Last Friday, before heading off to a MAC PRO to PRO event, I went to get my nails did at Sakura Lower East Side with my homegirl Megumi.
(P.S. After going on a few nail dates with Megumi, I think we may have to go steady. She gets my crazy whims and I LOVE the way she does my nail shape!)
I knew I wanted to dip my toe into some color after realizing I predominantly lean towards Black designs. So what better color than a bright, obnoxious Red? (Kinda like MAC Lady Danger Lipstick)
After some perusal through the Japanese Nail Magazines, I came across this one:
Unfortunately, Sakura didn’t have any star studs, but I thought I could improvise and keep it simple and bright.
I wanted more of an orange/red — luckily, Sakura LES just got in a new Calgel shade…aptly named “Red”.
First, Megumi filed them to a pointy shape. The more I frequent Sakura, the POINTIER my nail shape seems to get…and I LOVE IT! I find that the pointier shape makes my fingers appear longer, too.
←Never did I think my nails would be so long! Thanks, Calgel!
Megumi began by doing the Red Calgel base — of course, with the clear moons!
Then we chose 3 random fingers, and Megumi placed a combination of small gold beads + small yellow rhinestones in lines, but mixed them a random placement:
We were going to then add some additional craziness to the other nails…but at the last minute, I decided to keep them plain. It made the “studded” nails seem far more impactful.
Here’s the finished look:
Thoughts? 
23 responses so far ↓
jordana // Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 1:24 pm
OMG, I love that! So edgy and great pics!
Nicolah // Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 1:28 pm
How come you do clear moons? I like the design
greenmilktea // Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 1:30 pm
I like it. I really like the new color, “Red.” To bad they didn’t have the star stud, it would have completed the look.
seouldiva // Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Hey Nicolah! After the base coat of Clear Calgel, Megumi creates the clear moons by REALLY carefully applying the Red Calgel, without painting over the space near the cuticles. So the “moons” are actually just clear Calgel. Sorry if I’m not making sense, but it’s hard to explain in words! Does that help?
Rachael // Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 2:55 pm
design is cute and edgy! i love the longer length too! i’m trying to grow mine out right now with calgel and minx nail coverings.
seouldiva // Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 5:43 pm
Hey Rachael! What’s your take on Minx? I love how it looks but I’ve never tried it b/c I’ve heard it can peel off in just a few days, but just as expensive as Calgel…
Silver Lips // Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Very Hot and Kick azz cute!! You come up with some of the coolest nail art. Though I’m not that adventurous with my nails. Can you advise what the name of the Japanese Nail Magazines is ? Thx
Mona // Thursday, January 21, 2010 at 10:37 pm
I luv this design!! Too many ladies with black! Luv black too, but red is HOT! I’m tempted to copy your design. ;P
missmarisol // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 2:24 am
omg those are awesome!
For those of us who have never heard of Calgel until seeing your nails, what advice can you give us if we want to try them out? What should we look for in a nail salon?
TIA!
Rachael // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 9:20 am
since minx is so expensive i’ve had them put a thin clear coat of calgel over the top which makes it last as long as a calgel mani. i get it done at the valley on elizabeth street (valleynyc.com).
actually they were the first spa in the city to start doing calgel like 3 yrs ago but no one knew about it b/c they were located down on orchard and canal. maki is great with nail art there too!
seouldiva // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 9:47 am
Hey girl – I think it was either Nail Venus or Nail Up Magazine!!
(apologies, b/c I realize after I left that I forgot to snap a pic of the magazine cover!)
seouldiva // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 9:47 am
Hey Mona! Copy away!!
Let me know how it comes out!!
seouldiva // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 9:49 am
Hey Marisol! It depends: if you just want a single color, you can just look for any salon that does Calgel (and I think Dashing Divas in NYC also has something similar called “Gel Life Manicures”). But if you’re looking for some art with embellishments, I think you’d have to just research and ask! In my experience in NYC, the nail places that usually do the crazy nail art usually have Japanese nail stylists…
seouldiva // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 9:50 am
Hey Rachael! That’s awesome! I always wondered if that could be done…thank you SO much for sharing! I do know about Valley — a lot of my friends actually go there, but I guess because I found Sakura first, I’ve just stayed loyal to it!
Eleazaida // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 12:40 pm
I just got my nails done with Megumi at Sakura Uptown, solid black with the ring fingers solid white. On the ring fingers I had Megumi do 3d black bows and she added black lace on the top. I blame you Heather for my Calgel addiction. Next step is to get my mom to get a design, I got her to try stones and she liked it, gradations are next, fyi she’s 67.
seouldiva // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 1:31 pm
WOWSA GIRL!! Can you send some pictures??! Was thinking about doing lace but was on the fence!! (P.S. Sorry about the addiction…but I’m not only the Calgel Cult President, I’m also a member!)
Eleazaida // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 1:42 pm
Send! What’s your email? I dabbled into the lace but I really want to do more with it, its kind of a sticker that they use but gives the same effect. Have you read The Daily Nail? She does all kinds of nail art everyday and she did a lace mani with real lace. She just had issues with the fit and how sharp the edges were.
Eleazaida // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 1:43 pm
Send! Was supposed to be Sure! Lol
seouldiva // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 2:06 pm
LOL. you can email me at seouldiva@gmail.com!
I’d love to feature them as a guest post…is that ok?
Hell Candy Make Up // Friday, January 22, 2010 at 8:02 pm
Every time I see I new design of yours I want to go and paint my nails pretty! They look lovely as always
Yaya // Monday, January 25, 2010 at 12:15 am
I’m madly in love with this mani thankyouverymuch
seouldiva // Monday, January 25, 2010 at 9:40 am
aw, thanks girl!!
Thanks for reading!
Star & Stripes…and a heart, too « S E O U L D I V A // Thursday, February 4, 2010 at 3:47 pm
[...] I had a lot of fun with the red nails, I felt like they looked a little off when I was wearing Pink lipstick or Burgundy, or they [...]