Victoria of Manicurator.com is a guest contributor to the Cirque Colors blog. Read on for a brightly colored nail art tutorial featuring shades from our Manus x Machina and Vice 2016 Collections.
Hello lovelies! I'm back with a simple yet (I think!) stunning design using one of the shades from Cirque Colors: Manus x Machina collection and the full Vice 2016 collection. This includes an easy tutorial because the design is so easy to make! If you don't know about this fantastic collection you can read all about it, the inspirations behind each shade, and of course swatches and nail art highlighting each shade: Cirque Colors Manus x Machina
The short version, this collection was inspired by the materials and production techniques that are explored throughout the exhibit (Manus x Machina) at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. You can still see this beautiful exhibition which explores the dichotomy between handmade (manus) and machine-made (machina) in the creation of fashion. This year's exhibit features over 150 pieces of haute couture and avant-garde ready-to-wear dating from the 1880s to present day. I highly recommend it!
This manicure is inspired by Hussein Chalayan's "Video" dress, autumn/winter 2007-8, Pret-a-Porter
The dress (more images below) is machine-sewn white silk chiffon, heat-set with Swarovski crystals and plain-weave rayon backing; machine-sewn plain-weave rayon, quilted with synthetic batting; machine-sewn synthetic canvas, hand-wired with 15,600 LED lights; machine-sewn cheesecloth backing with hand-stitched electronic circuit boards; black plastic neck piece; aluminum and resin chest piece with synthetic grosgrain ribbon
15,600 LED LIGHTS. HAND-WIRED.
The Vice 2016 collection does not disappoint. I used all of them (if you see shades not in bottles, it's because I mixed some a bit)
The manicure begins with Cirque Colors Holdfast Base Coat and 2 coats of Carpe Diem. Once moderately dry I randomly dotted on all 5 of the deliciously bright shades in the Vice 2016 collection.
One shade at a time, I "blended" out using a tiny nail art brush dipped in pure acetone. I just wanted to create edges for the dots that were not so crisp.
After each shade's dots were softened, I made sure the brush was thoroughly clean. Then I moved on to adding acetone to the next shade.
Once the dots and acetone was complete, I added one coat of the Manus x Machina Ultrasonic - A sheer linen-white inspired by designer toiles which serve as working prototypes for finished fashion designs. This foundational shade pays homage to the creative process, providing buildable coverage and a perfect blank canvas for nail art.
This shade is so easy to work with and goes on without any streaking, builds in opacity with each coat, so it's perfect for jelly sandwiches (remember those?), pond manis, and this mani!
Yep. I love it.
In the photo above I have topped it with Cirque Colors Matte Look Top Coat. This was my favorite!!
The photos of the dress are from the Exhibition Catalogue: Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology purchased from The Met Store
These were so fun to wear and quite easy to accomplish. Please, let me know how you like it and if you are interested in any of the shades, snap them up, because they are all Limited Edition.
The Manus x Machina shades:
Individual Bottles, $15
Available in-store only at The Met Store: 1000 Fifth Ave, New York City
3-Piece Gift Sets, $42
Available online only at store.metmuseum.org (shipping to US residents)
(Extended) Through Sep 5, or while supplies last.
The Vice 2016 collection:
Available for $13 at cirquecolors.com and in-store/online boutiques: stockists
All the best,
Victoria
About:
Victoria is the editor of
Manicurator.com, an NYC based beauty blog that has been featured in Nail
It! magazine both online and in print. She is an AOL
Lifestyle Collective contributor and has had designs featured by Zoya, OPI, China Glaze, Sally Hansen and KISS. Victoria has been able to collaborate on three custom
shades she is very proud of: Rescue Beauty Lounge "Manicurator" (no longer
available), Picture Polish "Honeymoon", and KBShimmer "Snow Much Fun".
A former school teacher, Victoria spends her time taking care of her
twin boys, painting her nails and taking photos of them, dreaming up
designs and color combos..and thinking about how she wants to find time
to travel more, read books more, and start learning embroidery.
