The Digit-al Dozen Does Black: The Mani The Nearly Didn't Happen

TGIF!  I can not even begin to tell you how happy I am that I finally managed to get a mani for today's post.  This mani took me four attempts and three different bottles of matte top coat.  Why I hear you ask?  Well let me break it down for you.

Mani attempt number one:  I had to do two attempts at applying Emily de Molly's Black Sheer Tint because it didn't look even across all of my nails (some looked a lot darker than the others).  Then I had a nice glossy photo but it did not photograph well at all.  That's ok, add a matte top coat.  I added OPI's Matte Top Coat and I ended up with white bits all over my nails. 

Mani attempt number two:  basically it was a repeat of the above (minus the issues with the tint) but with a terrible french tips.  Ahh!  Complain to Margaret (@loveslacquer on Instagram - definitely check her out if you haven't) about the matte top coat and she suggested using the Sally Hansen Big Matte.  Awesome, a trip to the shops for me.  Two stores were sold out of it but luckily I found one in the third store.

Mani attempt number three:  Apply the base, stamping and french tips nicely an apply the Sally Hansen Big Matte and OMG!  Pure white stripes all over my nails.  I've tried it a few times on different things at different days with different weather temperatures.  I think I have a faulty bottle.  Decide I am going to quit and not have a mani for today.

Final mani attempt: After I got over my frustration of the whole matte top coat issues I started to try and think of some other ideas for a mani for today, but honestly I kept coming back to my original idea.  Luckily for me I remembered that I still had Powder Perfect's Matte Top Coat so I grabbed that and hoped that this would be the last time at doing this mani.  Well it worked!  I couldn't be happier.

For my base I used Emily de Molly's Black Sheer Tint, then I stamped the image from Lina Nail Art Supplies Feeling Shapely 06 stamping plate with Powder Perfect's Black Stamping Polish.  I freehanded the french tips using Pretty Serious Cosmetics Absence and then topped it all with Powder Perfect's Matte Top Coat.

I hope you have enjoyed my black manis this week.  They are definitely a lot different than my usual manis.  Now bring on some colour!!!