Valentine's Day 2016: Radiating Hearts and Kitty Love Nail Art + Tutorial

Hey lacqueristas,

Ah its that time when we begin contemplating how much love is love.  Our nails and our candies and our slowly expanding waists from excess chocolate intake all reflect this lovely obsession. Personally I feel slightly nauseous.  Usually this begins at the top of January when the Valentine's Day decorations replace the Christmas ones.  I start thinking gah not again.  However this year I'm going to really try and rise to the occasion and give this whole lovey dovey nail thing a go.  Note I said try no promises.  As such I thought I'd start out with something on the milder side of love - kitty love ;)

Love is a heart that desires to serve a precious person who is close to oneself.  To love and watch over that person. ~ Masashi Kishimoto

Mani-louge

Basecoat/Topcoat: UNT Peel Off Basecoat / Poshe Ultra Fast Drying Topcoat

Base color: Color Club French Tip

Radial gradient:  OPI Hello Kitty Collection - 5 Apples Tall, Small + Cute = ♥, Super Cute In Pink

Stamping polish: Konad Special Stamping Polish in Dark Red (?) and Mundo de Unas Black (2)

Stamping plate: Marianne Nails MN 45

Today is also another placement mani day.  I'm gonna pause for a second to say that the Messy Mansion Crystal Stamper which features a significantly softer and stickier stamping pad than I have EVER encountered from any other Clear Jelly Stampers (I have 2 from AE and they are firm).  This Crystal stamper pretty much rules my world right now.  Ok that's an over exaggeration, but when I want to do placement and don't feel like doing it my old school way its the one I'm reaching for. Maybe its just me, but its basically a marshmallow 2.0.  Its definitely not me btw - its just a superior stamper compared to its competition.  I'll do a stand alone review so you see what I mean.

Now lets talk about this radial gradient! I've done this only once before and it was equally messy and difficult, but what I love about it this time is how freaking well this OPI HK Collection plays together.  The colors are mega complementary.  If you haven't tried them yet you definitely should give them a go.  They also watermarble beautifully ;) I didn't buy them all, but I'm sincerely thinking about going back to get the rest.

So thoughts on the mani? Overkill, cute, or just more corporate propaganda pushed out by the machine?  I've realized I've really never put up any Valentine's Day tutorials so I'm definitely going to aim to get a few up as well this year.  In any case here we go. Valentine's Day mani one of 2016 season and let me send up a little manicure prayer that it's not the last cause lord knows when I was digging through my plates I was like, "Gah - this ain't me!" But I can do it just wish me luck lolol. Do you like how this is the biggest tragedy of my life even though its clearly not.  Clearly I need to calm down ;)  You can find this and more fantastic V day plates from Marianne Nails here. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next post!