Winnie

I’ve always had a thing for fierceness — so when we were presented with this challenge, I was immediately drawn to the Misa polish name Femme Fatale. I have decided to take a literal spin on this polish name. This particular female is fierce, mysterious, and seductive. Femme Fatale was known to have subdued weapons and play the innocent victim to escape tough situations. So I criss-crossed the nude nails with a deep red glitter polish and applied some Victorian lace details to most of the fingers to reflect her pretend innocence, beauty, and charm. Then I dressed the nails with the lady herself, as well as some of her infamous accessories — such as a cigarette holder that contains sleeping gas, a gun on the trigger fingers (see what I did there?), and her killer heels! I hope you enjoyed my interpretation of this polish name!

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

Halloween. There are SO MANY things that come to mind! I knew I wanted a creepy setting for this piece, and what’s more creepy than seeing a witch fly by a field over the moon?! While unsure whether it was possible to achieve all that, I decided to start with the gradient brush stroke. Thankfully, it set the mood wickedly fast and the choice to go with it was then easily made! For me, the last stroke was the most difficult, since it basically covers almost the entire tip. So the pressure of not messing up at the last minute got to me a few times! OK, maybe more than a few…the amount of nail tips I went through this past week was pretty insane! The most challenging thing about this was to be able to work the brush at all angles WITHOUT leaving the nail tip. But with copious amount of practice, a steady hand (and a few ugly cries)…this design was born! This week I learned that there are actually a lot of things you can draw with just three strokes! Also with practice, anything is possible! I had so much fun doing this challenge. I hope you enjoyed this creepy Halloween design!

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

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

Imagine having to go to a function after work — you don’t want your nails to look over the top during the day, but you also packed your little black dress and want your nails to look nothing but fierce at the party! For this challenge, I wanted to create a design suitable for the modern day 9-5’er, who strives for a definitive style without making too loud of a statement. I began by using a sophisticated nude color in gel-polish and pressed glitter to create an upside down French manicure to give it that extra “twist.” The glitter I chose for this design undertakes a rainbow effect when it catches the light just right, as well as a modest shine under normal daylight. To complete the design, I added some simple paisley-esque print and rhinestones to accent a few fingers. To me, this design is out of the norm, yet it maintains that clean and classy feel a French manicure often gives. I hope you like this manicure as much as I enjoyed creating it!

Ah…the 1950s. So many wonderful things happened during that period! In fashion and cosmetics, there was always an emphasis on the clean, classy look, and of course who could forget the hourglass figure? From winged eyeliner, red lips, to that cinched waist, and peplum dresses, I love them all! To me, the ’50s were all about couture and femininity. So to celebrate that, I decided to include some iconic Vogue magazine covers including the one that kicked off the decade, a feminine pin-up silhouette, and fashion in this piece. Enjoy!

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

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

Being born and raised in Taiwan, for me, it will always be home and hold a special place in my heart. When we immigrated to Canada, we were welcomed with open arms, and I am more than proud to call Surrey, B.C., Canada, home. For this challenge, I thought it was only fitting that I showcase a few staples that represent each hometown. On the B.C. side, you will find the Grouse Mountain, the Inukshuk built during the 2010 Olympics, the laughing statues, and of course our beloved NHL Hockey team, the Vancouver Canucks. On the Taiwan side, I have the Tuntex Sky Tower, the tallest building in Kaohsiung, where I grew up. The watch tower by the seashore, betel nut tree, and the butterflies from the Ecological Garden. Taiwan is known for its food, and I LOVE FOOD! So naturally, I had to include Taiwanese Beef Noodle, and Bubble Tea — two staple foods from Taiwan.

Imagine walking into a masquerade, you’re turning heads, and everyone is wondering who you are….you’re full of mystery, and that’s what this design is all about! The sparkling “peek-a-boo” base sets the mood off right, reflecting the light differently at various angles. Then I encased lace to enhance the delicacy of this design. I also dressed the nails with different sized rhinestones for texture and that extra sparkle. Lastly, this design finishes off the accent nail with some feathers to compliment the mask! Now you’re ready to rock this mysterious look at the masquerade!

Click here to see how Winnie created these nails.

As soon as I hear spring/summer, floral and beautiful vibrant tropical prints immediately came to mind. So I decided to go with the spring floral trend, with influences of elements of nature while applying more earthy tones for the greens to enhance the tropical feel. For this piece, I used nail polish and a variety of acrylic paints. The French tips are to be presented with transparent backgrounds, so they could be worn on top of any color desired. This is a great way to carry a piece of paradise whereever you may be. There is just something about this print that takes me to a place of ultimate relaxation, and I hope it does the same for you! Enjoy.