Q-Tips Archives - Belle Belle Beauty

Candy Corn Nails

I got a little festive for my sixth and last installment of nail art with Suave^® and Q-tips^® for their awesome ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes. October might just be my favorite month of the year. I love the cooler temps, football and, of course, candy corn. For a calorie-free treat, try a little candy corn on your digits. Along with getting creative with nail art, I’ll also be sharing tips on keeping skin moisturized and nails looking clean and healthy with a precise finish.

Up first, a little detail about the ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes– make sure to head over to the Suave Beauty Pinterest page and pin one of my featured looks (or any other looks by my fellow influencers) and copy the pin URL to the Suave Beauty Facebook page to enter for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style!

After a couple of weeks of slathering on Suave^® Skin Solutions Smoothing Body Lotion with Cocoa Butter & Shea, I really can see that my skin and cuticles look both richer and healthier. After moisturizing, I pushed back my cuticles and prepped nails with a strengthening base coat. Before the base coat, I used a little alcohol on a Q-tips^® Precision Tips™ cotton swab to make sure my nail beds were oil-free.

To start, I painted my nails a base coat of a white. You could also use an ivory. Don’t worry if it isn’t completely opaque – the tip of the candy corn is actually a little translucent.

Allow the white base coat to fully dry. For the orange layer, I used a fine nail art brush to paint a border. Close to a half-moon shape, I wanted the white area to be slightly rounded. The Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs come in handy if you need to clean up any mistakes.

I then painted the area from the border to the tips a bright and bold orange. Allow this layer to fully dry. Use the Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs to get a precise line.

Similar to a French Manicure paint the tips of nails a bold yellow or gold. I opted for a metallic to up the glam level. Or mirror the actual shade on the candy corn for a more authentic interpretation. Finish with a top coat.

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Influencer for Suave® and Q-tips^®. Visit www.facebook.com/SuaveBeauty for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style.

Adorned Bare Nails

My fifth installment of nail art with Suave^® and Q-tips^® for their awesome ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes is all about intricacy. And what better way to show off details than against a bare nail? Twists on bare nails have been spotted on runways and in the glossies and I’m excited to give my own spin on the trend. Along with getting creative with nail art, I’ll also be sharing tips on keeping skin moisturized and nails looking clean and healthy with a precise finish.

Up first, a little detail about the ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes– make sure to head over to the Suave Beauty Pinterest page and pin one of my featured looks (or any other looks by my fellow influencers) and copy the pin URL to the Suave Beauty Facebook page to enter for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style!

The last couple of days, I’ve been slathering on Suave^® Skin Solutions Smoothing Body Lotion with Cocoa Butter & Shea. The tropical scent is delicious and my skin and cuticles look both richer and healthier. After moisturizing, I pushed back my cuticles and prepped nails with a strengthening base coat. Before the base coat, I used a little alcohol on a Q-tips^® Precision Tips™ cotton swab to make sure my nail beds were oil-free.

To contrast the simplicity of a bare nail, I painted the tips a dark and inky navy. Black would also work well. When painting the tip, often polish will get on the tips of my fingers. The Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs are perfect to clean up any rogue polish and ensure the line is clean and precise.

Allow this “reverse French” manicure to fully dry. Then, to add more interest, apply a glitter polish to the top third of your nails, overlapping the tip and bare areas. I like to match the glitter to the shade on the tips, but you could also use gold or silver.

Finish with a top coat so that shine is uniform throughout the nails and enjoy this long-lasting manicure!

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Influencer for Suave® and Q-tips^®. Visit www.facebook.com/SuaveBeauty for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style.

Matte and Gold Accents on Robin Egg Blue Nails

I’m excited to share my fourth installment of nail art with Suave^® and Q-tips^® for their awesome ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes! Again, we are talking about texture and I am doing another twist on matte finishes. Clearly, this is a trend I can’t get enough of! Along with getting creative with nail art, I’ll also be sharing tips on keeping skin moisturized and nails looking clean and healthy.

Up first, a little detail about the ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes– make sure to head over to the Suave Beauty Pinterest page and pin one of my featured looks (or any other looks by my fellow influencers) and copy the pin URL to the Suave Beauty Facebook page to enter for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style!

