Born Pretty Store Fantastic Mini Round Patterned Metallic Stud #3 Review

Tonight's post features some great holographic studs from Born Pretty Store. To save you some trouble searching the BPS database of studs, here's the link directly to the studs, which are pattern #3.

The studs are metallic looking, but they're plastic themselves. They're 3mm x 3mm, which means very little to most people, so here's how they look on my nails!

Super holographic aren't they? I put them in some pastel bubbles, because the holographic shade reminded me of the look of bubbles.

They come in a package like the one shown below:

To order your package, visit Born Pretty Store here, and don't forget to use my coupon code C10X31 for 10% off, and as always, you get free shipping on any order!

The products in this post were sent for review purposes. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Punk Rock Rings from Born Pretty Store

Today's manicure is inspired by the punk skulls and painful piercings of punk rock culture (or at least how it's embodied in my mind).

Born Pretty Store, the well-stocked e-tailor of fashion accessories including a huge variety of nail art supplies, sent me a set of rhinestone studs and gold rings. They roll together in a nail art wheel, and the rings can be pried apart to pinch around the tip of your nail, faking a pierced look.

I wouldn't actually wear these anywhere, but I'll wear them for the art of the look!

I hand painted the skull (using this design as a guide) using black polish and a tiny detailing brush I picked up at Sally's. The neon polish underneath is OPI's new one, Life Gave Me Lemons.

This nail art wheel is available for $3.95 from Born Pretty Store (10% off with my coupon code C10X31), and shipping worldwide is FREE! No excuse not to give it a try.

What do you think of the punk rock rings? Are they too impractical for you, or would you give them a try sometime? I know I certainly couldn't regularly rock them, but might pull them out come Halloween!

These products were sent to me by Born Pretty Store. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Copper Snowflakes

Is it fall? Is it winter? Will it snow or will the yellow and orange leaves hit the deck first?

This copper conundrum happening all over Colorado can be captured in one polish from Born Pretty Store. The polish I'm talking about is a lovely mix of copper and matte white hexagonal glitter, and some feather white stick-like glitter. Just like the leaves and snow!

Here's the nail art I came up with for the polish:

And here's what it looks like in the bottle.

This was a good glitter, easy to apply. It also had pretty even coverage, surprising enough. Glitters are difficult to lay evenly, but this one was fine. At least in the amounts I used it for.

The other colors used in the nail art were A-Piers to Be Tan (OPI), Decoded (ORLY) and Mermaid (Tammy Taylor). Seems tribal, which was what I originally thought the polish was called.

You can pick up this polish (called #5 in this link here) for under $4.00, and don't forget the 10% unlimited coupon code, C10X31.

This product was sent to me by Born Pretty Store. The review is based entirely on my experience with the product and was in no way influenced by anyone.

BPS Half Pearl and Rhinestone Picker Review

Born Pretty Store is getting out of control in the best way possible. Anything I need, I can get there! And I love that I get at least 10% off with every order just by entering this coupon code: C10X31.

Today I tried half pearls for the first time. These 3D decorations are different than rhinestones. They're smoother, but they stick up about as far. The wheel I'm reviewing has five colors: white, baby pink, magenta, purple, and light blue.

They all go so perfectly together, and I liked the gradient of colors.

I matched up several polishes with the pearls' colors: Kieko (Zoya), Queenie in a Bottle (Sation), Gie Gie (Zoya), and Lady in White (Duri). I also added Electrical Storm (Sation) over my thumb and index finger to keep it shiny, just like the pearls.

This manicure, though a little complicated looking, was really easy to achieve! I used the rhinestone picker from BPS to place each pearl.

The rhinestone picker is a wax pencil that you sharpen like any other pencil or makeup pencil. The "lead" is actually wax, so it's slightly sticky. It makes picking rhinestones and 3D decorations impossibly easy and quick. I had to sharpen mine down to a ridiculous nub because apparently, it's got cat crack in it and it's irresistible to hungry felines. Jerks.

Pick your pearl wheel here for $3.55 and your rhinestone picker here for $1.99, and don't forget to use the coupon code for 10% off.

 

These products were sent to me by Born Pretty Store. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Born Pretty Store Dazzling Starry Foils Review

What's more entertaining than two puppies chasing each other around the backyard, frolicking in the dry summer grass and nipping at each others knees and tails?

Nothing. Nothing is more entertaining than that.

BUT! There is something shiny on the blog tonight from Born Pretty Store.

