Chinese Newspaper nails

Recently, I've started to get a little bit obsessed with nail polish. Maybe it's because I haven't been doing much studio work lately, so my hands have had some time off. Maybe it's because I find it therapeutic to listen to make-up and nail care videos on Youtube. Maybe it's just a manifestation of underlying solvent abuse.


The point is, I like having pretty hands. And although because of ignorance on my part and horrible weather (yes... that's it... it's the weather's fault) I have nasty cuticles, I still like to paint my nails and pretend my hands are beautiful delicate blossoms on the ends of my fat arms. You know, as opposed to gnarled workman's paws.

So today I went to Sally's Beauty Supply on Shaftesbury Avenue (which was hell because of the St Patrick's day celebration in Trafalgar Square) and bought my first ever China Glaze- Oxygen, which is a lovely off-white on the pink side of things (dare I say Magnolia?). And then I went to Chinatown and snagged a free newspaper. And then I went home and watched this video.


Et voila: Chinese newspaper nails.

Okay, so they're not perfect (I am still pretty crap at painting my nails). But it was fun to do! Almost like a free nail transfer, except of course you have to buy rubbing alcohol AKA surgical spirit, although you can use vodka.


I think I'd do it again some time, although it was pretty messy. Turns out surgical spirit has the power to dissolve crappy varnish on homemade desks... who'd have thought it?