Matte nails, Shiny tips

Looking for a new thing to do I came across this cool and easy nail design from Kim Kardashian's blog and I thought I'd give it a shot so here it is:)

 I'm not sure why but the two photos are two different colors the one on top^ is blue but the one on the bottom\/ is purple.... the one on top^^^ is more accurate to reality, OPI Ink is like a navy blue/dark wash jeans color no purple what so ever.

What I Used: 

OPI Ink Suede

Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

Scotch Tape

I recently broke a nail bowling then I broke another nail, I'm not sure how it happened, so I was going crazy and I finally gave in and got acrylics. I had a nice design on it but it started to lift near the cuticle so I decided to cover it so I wouldn't pick at it. Out of sight, out of mind. :)

So for this design I used OPI Ink Suede from OPI's Suede Collection Fall 2009. All the suede colors are matte when dried but unlike a usual matte it is metallic when shiny and has an interesting quality to it when matte. I've had it for a while now and I love this color but I always have a hard time deciding whether or not to apply a top coat, so here's the solution!

1. Unless you are paint over acrylics always use a base coat.
2. Paint 1-2 coats of a matte color of your choice. Let it dry completely.
3. Apply a small strip of scotch tape for the tip. (You can skip this step and free hand it or you can use a french tip sticker guide.) **With scotch tape I like to stick it on my skin first so it won't be too strong and lift the polish**
4. Use the top coat on the tip only.

And you're done! Easy as that!

Now here's the thing about this design, you can totally reverse this and use a matte top coat and any color you want so you aren't restricted to only matte colors. Have fun! :)

Base Coats & Top Coats

When ever you paint your nails you should always use a base coat to protect your nails and a top coat to seal the polish. plus with the right top coat you'll have a super shiny surface when you are done:)

These are some of my favorite base coats.

These are my favorite top coats.

On the left from left to right is OPI's Natural Nail Base Coat. Then OPI's Nail Envy Nail Strengthener. Third is Seche Clear Crystal Clear Base Coat. Fourth is Essie's All in One Base. Last is Orly's Bonder Rubberized Basecoat. 

OPI's Nail Envy is a better choice if you have brittle or weak nails because it has a strengthening formula.

Orly's Bonder is an interesting base. Due to its formula, it dries with a sticky rubber feel to it. It claims to cling onto the color and nail better. 

On the right from left to right is OPI's Top Coat. Second is Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat. Last is Orly's Won't Chip Protective Polymer Shield.

In my opinion I love Seche Vite because it dries relatively fast and it is a very shiny top coat.

This last polish in the black bottle is Seche's Ultra-V UV Activated Top Coat. With this top coat you have to have a UV nail lamp to cure the top coat, it also has a distinct stink to it but in the end it is super shiny.