It's called "Dazzling Starry Foil", and it's...well...dazzling. It comes in a long continuous strip of really thin delicate foil that transitions from fuchsia to a hot orange-red. It comes in lots of varieties of colors, but that's the color I was sent for review.

If you know your color wheel, then you know that purple and yellow complement each other, and since this was leaning more on hot purple, I paired it with the yellow Happy Go Lucky (China Glaze). It seemed a little bare like that, so I added stripes. Now it feels kind of Andy Warhol/Betsey Johnson. Neat right?

The foil is really simple to use, but it took some practice to get it right. The technique best used is to paint your color and design on and seal it with a layer of top coat. Let that dry fully. Then, add another layer of topcoat, and when it's about 80% dry, grab your foil. Press it firmly onto your tacky top coat, and rub it with a pretty good amount of pressure. This will transfer the foil onto your nail in random splotches. I don't know of a way to create uniform patches yet. It's also important that when you do this, you have the colorful side up, facing you.

This role can be purchased for $2.99 from Born Pretty Store here. Get 10% off that order with my coupon code C10X31.

These products were sent to me by Born Pretty Store. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Gold Chain Born Pretty Store Review

Remember my chain nail art tutorial? Well that's a 2D look that you can get with any two colors.

But if you want the true chain effect and you really want it to pop off your nail, then you might consider getting an actual chain to attach to your nails!

Born Pretty Store (BPS) offers several varieties of chains, and today I'm reviewing the 1.6mm gold chain for you!

This chain is 100cm long (about 40 inches), and quite small (1.6mm), running at $2.99 (and their always-free shipping). Use my coupon code, C10X31, for 10% off!

The chain comes in a teeny ziplock bag, but it doesn't come out all tangled like necklaces tend to be.

To apply it to your nails, I recommend using a dab of nail glue, at least on the ends of the chain. To place it, apply it to still-wet nails (I prefer to apply it to the top coat layer rather than the polish layer) so you can position it properly. When it has dried, to being almost tacky, carefully lift the each end with tweezers and dab a bit of nail glue. This will keep your chain in its position, but you can always use more glue if you plan on roughing up the design. And let's face it...this kind of look is begging to be roughed up a little. Rawr!

I'm obsessed with letting the chains hang off my nails in different ways like I've done for this look. It's odd, and not necessarily appropriate for all occassions, but damn...it's awesome!

The colors I used for this look included Sun of a Peach (China Glaze) and Stranger Tides (OPI) with lines of Black Onyx (also OPI). I also did some cutouts of my bare nail.

Which finger do you like the most? How would you wear chains? I've seen some fabulous designs, including Sammy's looks, Lexi's take, and Whitney's! I have another review of a silver look coming soon too.

Thanks BPS for the chains!

Pick your's up here, and don't forget to use the coupon code for 10% off.

 

These products were sent to me by Born Pretty Store. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

3D Nail Art Contest

It's contest time! *cue fanfare*

My excitement to see the creations others come up with, combined with the generous contribution of BornPrettyStore.com led to the decision to give you guys a chance to win a nail art contest.

This contest's theme is 3D! There's been a lot of innovation in 3D nail art (my favorite right now being the 3D bow tutorial from Finger Painted), and I want to see your ideas come to fruition. You can browse some of my 3D creations, new and old, here.

Plus, BornPrettyStore.com is my top provider of 3D nail art supplies, so it makes sense that this be the theme with their sponsorship as the prize.

What is the prize you ask? It's a generous gift card to BornPrettyStore.com for $25!

I know how difficult it can be to come up with a design, so I'm giving you all lots of time to create something. This contest will run until June 30th at 5:00pm.

All submissions will need to be submitted using the InLinkz tool at the end of this post. In addition, since I'm too cheap to pay for the subscription service InLinkz offers to get the thumbnails, I'll be pinning all the creations on a Pinterest board for your viewing pleasure. Though voting won't determine the winner, it's still fun to share all your inspiring ideas with everyone.

Here's a link to the Pinterest board.

Here are the rules, which you must follow to be considered for judging.

