Because of the kind of person I am, my nails are rarely "done". Because of the kind of person I am this sometimes bothers me. I love clothing, love style, worship Issey Miyake and Tom Ford BUT ... even if I do my own nails or get them done they don't last longer than say .... 13.7 seconds.
I'm a bit of a mess that way.
It's a struggle of a life when you love looking like a runway model and building chicken coops. And I swear to you, the only thing keeping me from looking like a runway model each and every day of my life (even in my sleep with my mouth hanging open and my cats ass in my head) is the fact that my nails are never done.
I manage to keep on top of my hair because my friend Renee does it and last time I let my hair go too long between cuts she told me I looked great anyway. That kind of bold faced lie really makes you reflect on what a horror you must really be.
I have good intentions. I think I'll do my nails. But then I do something else instead. Like eat. Or sleep. Or powerwash the neighbourhood.
But when I saw the black matte and gloss manicure while I was Googling about how to do another type of manicure ... I was hell bent on doing my nails.
The other manicure I was Googling, by the way, was the quilted nails you see here ...
See quilted nail tutorial here.
This particular tutorial uses tape to create the quilting effect. Other tutorials say using a hand held dental floss pick works great to dent your nails into a quilted pattern. It does not. I repeat, it does not work great. At all. I know this becuase I bought those little hand held dental flossers for the sole purpose of quilting my nails. 'Cause it seemed so easy and all. It was not easy. At all.
It looked like a bird with warts on the bottom of its feet walked over my nails.
That's when I remembered the other manicure I came across while searching for a quilted nail tutorial.
The black, matte & gloss french manicure.
I love it with all of my heart for two reasons.
It's exactly my style AND it really is easy to do. Foolproof in fact.
The manicure is a copy of the YSL Tuxedo manicure which is in tribute to the classic black silk on wool, YSL tuxedo jacket.
What you need:
Base coat
Regular nail polish
Matte top coat.
Steps:
1. Base coat.
2. 2 coats regular, shiny nail polish over entire nail. (let dry)
3. 1 coat Matte top coat over entire nail. (let dry)
4. Paint tips with regular, shiny nail polish
(you can also use a clear, shiny top coat for the tip portion)
I would like to take a moment to advise you that there will be no more DIY blog posts including, but not limited to cooking, cleaning, home repair, building, chickens, cats, hammering, washing or scratching. Until I get sick of this manicure.
Join me here tomorrow when we'll just look at each other.
Well, it seems like I am late to this party, but Karen, honestly, I'm shaking my head at you. A resourceful and capable woman such as yourself should know that you can build a chicken coop, wash dishes with a scouring pad if you so desire, and use your nails as a screw driver in a pinch if you wear gel polish. It will stay on through all your mood swings for two to three weeks without chipping, peeling and cracking. I used to weep over my nails regularly before I found this miracle cure. Do not walk, but RUN to your manicurist and get it, STAT!! You can thank me later. Or just throw money. Either way....
LOL. Advice heeded. My niece is my manicurist actually. I've been to her exactly twice. And ... she does gel nails. What I don't like about them (and the newer shellac nails) is you can't get a good scratch out of them! They're all rounded and smooth at the tips. It's almost winter. The exact time my legs often need a good scratchhh. ~ karen!
Ohhhhh, Karen....(sob!)....buy a skin brush for a good scraaaaaatch (that's a hair brush with metal bristles that will never touch your head!) ;-)
This is beautiful & simple. I think I have to invest in some matte topcoat.
My nails are trashed. Meant to re-do them two days ago. Kinda forgot how bad they were until now. They still have some polish left across the middle, but the tips are destroyed & they've grown out as well. I did them Saturday night - a quick cover up over the last wrecked paint job. So sad.
Daughter is napping so I am going to make them pretty again until around 6:07am when I get to work and begin wrecking them again.
Every month I get a box (or maybe two) of beauty products delivered through one of those subsciption services. One this month had the perfect royal blue nail polish, so I painted my nails. Then I had a day of field visits where I was taking soil samples and such and the next two days helping at a dog foster event. I really can't paint my nails, it looked like piranhas had been at them.
What a great idea and perfect for Halloween.
