Review | Born Pretty Store Striped Metallic Round Studs

I am always looking for new and unusual nail art embellishments to add to my stash and the latest ones come courtesy of Born Pretty Store and their striped, round rhinestones.

There are round and oval studs to choose from in different sizes and I chose the round 2mm ones for they fit my nails better. These studs have a domed appearance and they bear a striped design which makes them truly unique.

They can be used in different nail art designs and I chose to add them to the centres of flowers I stamped on my nails. I find these studs go best with purples, greys, reds, oranges and blues so you are really spoilt for choice with colours to match them to. All studs held up well with a good adhering base polish. 

These striped studs come in sets if 10 or 15 pieces and retail for $4.20. You can get 10% off your order by quoting my code EBABK31 at checkout. Shipping from Born Pretty Store is always free so you can splurge a little more ;)

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NOTW | Aztec and Neon

This week I finally had the chance to try on some Aztec inspired nails and I wanted to use the neon stud rhinestones I recently got from Born Pretty Store as well so I incorporated both in this fun manicure. Read on for the tutorial and more pictures :)

 

1. Prep nails with a base coat and follow with two coats of a neutral polish. Used here is Essence Soul Sista Trend Edition Nail Polish 04 Totally Retro Nude. Allow to dry completely.

2. For the black stripes and Aztec patterns, I used black acrylic paint diluted with water to enable me to draw the intricate lines flawlessly. I used a size 0 Kolinsky brush as I find they give better results than synthetic hair brushes.

For the ring fingers, start by drawing two thin lines in a 'v' shape and then proceed to draw the Aztec stair-like design in small lines first and subsequently fill in. It helps to draw another 'v' shape a little further up to serve as an outline. Finish by painting a small triangle at the very tip as shown in the pictures and add neon rhinestones at the base of the nail.

 

3. For the middle fingers, you can use striping tape for more defined lines, otherwise you can just use a black nail polish straight from the brush and create a thick vertical stripe right up the middle of the nail. I used Essie Licorice for this step.

4. While the black polish is still wet, adhere square and round rhinestones to your liking and leave to dry.

5. Seal all the nails with top coat and you're done!

 

NOTW: Of Leopards and Studs

Last week I was wearing a manicure that was inspired from a picture I saw on the internet.  Leopard print, studs and nude nail polish are all three of my favourites when it comes to nails and I combined all three in this manicure.  It does take some patience and a steady hand to accomplish but nonetheless, it is relatively easy.

1. Prep nails with a base coat to protect your natural nails and make the polish last longer.

2. Apply two coats of a nude beige nail polish of your choice and leave to dry thoroughly.  I used Essence Nude Glam in 06 Cookies and Cream.

3. Decide what is going on each nail and I suggest you start with the studs first.

• For nails on which you are going to put a single stud, apply a little clear nail polish at the base of the nail and carefully place the stud right in the middle of the nail.
• For the nails where you are going to do a stud border, work on one half of the nail at a time.  Apply some clear nail polish to half the nail around the edges and work your way adhering rhinestones and making sure to only space them out a little and keep in line. I used the Born Pretty Store Rhinestone Picking Wax Pen to pick-up and place the studs (also from Born Pretty Store).
• Here comes the fun part...leopard print nails! Start by randomly placing largish dots of gold polish (China Glaze Midnight Kiss) on the chosen nails. With a dark brown polish (E.L.F. Chocolate) and a medium sized dotting tool, create jagged 'C'-shapes around the gold dots.  Keep a picture near you to get the print right.

4. Finish off with a glossy top coat once your nails are completely dry. I used AODL UV Gel Top Coat from Born Pretty Store.

Review: Born Pretty Store 1.5mm Round Gold Stud Rhinestones

 We have all seen studs on shoes, bags and fabrics on the catwalk and now you can have them on your nails as well thanks to Born Pretty Store who have introduced a variety of stud rhinestones in different sizes, shapes and colours as part of their nail art decorations section.  

I chose the 1.5mm round gold variety to review and they come in a small resealable plastic bag. The studs have a nice gold colour which complements a lot of nail varnish colours and can be used in a multitude of ways such as creating flowers, in the centre of hand-painted flowers, create crosses and other shapes as well as in half-moon manicures.

They are very versatile to use in both girly and gothic inspired designs. You just have to pick them up with a dotting tool dipped in clear polish or a moist q-tip and place them where you want on the nail to create your desired design et voila'! Studded nails in no time!

These rhinestones retail for $5.86 or you can get 10% off when quoting the code EBABK31 at checkout.

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