• You must be 18 or older or with your parent's permission to participate in this contest.
• This contest is open internationally.
• You must be the creator of the look, and it must be done on your own nails.
• I understand that you may already acrylics adhered to your nails. In those cases, you may still submit an entry. However, please do not add any additional acrylic or mold form to your nails to extend their length if you do not already have some.
• At least one 3D element must be incorporated into your look. More is encouraged!
• 3D basically means anything that can be seen and felt on the surface of your nail:
• Acceptable items: micro beads, studs, spikes, acrylic nail art pieces, rhinestones, fimo slices, chains, jewelry, pearls, etc.
• Unacceptable items: striping tape, glequins, decals, stickers, textured nail polish, flocking powder, glitter, etc.
• If you're unsure if something counts, ask me. I'll update the list to clear up any confusion.
• Submissions must all be entered using the InLinkz tool below by June 30th at 5:00pm MST. I've submitted one to show you how it looks.
• Only one entry per person.
• You may use purchased 3D materials, or create your own.
• Your post must be new.

That's it! Feel like you can meet all those requirements and still knock out some killer looks? I thought so! Get to creating, and feel free to post any questions you have about anything.

A huge thank you to BornPrettyStore.com for sponsoring this contest!!! Be sure to stop by their site, especially if you want to pick up some 3D supplies!

Born Pretty Store Matte Top Coat Review

Do you have a matte top coat?

Do you want a matte top coat?

Do you know where to find a matte top coat?

Well, here's one from Born Pretty Store you will enjoy! It does exactly what you think...it turns the mani into a matte mani. It's pretty great. Nothing special, but I don't think any matte top coat would be. It works, dries quickly, and you can get it for under $5 (plus 10% off with the code C10X31).

Here's the mani I did with the matte top coat:

And here is the same mani with a shiny top coat:

See the difference? I really like the effect on glitter and shimmers! I used Bending Over Backward from China Glaze as the base, and Set the Stage from Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear.


This product was sent to me by Born Pretty Store. The review is based entirely on my experience with the product and was in no way influenced by anyone.

Born Pretty Store 2mm Silver Square Studs Review

3D nail art is slowly making its way into my heart. I don't think I'll be doing any landscaping on my nails anytime soon, or chaining my fingernails together as a form of art, but, never say never!

In the meantime, I'm sticking to the simple 3D objects, one of which are these 2 mm silver square studs from Born Pretty Store.

Studs are so easy to use, and you can really get some cool designs. I decided to do a skittles manicure, using all sorts of different designs for the studs. I don't think I can pick a favorite design here, I love them all so much.

I used a tiny bit of nail glue on the backs of each stud to adhere them to my nail nice and strong. I don't want to wake up in the morning with snagged studs all over my pillow and hair. That would be no bueno. Instead, the glue secures them, and then I layer one top coat on top as well, for extra coverage and smoother edges. Sometimes that causes bubbles though, so be careful with your top coat application!

You can pick up these silver studs from Born Pretty Store for just under $6 here. They also have gold studs, larger squares, circles, and different colors for the circles. They also have odd shapes, like the marquis shapes I showed you a few days ago. You get a large bagful, so you won't be running out anytime soon.

Oh by the way, I used Grape (Savina) and Wednesday (Zoya) for the colors.

Don't forget to take 10% off your order, with the code C10X31.

These products were sent to me by Born Pretty. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Velvet Flocking Powder from Born Pretty Store Review

After seeing how much fun Candice at Mr. Candiipants was having with her flocking powder here, I decided I'd give it a shot. I completely agree with her on it too...it's amazing!

Born Pretty Store sent me a pot of the dark blue velvet flocking powder, which comes with a handy pair of mini tongs and a soft brush.

The mini tongs are used to pick up a small amount of flocking powder so you can douse your nails with it all.

The brush is to remove the excess fluff that will inevitably get all over your finger.

Here's what you do.

First, paint your nails with a base color similar to the color of the powder. This will hide any bald spots you might get (though the powder will stick to any wet polish, so bald spots are usually user error, not flocking flubs). I chose to paint the base of my wholly-velvet nails with Man Hunt from China Glaze. It matched the most of any polish in my collection.

Next, clean up your cuticles. I highly recommend doing this first, so you don't have polish on your cuticles while you also have the powder on your nails. Trying to clean up wet powder isn't fun, but dry powder will blow right off.

Now, unscrew the caps to your velvet pot, as well as your top coat. I just used Seche Vite, and even though it's fast-drying, I had no problems with it.

Before you start flinging powder everywhere, you should also grab a piece of scrap paper and fold it, hamburger style. This will give you a nice, pre-made funnel to dispose of the loose powder with. You'll simply fold up the paper along its crease, and all the loose powder will fall right into your pot again to be used later. Simple.

Ok, now that everything has been set up, it's time to start flocking. No, don't run around and gather your friends to go galavanting through the streets together honking like geese. It's time to start flocking, not flocking.

