Where have I been?

Hello everyone!!

You may have noticed I have been missing for a while now. I have actually still been doing nails and taking photos but I abandoned the blog for a bit. I found writing up posts to be such a pain and really time consuming so I switched to just using Instagram.

Here is just some of what you might have missed if you dont follow me on Instagram....

I do hope to be posting here again soon, watch this space! 

Please join me over on instagram to all my latest work just search @lifeinlacquer 

or by following this LINK

see you all soon!

Cute Kitty Nail Art

Another quick and easy mani today :)

I saw a cute photo on my personal Facebook news feed the other day and just had to copy it on my nails.... Even my personal friends are not safe from me!!

Anyway I used Cream Puff by CND Vinylux as the base on all fingers. I then topped the index and little finger with Sick Lacquers Scatterbrains. The cute kitty is hand painted with acyclic paints and a small brush called Edinburgh Realism Grace 9.

I am thinking about taking a small break from blogging. I will continue to post when I can but I think it will only be about once a week. I feel I have not been bringing my best game so will go away for a bit and try and improve things for you all. 

See you all soon 

Fantasy Stamping Nail Art

Yay, nail mail day!
I have finally received some, not all, of my stamping plates. I ordered these about 3 weeks ago from Aliexpress.
I don't mind waiting when they are this cheap mind you and the ones I have tried so far stamp perfectly well.

Today I have a nail art featuring plate KD27. I think this might be a cheaper version of a more expensive plate? This plate picked up perfectly fine, I had no problems at all :)

To see what I created please join me after the jump!

Marcus Manis: Bridget Riley Inspired

Hello my lovelies!

Its that time of the week where we see what nail arr Marcus has been doing. If your new to the blog then ill just take a minute to fill you in. Marcus is my father in law. He is an artist and hew also enjoys painting and having his nails painted. When he comes to visit we sit ans brain storm about designs, Marcus usually goes for something inspired by another artist.


Anyway here is what he came up with this time.

 More pictures and details after the JUMP!

Life in Lacquer Challenge:INSPIRED BY ANOTHER NAIL ARTIST OR BLOGGER

Ill start of by apologising. I am really late on this prompt but I do have a good excuse I swear!!

As you can see we have had a big change here at Life in Lacquer.... We are now a dot com! This is a big step for me and its really made me feel quite accomplished!
I also have a fantastic new layout courtesy of Shiny Magic. They are so reasonably priced and was really easy to install.

Okay so back to the last prompt of the Life in Lacquer July Challenge. I chose one of my fave bloggers Let Them Have Polish.
She did a fantastic look called Rainbow Ombre and she also made a tutorial. All of which can be found on her original post.

Here's my take...

I used the exact method she did my following her YouTube tutorial. 

The colours I chose are bright so to me it looks a bit like a galaxy nail art! 

The shades I used were

Moyra Bubblegum Limoncello 622

Moyra 102

China Glaze Electric Beat 

OPI Pink Friday 

Manhattan 67N

Essie Mojito Madness

CND Vinylux Cream Puff (base) 

I used Sick Lacquers Pastel Fusion over the top to give it some glitz. This bottle is not pictured in the bottle shot (I forgot, sorry!)

I then matted it all using Mentality Matte Top Coat. I love this topcoat and the effect it gives. 

The clean up wasn't great as I got it everywhere, but I am still happy with the look. I also found Let Them Have Polishes video really easy to follow. 

So what do you think of this nail art? 

Also what are your thoughts on the new look? There's more to come with the look so its a work in progress.

Funky Line Nail Art + Sam Biddle Pen Review

I've finally had time to sit and have a little play with the nail art pen by Sam Biddles Be Inspired Range. 

I bought this and the Nails Supreme pens a while back to add to my nail art tool kit. 

This pen looks just like an old school dip pen but it has been modified to cater for thicker paints i.e water based acrylic. The paint has to be the consistency of cream. The paints designed to be used with this pen are also sold on Sam Biddles website. I bought black and white as I figured they would be the ones I would use most. 

When I received the pen it was already assembled and when I took it out the package I realised straight away that it felt really light in the hand. I personally am not a fan of that. I would prefer a bit more weight. I like to feel like I have a hold of something. 

I did my design using polish. Then used a fast dry topcoat. I then outlined in white using the pen and paint. As you can see I kinda messed this up and I got into a right kerfuffle. I tried to go over the lines to make them thicker and more bold but it was just dragging the already there paint off! 

Here's where I went wrong.

I used topcoat.

I couldn't put any real pressure on the pen as it was denting the topcoat. I just have no patience when it comes to drying time lol. The problem is the shine. I have problems with normal nail art acrylic gripping to that so I have no idea what possessed me to topcoat??!!! 

