Mmmmm spotty nails...
I have always yearned for perfectly polka dotted nails of my own, but have never been able to achieve it just using a nail polish brush. I thought using my nail pen might work better, but it turned out you couldn't get consistent dots with that either. What was wrong with me..? Couldn't I do anything right..? Before spiralling into depression, I did what any Generation Y-er at rock bottom would do. Youtube'd it.
Enter cutepolish and her alternatives to 'dotting tools'. Nail salons use these funny tools (see vid) to create spots, and they are actually rather cheap on eBay. But cutepolish has saved us a few quid and the anxiety of waiting for mail... (God, I sound well unhinged tonight!)
In her tutorial, Ms cutepolish outlines 5 ways to create polka dot nails using stuff around the house. Perfect Tuesday Tip material!
I decided to try out the Kirby Grip method and the sewing pin method. I started out with a base of Turquoise Shimmer, sent to me by Beauty UK. It's a bit like my favourite Models Own Top Turquoise polish, but with a shimmery tint. Lovely!
I then bent the kirby grip open and went a bit polka dot crazy! They came out so much more even than using a nail brush or pen! I just wish I'd spaced them out a bit more!
For the second method, cutepolish stuck her sewing pin in the end of a pencil to make it easier to use (her genius tips are making me feel sickeningly inadequate!)
I only tested this out on a couple of nails but I absolutely loved it! Perfect chubby polka dots!
I hope this has prevented anyone else from a downward spiral into depression. Dotpression.
Go forth and be spotty!!!
♥
PS - Sorry I haven't posted in a week. I have been incredibly busy with my FMP and this website! BBS! x
PPS - Can any of you chums tell me how to stop Blogger indenting every paragraph in my blog posts? Pisses me off.
AMAZING! i love this tip sooo much, can't wait to try it. your best yet <3 xo.
ReplyDeletegh0stparties.com
If anything this post has brought me out of depression and into a dot frenzy.
ReplyDeleteI MUST GOT DOT MY NAILS RIGHT NOW.
Love the tip :) x
ahhh love it!
ReplyDeletei must try this soon like asap!
Krissy xoxo
I actually attempted to polka dot my nails last night using a nail art brush and ended up giving up after one nail. It looked so crap! This post is perfectly timed!
ReplyDeleteClaire
x
http://treblesandamixer.blogspot.com
Great tips. I've tried using a toothpick in the past but the dots were tiny! I love the second tip - the chubby polka dots look fab. x
ReplyDeleteAhhh brilliant! May do this tonight! xx
ReplyDeleteI have some dotting tools, but sometimes use a kirby grip to do mine - comes out great :) x
ReplyDeleteAhh this is so good! one of the best tips yet. love
ReplyDeletexx
oh this is such a good tip, can't wait to try! amy,x
ReplyDeletei bought some embossing tools from a craft shop (meant for cardmaking), they're basically the exact same things as dotting tools, except i didn't have to order them online and they were only about £2 or something, and came in a set of 3 double-ended tools in different sizes. xx
ReplyDeletethat sewing pin at the end of a pencil is pretty damn genius i must say. will have to try that out soon
ReplyDeleteI did mine spotty last night and they look a bit rubbish done with the nail polish brush so next time I must try this out, thank you :)
ReplyDeleteWell I know what I'm doing on the weekend now...
ReplyDeleteGenius! I usually do random polkas with the end of the polish brush. This looks way amazing-er!
i really want to try these out but i cant go to job interviews with crazy dotty nails:( maybe for the weekend
ReplyDeletemargief
x
www.margieheartsclothes.blogspot.com
Love this! Even a nail retard like myself may be able to manage it!
ReplyDeletePenny x
I am in need of some white nail varnish after this!!! brilliant!
ReplyDeleteI really needed this tip haha. I hate ending up with blobby polka dots, it doesn't look right. Going to get polka-dotting asap :) xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a brilliant tip! Thanks so much for sharing :)x
ReplyDeleteAmazing tip! I've got a dotter tool but the tip of it is TINY and it's no good for polka dots. I'll be using a kirby grip next time I think. Your polka dots look perfect! xx
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for this tip, I can take those dotting tools off the watch on ebay now!
