The Lite Side of Life: Mani Monday: Cherry Hearts Mani

Hi all!

This Mani Monday I had to indulge in the theme of love as this week welcomes Valentine’s Day. The colour scheme of this mani was inspired by some of my favourite Valentine’s day chocolate treats, maraschino cherry chocolates, yum!

The inspiration:

I used a dark pink and light pink to contrast the similar colours of the inside of the chocolate. I added cute accent finger nails in light pink with two dancing hearts (with faces) holding hands! The finishing girly touches to this mani was a glitter top coat. I kept this mani fairly understated as I found the glitter top coat paired with the accent nail to be just enough nail art. With a glitter top coat I prefer not to go too crazy on the nail art. This look is still wearable for day to day use while counting down to Valentine’s Day. I used Revlon Nail Care Calcium Gel Nail Hardener as a basecoat, Bella Cosmetics nail polish in light pink (my description) on ring finger nails (accent nails) x3 coats, Bella Cosmetics nail polish in dark pink (my description) on all remaining finger nails x3 coats & x1 coat for nail art, Rimmel 60 Seconds in Black Out x1 coat for nail art and Essence Glitter Topcoat x1 coat.

You will need

Base coat nail polish
2 Base colour nail polishes (I chose dark pink & light pink)
Black nail polish for nail art
Toothpicks
Glitter Top Coat nail polish

Method:

1) Apply base coat nail polish to nails, wait for it to dry completely

2) Apply x3 coats of light pink nail polish to ring nails and x3 coats of dark pink nail polish to the remaining nails, wait for it to dry completely

3) Start working on the dancing heart details on the ring finger (accent) nails. Pour a small pool of dark pink nail polish on a scrap piece of paper. Dip the toothpick into the pool of dark pink nail polish and dot on 3 dots in an upside down triangle shape onto your nail, you are making three dots at each corner of the triangle. Now join and pull in each dot to each other, the design will now resemble a heart shape. Repeat this step so that you have 2 hearts on the ring finger nail (and repeat on other ring finger nail as well). The technique to drawing a heart is discussed here (point 15-16) and here (point 7-8) with pictures describing each step

4) While waiting for the heart designs to dry completely you can apply the glitter top coat to all nails (except the ring finger nails, you are still working on the dancing heart details)

5) Once the heart designs have dried completely, pour a small pool of black nail polish onto a scrap piece of paper. Dip the toothpick into the black nail polish and dot onto the hearts two eyes and a smiling mouth. Once you have completed dotting on the eyes, if you wish, you may draw 3 small eyelashes coming out of the eyes on one of the hearts. Lastly, draw two small lines coming out of the side of each heart and join the lines in the middle of the nail, these small lines are to resemble hands. My intention was to make it look as if the hearts are holding hands

6) Once the nail art is completely dry, apply glitter top coat to ring finger nails as well

7) Be totally kitsch with your Valentine’s Day themed manicure, it’s only one day of the year where you can be completely kitsch, cheesy and mushy! Go out and party with your girlfriends or enjoy a romantic evening with your significant other! Love & Light to all on Valentine's Day! :)