One other thing of note is how much mess i made! I got paint all up my arm and all over my hands. I am a really messy person anyway so I wasn't really surprised. 

All in all I need a shed load more practise and I believe the pen not doing a great was my fault. 

I have used this pen previously for my Earth Day nails. I found the text easy to do and Ill tell you for why.... I let the polish dry without using a fast dry topcoat. It was easy to get the paint to "grip" but still I found the flow could be uneven but I think with some practise this pen could be a nifty piece of kit to have, even if its just for writing text. I just cannot do text with a brush.

For the rest of this nail art I used Zoya's Areej and Mira. KBShimmer Chick Me Out and Sick Lacquers Grape Juice.

Have you ever tried this pen? Did you like it? 

You can buy this pen and the paints from HERE

Life in Lacquer is One!!

Can you believe it? 

Life in Lacquer is one years old!!! 

I cant believe its actually been a year, in fact I forgot! 

The "blogiversary" was actually yesterday..... DOH! 

It has been an eventful year and I have made some lovely friends in the "nail world" 

If I didn't start this blog I would have never have met you lovely people so for that I am thankful <3

It crept up on me so quickly, I wanted to run a giveaway and such but that will have to wait.....

To mark my one year anniversary I have done some lovely cake nail art! You may remember I did do some cupcake nail art right back in the beginning (post HERE) so I thought I would give it another go. I hope I have improved! 

For this mani I used a Sick Lacquers nail polish. This one is called Cotton Candied and its such a beautiful polish. Sick Lacquers were my first international indie brand and to this day they are still my fave. 

White crellys are where its at for me! 

The pictures show two coats with Seche Vite. 

Its such a happy polish and I think it works so well in this design. 

I also used Robyn by Zoya, another of my fave polishes. Such a pretty colour! 

I used Color Club stripers to do the cupcake and two OPI's for the case.

 Color Club stripers are the bees knees! 

So what do you think? Do you see an improvement compared to my old cupcake mani? 

NOTD: Mysterious Lines

I love BarryM gelly polishes but i hardly ever use them. I find them a bit thick sometimes so I think that puts me off when I go to pick my colours.

I have wanted to use Sick Lacquers Mysterious Ways for ages and last week I wore it on a night out, but forgot to take photos DUH!
Everytime I use a new Sick Lacquers polish I always say to my other half  "this is my favorite one, you know."
I just love them all so much I can't actually decide which one I like best. The formula is always great, never too thick (my pet hate) and have great coverage in two coats.
I hand painted the lines using a very small brush that I have cut down some of the strands to make it even thinner.

 For this funky line mani I used Sick Lacquers Mysterious Ways. BarryM Gelly in Guava and Grapefruit. All Pictured with 2 coats.

Whenever I photograph Guava its never bloody right. Its alot more of a teal in real life and you can really see the green hue. Its not this blue pictured here. *SIGH*

Mysterious Ways has a white base which is opaque in two coats. It features glitter in a vast array of sizes and colours. 

You can find Sick LacquersHERE

What do you think of this bright mani? 

Butterfly Lace Nail Art

Today I have some nail art, Yay! 

I have been using stamping quite a bit recently but I want to start getting back into hand painting nail art again. 

I have been super busy with another project recently so I haven't had much time for my own nails. So here's an easy one for me today, ease me back in :) 

This design actually started off being a tribal but I changed my mind lol! 

This is OPI's Vant To Bite My Neck? and Sick Lacquers Butterfly Effect. 

The glitter really sparkles against the dark purple. 

The formula of Vant To Bite My Neck? is really good, pretty much a one coater. Its a dark plum purple. Love this shade, I think it will be used a lot this winter. 

Butterfly effect has slices, circles ,diamonds and hex holographic glitter suspended in a clear base. It even has cute little butterflies in! I took a singular butterfly and place on my accent nail. 

The white "lace" is acrylic paint. I find it covers darker colours better than using nail polish. 

So what do you think? Are you ready to embraced the autumn/winter shades?

Birds & Cats with Butterflies & Roses!

I just couldn't wait to give the new Sick Lacquer a try so here is my first one!

This is Butterflies & Roses!

3 thin coats, no base coat. Seche Vite to top it off. 

Couldn't resist putting something really cute and girly with this, so went with MoYou London's stamping plate called Kitty Collection 11.

I bloody love this polish. It has blue and pink hexes, pink micro glitter and cute pink butterflies! The formula is fab and there's good glitter coverage. I love the design as it really stands out against the background! 

The photos are a tad washed out as i had to use the flash. The light here is terrible today. All rain and no sun BooHooo

What do you think? Are you loving this girly design?

