Spring ASBMF Challenge #8: Matte Magic

Yay, I finally did a manicure for the Matte Magic part of the challenge that I don't hate!  It's not that I don't like matte finishes, cause I do like them.  I've rocked a matte manicure before, I just could not for the life of me put anything together for this challenge that I liked enough to post, until now.  I think maybe I was trying too hard, over thinking it instead of keeping it simple.  I just got Barielle Elle's Spell yesterday in the mail, which I managed to snag off of Enamel Girl's blog sale.  So today while I was staring at the bottle (again) I decided to try flakie tips with Elle's Spell over black and then add matte top coat.  Flakies + Matte = Joy

My nails are a little shorter now, I trimmed them back before my last mani with KBShimmer Berry Patch, so it was a good time for the black polish.  Not that long nails have ever stopped me from using super dark colors in the past, but I do sometimes agree that darker colors can look better on shorter nails.  I just don't necessarily stick to that rule all the time.

This manicure started with one coat of Finger Paints Black Expressionism.  This is an awesome black!  Great coverage in one coat.  I bought this back when Finger Paints put out their Special Effects collection.  Black Expressionism wasn't a new shade but they were marketing it with the flakie polishes to use as the base color.  I had heard it was a good black polish, so I grabbed a bottle to try.  I liked it so much, I ended up going back and getting a second bottle later when Finger Paints were on sale.  Once the black base coat dried, I dabbed on Elle's Spell on the tips in a slight curve, rather than straight across my nails.  I went over the flakes two more times and then added a coat of Seche Vite.  I was going to skip the Seche Vite and go straight to Essie Matte About You as the only top coat used, but when I did that to the first nail, it ended up not being completely smooth.  So I decided to add the Seche Vite first, then matte the whole thing.

A quick peek at the challenges yet to check off my list (I need to get my rear in gear!) and a reminder to check out the other fabulous ladies participating in the ASBMF Challenge.

Hannah from Polished Prisms

Amanda from Mandy's Polish

Heidi from DIY Polish & More

Katee from A Girl and Her Polish

Charlotte from Charlotte's Nails

Tess from Football and Fingernails

Karine from Karinea0a

Victoria from Manicurator

Sharon from What Color is My Coat?

Ashley from One Nail To Another

Dani from Rustic Comfort

Sue from Creative Nail Design by Sue

Amanda from Counting Down to Bliss

Kayono from Neues vom Kellerkind

April from Munia's Nails

Sharra from The Blahg

Jess from Nearly Natural Nails

CR from Color Me Silly

T from Mami Blogs

Alyson from Beads. Nails. Food.