I've arrived at the point in life that if I need nice nails for something, I put on fake ones and paint those. That lasts long enough for whatever I need them for, and then I don't have to fuss and bother with my nails for another year or so. I very much like the effect of the matte and glossy. Your nails look chocolate brown to me, though, and if I did chocolate brown nails, I'd be so distracted by them reminding me of chocolate all the time I'd end up gaining another ten pounds from the bags of M&M peanuts I'd be munching on to satisfy the chocolate cravings from looking at the nails!
I have the exact same problem with manicures. I do them and feel all grown up and within half a day, I look like a third grader from all the nail chips. At that point, I don't do the grown up thing and take it off and do it again, no, I start chipping at it until each nail looks like I have some weird disease.
I love the matte polishes and especially love your black matte with gloss.
p.s., I also have the problem of loving fashion and wanting to look like a supermodel, but have chickens, and farming to take care of. It's amazing how so many of your blog fans feel so much kizmit with you - very weird. Never knew there were so many of 'us' out there.
P.S. Are yours still ok at this time? Just checking.
I love nails, however when you use your fingers as tools it lasts much less than a day. There is also the feeling in my fingers that they can't breath. I know fingers don't breath, but if they did it would feel this way. Until they make finger nail guards I will just have to pass. So I guess its work, work, work for me...
Yesterday, I saw an advertisement, for the first time, of black matte nails with gold tips. Looked beautiful, but not for me. I think they might have been " press on" nails. Looks good on your hands Karen. Well done.
Chicken manicures!
I say take that matte & gloss manicure out for a spin and see what it can do! A pedi is a regular event, but a mani is reserved for the occasional wedding or anniversary. Filed under the heading Wasted Money.
I love, love LOVE that manicure too, Karen - but hunt as I have, I can not seem to find matte top coat anywhere! Sephora was sold out, they didn't have it at the Bay, and none of my drugstores had it, either! Where on earth did you find it?
Mine is Joe Fresh Patti! ~ karen
Argh! So I dragged my guy out to Joe Fresh to try to find some, and nope - I think this silly town has put the kiabosh on matte polish! Not very nice!
It is a matte topcoat, right? Why couldn't I find it? You should've seen my guy digging for it - this big burly, hair man, picking through rows and rows of nail polish. He does guitar repair and restoration for a living, and finishing is one of his favourites, so he's very supportive of my love for polish. I may have to get him to take me out of KW for this!
It is a matte topcoat. However ... someone on my Facebook page mentioned you can make your own matte topcoat by adding cornstarch! Or maybe it was baking soda. I think it was cornstarch. So google it and give it a shot! ~ karen
Karen looks awesome! Check out Shellac manicures. I've had it done every 3 weeks for the past 2 years. It's like armor for your nails. It's about 25.00 so only slightly more expensive than a normal manicure. I'm sure you could do yourself and I promise once you try it you won't go back!
I agree so much with Theresa!! I am really, really hard on my nails/hands and this summer decided I wanted nice nails, because the middle of gardening and just before canning season is an excellent time to try to have nice nails.... Tried everything! Now several shellacings in, I am trying to see what exactly it will take to dent this stuff! I've cut and canned everything and they still look wonderful! Peer pressure much...
I found the most awesome nail process called SNS. It is 10 times better than acrylic and stays on until you want it off. Comes in tons a great colors, too. I have been remodeling a house for the last 2 weeks, including painting, demolition, grouting, you name it, and they look like they've just been done! The stuff goes on right over your own nails, and I've had them for over a year now. My local nail salon does it, and the only maintenance required is to get the new growth filled in every 3 or 4 weeks.
Great look..love it!
LOL, the tampon video was what hooked me. I still search for it and show people who've never seen your blog. I laugh my butt off every time I see it.
Enjoy your time off and your awesome manicure. :)
Great for Halloween too!
Get some gloves, Girly, and bang on!!
Great nails.
The frozen yogurt cure is the funniest thing I've seen in a long time. It did make me cross my legs though and shiver. I guess it's the same kind of reaction guys have when they see another guy get hit in the family jewels.
Can chicken manicures be far behind? I DARE you!