Negative Space All the Nails!

*Some items in this post were press samples*

Hi everyone! It's time for the monthly Paint All the Nails link-up and this time were are doing Negative Space nails! Ok, I'm going to admit...when I first saw that everyone wanted to do Negative Space nails, I was less than excited. My nails are disgustingly stained and I'm always jealous of all of the pretty negative space looks that I see around and I want to know HOW they keep their nails so nice and wear so much polish all the time. I've only done one negative space look before and I remember that I somehow got my nails looking alright then (not great), but now I feel like it's impossible. I decided I soldier on and hopefully I wouldn't be too embarrassed by my yellow nails.

Luckily, I thought about one of my very favorite polishes to do a MNBB look (my nails but better) and it is one of the polishes from OPI's Ballet line, Care to Danse? It is a lightly violet-tinted milky jelly and on me, it really just gives my nails a fresh look. For my base, I used 1 coat of ridge filler (I use a brand that is d/c that I have hoarded...dang you Pro Fx!) and then I used 2 coats of OPI Care to Danse? I made sure this was fully dry before I proceeded with taping off my nails. I was so pleased with this as the base because once I finished, it really just looked like my nails under there and that's totally what I was going for. TAKE THAT YELLOW NAILS!

My negative space look was inspired by my buddy Ida over at Ida Nails It! She is participating in the 31 Day Challenge, and she did a fabulous negative space look for the "Stripes" prompt using some gorgeous Indigo Bananas holos. I took this idea and decided to put a fall twist on it, so I use holos that are the colors of fall leaves. Well...that was my original intent, but my finished nails also really made me think of the ornamental calico corn that everyone decorates with in the fall. I taped off my stripes using striping tape and then used a deep red (Darling Diva Polish The Arcanist), orange (Darling Diva Polish Cast a Spell), yellow (Pahlish Always Bring a Banana), and a purpley brown (Darling Diva Polish Malum) to paint my stripes. After 3 coats of topcoat (yes, it takes a LOT to smooth out striping tape looks), I was all finished. I really loved how it turned out. Never again will I fear negative space looks! I'm so excited at the possibilities now that I've discovered how to cover my yellowed nails!

Am I the only one who has been scared of negative space looks? At least now you know it IS possible to cover up your stained nails in a natural looking way to do these looks! Be sure to check out what all of the ladies of Paint All the Nails have cooked up for today...a lot of them are negative space experts, so I'm sure they are going to be fabulous! Thanks for looking everyone!

An InLinkz Link-up