Julie

I was really inspired by all of the fashion boards from CND, not just one! My first nail was inspired by The Blonds. The picture that stood out to me was of course that awesome wire patterned pump! Everything seemed so futuristic and technological, I immediately thought of incorporating real wire into the design. That eventually led to my “microchip” design!

Watch Julie’s video tutorial for this design.

My second look was inspired by the “Open Road” trend prediction. I wanted to capture that free-spirit feeling, so I stuck with the soft pastels and added some poppy flowers in honor of the new Desert Poppy color. I think the burlap fence really pulled it together.

Watch Julie’s video tutorial for this design.

For my last nail, I went with the “Paradise” trend prediction and made a fun, colorful leopard print design. The feathers and Swarovski crystals gave it that bold, exotic feel!

Watch Julie’s video tutorial for this design.

I chose Misa’s A Sin Worth Committing polish. A sin worth committing can be provocative or playful. I chose the playful route with my sin worth committing, relating it to my love for sweets. Everyone loves candy — it’s our guilty pleasure — but we all know how bad it can be for our health. Heck, I’m allergic to chocolate, but that doesn’t stop me from eating it! Truly a sin worth committing!

Click here to see a step-by-step tutorial showing how Julie created these nails.

My favorite part of Halloween is the deep rich colors prominent on this holiday. So, I started with a deep maroon and decided it would be the perfect background for an eerie night sky! I wanted the moon to look textured, so I used water and white paint to give it that uneven surface when it dried. The hardest part of this three-stroke challenge was actually figuring out which brush would work best to push the paint. Once I got my super stiff brush, painting the witch and the bat each in one stroke only took me about 100 tries! Hahaha, this round was fun but definitely a challenge.

Click here to watch Julie create this look in THREE EASY STROKES.

Editor’s Note: Make sure to click on the second photo below to view Julie’s vision of her day to night French nail design!

I went with an edgier take on a classic French. I did a simple white ombre tip and spiced it up with a nude chain pattern, as if it were “cut out” of the white. This twist on the French manicure not only goes from business to casual, but from formal to funky! And at night, it glows in the dark! This glow-in-the-dark mani is great for the ladies who are classy and elegant by day but still love to party at night!

When I think of the 1950s, of course I think of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis! I incorporated the patterns and poodle skirt fashion of the ’50s, as well as the famous Mel’s Drive-In. The iconic Marilyn image seemed to be my main focus and I tried to capture the true 1950s version of Elvis in this nail art!

To see how Julie used nail forms to create this design, click here.

Click here to watch Julie’s video about her inspiration and process for creating this design.

Before recently moving to New Jersey for work, I grew up in Chestnut Ridge, N.Y. I love New York for so many reasons and I brought those reasons to life in this mural. During the winter, a quick drive up north will lead you to resorts for skiing, snow tubing, and snowboarding. When autumn comes around, there are countless orchards nearby to go apple and pumpkin picking with your family. There are plenty of beaches and amusement parks for the summer, and the city is only an hour away! New York will never bore you, there’s always something to do and you never have to go far to find it.

“Mysterious” should make you wonder. The beauty of a mystery is the unknown. I chose deep blue tones with some opalescent glitter to represent the night sky and created a 3-D scene of magic. With a magician’s hand, smoke, and a crystal ball, I leave you to create your own story.

Click here to see how Julie created these nails.

I chose the trend New Neons for my appliqués. Neon is a trend that never dies. As fun and bright as they are, most people love to look but don’t dare to wear such loud colors. I wanted to make neon look elegant and wearable for the average woman. My design was inspired by the intricacy of antique jewelry and I chose a black background to enhance the vibrancy of the neon green to blue ombré.