Paint a layer of top coat onto one nail. Make sure your hand is over your paper funnel you created.

Then, use your mini tongs to grab a 'tongful' of powder, and just drop it over your wet top coat. Some will stick, lots will fall off, and you'll likely not cover your entire nail. So grab another tongful and do it again, all while the top coat is still wet. Keep dropping some on until it looks covered.
 
Now, use the flat side of the mini tongs to pat down the powder. The design of the tongs is bent intentionally to allow the patting down to be easier. Press hard, and press all over your nail. Get the edges, near your cuticles, and the tips.

Removing the excess flocking powder can be done in a few ways. First, you can blow, but you'll not only lose some powder you could recycle, but you may also just wind up with a blue cat that's supposed to be white. Instead, I suggest tapping your finger against your paper, which removes quite a good amount. Then, try tapping your tongs against your finger. Finally, you will use the provided brush to sweep away excess texture. You don't have to wait any time at all for the polish underneath the powder to dry. If it's tapped down hard enough, it'll stick, and you'll be amazed at how easy your cleanup is.

Some powder ends up all along the sides and cuticles of your nails. When this happens with polish, I use my trusty angled paintbrush dipped in acetone to remove the polish. With flocking powder, you don't need any acetone. Simply grab your dry brush and use it to get into hard to reach places. It's like using a duster instead of a vacuum.

Repeat this on your other nails, and you're done! It's remarkably simple.

The results are a blast. If you're trying to stop smoking or need to preoccupy your hands during the day for some other reason, try this stuff. You'll be petting your nails all day.

I also tried a little stress test on the powder. Washing your hands is an inevitable part of your day. I ran the powder under water, and even washed my hands as I normally would with soap, and the resiliency of the powder is impressive. I can truly hardly notice a difference on my dry hand and my wet hand. That was an unexpected bonus!

So do I recommend this flocking powder? 100% yes! I love the effect, and it's really easy to do. Makes the manicure look expensive too huh?

You can pick up the blue color I showed you at Born Pretty Store here, but there's a few other colors as well! I'll be getting the red one for sure! If you just want the kit I showed here, they run at about $8. If you want to bundle the kit with an accompanying nail polish, the price goes up to $19. You can also just get the powder (without the brush and tongs), for $5.80. All of these can be reduced further by 10% by using my coupon code, C10X31.

These products were sent to me by Born Pretty Store. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Marquise Stud Review from Born Pretty Store

After a few very blingy guest posts, I needed to get a little blingy myself.

I used the marquise studs from Born Pretty Store to bling out this manicure.

These shapes are larger than most of the studs I own already, and with my littler nails, I'm more limited to what I can do. I love them though, and the fact that three little studs can outline the shape of my cuticle perfectly and create a perfect design.

The base color is Road House Blues from OPI.

You can pick up a pack of studs like these from Born Pretty Store here for just under $6. Due to their odd shape and larger size, I recommend gluing them down rather than using just a topcoat to hold them.

If you place an order, use a 10% off code to deduct some more from your purchase: C10X31

These products were sent to me by Born Pretty. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Born Pretty Store Hexagon Glitter Review

Everyone's seen the hexagonal glitter and sequins (glequins) rocking the nail world.

Oh you haven't? Well...look at The Nailasaurus and Polish All the Nails. They know what's up.

It seems that the opaque metallic glitter is everywhere, so I wanted to review the clear sheets of glitter for you today from Born Pretty.

This package of 12 colors does come with two solids (gold and silver), but the other ten aren't opaque, and see-through like flakies.

The pots are smallish, but there's SO much glitter it's a bit insane. I have no complaints about it, and recommend them if you're interested at all in glequins. Especially at only $6.03 for all 12.

I decided to use five of the colors on my five nails, and yes, they're Christmas colored. Fall ended really quickly, and winter's here, and I AM READY. So this is officially my first Christmas mani.

If you're thinking of buying anything from Born Pretty, like these glequins, then don't forget to use my 10% off coupon code: C10X31.

These products were sent to me by Born Pretty. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Born Pretty Store 3-Size Rhinestone Wheel Review

There's good bling, and there's bad bling.

This...

Rhinestones shown with Mesmerized (Essie)

...is good bling.

This...

Source: http://www.dumbdrops.com/he-just-looks-stupid-with-all-that-bling/

...is bad bling.

You can get the good bling I'm showing you here, in three different sizes, for under $5, from Born Pretty. You can get a wheel of bling.

Wheel...of...rhinestones! (Thanks Vanna White.)

