The SlayerStyle Two for One: Exotic Reef & The MANicure

I've got 2 manicures for you in this edition of SlayerStyle! One is from a slightly reluctant guest who ultimately was happy with the nail art.

First, my manicure: Exotic Reef!

When I first laid eyes on the Ozotic multichromatics from Australia, I knew I *had* to have them. I purchased these from Picture Polish. Yes they are expensive, and yes there's international shipping to contend with. But when you paint your nails with these, you will see the magic!

I began with a base coat of Qtica's Nail Lengthener. Then I put down a coat of Zoya's Cynthia from the Smoke Collection. Ozotics are really a "layering polish" which is okay by me--makes them last longer! I wanted to go with an ocean-type green blue for Ozotic's 506 (aka Reef). The pictures do NOT do it justice! The colors change from Blue to Green to Purple to Red, and it has just the tiniest amount of shimmer in it that peeks through the color. Application is a breeze (and I love the rubberized caps).

For layering fun, I decided to add one quick coat of KleanColor Chunky Holo in Bluebell--not too much to affect the color of Reef, but just enough to lay down a coat of those yummy flakies--which in turn change from orange to green.

Finally I added 2 coats of Ozotic Elytra 528. This is a glitter in a clear base. It really is a layering color. the glitter is magnificient--blue, pinks, and purples, and goes on very smoothly. I wish the photos could show you the depth of the colors--it really is like looking up at the surface of the ocean from down in the Great Barrier Reef!

I tried out my new LED lamp for photos and think they look a bit better. Also I made sure to give my hands a quick glowy scrub with the Julep Face Mask for Hands, and a light coat of MOR Hand and Nail lotion in marshmallow (MUST GET!!!) I've also been using CND SolarOil cuticle oil and I think from the photos, things look better, so yay me!

You can NOW get Ozotics from Llarowe here in the United States, I'm so very giddy! The cost of making such dazzling lovelies isn't cheap but the shipping is much better on the wallet.

But, either way, The girls at Picture Polish and Leah Ann from Llarowe give top notch service.

How to describe the inspiration for The MANicure?

Let me introduce my awesome son, JediBoy. Despite all attempts, he is 9 and still has the habit of sucking his thumb at home and at night. I don't mind it--he's been through a lot in his 9 yrs: severe eczema that left him bleeding through socks, 4 years of very little sleep due to the pain and constant itching, asthma, and eventually the diagnosis of anaphylactic food allergies (nuts, eggs, dairy, shellfish). It's enough to give anyone a touch of anxiety, and "Gooshie" is how he copes.

But.....he minds it. And while we've tried bandages, "lucky rocks", mittens, (I refuse to put that nasty tasty polish on his nail), nothing has worked. So I offered to do a camouflage print on his thumbnail.

Yes, he balked. So I told him I'd do it over the 3 day weekend and we could remove it for school.....even though members of his favorite rock band GreenDay *did* wear nail polish.

Last night, he was ready. Eager almost. Between you and me, I think he liked it. He said it felt like a massage for his finger.

For those ignorant few who think that a spot of nailpolish will "make" someone gay, let me just say the boy nursed for 26 months. His connection to breasts is firmly intact. (And even if he WERE gay I would love him ferociously as I do now).

We started out with two quick coats of Julep's Emilie, a perfect green. Then I added dabs of color, not quite letting them dry, and very random:

OPI Skull & Glossbones,OPI Stranger Tides, NUBAR Knight's Armor (that one was his favorite), NUBAR Swiss chocolate, and topped off with Butter London Mattifying Top Coat.

For my first freehand-boy design I think I rocked it--and so does he:

The metallic on Knight's Armor didn't completely mattify but the texture won him over (it really does feel like armor!). And he loved how it looked mattified, plus the "velvety soft" texture.

So, we'll see how it fared overnight and if it has any effect on Gooshie's job. He did warn me I could NOT put this on Youtube but knew I would be posting it here. I think he thinks it's kindof cool and different, but he's not so self-secure to show up at school and show it off. That's okay. I'm just proud he trusted me.