ReplyDeletex
This is bloody brill I was going to buy a dotting tool but will have to give this a go !!! Fab! Fab! Fab! X
ReplyDeleteOh Gem, such a genius Tues Tip as always, definitely doing this tomorrow, I'm such a nail art n00b! Hope you're well honey xx
ReplyDeleteGem, this is amazing! Thanks so much for sharing this, my take on polka dot nails always end up looking like a splodgy mess, I am definitely going to do this soon.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh... I'm definitely trying this! I am absolutely useless when it comes to nail art... but surely even I can't go wrong with the sewing pin?
ReplyDeletexx
AWESOME tip! what girl doesn't want some cute dotted nails? thanks so much:)
ReplyDeleteArgh I HAVE to try this tomorrow when I do my nails!
ReplyDeletewow, this looks so good!xxx
ReplyDeletestilettosandcigarettes
i'm definitely trying this today. it looks idiot proof enough for me to manage :)
ReplyDeleteOh my GOD this is good! I'm moving into dotsession territory methinks...a dot obsession! Definitely trying this out tonight :) x
ReplyDeleteThey look amazing! I think the WAH pens do pretty good spots, but I love these chubby ones. Definitely going to try that out soon xx
ReplyDeleteAmazing idea! I cant wait to try it!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Miss Neira
amazing, thanks for these posts. both looks you did look perfect!
ReplyDeleteA KIRBY GRIP! why didn't i think of that?! i tried a tooth pick thing but it was rubbish. x
ReplyDeleteThank you for pulling these together. Why oh why do I always think these things are going to be so complicated?! Can't wait to try it.
ReplyDeletefab, I'm going to give the kirby grip idea a try x
ReplyDeleteBOOK. Do it.
ReplyDeleteLove them! I used to use a toothpick! I love the effect of the pin though! And the colours you chose are sooo cute! X
ReplyDeleteBurn the Blonde
great tip! very useful as was about to buy one of those dotters
ReplyDeletexx
wish I had nails *march resolution to stop gnawing at work*
ReplyDeletex
I've just done a post on my five favourite bloggers, and included you. I used a picture of yours to illustrate the section about you (with credit, of course). I hope that's alright!
ReplyDeleteYou can see the post here, if you'd like to:
http://caramellattekiss.blogspot.com/2011/03/30-day-challenge-day-two.html
This is genius! I'm off to do some polka dotting...
ReplyDeleteThis is genious! Dying to try polkadot nials out now :) x
ReplyDeleteAmazing idea!!!!!! Need to try this out!
ReplyDeleteGeorgie
xx
http://styleprincessdiaries.blogspot.com
Such an amazing idea! Who d'thunk it, definitely need to give this a go! :) xxx
ReplyDeleteboth tips I'm going to try! The second one in particular looks great, the dots are so even and I like them chunky! great ideas, I was looking into dotting tools, but this is a great free alternative :) thanks gem! x
ReplyDeleteahh i love these :]
ReplyDeleteim absoulutly addicted to your blog atm ive only just started following you and ive already managed to rip up 4 pairs of jeans with the help of your tutorial :]
so thankyouuuu lol
xxx
Great tip! I did mine yesterday :) have a look here: http://alice-lily.blogspot.com/2011/03/its-always-better-when-were-together.html xx
ReplyDeletei love the chubby dots you made with the sewing pin!
ReplyDeletethey look so cute white against the blue polish!
ps, to stop your blogger giving you new paragraphs, go into settings > formatting and if you scroll down a little you'll find 'convert line breaks'. switch that to 'no' and you should be good to go :)
hope this fixes it!
Love your tutorials!!! thank you.
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing!:) will try it out as soon as my nails recover from that terrible splitting and britteling
ReplyDeleteI wish I had nails to do this with. Brilliant tip about the grip though, it makes such perfect circles.
ReplyDelete-vicki!
That looks SO good! I'm going to try that today for sure, what a genius idea to use the round end of a pin or a kirby grip!
ReplyDeleteHollie
lipstick and balloons
I'm meant to be revising and I just spent 20 minutes laughing to myself in a computer room full of people because of the autocorrects. Thanks very much! Hahaha.
ReplyDeleteThis is slightly belated, but this inspired me to do daisy nails using a pencil instead of the normal blobby varnish brush - so much easier! I linked to you http://happilyeverafteralways.blogspot.com/ !
ReplyDeleteI tried the hair grip it and it was perfect! It totally worked, thanks for sharing the tip. I linked back to your post.
ReplyDeleteAmy xx
http://smeeeff.blogspot.com/2011/04/pink-sunday_24.html