31 Day Challenge - Day 14 - Saran Wrap Manicure

Well hello polished peeps!  Today I bring you the Saran Wrap Manicure day in our 31 Day Challenge.  Are you getting sick of my Challenge posts yet?  I kind of am.  I keep seeing all these amazing ideas then I can't do them because I'm swatching my life away for this.  Oh well, at least that means I'm going to have a gazillion ideas and posts to keep this blog alive with after this is all said and done!

The saran wrap manicure is something I did before for as my favorite effect in another challenge.  That time I used a different technique, and the nails really were not my favorite.  I did them by painting on my base coat, letting them dry, and then painting on a second coat and dabbing off the second color with the saran.  To me, they didn't come out looking like all the pictures I've seen online.Looking back, I can't believe I posted those pictures....my cuticles were awful and the pictures were blurry.  I really have seem to come a loooong way with this whole nail art and nail blogging business.

When I did these nails, I used a different approach which Nicole had mentioned awhile back.  I think that they came out A LOT better.  Let's take a look....

(shade shot)

Colors Used:

• Sinful Colors - Winterberry
• Essie - Nothing Else Metals

Two colors, gorgeous manicure.  Before I get into how I did these nails using Nicole's technique, I am going to ramble about how much I love Winterberry.  Winterberry is a gorgeous deep dusty purple color.  I really have no other way to describe it.  It's purple and shimmery and dark...ahhh perfect Fall/Winter color.  I bought it in the summer time as part of some random Sinful Colors display and never used it.  I threw it aside and forgot I even owned it until this manicure.  I may have used it once for detailing, but to be honest, never actually swatched it.  

When I sat down to do this manicure, I originally was going to do Winterberry base with a gold top.  After one nail it was awful.  I thought that my saran skills were the problem, but instead it was my metallic gold polish.  Word to the wise, do not use Sally Hansen Golden-I as a top for a saran manicure, it will fail.  Then I saw my bottle of Essie Nothing Else Metals, the gorgeous lavender metallic polish I got free from Klout, and thought "hmmm this may be a good time to use it."  Sure enough, it was the perfect time.

What I did, and what Nicole does, is first you paint on a base coat of whatever color you want to use.  Obviously, I used Winterberry.  Then when that was dried, it was time to add the saran marbling effect.  I dripped some polish onto a paper plate, then I dipped a lil wad of saran wrap into the polish.  I dabbed the saran a few times onto the paper plate, then onto the nail.  This worked soooooooooo much better.  I obtained the perfect marble-y look and interesting design.  To me, it almost looked like a stamp.  So thank you so much Nicole!!  Now I don't have to give up on Saran Wrap Manicures again!!!!

What do you think?  Have you had success using either technique?  

Don't forget to check out the other lovely ladies posts!!!!

• Nicole from Polish Me, Please!
• Cynthia from Of Life and Lacquer
• Jessica from Once Upon a Polish
• Ave from Polish Pixelle