Challenge Week 12: Violet Nails (attempt 1)

I have discovered masking tape and it is wonderful!  All of a sudden I have straight lines and I no longer have to rely on my useless free hand skills!

This weeks challenge is Violet nails which I (and everybody else it seems) has interpreted to be Purple nails.  I like purple a lot and I spent a long time thinking about what I could do differently with these nails and eventually I came up with two manicures (both using masking tape I may add!)

This is the first. I used a Barry M light purple colour.  It was an old bottle and running out ( :( ) but the bottom of the bottle tells me its called Berry I/C (?) Anyway it's a lovely colour and I'm sad I've run out of it.  I used two coats then a coat of Sally Hansen Insta-dry to make sure the base was completely bone dry.

I cut 20 strips of masking tape in about equal size (2 for each finger... duh!) and used the tape to mark out chevrons on my nails.  For the top colour I picked Barry M's Gelly Blackberry.  When you're using tape (masking or striping) you need to pick a colour that is opaque in just one coat.  You only get one chance at this and don't try to kid yourself that you can use two coats - it won't work!

As soon as I applied the darker colour to a nail, I removed the tape quickly (removing the top piece and then the bottom piece).  Once this was dry, I added a top coat of Sally Hansen's Insta-dry.  Unforutnately I wasn't very patient with this and I got a bit of bleeding as a result.  :(

I'm really happy with this manicure and I can't wait to practice my masking tape skills further with my next violet manicure!