I’ve been rotating between Suave^® Skin Solutions Soothing Body Lotion with Aloe and the Suave^® Skin Solutions Smoothing Body Lotion with Cocoa Butter & Shea. I really can see a difference in my skin and cuticles, looking both richer and healthier. After moisturizing, I pushed back my cuticles and prepped nails with a base coat. Before the base coat, I used a little alcohol on a Q-tips^® Precision Tips™ cotton swab to make sure my nail beds were oil-free. This week, I wanted to change things up from my normal fall routine of dark and moody nails. I went with a Robin Egg Blue base coat for something cheerful and fresh.

To add a little bit of interest, I decided to play with the texture of the base coat. But I wanted a bit of contrast. To paint only a portion of the nail, I used clear tape to cover approximately half of the nail on a diagonal. I alternated between both the top and bottom of the nail and the direction of diagonal. Although, I think symmetry in the shapes would also look cool. The Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs came in handy for pressing down the corners of the tape to ensure precise polish too.

I painted on a matte top coat to the exposed areas of the nail and allowed the polish to dry. Gently remove the tape to ensure the polish doesn’t pull. I did get a few areas where the polish was pulled off, but don’t worry about that. Our next step will hide any damage caused by the tape.

To take it to the next level, I used a nail art brush and gold polish to delineate between the matte and shiny areas of the nails. This extra step really makes the contrast in texture pop. Use a Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swab to correct any mistakes while the gold polish is still wet.

Vaguely reminiscent of that coveted little blue box, these gold and blue nails are a mix of playful and luxurious.

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Influencer for Suave® and Q-tips^®. Visit www.facebook.com/SuaveBeauty for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style.

Blinged Out Matte Black Nails

My third installment with Suave^® and Q-tips^® for their awesome ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes is all about texture! I’m sharing with you one of my favorite hot new finishes, matte, along with a little bling to bring it up a notch. Not only that, but I’ll also be sharing tips on keeping skin moisturized and nails looking clean and healthy.

Up first, a little detail about the ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes– make sure to head over to the Suave Beauty Pinterest page and pin one of my featured looks (or any other looks by my fellow influencers) and copy the pin URL to the Suave Beauty Facebook page to enter for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style!

Over the past couple of days, I’ve been trying out Suave^® Skin Solutions Soothing Body Lotion with Aloe. I tend to have some redness in my skin, and I am happy to report that this formula works to calm any irritation caused dry skin and frequent hand washing. I can tell my nails and cuticles really do look richer and healthier. After moisturizing, I pushed back my cuticles and prepped nails with a base coat. Before the base coat, I used a little alcohol on a Q-tips^® Precision Tips™ cotton swab to make sure my nail beds were oil-free.

Next, I applied a matte black polish. You can also use a tradition shiny polish with a matte top coat (more on that next week). Particularly with these darker shades, I appreciate the Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs for cleaning up any mistakes on the cuticle and around the nail.

Allow the base matte polish to dry completely. I waited a couple hours to ensure it was totally dry. To add a little interest, I took an opaque white polish and added small graphic areas of shine. Using a nail art brush, I outlined the desired shape with the white polish and then colored in with a larger brush.

To really go Black Tie, glam it up with some rhinestones for a 3D effect. You can find these at any beauty supply story. Pick up the stone with tweezers and lay it onto mostly wet polish. Use a Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swab to press the rhinestone firmly onto the nail.

Generally, you can seal in these rhinestones with a top coat, but since we are going for a matte look, I skipped the top coat all together. I still find I got great staying power with both the polish and stone. And I certainly feel glam and festive!

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Influencer for Suave® and Q-tips^®. Visit www.facebook.com/SuaveBeauty for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style.

Classic Nude Nails With A Twist!

For my second installment with Suave^® and Q-tips^® for their awesome ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes, not only am I sharing how to get awesome DIY nail art looks, I’ll also be sharing tips on keeping skin hydrated and nails looking clean and healthy. This week is all about classic nail looks. And today, I am showing off a look inspired by a classic French style manicure. Nude nails with a reverse metallic moon – how’s that for a twist?