Each of the three sizes has four compartments in the wheel. It's a bit difficult to see the size differences between the three in the blue mani up top, so I did another for comparison.

Rhinestones shown over gradient of Stirring Silver and Prairie Fairy (Sation)

Which mani do you prefer with the rhinestones?

I loved this wheel of rhinestones. The three sizes were all manageable, but varied enough that I didn't feel like I actually just got two sizes.

The rhinestones are easy to adhere, and you don't need glue. Nail glue will  help them last longer if you're going for longevity, but a layer of topcoat as a sticky base, then another as a topcoat over the rhinestones and polish works just as well. (I personally recommend using Seche Vite fast dry topcoat, as it's thicker and lays well over the rhinestones.)

The easiest way to put them on is to use a toothpick with a little bit of tacky topcoat on the tip to pick up each rhinestone. The Nailasaurus shows you just how to do this using glequins, but the technique is the same.

To avoid getting bubbles around the rhinestones, try not to apply too many layers of topcoat. 

You can get your own wheel of rhinestones from Born Pretty for just under $4. If you're new to Born Pretty, you'll be excited to hear that shipping is FREE...

...It gets better though! You can take an additional 10% off your entire order by using my coupon code, C10X31. 

This product was sent to me by Born Pretty. The review is based entirely on my experience with the product and was in no way influenced by anyone.

Tribe-Fall: Born Pretty Store Brush Review

I've been asked by a few people lately which tools I use for my designs. I've been using the same brush for a while now, but today, I tried out a new one from Born Pretty. Here's a link to the brush I'm showing you tonight.

This wooden drawing brush is a very manageable brush. It's bristles are shorter than your average striping brush, which will be helpful for beginners to get started. Because of this, you can also use it for more than just lines. I tried it for dots, and it was great, though I didn't use any dots in the pattern I drew tonight.

The brush also comes in an outer carrying case, in addition to a small tube to protect the bristles when you stash it away in your nail art drawer or cup.

It is harder to get small lines using this than a smaller striper brush such as these (also from Born Pretty), but the length of the bristles are overall more predictable, and you won't get crazy flyaway lines like you might with a striper brush.

The price point for this little brush is great, at only $1.32, plus the free shipping Born Pretty always offers. Additionally, knock off another 10% with my coupon code, C10X31. 

The colors I used for the fall look were mostly from China Glaze: Below Deck, Life Preserver, Papaya Punch, and Happy Go Lucky. The designs were done with my trusty black from OPI, Black Onyx. I was inspired by this pattern at ColourLovers tonight.

This product was sent to me by Born Pretty. The review is based entirely on my experience with the product and was in no way influenced by anyone.

Nailed It's First Birthday - Nail Art Competition

EDIT 11/11/12: The winner has been announced! 

Light up the candles, and then promptly blow them all out because nail polish is flammable and you're not irresponsible...it's Nailed It's birthday!

One year ago today, Nailed It was born. Since then, it has flourished and become an amazing experience for me and hopefully my readers! Earlier today there were 555,555 page views as well.

I couldn't be happier with the direction this blog is going, and I owe so much of that to my readers! Thank you all so much!

I wanted to celebrate this milestone and say thanks with my first nail art competition. I've opened up this competition to everyone everywhere, with a wonderful prize, sponsored by Born Pretty.

The winner (chosen by me) will win a $20 gift certificate to Born Pretty, to spend on anything they like, including glitter, nail polish, nail art brushes, dotting tools, rhinestones, stamps and more. Damn.

Theme - Two Bottles

For this contest, your theme is two bottles of polish. You can only use two bottles of polish (notice that I didn't say "two colors" because that leaves room for interpretation). I want you to challenge yourself to create something spectacular with only two bottles of polish to work with.

Rules

The rules of this are pretty simple. Any entries that do not meet the rules listed below will not be counted.

• You may only use two bottles of polish (a clear base coat and clear or matte top coat excluded).
• The design must be your own, done on your own fingernails (please no toes).
• You may not use stamps or nail art decorations in the final design.
• You may use tape to create clean lines, but the tape must be removed.
• Glitter polishes may be used if they are sold as a polish (no loose glitter).
• You must name the two bottles of polish used in your design. 
• You may not use acrylic paint.
• You must submit the URL of your post using the inlinkz tool below.
• Your post does not need to be on a blog (e.g., you may use Flickr, Tumblr, Facebook, etc.)
• You may submit a post you have already published.
• You may enter until Friday, November 9 at noon (MST). 
• This competition is open internationally to anyone qualified to order from the BornPrettyStore site.

