to do and keep you updated :o) Xx

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  22. cute nail!!
    www.agoprime.it

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  23. Loving this gorgeous nail look, I definitely need to get more adventurous with my nails :-) xxx

    www.stylapetite.com

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    1. That's so sweet of you, I really appreciate that. I love trying different things, but at the same time I want it non fussy - not sure you can have both LOL. Xx

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  24. Nice!
    XoXo

    www.acooltime.blogspot.com

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    1. Thank you - I'm glad you like it :o) Xx

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  25. Wow, so pretty! These decals are gorgeous. Haven't heard of the brand, will need to check these out!

    May from La Vie en May

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    1. Thank you so much, they do have a lot of designs to choose from in different styles, and it's cheap as chips! :o) Xx

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  26. I need to experiment more with nail art! I am so lazy with it, I usually just go to a salon and get them done for me so how on earth am I meant to learn haha! I hope you're well :) Take care, Saida xx

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    1. Hello my dear! Have had a bit of a manic time lately, but doing well and I so hope you are too. Well, why not - we all deserve a treat :o) Xx

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  27. This turned out fantastic!! i have spent hours on YT and insta looking at all the talented nail artists. Lucky to have found your blog..I am going to be addicted to it :)

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    1. Thank you so much, that's so lovely and I hope you'll visit again soon :o) Xx

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  28. Not sure if I'd have the patience for these - but they do look so pretty!

    Eve & Faye x
    The Sugar Spun Sisters | A blog about clothes, cosmetics and coeliac disease.

    Take a look at our latest post - how to make your own DIY floral crown!

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    1. I don't know if I have the patience for it either - LOL, but it's always fun to try new looks. Thank you so much ladies! :o) Xx

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    1. That's so lovely of you to say, thank you very much - it's always fun to experiment and see what works :o) Xx

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  30. I just love Barry M polish for a great budget buy. The white seems pretty pigmented to. Love the decals - will have to give them a whirl :-)
    Love Vicky
    Around and Upside Down

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    1. I agree, it's an amazing budget brand! :o) Xx

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  31. These look so pretty! It's a shame they are fiddly to apply. x

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    1. I guess I just need to try and be a bit more patient, or perhaps just stick (ha ha) with the other types :o) Xx

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  32. Love this nail look! Looks lovely on you!

    Jasmin xx

    justlovelylittlethings.blogspot.co.uk

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