Up first, a little detail about the ManiCure Pinterest sweepstakes– make sure to head over to the Suave Beauty Pinterest page and pin one of my featured looks (or any other looks by my fellow influencers) and copy the pin URL to the Suave Beauty Facebook page to enter for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style!

After a week of moisturizing with Suave^® Skin Solutions Smoothing Body Lotion with Cocoa Butter & Shea, I can tell my nails and cuticles really do look richer and healthier. I pushed back my cuticles and prepped nails with a base coat. Before the base coat, I used a little alcohol on a Q-tips^® Precision Tips™ cotton swab to make sure my nail beds were oil-free.

Next, I layered a relatively opaque nude in two coats and allowed to dry thoroughly. I love the Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs for cleaning up any mistakes on the cuticle and around the nail. They really help me achieve a precise finish without having to be perfect along the way.

Using those re-enforcements from our Trapper Keeper days, lay one on each nail at your desired length above the cuticle to shape where the reverse half-moon will appear. You really want to make sure polish is completely dried before doing this because the adhesive on the stickers can pull off your nude polish if it is the slightest bit wet.

Paint in a metallic polish from the bottom of the nude polish up to the sticker. Make sure the sticker is adhered well for the most defined line. Again, you can use a Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swab with a little remover to clean up any mistakes around the cuticle.

Allow to dry a couple of minutes and remove. Voila!

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Influencer for Suave® and Q-tips^®. Visit www.facebook.com/SuaveBeauty for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style.

Metallic and Navy Graphic Nails and ManiCure Pinterest Sweepstakes with Suave and Q-tips!

So here is that exciting news I’ve been dying to share with you! I have teamed up with Suave^® and Q-tips^® for the ManiCure Pinterest Sweepstakes which just launched this week. Over the next four weeks, I will be sharing six nail art designs created by myself. This week’s inspiration is Fashion; perfect as we are in the throes of fashion month and I just returned from NYFW. Not only will I be sharing how to get these nail art looks, but I will also be sharing tips on keeping skin hydrated and nails looking clean and healthy.

So, a little detail about the ManiCure Pinterest Sweepstakes– make sure to head over to the Suave Beauty Pinterest page and pin one of my featured looks (or any other looks by my fellow influencers) and copy the pin URL to the Suave Beauty Facebook page to enter for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style!

And now back to the nail art. I had the chance to be backstage at a couple spring 2014 shows and I kept seeing graphic lines and bold colors. While these were naturally inspired by spring colors, I wanted to translate into a look for our current season. Metallic on navy is what I am rocking, and here is my step-by-step guide to get the look:

Start off with moisturized and soft hands. I’ve been loving the Suave^® Skin Solutions Smoothing Body Lotion with Cocoa Butter & Shea with cocoa butter and shea. My hands were so dry from all those hours on an airplane. They already appear softer and are smoother after a couple days of slathering this on. Not to mention I love the tropical soothing scent.

I use a little alcohol on a Q-tips® Precision Tips™ cotton swab to make sure my nail beds are oil-free. While this can dry out nails, I’ve found mine run on the oilier side and to ensure the longest lasting manicure, especially when doing time consuming nail art, I like to be better safe than sorry.

Next, I apply a nail strengthening base coat and allow to dry for a good five minutes. For bold gemstone colors like navy, I like to apply two to three coats for a glossy and opaque base. Make sure to let your navy base dry thoroughly before you head in on your nail art. I like to use Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs with a little nail polish remover to clean up around the nail and on the cuticles.

Lastly, use a very thin nail art brush to draw lines either horizontally or vertically across the nail. I like to vary the direction of the lines for an imperfect but still graphic look. Use the Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs again to clean up any mistakes. And Voila!

This post was created in connection with my appointment as an Influencer for Suave® and Q-tips^®. Visit www.facebook.com/SuaveBeauty for the chance to win Suave^® Skin Solutions Body Lotions and Q-tips^® Precision Tips^™ cotton swabs or $500 for the ultimate day of beauty and style.