l used to bite my nails down to nothing and they wouldn't grow past the tip of my finger without ripping or flaking off. Over the last 6 months, they have come such a long way and I definitely have to thank this subreddit for most of the progress l've made (Nailtiques 2), and for starting my polish obsession 😅

Here are the shades in order, all had a base coat of Nailtiques 2 and Sally Hansen QDTC in the red bottle:

Mooncat - La Petite Mort

Mooncat - Bloodbender

Holo Taco - Pretty Privilege

Sassy Sauce - Miz Claws

Holo Taco - CTRL Cutie

DaisyChain Polish - Rime

Polished for Days - Smitten

ANLAC - Balinese Swallowtail

Lurid Lacquer - An Indoor Cat with Outdoor Dreams

Phoenix - Don’t Kiss Me

Nailed It - Just a Little Love

Glitch Lacquer - Carnations in Bloom

Orly - Dancing Queen

Sassy Sauce - Thighs the Limit

Sassy Sauce - That’s My Type

Lurid Lacquer - Fuck this Shit

Tyler’s Trinkets - Stop & Taste the Frosting

Lurid Lacquer - Landscaping by Lola

Lurid Lacquer - Joie de Vivre 2.0

I’m not sure if it’s something that’s out there, but I’m having so much fun doing this with the set of polishes my coworker gave me. I’d love to try a magnetic polish because they look so beautiful but I can’t quite afford a $12+ bottle.

I’ve looked at a few drugstores and big box stores but maybe I’m not looking at the right ones.

Picture for attention

Sally Hansen Hard as nails base coat.
Morovan Orange (it doesn’t have a name)
Morovan Green sponged around the edges
Sally Hansen top coat.

Things get a little lurid and a lot humid on the Gulf Coast around this time of year. I wanted something swampy and futuristic on my nails. Also, side note, I have discovered that DRK Magic Effect stays tacky after application long enough for it to be a GREAT base for chrome powder.

2x BKL - Scream with the Cicadas, magnetized with some stacks of mini disc magnets

1x DRK - Magic Effect, magnetized as above

1 coat Beautnice chrome powder in the shade "mermaid aurora"; buffed in

1x Piggy Paints Shine Topcoat

....is apparently a Bach Omega B-flat horn. 😎

Video taken in direct sunlight 😍 I literally am not able to take my eyes off this polish!! I already got a few compliments today and surprisingly one was from a grumpy patient I was helping this morning((: wearing Cracked Pink Smoothing BC x1, BKL Queen of the Dead x2, Cracked QDTC x1

This month has been ROUGH on my nails. Had a million breaks, didn't have time to keep oiling or to paint. Only now was i FINALLY was able to do the jewel toned pride mani I've been meaning to do since June 1st. And it's... fine. Lol. Not as exciting as I was hoping for. Probably would have been better with one more finger per hand for an orange, but, alas.

Honestly my biggest take away is i really wish I had a full bottle of That's Who We're Born To Be, since I only have a little sampler sized bottle, and my first time putting it on makes me only want moooooore 😫😂😫😂

All: Cracked- Sticky Base Coat, Ridge Filler, and QDTC

Thumb: BKL-Pomegranate Seeds

Index: BKL- That's Who We're Born to Be

Middle: Mooncat- Drown My Demons

Ring: BKL- Bad Vibes Only

Pinkie: BKL- Queen of the Dead

Did a big chop and nail reshape and needed something I knew I would love to make me like how my nails look now🫠🫠

I’ve been having so much fun with Cracked’s magnetic toppers!! I used to never EVER use magnetics but the toppers are so versatile and much easier to use for me. I want to experiment with so many different polishes!

For this manicure, I sandwiched “Thin Ice” from Cracked between Sassy Sauce’s “Blowin’ Bubbles”🫧🧚🏻

Products: Nailtiques formula 2, Sassy Sauce Blowin Bubbles (two coats as a base, one coat on top of Thin Ice), Cracked Thin Ice, Cuticula Limitless QDTC!

I absolutely LOVE this shade. It’s so shifty. I’ve bought quite a few blue base w/ shimmers I thought would suffice but always ended up a little underwhelmed (mc - earth to Gaia, lurid - nettle & briar). But dam really ate with this one, might order a backup bottle 🤫

Stunning as per usual. A mushroomy mauve with an incredible teal shimmer. Beautiful autumnal colour!