Sick Lacquers Swatches Part 2

As promised here is part two of the indie polishes from Sick Lacquers

Sick Lacquers are a Mother and Son team from the USA. They have a store on Etsy and stock a wide range of their own polishes, from glitters to textured polishes. 

The first one up is Blossom. A bright pink and white glitter in strands,squares,hexes, hearts and stars. 

Here it is with 3 coats, no topcoat. 

The formula wasn't too thick on this one, just how i like it :) you get a good coverage of glitter without having to place the glitter yourself. 

I like the jelly feel it has to it and the depth of glitter because of the layering.

Next up is Bubbles. This has navy,light blue and white glitter in various hexes, squares, hearts, micro and star shapes. You'll be glitter spoilt! 

Two coats over China Glaze Electric Beat.

 And this is 2 thick coats with no base.

As you can see this is in an almost clear base, unlike Blossom so I personally think it looks better over a base colour. 

I love blue and this lovely polish is no exception. 

formula great, easy to apply glitter with no extra dragging around.

Last up is Circle Of Light, now this one was an absolute pain to photograph. It has these beautiful holographic circles and squares, that just do not behave when it comes to being photographed. The nightmare that is holographic lol!

Here it is with 3 coats over no base.

the formula on this polish, for me, was too thick. I prefer my polishes to have a thin/meduim thickness. This polish completely jam packed with glitter though. It has like tiny shimmery glitter in which make up this base. I dont even know how to descrivbe it, all I know is that its as glittery as a 70's disco ball! 

I love the circles and in real life they really do catch the light and look amazing!

So thats part two! 

I have been so happy and blown away with these polishes that i have actually put in an order for another 9! Keep your eyes peeled as there will be loads more coming! 

Dont forget to check out their Facebook, Instagram and Etsy! 

*some of these products were sent to me for an HONEST review. The views on this product are COMPLETELY my own.*

Sick Lacquers Purple Haze Launch!

Oh boy do I have a treat for you! 

Purple Haze is a brand new holographic polish from Sick Lacquers.  

The mother and son team have come up with this beauty, which will launch TODAY!!

I have previously written a post on some lovely glitters by Sick Lacquers which you can find HERE

It is hard to capture the true beauty of a holo but I have tried my hardest :) 

Most of these pictures are in direct sunlight to bring out the true holo. 

So here it is. Two coats with Seche Vite topcoat. 

This macro shot has come out a little "noisy" but you can really see the sheer amount of holo particles WOW!!

Heres a photo of the polish in the bottle 

This purple is a light grape colour, jammed packed with holo glittery goodness! 

so what do you all think of this new indie polish? 

Sick Lacquers are based in the USA but they do ship to the UK and Europe. 

To see this and a lot of other beautiful polishes please check out their  SHOP

 FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM 

*some of these products were sent to me for an HONEST review. The views on this product are COMPLETELY my own.*

Sick Lacquers Swatches and Review Part 1

I am a very lucky lady! 

Today I have some swatches of three indie polishes by Sick Lacquers. 

I do have more from Sick Lacquers to show you but I'm teasing you all by breaking it down :P

Sick Lacquers are available to buy on Etsy and are handmade by Peggie and her son. 

You can purchase them HERE and they do ship to the UK.

Without further ado.....

This First one is Berrys and Cream

2 Coats + Seche Vite topcoat

All i can say really is wow! Your going to get a lot of that on this post HaHa! This features different size purple glitter suspended in a creamy white base. The more you layer it on the deeper the effect gets. I love that you can see all the glitter from the previous coat just peeking out. If you look at the (crap) Macro shot you will see the different shapes of glitter this polish has to offer. 

The formula is fab and the glitter lies pretty well flat without topcoat.

Next up is Buttercup. This is 3 coats with topcoat. 

Your going to need to wear shades for this cheeky neon-esque shade. Not too bright its offensive but eye catching enough to get you noticed!

This features micro, slices,hexes and even cute star shaped glitter. You could either wear this alone or over another polish depending on your mood, and if worn over another polish it would turn down the brightness. 

The larger hexes don't lay as flat but that's expected really with larger glitters. In the macro shot it looks way worse than it looked to the "naked eye"

Taste the Rainbow. 2 coats with Seche Vite.

WOW, I wanted this to stay on my nails for forever and a day. 

This polish is another glitter suspended in a creamy base. This literally has all the colours in the rainbow, well all the good ones! Formula was great as with all the others. 

I cant really say any more about this polish, but you haven't got something like this, then its a no brainer.

What do you think of these super beautiful indies? 

Please also take a look at their FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM and show some love!

*some of these products were sent to me for an HONEST review. The views on this product are COMPLETELY my own.*