Please share this competition with your friends and readers of your own blog. If you have any additional questions about the competition, how to enter, or anything else, please feel free to comment or send me an email.

Good luck to everyone, and a big thank you to Born Pretty for donating such a great prize!

Click the Add Your Link button below to enter your submission. Entries submitted in the comments of this post will not be counted.

Born Pretty m-59 Lovely Heart Stamp Review

The marathon of reviews continues with another Born Pretty pretty. There's plenty of pretty out there in nail world, but nothing feels quite as pretty as a girly bow. Okay...maybe pink, scented, kitten shaped glitter would be prettier...or at least girlier. But bows are up there. At least top ten.

The m-59 plate is a great stamp if you're looking for bows. It comes with not one but two bows for you to choose from (and these aren't duplicates).

It also gives you 4 different hearts to choose from and two different snow flakes. For this, it's one of those versatile but useable plates I'll come back to when I'm looking to quickly spice up a manicure. For this manicure using Light as Air and Sugar High (China Glaze), I just wanted to use the bow.

I used the solid (as opposed to the polka dot) bow to add accents to the tips of my nails tonight. The design picked up like a dream, even with my chunked up, post-Thanksgiving dinner Black on Black (Sinful Colors). Lately my stamping attempts have been awful and annoying--designs not transferring, partial images being picked up, dragging issues, and scratched plates. I was fully prepared for a long night of retrying each finger to get it right, but I didn't have to redo a single one. (Yes, my middle finger may have benefited from a do-over, but that's an alignment issue, not an image transfer issue.)

Compared to my last experience with a Born Pretty plate, this was flawless. The designs are all carved deeply and with nice detail. I didn't have to retry anything to get the right results, and the plate fits nicely with the rest of my plates (Bundle Monster, Red Angel, Konad). If you're looking for a pretty plate, grab this one. It's cheap at $2.99 and the designs are all not only cute, but useable. When wouldn't you need a heart or a bow? And for winter, snowflakes can look amazing with some metallic polishes.

Pick up your plate here and get free shipping. If you're looking to spend even less than $2.99, why not use a 10% off coupon? I just so happen to have one for you to use any time, as many times as you'd like!

This product was sent to me by Born Pretty. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.

Born Pretty CK-03 Plate Review

Nailed It's about to undergo a marathon week of reviews and nail art, so buckle up!

Born Pretty kicks things off first, with the CK-03 quadrate stamping template.

 I was giddy to get this stamping plate, but unfortunately, my hopes were let down a bit upon arrival of the template. Comparing the template to a Konad plate, you can see why.

Born Pretty on top, Konad on the bottom.

See that size difference? The stamps on the Born Pretty plate are all too small to fit my fingernails, and I don't necessarily have large or long nails. Here's my thumb up against one of the designs:

Damn. I was really excited about this plate, especially the pattern beside my thumb there. There are several patterns similar to this throughout the plate, but only none are exactly the same. However, looking at the base of the plate, there are actually three repeat patterns.

I'm not sure why they replicated the exact same patterns. They don't even go the other direction. They're just straight up copies of one another. There's a total of 42 designs advertised, but you really only get 39. Bummer.

I do like the designs on the plate though. My favorites are the lace patterns, with inlaid patterns within them. I also really dig the metal grate design right beside the top pattern highlighted in purple in the image above. I have plans for that one, but I'm frustrated that to get an entire nail design, I'll have to carefully place at least 2 designs.

My opinion on this plate is very mixed for the reasons I just listed. For one, I love the designs. They're carved well and transfer easily with the right polish. However, the designs are all too little, and you get repeats on the plate. Ultimately, I don't think I'd recommend it. It's cheap, at only $8.53 (here), so you can decide if you think it's worth it. I just want you to keep in mind what you're getting, and I don't want any of you to be disappointed without the knowledge.

With that in mind, here's my nail art using the plate. I had to do a cutout design because the size of the designs was too little, and I'll admit, I love it anyway.

I used two OPI colors here: My Boyfriend Scales Walls (the white) and stamped with Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It. The black lines were done with Black (Color Madric). I just added rhinestones to spice it up a little more.

You can pick up this template at BornPrettyStore.com here. With the coupon code below, you'll get the plate for just over $7.50, which definitely ain't a bad price for 39 nail designs! The choice is yours.

This product was sent to me by Born Pretty. The reviews are based entirely on my experience with the products and were in no way influenced by anyone.