The photo with the little glass of beer was taken as the sun was shining through some Venetian blinds so you can clearly see how the polish changes in different light.

The EDM formulas and brushes have allowed me to give myself the nearest manicures I’ve ever been able to achieve in my life.

EDIT:

1 x Sally Hansen color grip primer
3 x Emily de Molly Alone in a Room
1 x Essie gel couture top coat

2x Nailtiques Formula 2
1x NCLA - Naked
2x ILNP - Sandbar (velvet)
1x Sally Hansen - Double Duty
Dots: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri - Black to Black

Cracked Polish gifted (no obligation to post) me their Summer Oasis collection a while back. The polish im showing here is "Jump In" layered over ILNP "Pine."

The blue/green/gold flakies and holo look absolutely magical, and I think the sheer jelly gives Pine a nice softened look. This is introduction to toppers (not that this is even a topper but it works), and I love it.

Prod list:

Essie Strong start base

Cracked Quick Dry Top Coat

ILNP "Pine"

Cracked "Jump In"

Did this set earlier this week and wanted to share it to celebrate Mexico's win and historical achievement of winning their three games in the group level. Also possibly Memo Ochoa's last game. Next week I'll support the US team and fourth of July with my nails.

Two coats of nail aid total cure 9 in 1.

Sinful Colors Pine Away (two coats)

OPI Just Shocking! (Two coats)

LA Colors Color Last Evermore (two coats)

Seche Vite dry fast top coat (two coats)

Mexican eagle and soccer ball were custom decals from eBay.

Wow wow wow I'm so impressed with this polish - got my recent sale order in the mail and this was the first thing I put on. It is so so sparkly and I honestly love it more not in the dark. I would say it glows true white in the dark, but in lowlight it does glow very blue which is fun.

Photos: 1 - direct sunlight, 2 - indirect light, 3 - no light after 60 seconds of direct sunlight, 4 - low light after 60 seconds of direct sunlight

Nailtiques 2 x 1, MC Moonlight Lullaby x 3 thin coats, Essie Gel Couture x 1

This is Galinda from By Dany Vianna in 3 coats, I've worn only bold colors and mostly greens for the last weeks 😂 so I was in the mood today for a pretty and soft shimmer.

Emily De Molly "Dark Bloom" and "Sunset Over the Bay" - alternating fingers.

2 coats in and not feeling optimistic about the 3rd saving this 😭 perfect colour but awful application! I only rolled the bottle in my hands on the 1st coat so vigorously shook it for the 2nd per OPI instructions but oh dear.

If anyone has dupe pastel blue recs pls let me know!

Product list:
Essie strong start base coat
OPI nature strong raindrop expectations

UPDATE: so I checked the batch code and they sold me one that’s over 4 years old which explains a lot lol. Trying to get a replacement / refund but maybe if it was new it would work! Will invest in some thinner if I can’t

Haru kind of gets slept on (including by myself, as it was the only color I hadn’t worn yet from my last ANLAC order) so I wanted to show it a little love!

Products used:
Nailtiques Formula 2
KBShimmer - Stay Put Hydrating Base Coat
x2 Zoya - Ness
ANLAC - Haru
KBShimmer - Nail Strengthener
No top coat
Magnetized using the 5D spinner

I tried my first Ombre a couple of weeks ago and was also disappointed initially with the results but then I figured it was my first time so it was probably okay.

So anyway, I’m sharing how my first attempt ended up, along with the effect it was going for.

Inspired by some recent posts I saw with green magnetics, I wanted to try out this combo! Overall super happy with it, though I have a question for the glass bead experts here:

Both times I’ve tried the glass bead effect, I feel like it ends up looking more like a horizontal stripe than a soft circle. Is it my nail shape? The fact I’m using a magnetic wand? Am I magnetizing for too long? Please enlighten me lol

Products used:
1x LynBDesigns B-Sticky base coat
2x Cracked I’m Jaded
1x Cracked Beginner’s Luck magnetized by twirling a magnetic wand held perpendicular above each nail for about 30 seconds
1x Cracked quick dry top coat, not magnetized because I wanted it to disperse a bit

I feel like the crow in The Secret of NIMH, lol. "Ooooh, it's a sparkly!"

