Beach Nails

So this weeks color for “Lacke in Farbe … und bunt” by Lena and Cyw is beige. My first reaction was this: “…”

😉

I really didn’t know what to do with it – until Lena said the magic word in the comments, using “sand” instead of “beige”. Then it clicked. Beach nails!

This would have been a perfect opportunity to use a nude colored sand polish, like Godiva from Zoya, but sadly I don’t have it (but I do hope someone will show it today 🙂 ), and with delivering times it was too late to order it. So what to do? Right, make your own sand polish:

I read various tutorials on how to create the sand effect, and this is kind of a mix: I used bird sand (sieved), nude polish, matte polish, some silver and gold glitter polish and powdered golden glitter. It doesn’t sparkle as much as shop bought textured polish and I’m not sure the bird sand was a good idea, it clotted a bit after a while. Fine sugar or maybe even salt might have been better as a base for the rough texture, but I’m not sure if it won’t simply dissolve after a time? I read somewhere that they used “craft sand”, but I couldn’t find anything useable in my local craft store. For the sparkle, I think finely grated glitter crystals would be best, as powdered glitter is too small and flakes or glequins too flat.

However, for this look I actually like the rough texture and the different colored bits from the bird sand. 🙂

Base coat: Sally Hansen Miracle Cure
DIY sand polish: essence nude glam 03 cookies & cream (old bottle), bird sand, L.A. Colors 190 Gold Sparkle, Maybelline MNY 653, p2 matte victim top coat, powdered golden glitter (mixed together in an old bottle, two coats)
Tip of accent nail: China Glaze Anchors Away 953 Sea Spray, p2 color victim 530 charming, essence crystalliced 04 ice eyes baby, essie 3 Marshmallow