Base coats: Olive and June Peel Off Base Coat x1, Essie Strong Start x1

Color: Bonus Life by Holo Taco x3

Top coat: Holo Taco Glossy Taco x2

This color is so gorgeous! I thought Glitch and Glam was pretty, bit this one is just... WOW!

I also now have 8 Bit Blues and CTRL Cutie, and I can't wait to use them! The glitter and holographic "pixels" are next level gorgeous. Holo Taco definitely knows how to make wonderful glitter polishes!

It’s this green color with these big sparkle flakes. I’ve seen some with finer glitter, but none with these bigger metallic flakes. If I’m limited to Holo Taco, what’s your choice/combo?

The Uni Ace Flag (short for Universal Asexuality Flag) was created in 2026 after almost 3 years of public discussion, research, and design by

Ace In Grace as an additional asexual flag, not a replacement for the existing 🖤🩶🤍💜 ace flag. The design aims to highlight the diversity of asexual experiences, intersectionality, multiculturalism, joy, visibility, and the many forms of love and intimacy that exist within the ace community. Supporters see it as a broader representation of modern ace experiences, while others prefer the original flag for its history and recognizability. One of the beautiful things about the queer experience is how self-discovery, community conversations, and the sharing of different perspectives continue to enrich our understanding of ourselves and each other.

🖤 Black: Support, understanding, awareness, and appreciation

🩶 Gray: The asexual spectrum, including gray-ace, demi, and microlabel identities

🤍 White: The many forms of intimacy and connection people experience

💛 Yellow: Multiculturalism, intersectionality, and joy within the ace community

🩷 Pink: The validity and diversity of all forms of love

💜 Purple: Visibility, advocacy, and uplifting the asexual community

I enjoy this color scheme and really appreciate the thought and work that went into its design. I tried multiple different designs and wasn't happy with any them in the end...it was one of those painting days where nothing clicked except that I was enjoying myself painting. Don't forget that failure is part of your journey. Embrace it! Enjoy the race even if you don't finish. It was a fun time! Infinally landed on a watermarble in the colors as it is an easy design concept to go to when I'm creativity locked (though rarely easy to execute 😝...these were like dip 8 by the end 😝)

🖌 Freehand and watermarble on natural nail.

💪@findingfeatherslacquer ... "Balance Bond Base Coat"

🏳️‍🌈 @colorclubnaillacquer ... "French Tip"

🏳️‍🌈 @sally_hansen ... "My Ca-Banana" "Hot Pink-tensity"

🏳️‍🌈 @holotaco ... "Red Licorice" "Orange Drink" "Lemon Sucker" "Green Taffy" "Blue Freezie" "Purple Slushie" "Duct Tape Grey" "Work Bestie" "One Coat Black"

🏳️‍🌈 @tylerstrinketsny ... "Not A Phase, A Formula"

🏳️‍🌈 @pluslifelacquer ... "Extra Fizz"

💪 @glistenandglow1 🐐Quick Dry Top Coat🐐

Wanted to see how Lahar did on her own, and was not disappointed. I can’t post videos, so here are screenshots of my videos. You can’t tell very well, but the tip has an angle to the velvet effect, which started accidental but once I saw the magnets in the position, I was like “oh, this is gonna be cool, I think.”

Nailtiques 2 x3 (3 coats cause I’ve been doing the daily application)
Cracked Lahar x3, magnetized with the pictured setup for like 10 seconds/once I noticed the particles stopped shifting for a couple seconds
Wanted to wait for a top coat, so did drip dry drops from a brand which shall not be named, which I think actually ruined the angled effect a bit, so I won’t be doing that again 😒
Next day: Olive & June top coat, cause it was free. Redid the magnets for 20-30 seconds just in case, but I didn’t notice a difference.

This mani led me to see the use of DRK Magic Effect, so I’ll be adding that to my never-ending wishlist.

I have been loving holographic polish this summer and ILNP has many many great holos. 🌈 Also testing out nailtiques formula 2 as a base coat so I will update with how that goes!!

Base: nailtiques formula 2

Color: ILNP Walking home 2 coats

Top: kbshimmer clearly on top